Soldiers of Fortune Walkthrough and FAQ
By Mike Jenista
[email protected]
Version 1.02
June 2006
Version History
---------------
1.00 - I'm proud to put a guide out there for everyone who needs help.
1.01 - Added a little to part IX, and explained the ~~~~~~ symbol on the World 4
Level 3 map.
1.02 - Extra info regarding Thug and Mercenary.
Table of Contents
-----------------
I. Introduction
II. Controls
III. Soldiers
IV. Upgrading
V. Items
VI. Enemies
VII. Tactics
VIII. Walkthrough
IX. Single Character Trial
X. A Sweet Code Trick
XI. Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
I. Introduction
---------------
Soldiers of Fortune for SNES is a pretty cool game. You can choose to play
with different combos and can even bring a friend into the action. Very fun!
The game is British, which explains some of the unfamiliar character names.
The original title in the UK was "The Chaos Engine," and there was a sequal,
but not on SNES.
The evil Baron Fortesque built this machine called the Chaos Engine which has
completely wackified not only his own estate, but also the world! You have
offered to fight your way into his mansion and destroy the machine... for a
price. You will of course get to keep any valuables you find lying around!
Keep in mind that that date is something like the turn of last century, so your
weapons are limited to that era (plus some H.G. Wells-type "inventions.")
The action is an overhead shooter like Jackal or Fortified Zone, but this game
has its own unique flavors. The graphics are pretty good but the music is
excellent.
II. Controls
------------
D-Pad: move soldier, navigate menus
B: fire
A: cycle through your special items
X: cycle through your partner's special items (1-player mode)
Y: use special item
L and R: increment your direction by 45 degrees left or right
Select: switch special items with partner (1-player mode)
Start: pause game
III. Soldiers
-------------
First, the basic information. This is a table of the beginning stats:
Name Cost Weapon/Power Health Speed Wisdom Special
+-----------+------+--------------+--------+--------+--------+-----------+
| Brigand | 2750 | Rifle/medium | 2.5 | 7 | 2 | shotburst |
+-----------+------+--------------+--------+--------+--------+-----------+
| Gentleman | 2500 | Pistol/medium| 2.0 | 7 | 2 | map |
+-----------+------+--------------+--------+--------+--------+-----------+
| Thug | 3000 | Shotgun/high | 3.0 | 6 | 1 | molotov |
+-----------+------+--------------+--------+--------+--------+-----------+
| Mercenary | 2750 | Gatling/med | 2.5 | 7 | 2 | bomb |
+-----------+------+--------------+--------+--------+--------+-----------+
| Navvie | 3000 | Cannon/high | 3.0 | 6 | 1 | dynamite |
+-----------+------+--------------+--------+--------+--------+-----------+
| Scientist | 2500 | Raygun/low | 1.5 | 7 | 3 | first aid |
+-----------+------+--------------+--------+--------+--------+-----------+
These are the maximum possible stats:
Name Power Health Speed Wisdom Special Items
+-----------+-------+------+--------+--------+--------------------------------+
| Brigand | High! | 8.0 | 9 | 9 | shotburst, molotov, distractor |
+-----------+-------+------+--------+--------+--------------------------------+
| Gentleman | high | 7.0 | 10 | 10 | map,repel,distract,party-power |
+-----------+-------+------+--------+--------+--------------------------------+
| Thug | High! | 10.0 | 8 | 8 | molotov, airburst |
+-----------+-------+------+--------+--------+--------------------------------+
| Mercenary | high | 8.5 | 9 | 9 | bomb, landmine, medkit |
+-----------+-------+------+--------+--------+--------------------------------+
| Navvie | High! | 10.0 | 8 | 8 | dynamite, shotburst |
+-----------+-------+------+--------+--------+--------------------------------+
| Scientist | med | 6.0 | 10 | 10 | medkit, map, shield, freezer |
+-----------+-------+------+--------+--------+--------------------------------+
Character reviews (the descriptions are from Nintendo Power, the rest is mine)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brigand-"This mercenary is in the business purely for the money. The Baron has
stashed away large sums and Brigand is willing to risk his life to find
the loot. He has average abilities and begins the mission with a Rifle
and Shotburst."
Because he starts with the Shotburst and because you can upgrade his gun
the maximum number of times, the Brigand is a good choice as either a
player or a computer partner. You won't get the Monster Distractor for
a while, but it is worth it when you do.
Gentleman-"The intelligence and speed of the Gentleman keeps him at the top of
his game. While he's not very strong, the Gentleman can avoid a lot of
trouble with his quick moves. He starts with a Flame Pistol and
mapping abilities."
The Gentleman starts with the Map, which is about the best thing going
for him. He gets the Monster Repellant at Skill 6, which is a good
item to have in Worlds 3 and 4. The good news is that he is cheaper,
so you will have a little extra to spend on him during the first
upgrade.
His later special items and 10 wisdom are good reasons to take him as
a computer partner.
Thug-"The ox-like Thug is a mutant powerhouse who can withstand a big beating
and still fight back with a mighty force. His Shotgun fires several
small shells and the Molotov weapon that he begins with sends out a
circle of flame."
The Thug and the Navvie are the same on paper, but really the Thug is
an inferior strongman. His special items are not very good compared to
the Navvie's, and his shotgun has a narrow hit zone at first. With full
upgrades, the shotgun has an impressive spread, but that's it. By the
end of the game, the spread is actually a bad quality since the enemies
have so much life and move so fast. The individual shots will not keep
the enemies back like the Navvie's Cannon will.
Mercenary-"Experience is on the Mercenary's side. This fighter is a veteran of
many battles and a good leader. While his abilities are average,
Mercenary does make good use of a Gatling Gun and he is an expert with
explosives."
The Mercenary is a lot like the Brigand. The key difference is that he
gets a little more life for a little less firepower. What makes him a
great choice, though, is that he is one of the characters with the
First Aid Kit.
The Mercenary's gun has the same spread effect as the Thug's with the
same disadvantage. But while the Mercenary's Gatling Gun has slightly
less power, it fires faster. Not much, but it's there.
Navvie-"The strongest fighter of the group got his physical training by building
roads and canals. He also had a stint with the army where he learned to
make weapons. Navvie begins teh mission with a powerful Cannon and
Dynamite."
The Navvie packs the most firepower right from the start. He begins the
game with Dynamite, which is POWERFUL, and his Cannon weapon is both
accurate and devastating to enemies. As it upgrades, it shoots more
than one shell at a time, but in an accurate formation. It also allows
for the "corner" shooting (see Tactics).
If you want ultimate firepower, choose the Navvie.
Scientist-"The Scientist is the brains of the bunch. He is smart and fast.
While his homemade Lightning Gun may not be the toast of the town, the
First Aid Kit with which he begins the mission makes him a good member
of the team."
The Scientist is not a good choice for your character because he has so
little life. It is tough to play with his weak weapon, too. But that
is not where the Scientist excels; he is the best partner to have by
a wide margin. First, he starts with the First Aid Kit and he gets
really great items later (like the Shield and Freezer), but also he has
a wisdom of 3 to begin with. You will notice the difference between him
and other partners as the Scientist goes around corners shooting your
enemies for you and, MAN, can he dodge! This is a huge advantage in the
early levels.
By World 4, you will wish the Scientist had a more powerful weapon, but
his items will still make him a valuable partner. And he's cheap, too!
The only downside is that none of the Scientist's special items will be
useful against the Chaos Engine, except the First Aid Kit.
**************
* Best Teams *
**************
Brigand/Gentleman and Scientist
-------------------------------
If you play as either the Brigand or Gentleman, you will get decent attributes
by the end of the game and you will be able to purchase the Monster Distractor.
With the Scientist's First Aid Kit and variety of other special items, you will
have no trouble beating the game, as long as you use your special items wisely.
The Monster Distractor is pretty much the best thing to have against the Chaos
Engine in the final fight.
Thug/Navvie and Scientist
-------------------------
With the firepower of the strongmen, you can do most of the damage while the
Scientist acts as your back-up. Again, the Scientist's items will come in
handy. Without the Monster Distractor, you will have a tougher time with the
Chaos Engine, but not impossible.
Brigand/Gentleman and Mercenary
-------------------------------
Same situation, except that you trade firepower in the early part of the game
for having to wait for the First Aid Kit. The Mercenary also will be less
effective than the Scientist until you can upgrade his Wisdom. You can also
switch to play as the Mercenary since he has decent life and firepower.
Thug/Navvie and Mercenary
-------------------------
Same situation, same trade-off. Again, you can play as the Mercenary, but you
will find that the Thug and the Navvie are TERRIBLY STUPID in World 1 and need
to be upgraded quickly. You will have to be careful to let your partner take
most of the health if you play as the Mercenary.
If you want to play with any other team, try to include at least one character
with either the First Aid Kit or the Monster Distractor. If you want a REAL
challenge, try playing without these items!
IV. Upgrading
-------------
After every two levels you complete, you have the opportunity to spend the cash
you collected on upgrades. However, you have to upgrade slowly. For example,
if you buy a Skill upgrade, you usually can't buy another until you upgrade
your weapon or another attribute. It means you can't funnel all of your money
into the best attributes, so you need to collect a lot of money.
I calculate that you will need about 9000 cash to max out a given character,
maybe a few hundred more or less, if you don't count Weapon Upgrade items you
collect along the way. Figure in the purchase of Special Items, 1-Ups, and
replenishing life and we are talking about more than 10k per character. You
will collect more cash in later levels, but you need to explore as much as you
can to maximize your cash flow. Killing three or four monsters might be the
difference between having enough for a Life upgrade and an extra Special Item
rather than just one of them.
As your weapon upgrades, the shots will change color. They can be silver, half
silver and half gold, or gold. These represent more damage, and the gold shots
will pass through enemies to hit others behind as well. You also begin to
shoot multiple or larger shots, depending on the character.
The only caution I will add is that because you can find 1-Ups, Weapon Upgrades,
and Special Items in the levels, you should spend your money on attributes
first.
Skill Upgrade - 300
Weapon Upgrade - 250
Life Upgrade - 75 (you can not upgrade Life until it is replenished)
Life Replenish - 75
Speed Upgrade - 250
Wisdom Upgrade - 80
1-Up - 500
Special Item - 150
Molotov - 500
Monster Distractor - 475
Groundmine - 425
First Aid Kit - 500
Airburst - 550
Monster Repellant - 525
Party Power - 550
Freezer - 575
Map - 500
Shield - 550
Shotburst - 500
Brigand gets Molotov at Skill 4 and Distractor at Skill 8
Gentleman gets Distractor at Skill 3, Repellant at Skill 6, and Party Power at
Skill 9
Thug gets Airburst at Skill 5
Mercenary gets Groundmine at Skill 4 and First Aid Kit at Skill 8
Navvie gets Shotburst at Skill 6
Scientist gets Map at Skill 2, Shield at Skill 5, and Freezer at Skill 8
V. Items
--------
Regular Items (found on the map)
--------------------------------
Health - This looks like soda cans. They come in a variety of strengths.
Gold - Coins, rings, jewels, etc. Pick them up and spend them on upgrades.
Key - Changes something in the level, usually a new path but sometimes a new
set of keys or enemies. There is no real difference between silver
and gold keys, just that gold keys usually are "bonus" keys that open
secret areas which are not necessary to reaching the level's exit.
Peace Symbol - This is where you will start if you die, and if your partner is
dead, you will get him back here (and one of his lives will be spent).
Special Item - This is not an item itself; it adds one to your stock of special
item uses.
1-Up - 1-Ups give you an extra life. They look like little gold dudes. You
can also earn 1-Ups for every 7000 points you accumulate. You should
be able to rack up 7000 points per World easily, and some can lead to
really high scores. If you play all the way through without codes,
you will amass a LOT of points, and hence, many lives.
I say this because you should let your partner grab any extra lives you
find out on the map. Your partner's points go up much more slowly since
he is doing much less work than you are.
Power-Ups - These look like golden gadgets; they are free power-ups for your
weapon.
Telephone - These are like keys, but they sometimes warp you to a new spot.
Your partner will be warped to you if he is not close by.
Special Items (specific to each character, limited uses)
--------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes you will see these items laying on the map. As soon as you touch it,
its effect is triggered.
Shotburst (bullet) - Sends out a blast of shots in every direction, and usually
kills most things it hits.
Molotov Cocktail (bottle) - Molotov cocktails are an urban warfare specialty;
it is a bottle filled with alcohol or other highly flammable liquid with
a wick (usually a greasy rag) sticking out. Light the wick, chuck it
in the middle of your adversary (usually the cops), and watch it burn.
The real thing is not really that dangerous itself, just scary. In this
game, Molotov shoots out a circle of flame that kills all in its path.
(Well, until later levels...)
Bomb - The bomb lands a short distance away and shoots powerful shots in eight
directions, but anything right next to the bomb is toast.
Dynamite - A few sticks of TNT strapped together... it kills everything on the
screen! Easily one of the best items in the game. The only downside
is that an enemy can hit the TNT, destroying the weapon and itself at
the same time BUT saving all the other enemies. Try to throw it in an
open spot.
Shield - Temporarily invincible (listen for the countdown). It will NOT protect
you from the Chaos Engine!
Groundmine (blue with red lights) - Lay this down and watch enemies blow
themselves up as they pass. You can't blow yourself up with this, so
don't worry!
Airburst (wings) - It is the same thing as the Shotburst except that it hits
enemies on the level above you instead of on your level. This can be
a good item for a few pesky areas, but overall not very effective.
Party Power (star) - Temporarily buffs you and your partner to super-powerful
(boosts you to your maximum Speed and Weapon upgrades).
First Aid (suitcase with a plus sign) - Partially heals you. How much depends
on your maximum possible life. Unfortunately, you can not force
your partner to use this if you are playing one-player mode.
Map (gray square) - Shows you the map. Not many details, but useful for making
a map if you like that sort of thing (I do!).
Repel Monster (spray can) - Temporarily turns monsters away. Does not turn
away missiles, and does not work against any of the Chaos Engine's
weapons.
Distract Monster (little bulb in a red base) - Temporarily attracts monsters.
It attracts MISSILES, including those fired by the Chaos Engine. This
is the best item to use against it.
Freeze Monster (little device with an F on it) - Temporarily freezes all
monsters. This is a GREAT weapon for getting around tricky spots.
However, it does not affect the Chaos Engine.
VI. Enemies
-----------
In general, these descriptions are accurate. However, there are some enemies
that are tweaked to be faster or stronger than their buddies. As such, you
should shoot pretty much all the time until you see no enemies.
Also, most enemies are not out and about. Most enemies get triggered by an item
that you pick up or appear from "caves" that open up in the walls as you walk by
their hiding place. Some of these hiding spots are obvious, some are not. You
need to be VERY careful when you explore a level.
Indeed, if you are backtracking, you will often find a few new enemies in areas
that you already cleared, either because you missed them before or because you
triggered something far away.
World 1
-------
Stone Golem - These blue guys throw rocks, and they have medium life. They are
slow, but numerous.
Beetles - These bugs move quick, and can speed up when they try to attack you.
They don't do much damage, but you should keep your distance.
Frogs - Frogs can take a few hits AND they jump at you really fast. They pack
a little punch, so try to catch them at the edge of the screen.
Turrets - I don't know what else to call these pulsating sacks that shoot little
pellets from their diagonals. They don't move and their pellets are not
very damaging. Easy to kill.
Crocmen - Big green and orange monsters. They throw little blobs at you and
they have medium speed. They can deal you two points of damage if they
run into you, so watch out.
Lobber - Lobbers look like little volcanos, and their blob-shots only hurt you
when they hit the ground and splash, so you don't have to dodge them in
the air.
World 2
-------
Mutant - Mutants are big, ugly, and powerful, but also slow. Watch out for
the stones they throw, and fire continuously.
Black Ball - Black balls bounce up and down until you get close, when they
explode into little blobs that hurt you. Shoot them from a distance.
Whirlwinds - Sometimes the dirt turns into a swirl of rocks and dust and starts
to come at you. They move slowly, so you shouldn't have trouble hitting
them first.
Lobber - Same as before, except they are totally green now.
Gold Frogs - Gold frogs crawl really slowly and shoot little spheres at you.
They have pretty good life and do big damage.
Cannons - Cannons will shoot at you in regular intervals, but they can change
direction. They take a few hits to kill, so time your dodges well and
you should take them out before they have shot twice.
Slugman - These one-eyed, green slime things waddle at you and shoot a little
star. They do big damage, but are slow and easy to kill. They usually
come out of the pipes.
Flamies - These are like beetles, but shoot short-range flames at you. The
flameshots move VERY fast, so try to get these guys from a distance.
Pinkos - Pink jumpy guys. They shoot, jump down and up walls, and come out of
hidden caves. They are really annoying and do big damage. Watch out!
World 3
-------
The enemies here are much faster and those that shoot at you have longer range.
Hands - Straight out of The Addams Family, these hands move quickly and shoot
stones at you. They have a lot of life and do a lot of damage. Hands
are best defeated using corner techniques.
Hulks - Very large and stationary enemies. They heft big blobs that explode
into multiple little shots. They don't throw very quickly, so you
should be able to avoid the shots until you can hit the hulk istelf.
Wall Skulls - These fixtures shoot rocks at you, but are easy to destroy.
Spiders - Spiders sometimes come out of the wall, and sometimes spawn from a
giant spider mound. They creep quickly but have very little life.
You should mow them down pretty easy.
Missing Links - Hideous ogres, but basically these are just stronger, faster
stone golems.
Doppleganger - In Level 3, you will encounter a familiar enemy... yourself!
You and your partner will pop out as enemies, but they always have the
same attack (a little white shot) and the same life, speed, etc. They
are not hard, but if you lose track of your partner, you might waste
a few seconds of shooting trying to hit your own guy.
Worms - Worms pop out of the wall and crawl at you. Shoot them.
Dumbbell - Remember the whirlwind monsters from the last world? Dumbbells are
faster and much stronger, but also easier to see. Make sure to fire as
fast as possible because this enemy does not get knocked backward by
your bullets!
World 4
-------
Again, more life, longer range, but not really any faster than the previous
world.
Robot - Robots bounce up and down on one "foot" and otherwise act just like
Pinkos. No problem.
Cyclonebots - These annoying robots swirl around and fire shots. They can
withstand the pushing force of your shot, so make sure to dodge when
they get close enough to shoot.
Rats - Rats appear from the walls and run very quickly at you.
Zingers - Little golden domes zinging along the floor. They don't try to
approach you, and you can't kill them. You can push them away with
your weapon, but this might make them change course suddenly and zing
toward you. You can kill them with Dynamite or by activating keys that
get rid of them, or by simply running into them so they blow up.
Missile Launcher - These are like upgraded cannons. However, they have longer
range AND they come in a heat-seeking variety that is VERY dangerous.
To kill heat-seeking launchers, you need to be clever or willing to take
a hit. I will explain clever moves against particular launchers in the
walkthrough.
Minibot - These tiny robots are fast, shoot long-range shots, and have a ton of
life. If they ram you, it will hurt a lot. And they come in large
numbers. They are very dangerous in groups of four or more, so use an
appropriate special item if you have a lot of them (you will need to
save several for Level 4!).
Tankbot - These large robots have tank treads, fire a powerful shot, and they
have a ton of life. They are best handled from a great distance, since
they are also large and easy to hit.
VII. Tactics
------------
There are two keys to this game. The first is obviously learning to attack and
dodge monsters. The other is budgeting your special items and finding enough
cash to upgrade your guys.
Attacking Tips
--------------
1. You have to get good at dodging. Fast characters are best at this, but you
can upgrade your speed anyway. Remember, it is better to dodge than to
run after a piece of gold and get hit.
The best way to dodge is to move slowly through the level. Try to only
trigger a few enemies at one time and you can easily dodge their
attacks and such.
The hardest dodge move is to know how many shots you can get in before
you have to turn and run from an enemy's projectile. Often, you can get
in enough shots to kill, and then turn and run to safety, but the timing
is a little tough. Practice makes perfect here.
2. Get good at using the L and R buttons, they help!
3. When you trigger enemies, run back a little bit to a choke point, like a
narrow hall or a break in a wall. This gives you one place to shoot.
4. If you are playing one-player mode, let your partner do the work! Monsters
almost always go after you, so if you hide behind a corner, they often
run into the wall while your partner shoots unnoticed. The Scientist
is AWESOME at this to begin with, and other characters will get better
as you increase their Wisdom.
5. When your weapon gets upgraded enough to have a spread effect, you can shoot
around corners while hiding behind them. This is not always useful
since you usually have to go around the corner to trigger the enemies.
But if you get the chance, do it.
6. In addition to the corner trick, you can also make use of splash damage. If
an enemy is coming near a corner, you can shoot AT THE CORNER, and the
little splashes will cause damage as the enemy gets stuck.
7. In later levels, there are some tough spots. If you charge in, you may kill
all the enemies, but you will probably take a lot of hits and need to
use one or even TWO special items on First Aid. Instead of this, just
use one to begin with on a really powerful weapon like Dynamite or
Shield.
8. In a few places throughout the game, having one of the "lobbing" weapons
will be very useful (Dynamite, Bomb, and Molotov). You can use these
to hit enemies over and on top of walls, but more importantly you can
use them to hit nodes that are above or below you. I will explain the
best places to do this in the walkthrough, but you should keep your own
eyes peeled for opportunities.
9. Your weapon knocks enemies backward, so you don't need to always fire from
a distance. You can run to an enemy, fire rapidly, dodge their shot,
and repeat. This works very nicely when enemies appear behind you.
10. 2-Player Tip: Because you share the screen, it will not center on either
character. As such, neither player should stray too far from the other
so that you can maintain some distance around the edge of the screen
for yourselves to see oncoming enemies.
It also REALLY helps to communicate. If you are both familiar with the
game, you can plan ahead: "I'll take the north frog, you take the south
frog" and such. This will not only help you avoid taking damage but it
will help with Tip 6 below.
Budgeting Tips
--------------
1. Make sure to take the extra time to search around for 1-Ups, Power-Ups, and
Special Items to replenish your supply. This will allow you to save
your money for upgrades to your stats.
2. Backtrack a lot to see if you missed a few enemies. They should be isolated
and easy to kill, and you will appreciate the easy coins later.
3. Don't use a special item unless you know it will work. For this reason, I
rarely use any items except Dynamite, First Aid, Shield, and Freeze.
The other items are fun and cool, but they don't always work out the way
you want, and those special items will become VERY precious in the last
levels.
4. If you complete a world, but you lost a lot of lives or used too many special
items, try starting from your last code. You don't want to advance too
far without building up enough. The last world is tough, and you will
want either lots of lives or lots of special items for the final fight.
5. As you are about to complete a level after which you can upgrade, check your
life. If you have more than one bar of life below your total, use
the First Aid Kit (provided that you have it!) to bring your life up
to within one bar of your maximum. Each use costs you $150 to replace,
but if you try to buy your health back up on the upgrade screen you will
need to spend $150 PER BAR!! So this is a good deal.
Don't do this in World 1, because there is health everywhere. Also, you
can't do this for your partner, so you will HAVE to buy his health back
up.
6. 2-Player Tip: Don't be jerks to each other. Divvy the upgrades evenly AND
try to kill the same amount of enemies and collect the same amount of
gold and keys, nodes, etc. You need to do this because the gold will
be divided according to the completion rate between the players. If
P2 shot most of the enemies and hit the nodes, then even if P1 picked
up a bunch of the gold you will find that P2 gets almost all the loot
for upgrading. SO BE FAIR TO EACH OTHER!!
The only thing you should NOT divvy up is special items. If one player
has the superior items, let him/her take refills first. You CAN NOT
trade items in two-player mode, so the superior item carrier will need
the special refills.
VIII. Walkthrough
-----------------
If you are playing for the first time, choose to play as the Brigand and then
take the Scientist for your partner. You will have the Scientist's First Aid
Kit for protection and the mildly useful Shotburst. Also, the Brigand will
eventually get the Monster Distractor, which is incredibly useful for the final
fight.
I have provided maps, but I have tried not to be TOO detailed because so many
things change as you progress through a level. Rather, I have numbered the
areas of each level so that I can describe what happens each time you visit and
how that area evolves. Also, the maps won't make much sense unless you are
already familiar with a level or you are looking at the game screen.
You will find that my maps sometimes have walls or holes where you see the
opposite. Or perhaps enemies and items are missing or my map has some that you
don't see. Well, cut me some slack, ASCII maps are tough.
At the beginning of each level's walkthrough is a brief overview and a list of
big treasures to grab.
***********************
* World 1: The Forest *
***********************
World 1 Key
-----------
Items Enemies
------- ---------
k = key F = food X = stone golem C = Crocmen
u = weapon-up ! = extra life b = beetle L = lobber
N = node E = exit T = turret f = frog
P = peace $ = cash
s = spec item
Geography
-----------
@@ = forest ** = water
H = stairs/bridge (vertical)
'=' = bridge (horizontal)
Level 1: The Beginning
----------------------
+-------------------------------------+
|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@* N E N|
|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@* X X X |
|@@X @ X X @@@@*****H******|
|@ 1 k @ @ @@@ |
|@ @@@@@@@@ @@@ X X |
|@ XXX @@@@@@@ X @@@ X X |
|@ @@@ @@@ 3 X |
|@ @@@ X @@@@@ |
|@ X X @@@ @@@@@@@@ X X X|
|X X@@ X @@ 2 k|
|@ @@@ X X @@@@@@@@@@@@|
|@ @@@ N @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @|
|@ X X @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ u ss @|
|X X@+------------------------+
|@ X X @@|
|@ @@|
|X @@@ X@|
|@ @@|
+------------+
start
Overview: Go straight through the forest; 1 weapon upgrade.
1 - Start clearing out the horde of Stone Golems, making sure to hit the node.
There is a key at the end of this passage which opens the forest to the
east. Make sure to check the northwest corner for an extra golem when
you grab the key. Proceed through the forest to the southeast corner
of the map.
2 - Grab the key to open the secret area to the south. After collecting the
goods, head to area 3.
3 - A ton of golems appear. Either knock them all out for some gold, or save
yourself the trouble and grab the Dynamite to blow them away. Proceed
across the bridge to the north, hit the nodes, and exit.
Level 2: Mud Rivers
-------------------
+---------------------------------------------------------------E-----+
|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ |N === = | f | |--| k | |
|@@@@ N X X | *** | |-+ +--+ | +--+ | +N+ |+-|
|@@@@@@@@@@ X @@@@@ | | | | N X | +-+ ++k|
|@@@@ X @@@@@@ X| | | ** +--+| X | 7 |
|@@@ @@@@@@@@ X 1 | *** * | | | 6|| f f +--H-----|
|@@ X @@@@@@@ X k| +---+ +--+\ + fX | |
|@@ @@@@@@-----H--+ +---------+ \ |----------|
|@X | +----+-H------+ | f 5 | ** +---H-+ |
|@@ X / | | P f | +-+ +--H-+ +-+ +--H-+ |
|@@ / | +H+ f | | f | H=======k| | | **** |
|@@ X | | | | +---H--+ H ** +-+ +-H--+ |
|@@ @@ | |---+ | +----H--+ +H-+ +-+ * +--H-+ |
|@ @ +-+ | T| f @@@ f | | f=== +-+ | | |
|@ start @@ |X s++ | @@X | +--+ | f === +-+ |
|@@@@@@@@@@@ | +---++ 2 @@@ | ** +---+ +--+ N **** |
|@@@@@@@@@@@ | XX | | +-----H-+ +--+ *** |
|@@@@@@@@@@ +-----+H+ f| +--H---+ * |Pk| +------+ |
|@@@@@@@@@ | f | ** | f | +-+f | | \ |
|@@@@@@@@@ *** +------H---+ | f === f k| | X | |
|@@@@@@@@@ +--+ +----H---+ +------+ ++ 4 @@ @@@@@@@@@|
|@@@@@@@@@ | k| | f f | * ** +-H-+@@@@ X @@|
|@@@@@@@@@ +--+ | | +----------+ +-H-+ @@@@@ X @|
|@@@@@@@@@ *** +--+ | | | f f | | f| @@@@@@@ @@|
|@@@@@@@@@ |3k===f f === f f === | @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@|
|@@@@@@@@@ +--+ +--------+ +----------+ +---+ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@|
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
Overview: Get access to secret area in the southeast, take one of two routes
through the mud islands, then exit.
1 - Fight your way through stone golems to the keys on the shoreline. The keys
open a bridge to the island.
2 - Kill all the frogs if you like (move slowly so you can catch the frogs on
the edge of the screen), but make sure to grab the goodies on top of
the little mountain.
3 - This key leads to the key on the island above. The key on that island
activates a new key which will give you access to the secret area.
4 - Grab both keys; one activates a bridge to the west, the other a bridge to
the east. Go east for the goodies in the secret area.
5 - You have a choice to make. Either make your way to the western node or
take the little bridge to a set of keys which open the way to the
northern node. You can not get both nodes because access to one will
disappear as you make your way to the other.
6 - Destroy the turret to open a bridge to the island.
7 - Grab the keys to the west to open the stairs to the node. Grab the new keys
to close up the golem caves (they might all come out before you grab the
keys). Hit the node to open the exit.
Level 3: Rings
--------------
+-----------------------------------------------------+
|N k| Eb ff Ea C b C b $$ |
|---+-------------------------------------H-----------|
| N C C C C C +--------|
| @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 6 +H--+ |
|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ +-----+| |
| @@@@ C @@@@@@@@@@@@@@| s|+--H-|
| $ @ C C @@ k | +H| H |
| +-------+ f @+------| |H+ |
| | k |@@@@@@@ f | P b +H--+H C |
| +-------+@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ f +H--+ |Ls| |
| T T T T T @@@@@@@@@@@@@ | +H-+--------|
| C @@@@@@@ C @@@ +--------------|
| @@@@@@@@@@@@ N @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@|
|@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+@@@@@@@@@@@@@ C C @|
| C @@@@@@ 4 @@ N @|
| 5 @@ f f @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@|
|@@+--+@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@ 3 k C @|
|@@+--+@@@@@@@ @@@@+-----+ +-----+@@@@@@@@@@@|
|@ @@@@ b b b @@@@| s L| |L |@@@@ @@|
|@ + + @@@@ k @@@@|k +--+ +--+ s|@@@@ FFF @@|
|@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@| | C N C| |@@@@@@@@@@@|
|@ + + @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@| | C | |@@@@ s $ @|
|@ @@ F @@@@@@@@@| s+-+ +---+s |@@@ s k @|
|@ k + @ $ @@@@@@@@@| L| |L |@@ C @@|
|@ @@ k @@@@@@@@@+---H+ +H-----+@ @@@@@|
|@ + + @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ + @@@@+------|
|@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@ f +kP f+-------| T |
| + + @@@@@@@@@@@@ f + f | C +H+ |
| k @@@@@@@@@@@@ 2 | | |
| +--+ @@@@@@@@@@@@ +----H--+-+ |
| | | @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ | L+H+ |
| +--+ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@| | | |
|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+--+ +-|
|+---------+ C C C C C +-+ C |
|| f f | +-+ |
|| +-H+ +-----------+ +-----+ +---+ +-|
|| |b 1 +-+ +--+ +-----+ L| |L|
|| +--+ | +-----------+ +-+C| |
|| | +-------+ C C +----------+ +-|
|| | k |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
Overview: You want to collect the three gold keys that lead to Exit B.
Backtrack often to find new keys and enemies.
1 - Go north and kill enough crocmen to open the rock passage near the east edge
of this area. Double back to the south and collect the key there.
Make sure to double back a LOT around this whole southern area to kill
all the crocmen. If you don't, you can't get the two secret areas on
the eastern edge of the map. Proceed north.
2 - There are lots beetles, but you can grab the Dynamite to kill them all.
Watch out for frogs as you go north. If you killed ALL the crocmen to
the south, you can go to the northeast into a little clearing for some
goodies and a key that opens another secret area later. Also, by
picking up the keys on the south edge of the map, you created steps up
to the west half of the big stone ring. Climb it for goodies, and a key
that opens stairs to the eastern half of the ring. Repeat.
To open the ring itself, shoot the little stone pillar with a face on
it. It reveals a Peace and lets you grab the keys which open the ring.
Kill the enemies and hit the node.
3 - Grab the keys to stop the crocmen from coming out. You can kill about four
of them for gold, but after that they won't give you anything. If you
got the secret keys near 2, you can go south into another secret area
for a ton of food. Hit the node to the north.
4 - This area involves backtracking. First go to the southern clearing to grab
a set of keys. Watch out for surprise frogs! The keys open the way to
the node, so go there (you can't get the keys you see near the node, so
don't try). After the node, more keys appear below (and more frogs!).
These open the trees to the west so you can proceed, but they ALSO make
a set of gold keys in the first southern clearing. Grab these to open
the secret area south of 5.
5 - If you got the gold keys, go south into the secret area. Watch for beetles,
and grab the keys way to the south. Then go back and look for another
pillar with a face on it. Destroy it for more keys which open a secret
clearing to the east. Go there for goodies and a last set of keys which
give you access to Exit B.
Now proceed north to kill all the turrets and crocmen. There are keys
out of reach on the stone ledge, but if you grab the coin nearby, they
move to the ground so you can proceed.
Just fight your way to the east, then across the mountain to area 6.
6 - Fight your way west to the node. It activates enemies going back east and
a trail of coins. The last coin opens a small clearing with a set of
keys; these open the stairs to the final ledge. Clear out the enemies
on the ledge. If you didn't get the three special keys in the western
secret area, you have to take the first exit.
If you DID, then you will see a set of keys all the way west which will
make a node appear. Hit this node to open Exit B.
Level 4: The Rockies
--------------------
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | b b b b b | | 7 | | | E |
|----------+ |-H---+--+-----------+ +H+ | +--+ +H+ | | |
| | k | | | | | +--+ +-+| |L | | | | | | b |
| +--H-+ | | +--+-+-| u| |N|| | | | N| |C +H++ | b T|
|---H------| +----+ | |k+H-+ +-+| |L | +--+ | | | | T |
| L L +-+ C +H++C| C | | | +-------+ | | | |
| k C C +-+ C | +H---+ | 6 |L C | ++ |++ +k|
| L 4 L +----+ | | 5 +---+| +-------------+ +--+++ ++|
|----------+ | +------| L|| k +-----+ | 8 |
| | C C +---++----+ssk N+------++-+-+----H-|
| | C C @@@+----------+P| | | F C |
|-----------------+---------+-----+ 3+--------------+++ | | $$ u|
|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@| | | b b b 2+--| |------|
|@@ @@@@@@@@@ T k@@| +-+ +-+ L L L k L +-+ |
|@ T b ! @| |+| 1 k+----|
|@ s T b u @| +---+ +-H-------------------+ | k|
|@@ @@@@@@@@@ @@| | C | N | u |
|@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@| | start a C C |b b| $$|
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
start b
Overview: If you used secret Exit B in Level 3, you can get four weapon upgrades
in this level. Otherwise, just three. This is a very lucrative level,
so go slow and make sure to grab everything.
If you took secret Exit B, you begin at Start B. Grab all the stuff and the
key will let you onto the ledge and you can now proceed as normal.
1 - Clear out the crocmen to the west, then go up to the ledge. Grab all the
keys you see along the way to the node, and backtrack. If you want to
make the level shorter, you can destroy the fourth rock (with no lobber
on it) to reveal keys which open a path at 2. Otherwise, head to 3.
2 - Collect the goodies and hit the node. You will not be able to go down
toward 3 anymore, but you will instead open a path right to 6.
3 - There is a cave in the trees, but no crocmen are coming out. That's because
it is a secret door! Enter it to warp into the secret area in the
southwest. Collect a ton of good stuff, including an extra life.
You will warp back to point 3. Proceed through a bunch of crocmen to
point 4.
4 - Grab these keys to get access to the middle mountain.
5 - Grab the keys and hit the node by standing on the top ledge. Backtrack to
the ledge along the north edge of the map to proceed (there are a ton
of beetles on this ledge, but if you grab the Bomb, you stop them from
coming).
6 - Dodge the lobbers and grab the keys. More keys appear north; keep grabbing
them until stair appears. Kill all the lobbers in your path to get to
point 7.
7 - If you have a lobbing weapon, you can hit the node directly to activate it.
Otherwise, grab the golden node item to activate it AND a bunch of
lobbers. These lobbers produce silver coins, so you may want to do this
for the cash (I like to pinch every last penny out of each level). You
are now able to reach 8.
8 - Destroy the rock on the RIGHT to reveal keys. These open stairs to the last
secret area below. Grab the goods, then fight your way to the exit.
**************************
* World 2: The Workshops *
**************************
World Overview: From now on, the worlds become more intricate. Things you do
in one level will determine what you can do in the next, mostly through
the exits you take and the number of nodes you hit.
In Level 1, the key is to hit the node on the central ledge of the
southern maze. This allows you to get secret Exits C in both Level 2
and Level 3, which lead to maximum goodies by Level 4. You can still
get decent goodies by taking secret Exits B, but it is easy to mess up
the path to Exit B in level 2, whereas secret Exit C is easy to get if
you activate it.
World 2 Key
-----------
Items Enemies
------- ---------
k = key F = food X = slugman M = Mutant
u = weapon-up ! = extra life b = black ball L = lobber
N = node E = exit C = cannon f = gold frog
P = peace $ = cash w = whirlwind Q = pinkos
s = spec item J = jewel
Geography
-----------
** = flames H = stairs
Level 1: Maze
-------------
+------------------------------------------------+
| M E M |
|---H----------------------------------------H---|
| k M 12 b bb k |
|----------------------+ +---------------------|
| u s s L|-H-|L GFGFGF |
|----------------------+ +---------------------|
| w M w M M |
| +--++++-------------+ w w |
| w w | |k | | |
| +---------------+ | P+---------+ | w w |
| | | M M | +----+ |
| +------------------+ b | | |
| N +----+ b b | +----+ |
| L L L | M | b | | |
| | +H+ +-+ | N |
| L L 11 | | | | |
| | +------+-----+ |
| L L L | M | |
| P | +-H-+ | P |
|--------------+++------+--+ +--+-+++----------|
| | | M M | | |
| +-------+ +--+ +------------------+ +----------|
| | ++ M | | M M M M M |
| | || | +-------+ +---------------+ +--+ |
| | || | | | M M M| | | |
| | || | +-------+ | +--------+ +-+ +--+ |
|-+ || +-+k k | | b | |M M |
|k 6 || 7 | +-----+ | +-+ F u ! |
|-+ |+--------+ +--------+ | | 3 M |
| | | | ++ | |
| | +-+ |+-++-------------+ | | +-----|
| | M| +-++-+|+-----------+| | | |+----|
| | +-+ |k 8 || +---+ || | | || M |
| | | +-+ || +-| N |-+ || | | || |
| | | | || | +-H-+ | ++ | | || $$s|
| | +------+ | || | 10 | +----+ | 2++ |
| | | | || +---H---+ |P s | +-----|
| | | | || M | +-----+ +---+ |
| | 5 | | |+----++----++-+ M 1 M | |
| | | | +-----++----+ M +----+ +-+ | |
| | | | 9 k M| | | | | |
| | +-------+ +------------+ | | | | |
| | +--+ | | | |u| |
| | | +---------------+ +-----------+ | +-+ |
| | | | M M +-----|
| |M +----------------------+ +--+ +--+ |
| | M M 4 M |ks| M| | |
| +---------------+ +------+ +--+ | | |
| | k| | | | start |
+------------------------------------------------+
Overview: There are lots of goodies in this level, but you have an important
choice to make. If you hit the middle node, you can get the most out
of this world. If you don't, you will at least make the world shorter.
I recommend going the way of the goods.
If you want to get as much as possible on this map, visit the numbered
areas in the following sequence: 1, 2, 3, clear out mutants along north
corridor (pillars block you from going farther north), backtrack, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 11 (be careful not to go too close to the northwest path out
of this area or you will create a pillar blocking the way back), go
back and around to the northeast node, but hit it from a southerly
distance because if you go to far north you will again block the way
back, backtrack to 10, follow this path all the way to the stairs to
the final area, but go left and right to defeat the whirlwinds and
mutants for cash. Finally, go to 12 to finish the level.
Obviously, you can skip the northern nodes if you don't want to risk
getting cut off from the middle node.
1 - Go right down this path to the telephone. It reveals a weapon upgrade.
2 - A group of rocks make an arrow pointing at the wall. Touch the wall to
reveal a secret passage into the room.
3 - This is tough. The three pillars contain a valuable item each: First Aid
Kit, Upgrade, and Extra Life (from left to right). But as soon as you
shoot one, the others change slightly and become unbreakable. If you
hit more than one at the same time, you can open more than one. To do
this, use Shotburst if you have it, or if your weapon has a little
spread to it, you can try to hit two at once. Without either of these,
you would have to shoot and turn REALLY fast to get a second item.
4 - The key nearby opens a staircase up to the small ledge to the east. On that
ledge, you can collect a special item and the key will activate a bunch
of coins and mutants.
5 - When you enter this room, pillars appear and block every way out. The
telephone just warps your partner in with you, but if you shoot the
center pillar just as it changes to "smooth," you will reveal a key that
opens the room again.
6 - This key removes the barrier to the north so you can proceed around the
bend.
7 - There are two keys. The right key activates a bunch of lobbers, but the
left key activates goodies. Grab the left key!
8 - This key opens the passage to the northwestern node (and removes a small
barrier nearby if it isn't already gone).
9 - This key opens the passage to the northeastern node.
10 - Hit the node on this mountain to create a path along the tops of the walls
that goes straight to the end of the level (to get to this area, shoot
the section of wall made up of three blocks).
11 - The lobbers here will leave behind coins and activate new lobbers. Keep
dodging and killing for a nice haul of gold.
12 - If you go right, the keys activate stairs to the exit ledge AND make a
barrier that prevents you from going left to the other keys, BUT also
provides a pathway to the weapon upgrade on the wall above. If you go
left, the same thing happens for the right side of the wall, leading to
food and some gold. The choice is obvious, go right.
Level 2: Traps
--------------
+-----------------------------------------------+
|N 5 MM Ea| Ec |Eb MM 8 N|
|-----+----------| M $ N $ M |----------+-----|
| k | +-----+ | +-------+---+ |
| +-----+ | | | | |M $$ M | |
| 4 |$ u J| | +-----+ | |M 7 P M | |
| | f k | | C $ $ C | +----+ +------|
| +--+--+ +-----H-------+-------+ | |
| | M | | +-H-|
| P | $ | | | |
|-+ +------+++------+ +-----+++-----| |6 |
|-+ ++$ |+| $ $$ $$ |+| | +---|
| M | +--+++-------+ C +------+++--+ | f |
| | | | | |$ | |
| | | b b +----+ b b | | f |
| | $| ++++++ | | |
| | | b b +----+ b b | $| f |
| | +----+++-----+ +-----+++---+ | |
| |C $ |+| $C $ |+| C | f |
| +-------+++-----+ +-----+++------| |
| ++ | $ | +---HH-|
|-----+ 2 | 9 | w |
|----+| + +-----+P+--+ +--+P+---+ w |
| k ++ + |+----+++----------+++--+| 3 |
| f || k 1 k || w |
| || start || k w |
+-----------------------------------------------+
Overview: This level is short, but lucrative IF you hit the middle node in the
last level. Either way you go (left or right), you end up back at the
start and can proceed for a huge amount of cash.
However, if you DIDN'T hit the middle node last level, you have to be
careful to make your way to the northwest node before the northeast
node because you want to use Exit B for certain. If you end up at the
node for Exit B first by accident, stand as far to the west as you can
and still see the node. Shoot it and avoid the mud puddle which will
warp you away. Then go to the exit which is not open, and lob a weapon
up at the node in front of Exit C. This will open Exit B, but you must
have a lobbing weapon. If not, you are screwed and have to take Exit A.
The best thing to do is hit the middle node in Level 1, go right in this
level, and then use the secret path through the middle rings to end up
at the northwest for the goodies, warp back to the start and go up for
the ton of cash and exit the level at Exit C.
1 - The left key opens the way EAST and the right key opens the way WEST. So
choose the opposite key of the way you want to go. I always choose the
left key because I always want to go west.
2 - Shoot the pillar in the middle of this room to open the way west, but shoot
it AGAIN to open the gate to the south. The area in the south has a key
that opens the middle rings and leads you to area 7.
3 - There are many whirlwinds here. You can avoid them and head up to area 6,
or you can fight your way south to the keys which open the middle rings
and lead you to area 4.
4 - Grab the keys to open the goodies room. The keys in there open the way to
the node above.
5 - Hit this node. If it is your second node, Exit A opens and you must go in.
If it is the FIRST node you hit, a mud hole appears that will warp you
away. If you hit the middle node in Level 1, you warp to the start and
have access to area 9. If not, you warp to area 3 and I think you have
to go north to area 6 (because you can not return to this area via the
middle rings).
6 - Grab this telephone to open a path to 7.
7 - Kill all the mutants to open the north wall.
8 - Same as 5, except you warp to 2 if you didn't hit the middle node, and you
should use the overview's strategy to open Exit B if you accidentally
came here first (assuming you can't take Exit C).
9 - Be careful about mutants and cannons all over the place. There is a ton of
cash up here. Hit the node in the north to open Exit C.
Level 3: Steam
--------------
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| +---+ +-----------+ +---+ | X +-+ +-+ | Ea Eb Ec | |start c|
| | +--+ N N +--+ | | C + P | | +-+ +-|
| |start b | | ! +-+ +-+ +H+ X N X | | X N|
| | +--+ N N +--+ | | | +-+ | | | +-+ +-|
| +---+ +-----------+ +---+ | +-+ | | 8 X X | |N | |
| | +-------+ | | +-+ +-|
|-----------------------------+--------H----+ s s | | N|
|+----------+ +-------| | XXXX | k | | u +----------| +-+ +-|
||X C 2 C X| | C | | N +-+-+-+ +---| C | |N | |
|+-H-+ +-H-+ +-H+ | | | +-H+ | +-+ +-|
| H | | H b | X| | 7 P +-H+ +----HH-| |C C|
| kP | | b | | | +-------+ N | | |
|----+HH+-------+ |-H--+------------------+-------+ X | |C C|
| X ||| |------------k---------+|F C u X | +--+ +-|
| X +-H--+ +---+ * * * 4 * * ||$ 6 X X +-+ |! N|
|----------+ | +++++ P +-------+++-----+ ||$ C |+-+XX+-|
| | | +-------| +-----+++-+ +-+ |+-----+ +---+|N | |
|---------+ C | | C| | X X b| |XX | | |+--+--+ +-|
| 1 | +-H---+ | | | | +------+ || N | N|
| +--H----+ C | X | | | u s| | 5 * P || +-|
| |start a| | 3 N| | | F ss| | * || | |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Overview: No matter which area you start at, you end up warping to Start A
eventually. From either of the other two, just hit all the nodes you
see and collect any goodies, then take the available warp that opens up.
It will take you to Start A.
If you start at B, you can hit enough nodes to open Exits A and B. If
you stat at C, you can hit enough to open all Exits. If you start at A,
you can only hit enough to open Exit A.
Once you end up at Start A, the level is the same.
1 - These cannons are placed in a defensive position. If you have a weapon that
can spread wide, you should be able to hit them from a distance.
Otherwise, use a special item or just run in and take some hits.
2 - This plateau starts with cannons, but when you collect the key to the south-
west (opening the east stairs), some slugmen appear.
3 - Hit this node and then grab the telephone to open the barrier to proceed to
area 4.
4 - Your partner will not be damaged by the flames (1-player mode only!), so
don't worry about him. Dodge these easily until you come to an area
of the wall between the third and fourth flames. Shoot the wall to
reveal a key which opens the secret area to the south. Collect all the
good stuff there and then continue. When you pass the last flame, the
pipe bursts and they all turn off.
5 - Shoot the pipe to shut off the flame.
6 - This area is big with LOTS of enemies. Go slowly, use special items, and
make sure to hit the node. Proceed north up the ledge.
7 - Hit this node to activate a set of keys to the east. They open the gate to
continue north. There is a set of gold keys. Grab them to open a
staircase and another set of keys, but DON'T grab the second set of keys
yet. Watch the walkway above change--when it is complete, THEN grab the
keys. Whatever the walkway looks like when you grab the second set is
how it will stay, and you want it complete. Go across that walkway for
an Extra Life and some other good stuff.
8 - Another big area with lots of enemies. There are goodies stashed along the
southern edge of this area, so grab them. Hit the node and take the
rightmost available exit (you want C, but B is okay also).
Level 4: Quarters
-----------------
Note: "f" no longer stand for gold frog; now it means "flamie"
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Q Q | | Q Q | | | C Q Q Q N |
| N +------Q-+ f +-+2 | | +-------+ |2 +-+ +-----+ |
| f f f f| | | | C| F ss | | | | | +-H+ |
| C +------+ F$$ | | | | | $$$ | | | +--|3 | |
| +-------+ +--------+ | | | | 1 | | +--------------|
| +---Q-----Q--+ +--------+ | | +--+++--+ | |
| * * | | XX | | C |+| C+------------+ |
|------------+ | | +-------+--+--H--+++-------------Q-Q--+ |
|--Q----Q--Q-+ |Q |-+-+----+ |
| | Q | | | 1 k * | +St.C+ C f f C |
| | | P 3 | |-+-+-+--+--+-+---+----+-----------------------|
|+ + + + + +---+Q | P P |+-------------------------------|
| | Q | | +-+ || X X X X X |
|------------------------| |E| || +------------------------+ |
|------------------------| P P || | +--------------------+ |
| Q Q || +-+--+--+-++-+-| | 4 Q Q Q Q Q |
| + || 1 | | |-+-+-------------------|
| $ +|+ ++ +--+ | +-----| Q| | |
| $ +-+ $ | ff P || | | |---+ +---+ +-------+ |
| +-+ | ! || Q | | +---+ f C f +-+ | |
| | ||-+-| | | u P | |
|-+ +---------------------+ | | | ++ f 1 $$F+------+ | |
| |+| | | | | |+--+ +----+ | | |
|-+ +--+ +--+ +---------| | | | |Q |-+-| +---+ +-----|
|N P 2 +-+XX| | X X X + | +-+ |Q+-+ +--+ | QQ 2 QQ |
| +---+ Q | | | Q 3 Q +----+ N|
| Start A +---------| | | ++ Start B |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Overview: The map is divided into four quarters (hence the name), and no matter
where you start you have to go through all of them. However, if you
start at A, you won't get the Extra Life in the southwest, if you start
at B, you won't get the cache in the northeast, but if you start at C,
you will get everything.
Wherever you start, work your way through that quarter until you get to
the middle area. There will be a Peace and a newly opened gate. That
will lead to the next quarter. Just keep going until you have hit the
node in each quarter, and when you come back the exit is open. You can
not revisit any of the quarters.
Backtracking in this level is hard because as you grab items and kill
enemies, barriers activate behind you. Just keep moving.
Northwest Quarter
-----------------
1 - This key stops the flames.
2 - From this point to the node, there are a lot of enemies. Go slowly and use
special items to help.
3 - Worm your way through this area to a telephone. It will create a path
straight back, although filled with pinkos. Proceed through the now
open gate to return to the center.
Northeast Quarter
-----------------
1 - If you start at C (marked by "St.C"), you will have access to this area.
2 - This cannon is best handled with a special weapon or corner shooting.
3 - A bridge will appear here, leading along the walls of area 1. Follow it
until you return to the center.
Southeast Quarter
-----------------
1 - Watch out for the flamies and cannons here. Also be careful when you come
back through, because new enemies will appear.
2 - If you start here, you won't be able to go back (and may not get the upgrade
at area 1?). Hit the node to proceed, but watch out for a bunch of
pinkos.
3 - Lots more pinkos; kill them to proceed through area 1 again (with new
enemies).
4 - The two long passages following are filled with pinkos and slugmen. Go
very slowly and keep firing away to kill enemies as they appear at the
edge of the screen. If an enemy spawns behind you, don't start running;
you have plenty of room to dodge enemy shots in these corridors. At
the end of these corridors, the gates to the center are open.
Southwest Quarter
-----------------
1 - There are a bunch of flamies coming up, and their flame shots move fast,
so don't go around a corner if you see a flamie right behind it. Grab
the Extra Life
2 - If you start here, you can't go back to get the Extra Life. Hit the node
and proceed. There are a bunch of slugmen and pinkos waiting for you,
so go carefully back to the center.
******************************
* World 3: Fortesque Mansion *
******************************
World 3 Overview: Like World 2, the choices you make will have big consequences
in terms of total gold racked up. Level 1 does not affect the others,
but in Level 2 you need to take the secret warp to the first node, then
use the secret-secret warp back to the start to take the secret Exit B.
Then in Level 3 you need a lobbing weapon to open secret Exit B (which
you can open if you start from A, but you can't reach unless you start
from B). This secret exit leads to a HUGE payoff: a literal mountain
of treasure.
All in all, World 3 will be lucrative even if you make mistakes and
have no lobbing weapons for Level 3. But if you play it right, you will
be almost completely upgraded by the end of this world.
World 3 Key
-----------
Items Enemies
------- ---------
k = key F = food X = hand L = hulk
u = weapon-up ! = extra life K = wall skull sp = spiders
N = node E = exit D = doppleganger w = worms
P = peace $ = cash
s = spec item J = jewel (Levels 3 and 4, X = missing link, and
D = dumb-bell)
Level 1: The Pits
-----------------
+------------------------------------------+
| |
| +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +-----+ +--|
| |F k| |X k| |$ k| |X k| |k+-+ | ++ |
| +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ | | | | +-|
| | +-+ | +-+ |
| +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +--+ ++ |k| |
| |$ k| | k | |sks| | k | | | +-+ |
| +---+ +---+--+---+ ++ +---+ ++ ++ +-|
| |A | | | | | |k|
| +---+ +---+--+---+ ++ +-+ | | | | |
| |X k| | k | | k | | k | | | +H-H+ +H|
| +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ | +--H-H-----H|
| | 6 |
| +---+ +---+ +---+ +---+ +--+P +-------|
| | N | |u u| |J J| | | | | | |
|-+ P +----------------------++-+ +-+ |
|--+ +----+ +--K--K--K--K--+|L L| |
|E | X X | | P 4 +-+ +-+ |
| | | | +----H----+ | +-----|
| +---+ | | | +-+| | X | X X |
| X X | |L |+-+ +-+| | | N|
| | | |+-+ | | 5 ++ F |
|------+ | | | | | X |
| |---| | | +-+ ++ +----+-------|
|------+ sp| | | +-+ | L | |
| 3 +-------------------+ +-----+ |
| L L |+-K---K-----K---K-+| sp 2 | |
| || || | |
| || +-----H-----+ || X | |
| +-----+| L|N X X N| || X | |
| |+-----| | |L || X | |
| ||L X | | | || X | |
|sp ||sF s |-----------| || X | |
| ||$$$$$| |-----------| || X | |
| |+-----| | k k k k k | || | |
| +------+ | 1 | X++ +--+ |
| X X |-----H-----|+----------+ |
+-----------------start--------------------+
Overview: By opening the western route in the beginning, you can obtain the
treasure for BOTH routes. Also, if you have Speed 9 or 10, you will be
able to get the big treasure horde in the northern area. No special
exits are available.
1 - I'm not exactly sure how this works, but as you grab keys, little bridges
appear over the chasm with Hands on them. If you grab too many, then
the western route closes, and you miss out on some good treasure. What
I do is grab the second key from the right and charge across the bridge.
This makes the other keys disappear, but leaves the western route open.
If anyone knows how this works EXACTLY, please contact me.
Once you are across, shoot the nodes and clear out the enemies. If you
have access to the western route, take it. If not, go through the
eastern route, which will be open.
2 - After killing a bunch of Hands, shoot the statues in the wall to make a
small treasure trove appear, but watch out for the spiders!
3 - After grabbing the treasure and killing a mess of enemies, shoot the statues
and one will make spiders appear, as well as open up a route to 4.
4 - VERY IMPORTANT!!! If you come to 4 by the western route, DO NOT GRAB THE
PEACE ITEM!!!! Sneak past it by hugging the wall, then go to area 2
to kill all those Hands and grab the treasure as described. Then go
back to 4, collect the Peace and continue.
5 - Kill the Hands, hit the node, kill some more Hands, then get ready to run
right between the two Hulks to the north. There is a Freezer item, so
as you pass, they will freeze and you will avoid their lobbed shots.
Then double back and kill them.
6 - If you have enough Speed points, you will get some great treasure. Go to
the very last bridge on the right, and grab the key. You will see a
small bridge appear next to the small treasure horde. Don't worry about
that! Book it for the key on the other side of the big loop. If you
get it, a bridge will appear allowing you to cross to the first bridge
you made and grab the treasure. They key there will creat a warp point
as you try to go back, warping you to A. From A, bridges appear, and
they take you along the good islands with all the super treasure.
If you missed the keys, proceed to the peninsula with two keys on it.
Choose the north key to get a bunch of gold, Hands, and food. Choose
the south key to get nothing really.
Hit the last node to open the exit and fight your way through all the
dang Hands.
Level 2: Confusion
------------------
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| k X + XXXXX 3 | | | | L Ea || Eb |
| sp +----------+-+-++-----+ +------| +-+ | +----+| |
| |+---------+ || | | | | |+----+ |
|--+---+| sp || | | +-+ | +---+ | || X X |
|--+-------+----+-----|| |P | +k+ | |N | | || |
| 2 | || | | | | X| | ||+-----+ |
| X X | +--+| +--+ +---+ | | +-+ ||| L | |
| sp | +--+| |u s F | | | ||| +-H+ |
| | || | $$$ | | +---+---+-||| |X |
|--+---+-+---+--| || | N | | | ||| +----+|
| | | | +--+| +--+ +---+ | | P |||ss FF||
| N | | N | | +-----+ +------| |--H--|||s uu ||
| | | | | k 4 +-+ |--H--||+-------+|
| | | | | + | | ||+-++-++-+|
| | | | +---+-------+------+ +---+ |||k||k||k||
|---+ +---+ +---+ +--------+------+ 5 ||+-++-++-+|
|---+ ++ ++ +--+ | X X X + ||N 8 |
| | | X ++ | ss u +--------------++------+ |
| ++ | | ++ | ++-------------++--------------------+|J |
| ++| | | |++ | |+-------------+| +--+ | ||J |
| X|| | | ||X | || |+ +--+ | ||J |
|+ || | | || +| |+--H-------H--+ 6 7 |
|+ ++ +-+ ++ +| +-+ X | +--+ | || |
| 1 start | | X | N | +--+ | || |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Overview: If you don't do the very first part EXACTLY right, you will end your
chances of getting the SWEET loot in Level 4. If you do miss it, it
you will still have access to a lot of upgrades and special refills.
The key is the block the way to both nodes to the north of the start
area; then you will warp to one of them and a SUPER SECRET passage will
be available that leads to secret Exit B.
1 - There are four passages you can take:
Leftmost - creates small gate blocking Leftmiddle, but allows passage
to west node.
Leftmiddle - creates a gate blocking the way to the west node.
Rightmiddle - creates a wall blocking Rightmost, but allows passage to
the east node.
Rightmost - creates a gate blocking the way to the east node.
What you want to do is take Leftmiddle and then Rightmost (or vice versa)
so that you block off both nodes. You will now find a key near the
start which activates a nearby warp tile. It warps you to the east
node and deactivates the fireballs from the pit between the nodes.
If you find that you have messed this up, just go to one of the nodes
and proceed to area 2.
2 - Shoot all the enemies here, but AVOID THE KEYS THAT APPEAR! There will be
two keys, opening the passages to the north. If you came to this area
by the secret warp tile from area 1, you will see that the statue in
the wall disappears and reappears, but STOPS disappearing if you grab
the keys. So don't touch the keys, wait for it to disappear, and go
through the secret warp to the start again. You can't go north, but
the wall to the east is open, leading to area 6!
If you didn't come by the warp, the statue never disappears and you must
grab one of the keys to proceed to area 3.
3 - After killing a whole mess of Hands, DO NOT be tempted to cross the bridge
for all those goodies. If you do, you will warp backward and the
goodies will be GONE. Instead, go east and hit the statue in the wall.
It opens a small bridge to the island below; grab that key to deactivate
the warp point on the bridge. You may now proceed to the goodies, but
be wary of spiders!
4 - Go west for a key that opens the small room to the south. There are some
good items here. Proceed east.
5 - When you cross the bridge and grab the telephone, a Hulk appears behind you.
Kill him to open the door forward. Go hit the node and exit the level.
6 - You can only make it to this point via the secret warp described in 1 and 2.
Grab the key to the north in this room, then grab a new key in the south
to activate a clue for the next room. It shows a sequence of floor tile
shapes: circle, square, diamond. This is the sequence you want to take
to pass through the next room.
7 - Although the clue from 6 will help you through this room, I will just tell
you how to get through. Walk onto to third tile from the bottom, walk
over two more tiles to the east. You should have gone over one circle
tile, one square, and are now standing on a diamond tile. Go south
one tile, east one tile, north one tile, then east to exit this little
maze. If you mess up, you will be warped back to the west edge of the
room and you must start over.
Every time you mess up, one of the jewels in the hall outside this room
will disappear.
8 - After hitting the node, three Hulks will appear on these three platforms.
They are each sitting on a key. You can kill them all if you want, but
you can only grab ONE key in order to keep all the treasure intact.
Since the left and middle keys make bridges that you can't reach
without getting another key, you should take the RIGHT key. That's
EAST. Grab that key and a bridge appears right in front of you, leading
to all the sweet loot.
Grab it all and proceed to the exit. Watch out for the Hands.
Level 3: Reverse
----------------
Note that 'X' now denotes MissingLink instead of Hand.
Also, D is for Doppleganger.
+-----------------------------------------------+
| E | | | | start |
| | | sp N sp | | |
|----+-+-+----| | sp sp | | |
| | |(Eb)| | 4 | | |
| k + + k | |----H---------H----| |--+ +-|
| | | | | X || D | | 1 |
|----+ +----| | X || D | |X X|
| | | | | +--++----+ | | k |
| k + + k | | X |+-------+ | | |
| | | | | +-+| D | |X X|
|----+ +----| | +-+| D D | |---+---|
| | | | | X|| +-----| |XX XX|
| k 5 k | | X || | | | 2 |
| | | | | || sp | k | | X |
|----+sp +----| | X || | 3 +--------+ |
| X X | | || +H---H+ D D |
| P +-+ X || || N |
| || || |
+-----------------------------------------------+
Overview: This level is very interesting. If you look at your map, you will
see either the above map, or a shift of it (depending on which exit you
used last level). This is because the level is really copied twice
over and placed side by side. The West half is where you start if you
used Exit A last level, and the East half is where you start if you
took secret Exit B. Although you can open the secret Exit B in this
level from either start point, you can only REACH the secret exit if you
start in the East half.
If you don't have a lobbing weapon, though, you are out of luck. You
need it to hit the crucial node.
Secret Exit B will land you in the middle of a mountain of treasure in
the next level.
1 - West: destroy the barriers (there is an order to them; just shoot them until
you find the right one) to reach the key. It opens the gate to the
south
East: grab the key to open the gate, but you get stuck in some barriers.
Shoot out at the MissingLink to destroy the barriers.
2 - Use the Freezer (west) or the Monster Distractor (east) to take out the
MissingLinks here and proceed.
3 - After killing the dopplegangers and hitting the node, climb up here. You
will find one key (east) or two keys (west).
East - grab the key to make two more appear. Grab the RIGHT key first,
then the left. This will make the stairs down into a warp
point which warps you to the other half of the map but at this
same position. There are no keys now, but you will notice that
the node is not activated (it's the other node!). If you have
a lobbing weapon, stand on the half-staircase and hit the node
with it. Then go down the other stairs to proceed to 4.
West - grab the right key first, then the left. This makes the stairs
to the left into a warp point. You will arrive at the same
area in the other half of the map, but the node is not
activated. Throw a lobbing weapon at it (if you have one), then
go down the stairs to proceed to 4.
4 - Use the Dynamite (west) or the Freezer (east) to help kill the spiders all
over the place. Hit the node. If you used the warp point to get here
from 3, then you will warp back to the floor near 3 (but in your
original half) as you go down the western steps. If you did everything
correctly, as you come back to this point and activate the node, you
will open the secret Exit B.
If you messed up the warp point at 3 and just came down the stairs, you
will not warp away from 4, but rather just go down the steps.
5 - There are two open rooms, each with a key. If you grab one key, the other
disappears, and the room to the north but OPPOSITE to the one you are
in will open. That room contains a key which also opens the opposite
room to the north.
If you are in the EAST half of the map (if you started from the secret
entrance) AND if you hit all FOUR nodes (two in each half), you can get
to the secret Exit B. Take the EAST key to open the west room above,
and they key there will open the door to the room with the secret exit.
If you didn't get all four nodes and/or you are in the west half of the
map, it doesn't matter which key you choose. The third key will open
the gate to the normal exit in both halves of the map, and they both go
to the same place.
Level 4: Way Out
----------------
+------------------------------------------------------+
| start | |k| X X | K K K K |
| | +-+ +------+ D+------+ | |
|--+ +--+ | +--+ | +--H--+ +---H--|
| +-H--+ 1 D | +-H-||||-H-+ | X P +-+X |
| | | H |||| H | +----------|||---+ |
|---+ D | | +--+ | X X +-+ X +-H|
|sss| | | D | |
|-+++-------------+ | 2 +----------------------|
|-+ X K K X | P |k k| |k k| |k k| | ||
| 3 |----------| | | | | | | ||
|--H-----H-----------+ w+-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +---+|
| X|| | k | 5 6 |
| $ || +-+-+ +-----+ +-+-+ +-+-+ +-+-+ |
| $ || 4 |P u u| N | | | | | | |
| D|| D +-----+ |J u| |$ $| |J u| |
| k || w w |---------------+ P |
|---------------------------------+| |
|----------------------------------+ 7 |
| +-------k-------+ +-+ +-+ +-+ |
| N N | +---------+ | +K+ +K+ +K+ |
| |J | k | J| D D |
| +----+ |$ |J +---+ J| J| +-+ +-+ +-+ |
| | | |J |J | A | J| J| +K+ +k+ +K+ |
| +--E-+ |J |J +-H-+ J| $| X X |
| |J | | J| +-+ +-+ +-+ |
| | +----H----+ | +K+ +K+ +K+ |
| | | |
| D +---------------+ |
| P X X 8 X X |
|-+-------------+--------------------------------------|
|-+-----++------+-++-----------------------------------|
| D D || D || X s s X J X $ |
| +---++----+ || F $|
| | X | || B +-----+ +-----+ +----+ $u|
| | $ u | || | | | | | | $ |
| +---++--+-+ D || +-----+ | | +----+ |
| N ++ || X +-----+ X |
| D D 9 || X |
+------------------------------------------------------+
Overview: If you used Secret Exit B from the last level, you will arrive on top
of the central mountain at point A. There are Dumbbells waiting for
you, but they are not tough to kill. Grab the insane amount of jewels
and the two keys. A small door will open in the lower right area of the
mountain which warps you to the normal start point.
From there, you will have many opportunities for secret treasure. Try
to take advantage!
The dumbbells can be a pain in the more open areas of the map, but they
are easily killed if you can get them stuck on a corner.
1 - Run as fast as you can from the start to the small statue in the wall at
point 1. Hit it to open a staircase to the keys on the ledge. These
keys open the secret area you see with special refills below you.
If the statue disappears before you get to it, no big deal. Proceed
to kill your way through MissingLinks, Dumbbells, Wallskulls, all the
way around to area 2.
2 - Grab the Peace and then the telephone to activate stairs up to the west.
3 - If you got the keys in area 1, you can grab some special refills in the
little secret area. Then you can take one of two sets of stairs. The
west stairs lead to a key which opens a secret wall into the eastern
area. I think the keys might also activate the gate to area 4, but
I'm not sure. In any case, there is nothing bad about taking the west
stairs except some extra enemies. I say take the west stairs just to be
safe.
4 - Shoot the gate to reach the keys (might not open? see 3). The keys open a
staircase to the nearby ledge with goodies on it.
5 - This is a hard bit. MissingLinks will appear from the gates, leaving the
gate open temporarily. If you kill the monster, the gate stays open,
but it may shut before you get a chance to kill it. Another will spawn
to give you a second chance, but after that it will stay closed forever.
Each gate that you manage to keep open leads to two keys which open the
small rooms to the south for treasure. The first and third rooms hold
the better treasure.
6 - Just walk right into this wall to warp to point B. This secret area
contains good treasure, but also a lot of MissingLinks. When you are
done, walk to the southeast corner of this room to warp back to 6.
7 - Use the pillars the same way you use corners; let enemies run at you and
position yourself so they get stuck next to a pillar, then shoot the
pillar so that the "splash" hits the monster. There are a lot of
monsters, so this might be tough. Let your partner take out the
Wallskulls. Make sure to blow up the middle pillar to collect the keys
hidden under it. They open the last secret area in the southwest.
8 - Run quickly over these groundmines to activate them. As the MissingLinks
come out of the wall, the groundmines will blow them away.
9 - Watch out for the multitude of Dumbbells here; hit the node and proceed out
the west gate. If you got the keys under the pillar in area 7, you can
go into the middle room for some treasure. Now go north to hit the last
couple nodes and open the exit.
************************
* World 4: The Cellars *
************************
World 4 Overview: This is the last stretch, so you need to make sure of a few
things. You will need either a ton of lives (and preferably the First
Aid Kit) or the Monster Distractor to beat the Chaos Engine, so you'll
want to buy more lives or the MD after Level 2.
However, if you have these things already, then it is not really that
big a deal to collect treasure anymore. There are "shortcuts" through
Levels 1 and 2 that allow you to avoid a lot of enemies but reduce the
gold and items you pick up. Take these routes if you are already strong
enough to fight the Chaos Engine.
After Level 2 and your LAST CHANCE to upgrade, there will NOT be any
more special refills on the map, so try to conserve special items (there
are a few in Level 2, but you'll probably use one to get through the
last area to the exit) and stock up to the maximum during the upgrade.
You should use as few specials as possible in Level 3 to maximize those
available for Level 4 and the Chaos Engine.
World 4 Key
-----------
Items Enemies
------- ---------
k = key F = food R = robot M = heat-seeker
u = weapon-up ! = extra life v = cyclonebots Q = tankbots
N = node E = exit C = normal launcher z = zinger
P = peace $ = cash r = rats m = minibot
s = spec item J = jewel
Level 1: Sewer
--------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Ea | |secret| | | * | v v| | N | |
|-H------| +--+area ?| *** | |* *|C N +----+ v C | |
|-----H--| | | | |---+ | |
| | |---------+ +---| +-+ 6 +----+ 5 | |
| | |---------+*| | | +---+ | | |
| | | | | | +-+z | +----+ | |
|--+ +--+ +---------------+ | +-+ | | |
|--+ +-------++------------+ +-+ z | +-----+ v | |
| || || N| | +-+ | P C vv| |
| R ++ C || | +-+z | | +-----+ +---|
| R P C || | | +-++-----+ +-----+ | R |
| ++ 7 == | +-+ z ||v k| | | +--+ + |
|-------------+| C || | | +-+| | | | |k | |
| | C || | +-+z | +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ +-------++-+ | |
| +-----+----+ +-+ | P v| | RR v|--+ z z | + |
|----Eb----+ | v +-H------+ +-----+ z z N z + 1 | start
| *| |*+-| +-------------+ | 2 z z z |
|N | | |C| |-H-+--H---+-----------------++++ + |
| *| |*+-| | * * * * *| +--------------+| ++ | |
|---+ +----+ +----------+-| *** ||k R | |
|---+ +----+ +---------------------+ +-+ +-+ |+--+ + |
| v v | | 4 v v | * |C| |C| | | |
| | |-H----++----++--+ | +-+ +-+ | +---|
| | +--------+---H--++--H-|| | +-----+ +-+ | |
| R R +-----+ R |*|RR v v || | 3 | |C| | |
| R | | v v || +----------+ +-+ * | |
| === || ** +-+ +-+ | |
| +-----+ | | u $$$$$$|| |C| |C| | |
| | | |*|+--------------+| *** +-+ +-+ | |
|----------+ +---| || | | |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Overview: If you have upgraded yourself almost to the max, then you should take
the shortcut in area 2. If not, then go north from area 2 to area 5,
which will cut you off from a few goodies in this level, but you will
recoup all that and more in the next level.
There is a secret-looking area in the north part of the level. I have
never gotten in there, so if anybody knows a way in, let me know.
1 - The keys here will destroy some of the zingers near the node. Pass by the
zingers with care (I usually fry them with Dynamite if I have it).
2 - If you want to get the most out of Level 2, go north at this point to
area 5. Otherwise, hit the suspicious valve to drain the water. Go
through the empty canal and then up to the small room for a key. It
makes a bridge to the small room over to the east (the bridge blocks
the way north to 5). In that room there is a drain which warps you to
area 3.
3 - At first there is nothing, but after a second or two a missile launcher
appears. Kill it, and another appears. Keep doing this until you
destroy the fifth and final one. Because these are not heat-seekers,
you should have a pretty easy time dodging the missiles yourself, but
your partner might take a lot of hits because he follows you while you
are dodging (and he has no room to make his own dodges).
This is a good place to use Freezer or Invincibility if you have them.
Once they are all gone, the force field disappears and you can leave.
4 - Shoot a hole in the pipe and the water flows into the empty basin while the
other drains. This has two effects: it opens the way to the area to the
south, but it also fills up the hole generating Cyclonebots. When you
go south, you will have to face any Cyclonebots that spawned before you
hit the pipe.
From this area, fight your way to the exit, where you hit the final
node to open Exit B.
5 - There are a lot of Cyclonebots and missile launchers about, so a special
might be prudent. However, there are also lotsof corners to use.
6 - More zingers. Push the first few down with your gun, then grab the
Invincibility that you see. Now you can pass by easily!
7 - These missile launchers are placed so that they cover each other. Be very
careful to find a safe spot before you take them on. If you have plenty
of specials, use one. If you want to make it really easy, try to run
really fast after you get the Invincibility in area 6 and kill the first
few launchers while you can't be hit.
After you kill them all, hit the node and cross. In the big room, hit
the valve to empty the canal to the north, then exit through Exit A.
Level 2: Pump Room
------------------
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
|M u vv M| +-----------+ |N C E C N|
|---+ $ +---| | * ** | +----------------+ | |
| ++ ++ | |--+ +--+ +-| |N r N| +-----++----|
| ** | | | |X | |X | |X| | +--H-------+ | +-----++----|
| | | * | | +-+ +-+ | | M| vvv |M +-+M v |
| ++ ++ |+--------+| 3 +-+ | | | 5 M |
|---+ s +---|| | | || +---+ r | | | |v +-+ +----+ |
|M s $ s M||M | | M|| |+--+---H-| s| 4 | | | |-+ +-+| |
|---+ +---|| ++ ++ || || ** * |s | |ss|-H| | r |k|| |
| ++ ++* || | v | || ||--H-+-H-| +---+ +----+ |**| | +H+| |
| ** | | || | | || || r | |$ F | | F |H-| |--+ | |
| |A | * || | | || ||s$ $| +------+ +-------+ | | +-H-+ |
|------------+| | 2 | || ||k u | vv P vv | |rr v |
|------------+| | | || |+----+-------------+ +----+ +--------|
| * | | *M |+---+ +--+| | | | |
| +-+ +----+----+ +---+ v | +--+ | |
| | v r v | | | |
|M | v + +-------+ | | |
|* | +----|----H-| | | |
| | 1 | N | ** *| +---------------------------+ | |
|M | | ** |--H---| | r r r $ | |
|---+ +-----| +--+ r r ! $| |
| +-+ +--+ | P J | |
| | | +----+-+ +-+---------------------------+ |
| |Start A| |StartB| |
| +-------+ +------+ |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
Overview: If you took Exit B last level, you start at B. The canal to the north
of Start B never empties, so don't look for a valve. Go east for some
mild treasure and proceed north to area 4.
Otherwise, follow the numbered areas in order. Remember, this is your
last chance to stock up on gold and special items! Be very sparing
with your specials (I only use them in area 5).
1 - Be careful about the missile launchers because they are heat-seekers from
now on. When you activate the node, a secret set of keys appears back
in the start room. Grab them to open a warp pipe on the north wall.
You will warp to point A (right through the wall, basically). Carefully
fight your way along the path and use the warp point on the north wall
to arrive back at area 1. Head east.
2 - This room contains no cover from the missile launchers. However, you can
hit and run as long as you have Speed 8 or greater. Hit the valve
after you kill the launchers and you will drain the nearby water.
3 - As you complete this puzzle, launchers appear. Go very slowly in this part.
Go out on the peninsulas to reach the little water pipes on the north
wall. Shoot them to make others appear. When you shoot them all, the
water in the nearby canal drains out and you can proceed. Make sure to
go into the west room first, as it contains goodies and a key that lets
you into the passage toward area 4. (You probably cut yourself off from
the western goodies if you go east first, but I don't know because I
never tried it).
4 - Grab the Peace to gain access to area 4, but watch out for Cyclonebots.
There are three switches on the north wall. Shoot two of them to create
stairs up to the surrounding ledge. There are rats and missile
launchers up here, so be careful. Hit the two nodes and collect those
special refills, you'll need them!
When you go back down, hit the last switch to activate some Cyclonebots
and lower the water blocking the way to area 5.
5 - Area 5 is difficult. The first missile launcher behind the wall is easy
enough to kill, especially if your partner has high Wisdom (he will run
out and kill it himself while the missiles hit the wall on their way
to you).
Edge over a little bit to kill the Cyclonebot that appears. Now run
around the edge to the south. Launchers will appear behind you, but
you can avoid the missiles. You will encounter some Cyclonebots at
the southeast corner of this area, but they are quick kills. Now avoid
and kill the rats as you go up to the little ledge for the key.
The key opens the way to the exit, but first we have to get down. If
you have a lobbing weapon and plenty of specials, lob one onto the
launcher that is northeast of you. Lobbing weapons won't reach the
launcher directly to the east, UNLESS you use Dynamite. In that case,
make sure to lob it on the ground with both launchers on screen (if you
hit the launcher directly, it won't detonate to kill the other).
If you don't have Dynamite or a lobbing weapon, you will need to take
out the east launcher this way: go down (watch for rats) and watch the
missiles hit the corner of the pit. Stand a good distance away and try
to shoot past the corner yourself. You might get lucky.
If not, try to run back and forth to get your partner to attack the
launcher. If this doesn't work, you need to try and shoot the launcher
and run away in a well-timed pattern. The protective corner makes this
a little less painful than upcoming trials.
If you still have to face the last launcher, repeat the above tactics.
A final missile launcher blocks the path out; just shoot the corner to
kill it with splash damage. Kill the Cyclonebots near the nodes and
exit.
Level 3: Hall of Machines
-------------------------
~~~~~~~ = electric barrier (looks like two nodes with electricity shooting
between them... DON'T TOUCH!)
+--------------------------------------+
| +--E--+ |
| | | |
| +----+| |+----+ |
| | N || || N | |
| | || || | |
| +-+ +-+ +-+ +-+ |
| +----| Q 6 Q |----+ |
| | Q + + Q | |
| | N M +-+ M N | |
| | + +-+ + | |
| +----| |----+ |
|-----+ |~~~~~~~~~~~~~| |
|Q Q Q+------+ | |
| Q Q MP | |
| 5 P +--+ | |
|---------+ |~~~~~~~~~~~~~| +------|
|----------+ | MP +----+mm mm|
| | | QQ 4 P |
|Q 3 +-+~~~~~~~~~~~~~+----+ |
|Q +-+mm MP Q| +------|
|------+ +---+ | +------|
|-------+ |~~~~~~~~~~~~~+----+ |
|mm mm| | MP QQ 2 |
| +----+~~~~~~~~~~~~~+----+ QQ |
| 1 Q Q | +------|
| +---------+ +----+ |
|-------+ +--+ +--+ |
| | | |
| | start | |
+--------------------------------------+
Overview: DO NOT USE YOUR SPECIALS, with the exception of First Aid if you
really need it. The bad news is that you must now face Minibots and
Tankbots, both of which are a pain in the butt.
The good news is that there are lots of choke points and corners to
use for fighting. In fact, you can ALWAYS use corners to kill the
missile launchers.
Rooms 2 and 3 have secret passages that allow you to skip one room in
the level, which is a GREAT idea. The passages are a little weird to
open though.
As you finish a room and go back into the central passage, be careful
to stay away from the launcher ahead. Tankbots and Minibots will be
all over the place, so just run south and draw them to you for easy
kills. When you can run to the next room's entrance, do so. Then turn
and use the corner to kill the launcher.
1 - This room is easy. Grab the key to activate the computer on the wall. Some
Minibots come at you, but are easily killed. Shoot the stones in the
floor until the blow up. A number is left behind on the wall (a number
1, to be exact). Shoot it to reveal a number 4. This allows for the
secret passage in room 3. After shooting the rocks, the barrier will
be deactivated.
2 - Kill the Tankbot. The spinning thing on the wall will deactivate the
barrier, BUT notice that it "sparks" when it passes the upper right
position. If you shoot when it is in the lower left position, you will
probably hit the thing when it is in the upper right position, which
cracks the nearby wall. Touch that wall for a secret passage (you
won't have to go into room 3!) to room 4.
3 - Kill the Tankbots. Now stand away from the numbers on the wall. Shoot the
number 1 to deactivate the barrier. Now shoot the number 4 to make a
secret passage appear to room 5 (skipping room 4).
4 - Shoot the dials to make Minibots appear. Kill them and keep shooting dials
until the barrier goes down.
5 - Kill all the Tankbots to stop the pistons from turning. This deactivates
the last barrier.
6 - Shoot the Tankbots, carefully take out the launchers, then hit all the
nodes. The game says, "Exit Open!" but it doesn't open right away.
You need to shoot the base of that generator thing to release the seal
on the door.
Level 4: Time for Chaos
-----------------------
+--------------------------------+
| 3 | | 3 |
| Q +------+ Q |
| ++ N mmmm N ++ |
| || ++ ++ || |
| || || || || |
|--+ |+-----+| |+-----+| +--|
|--+ +++-----+ +-----+++ +--|
| || || |
| +--+ || +----------+ || +--+ |
| ++ | Chaos | ++ |
| N | | N |
| 2 ++ | Engine | ++ 2 |
|-+ +-+| +----------+ |+-+ +-|
| | | | 4 | | | |
| | | +------+ +------+ | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | +---+ +---+ | | |
|-+ +--+ |mmm mmm| +--+ +-|
| +--+ m P m +--+ |
| Q QQ QQ Q |
| +--+ M +--+ |
|-------+ | 1 | +-------|
| +---+ +---+ |
| +--+ +--+ |
| | | |
| | start | |
+--------------------------------+
Overview: You need to destroy the four Super Nodes to deactivate the force field
around the Chaos Engine's platform. Then you enter the final fight!
Also, the force field blocks the middle passages, so use the outer ring
of passages.
1 - I usually run back and forth to dodge the missiles while my partner takes
this launcher out, but if you have Speed 9 or 10 you can probably hit
and run. Take out the ZILLION Minibots, then proceed right or left.
2 - Run all the way up to this area until you can see the generator, then shoot.
As soon as the fireballs get too close, run away. You can take out the
fireballs slowly, then repeat until you destroy the generator.
3 - To get in front of the generator, either take a hit from a fireball or use
a special (Monster Repellant, Freezer, and Invincibility are the best
to use here). If you hit it REALLY fast, you might have enough time to
run to the next one.
4 - When all four nodes are destroyed, the force field is gone and a small warp
point appears here. Take it to arrive on the platform and engage the
Chaos Engine in the final confrontation!
The Final Fight
---------------
Finally! The Chaos Engine! It's life is displayed between yours and your
partners, but don't let the double bars fool you. They both go down at the same
time. Bullets, missiles, and bombs fly out continuously. You need to knock
the Engine's life bars to zero, wait for it to reveal its true nature (the
Baron IS the engine!), then beat it again. The second time around, the Engine
periodically shoots VERY powerful bursts in each direction. Avoid these, even
if you have to run yourself into a missile.
BAD NEWS: The Chaos Engine is immune to the Monster Freezer and can damage you
even when you use Invincible. BOOOOO!!! Repel Monster also does not
work against the Chaos Engine.
GOOD NEWS: The Monster Distractor almost gaurantees a win! Also, I have tried
to experiment with the lobbing weapons (Molotov, Bomb, Dynamite) and
sometimes the Chaos Engine's life decreases rapidly when you lob the
weapon right on it, but this might be my imagination. In any case,
lobbing a weapon on it will mean that you get hit by a lot of its
weapons, so you should not do this.
These are the three best strategies:
1) Should you be lucky enough to have, say, 10+ lives, you can just stand there
and pump bullets at the Chaos Engine until it is dead (you may want to
dodge the really high-powered shots). Stay towards the edge of the
platform so that the missiles take longer to reach you. You can also
dodge the bombs and use First Aid to make your lives last longer.
2) If you have the Monster Distractor and a few Special Items left, you are in
luck. Just lay down a Monster Distractor, stand aside, and shoot while
the Engine is distracted. The super-powered shots in the second part
will still go in their regular direction. If you use up all your
Special Items, then either resort to the first strategy or the next one.
3) It is possible to beat the Chaos Engine with no Special Items and only a life
or two. Run to the edge of the platform and start running counter-
clockwise all along the edge. The missiles will come at you but won't
hit. Right when the missile is about to explode (you'll learn the
timing pretty easy), turn at the Engine and shoot. It is an easy
pattern to learn and will work well if you maxed out your speed.
In the second part, you do the same thing, but you have to be more
careful about the powerful shots. You will probably run into a few
missiles while trying to dodge the super-shots, so this is why you need
a couple of extra lives. You can use First Aid to stretch your lives
out longer.
If you have 9 or 10 speed, you will be able to avoid the missiles with
the greatest of ease, and you will have an easier time with the super
shots.
The ending is short, but really cool!
IX. Single Character Trial
--------------------------
If you want a good challenge, start a two-player game by yourself. Make sure
to choose the character you want as first player (won't matter except if you
use codes). Then immediately kill off your second player character. Keep going
through the first level, killing off the second player every time he comes back
to life. By the end of Level 2, he should be way dead.
You will get the option to revive the second player after every level; decline.
You will keep ALL the loot and you can try to beat the game with only one
character!
Taking the Brigand or Gentleman is pretty easy, since they have the Monster
Repellant. Navvie is not bad until the last level when you wish you had some
sneaky special items.
Thug and Mercenary are not good choices for a one-character challenge. Their
weapons start having a spread effect which becomes a huge disadvantage for
fighting tough enemies one-on-one, and it's worse against the Chaos Engine.
The number of hits per shot is so bad, I lost seven lives in the battle without
even finishing the first phase.
The Scientist is an interesting challenge. He has low life and the weakest
weapon, but his First Aid Kit and other items make him a viable character for
World 4. His weapon has a focused beam like the Gentleman's, so it is much
easier to actually hit the Chaos Engine, although the damage will be small each
time.
The easy thing about this challenge is that the two-person loot makes one person
strong twice as fast. You will be able to rack up lives and special refills
really fast.
The hard thing is that you are now the sole target and must be cautious at every
turn. This challenge is only for players who know their way around the game
very well.
X. A Sweet Code Trick
---------------------
After beating a world, you get a code. If you enter the code with the last six
characters in reverse, you will have a ton of money. A TON. Basically enough
to max out everything and buy at least twenty lives.
Example: Enter the password "CJW213Z57ZLV" as "CJW213VLZ75Z."
There are other tricks you can do involving switches of two of the last six
characters, but none of them has as good an effect as the full reverse.
You can switch the third and fourth characters to switch the number of extra
lives each player had at the end of the world, but this trick is pretty lame.
If you get your code at the end of a world and stop playing, you will find that
only your stats and your lives were actually saved. Your special items and
weapon upgrades must be repurchased, and the cash that your code provides only
gets you halfway to two-thirds of the way there. As such, I have no problem
using the above trick, but I try to keep track of how much I earn in the next
world so that I know how much I can spend. It's up to you how honorably you
want to play.
Of course, with an emulator, there is no need for the codes unless you want to
use the super cash trick.
XI. Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
---------------------
Copyright 2006, Mike Jenista
This may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for
personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or
otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission.
Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public
display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by
their respective trademark and copyright holders.
