------------------------------------------------------------------------------
____. __
| | ____ __ _________ ____ ____ ___.__. _/ |_ ____
| |/ _ \| | \_ __ \/ \_/ __ < | | \ __\/ _ \
/\__| ( <_> ) | /| | \/ | \ ___/\___ | | | ( <_> )
\________|\____/|____/ |__| |___| /\___ > ____| |__| \____/
\/ \/\/
_________.__.__ .__
/ _____/|__| | |__|__ __ ______
\_____ \ | | | | | | \/ ___/
/ \| | |_| | | /\___ \
/_______ /|__|____/__|____//____ >
\/ \/
by
_____________ __________ _________________ ______________________
/ _____/ | \ \ / _____/\_____ \ \_ _____/\__ ___/
\_____ \| | / | \ \_____ \ / | \ | __) | |
/ \ | / | \/ \/ | \| \ | |
/_______ /______/\____|__ /_______ /\_______ /\___ / |____|
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/
Journey to Silius by Sunsoft FAQ/Walkthrough:
VERSION 1.00
This guide was created, edited and compiled by GameFAQs member Snazzyhoppy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last Update: July 22, 2012
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes before reading this document:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a) This guide goes into great detail regarding enemy attack patterns,
player strengths, and defense strategies that will allow a gamer to complete
this game despite its difficulty. It gives history and insight into the
making of the game, which relates to its content and enemy designs. This
guide is not a play-by-play of every action in the game, but it outlines
the challenges that the player will face and how to avoid taking serious
damage.
b) This document is protected by US Copyright Law, and the Berne Copyright
Convention of 1976. This document is for private and personal use only--it
cannot be reprinted in part or in whole or reproduced in any way or in any form
(written or otherwise). It is a free document that cannot be used in any sort
of commercial transaction, including selling it or giving it away as a gift.
Please respect the work I have included in this guide.
c) This may be 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 of the author. 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 rights and ownership of this guide are
bestowed to Christopher Hopkins. Contact GameFAQs and the author to inquire
about reproducing any part of this guide for more than personal, private use.
d) This document is best read on a plain text reader. Use a standard find
feature to navigate the sections and to find exactly what you're looking for.
e) This guide appears in plain text at GameFAQs and other websites may link
to its location on GameFAQs.
f) This FAQ began on June 20, 2012 when I began to play Journey to Silius
not simply to complete it, but to analyze my gameplay strategies and to
report to myself on what enemies and obstacles stand in my way. Besides
many playthroughs, I took screenshots of every type of enemy and obstacle
in the game, which I used for the Enemy Breakdown descriptions. I also
recorded an early playthrough and watched that to view where I took the
most damage, which I used for the Stage Tips. Other information came
from scouring the internet, digging into the game data, and testing
information for authenticity.
g) This game is available for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the
United States and for the Famicom in Japan. The game was additionally part
of a Japan-only compilation for the Playstation titled Memorial Series:
Sunsoft Vol. 5, which contained this game with the Rough World title and
another Sunsoft title called Hebereke, known in the United States as
Ufouria: the Saga.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Version Changes
2) About the Game
3) Remnants of the Terminator License
4) How I Discovered Journey to Silius
5) Game Story
6) Back of Box
7) Cutscene Dialogue
8) Game Notoriety
9) Game Terminology
10) Game Controls
11) Gameplay Features
--From the Manual
--Other
12) Game Strategies and Recommendations
13) Toughest Enemies and Pitfalls
14) Stage Tips
15) Built-In Game Codes
16) Game Genie Codes
17) Noticeable Bugs/Glitches/Oddities
18) Enemy Breakdown
19) Ending Credits
20) Recommended Web Sources
21) Contact
22) Credits
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Version Changes:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 - July 22, 2012:
Completed construction of guide on July 22, 2012.
For a future version:
determine strength of all enemies in hand gun bullet shots
check Game Genie codes for authenticity
reorganize FAQ content
place link to FAQ-accompanying YouTube video
consider more descriptive names for enemies
correct any errors
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) About the Game:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Journey to Silius was initially supposed to be based on James Cameron's
Terminator. An announcement about the game from Nintendo Power Volume 7
(July/August 1989) reads "Terminator. Cast your peepers on these cool
screen shots we managed to get hold of. Sun Corp is preparing to unveil
Terminator and we'll keep you posted as we learn more." It includes
screenshots of the Stage 3 sub-boss and a different main character sprite,
background, and energy meter. However, and for whatever reason, SunSoft
lost the license and had to heavily edit the game before release. The
production company took the license and gave it to the LJN toy company
to make a game based on the second film in the franchise.
Speculation - Reasons for the Loss of License:
With the impending production for the film Terminator 2: Judgement Day,
there was no desire to release a game relating to the first movie.
Since Sunsoft worked with license rights for Batman, Gremlins 2, and
Fester's Quest, they did not have enough remaining funds to support
another licensed game.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Remnants of the Terminator license:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Journey to Silius began life as a "Terminator" game. Unfortunately,
the original copyright text and some unknown graphics are all that
remain from that development period. Note the original copyright date of
1989, compared to the final's 1990.
the final seconds of the opening cutscene music = Terminator movie theme
the spindly-legged mechs from Sunsoft’s original Terminator preview = Stage
3 sub-boss
the Terminator’s unmistakable T-800 endoskeleton = Final Stage Last Boss
The Terminator’s flying Hunter Killer = Stage 1 Boss
the post-apocalyptic future envisioned by The Terminator movie = graphic
design of Stages 1 and 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) How I Discovered Journey to Silius:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Sunsoft NES games I had in my collection and played a lot growing up
were Batman and Fester's Quest. In my opinion, both games were difficult
and both had memorable soundtracks. It was not until my teen years that I
finally could beat Fester's Quest. Fester's Quest is noticeable for being
a Legend of Zelda ripoff, having a cheap $19.99 price tag upon release, and
having an impressive infinite continues feature. Any player of the game
would know that continuing in Fester's Quest is mentally draining, as you
start from the beginning of the game and have to do everything over again
minus fight the bosses and collect items from the Addams Family. From
experience, I can attest that dying on the final spaceship stage and
using a continue would consume a half hour of time just to travel from
the beginning all the way back to where you left off! The beauty of
these Sunsoft games with their high difficulty is that as I got older,
my fascination to complete these games grew as did my mental and physical
abilities to progress past the hard spots.
Within the year, I was looking up two things: best video game music on
the NES and most difficult NES games. For video game music, three songs
that appeared on many forums and lists were Journey to Silius Stage 3,
Mega Man 2 Dr. Wily's Stage, and Duck Tales Moon Stage.
This guide is designed with one main goal in mind: to help you complete
the game. It is hard and there is a steep learning curve, but if you
know where the tough spots are, you will be able to continue progressing
in the game. With three lives and three continues to start off with, you
have nine chances to stay alive. On your first play though, take note of
where you lose your lives. I probably have died in a similar place. The
information I wrote regarding stages and enemies outlines how much of a
threat they are to your character. Minimize their threat, and you will
have more health to progress.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) Game Story:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quoted from the Journey to Silius game manual:
The time is the year 0373 in the new space age calendar. The earth's
population is exploding so rapidly that people are seeking exodus to an outer
space paradise. People everywhere are eager to develop space colonies and
emigrate to them.
Jay McCray is no exception. He is preparing for his journey to the new space
colony #428 in the Silius Solar System. He decided to move to the colony
because his father, an astute scientist, was instrumental in the space colony
development. Jay had always been proud of his father and wanted to be like
him, even more so now, because his father was appointed leader of the SSS
colony development.
Jay's dream is to be on a space colony development team. Unfortunately, his
dream will not come true. A devastating explosion rocked the SSS colony and
destroyed everything, including all project data and the research team. Any
further development of the colony would be impossible.
Because Jay's father was killed in the explosion, Jay would never know what
really happened. He is determined to take over for his father, but without his
father's records, research is at a standstill.
While searching his father's room, Jay finds a floppy disk. When he puts it in
the computer, he realizes, it contains a complete plan of the SSS colony
development. The disk also includes a letter from his father which reads,
"Terrorists are plotting to destroy the colony development. If anything
happens to me, you must complete the project."
"Father knew this would happen," Jay said to himself, "but, now that I have his
plans, I can finish his work." As Jay worked on the project, he realized the
terrorists were still out there and even more determined to destroy the SSS
colony plan.
Jay then vows, "I have no choice but to fight the terrorists to defend the
colony development and to avenge my father's death."
Next description found on
http://satoshimatrix.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/top-100-nesfamicom-games-list-
all-in-one/
Original source unknown:
It is the year 0373 New Space Age (NSA). Earth’s overpopulation crisis has
led to demand for space colonies across all of known space. Jay McCray, son
of a prolific colony scientist, has decided to move to Silius Space Colony
#428 when his father is appointed leader of the colony and it’s future
development. However, when reports of strange robots appearing all over the
Silius station is quickly followed by a massive explosion that nearly
destroys the colony, Jay’s world is shattered. His father was killed in the
blast leaving few clues and the media to report the explosion as a mere
accident.
Searching for answers on Earth, Jay find’s a floppy disk in his father’s
room. Examining the contents, Jay discovers the disk not only contains his
father’s complete plans for the future development of the future colonies,
but also a personal message to Jay written by his father in case of his
death. “Terrorists are plotting to destroy the colony development. If
anything happens to me, you must complete the project.†In order to protect
the remaining people of Silius colony #428 and avenge his father’s death,
Jay McCray suits up and arms himself for battle on his solo journey to
Silius.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Back of Box:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the back of the game box:
WE DARE YOU TO MAKE THE JOURNEY TO SILIUS
In the runs of Silius, inter galactic terrorists—and their deadly arsenal of
weapons—are waiting for you. Are you prepared to face an endless onslaught
of flying war robots, humanoid laser cannons, bone crushing traps, and the
seemingly invincible Master Ship?
Still want to make the journey? If you do, it will take all your skills to
reach the final battle. With the terrorist's supreme leader…the merciless
all-powerful Skeletal Android. Journey to Silius. â„¢ It's level upon level
of gigantic supercharged graphics, thundering sound effects and danger at
every turn.
Go ahead. We dare you!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) Cutscene Dialogue:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Opening Cutscene:
After many years of space colony development, Jay's father has passed away.
The evening news reported that Jay's father's death was an accident.
Several days later Jay finds a floppy disk left in his father's room.
"I hear the terrorist [sic] are planning against the colony development."
"You must complete my mission if I cannot."
"They will pay the price for the death of my father."
There is dialogue intended for the game's ending that is buried in the
game's data at ROM location $11707, but was never displayed in the finished
version. Jay says “Father, look! Our colony’s completed now!â€
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8) Game Notoriety:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Journey to Silius by Sunsoft is known for these traits:
a strong NES soundtrack using Sunsoft DCPM (sound sampling)
a high difficulty
its original design as a game based on the Terminator 1984 license
its large sprite bosses
its status as a overlooked gem in the NES game collection
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9) Game Terminology
OR
Words or names given to elements within the game as found in the game manual
or the game itself:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage - five in total; also known as levels
Rest - 3 per continue; also known as lives
Life Capsule (red) - dropped by enemies, adds one bar to your life power
meter; also known as health
Energy Capsule (blue) - dropped by enemies, adds two bars to your gun
energy meter or if less is needed fills the meter completely; also known as
ammo
Life Power Meter - shows how much health your character has; also known as
the P meter or health bar
Gun Energy Meter - shows how much ammo your specialized guns have, also
known as the G meter or ammo bar
Game play mode - the aspect of the game where you control your character,
in contrast with the weapon select mode; also known as the main game screen
Weapon select mode - the aspect of the game where you select your weapon,
in contrast with the game play mode; also known as the gun selection screen
Jay McCray - the main character which you control
Demonstration or demo for short - two in total; the title demo and the
ending demo; also known as the cutscene
Helicopter and Mini Robots- Stage 1 Boss
War Vehicle Robot - Stage 2 Boss
Troop of Cannons - Stage 3 Boss
Mammoth Cannon - Stage 4 Boss
Giant Exodus Spaceship - Final Stage 1st Boss
Android (Human Metallic Skeleton) - Final Stage Last Boss; also known as
the T-800 due to its striking resemblance to the Terminator robot
Hand Gun - the gun your character begins holding, is not subject to the gun
energy meter; also known as the regular or default gun
Shot Gun - the other gun besides the Hand Gun that your character has from
the start of the game; also known as the spray gun
Machine gun - the gun that you receive after defeating the Stage 1 sub-boss
and picking up the Machine Gun pickup; also known as the rapid fire gun
Homing Missile - the gun that you receive after defeating the Stage 2
sub-boss and picking up the Homing Missile pickup; shoots missiles; also
known as the homing gun
Laser Rifle - the gun that you receive after defeating the Stage 3 sub-boss
and picking up the Laser Rifle pickup; shoots a laser beam; also known as
the laser gun
Grenade Launcher - the gun that you receive after defeating the Stage 4
sub-boss and picking up the Grenade
Launcher pickup; shoots missiles; also known as the grenade gun
Boss - the massive enemy you face before beginning the next stage; boss
battles have their own area separate from the stage
Sub-Boss - the enemy you face at the end of a stage; the sub-boss drops a
weapon upgrade that is a circle with a letter inside; a boss battle follows;
also known as a miniboss
Stage 1 - A deserted space colony in Space Age 0373; the beginning of the
game
Stage 2 - Underground Concourse
Stage 3 - Terrorist Headquarters
Stage 4 - Inside the Terrorist's Spaceship
Final Stage - Inside the Terrorist's Spaceship Factory; the last stage of
the game; also known as Stage 5
Start Demo - opening cutscene where Jay McCray, with his close-up face,
declares his battle against the terrorist
Ending Demo - ending cutscene showing the completed space colony, followed
by the introduction of the Sunsoft staff who have created the Operation SSS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10) Game Controls:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GAME PLAY MODE
B button - shoot gun
A button - jump
DOWN - crouch
LEFT/RIGHT - move character in that direction
SELECT - pauses the game
START - brings up gun selection screen
(not listed in manual) UP - maintain current speed and direction
WEAPON SELECT SCREEN
SELECT - cycles through guns from left to right and then from top row to
bottom row
START - switch to main game
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11) Gameplay Features:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the manual:
In stages 3 and 4, you are exposed to a variety of enemy weaponry like laser
launchers and cannons.
The background in the 5th stage is so programmed to automatically scroll
(right to left) that you are geared to be carried all along the
predetermined moving route, on the container, inside the factory.
(poor grammar in that sentence)
Other gameplay features:
Although the game is known for its difficulty, there are mid stage save
points in case you die, so you do not have to restart the stage entirely
every time.
The bullets that your character shoots are no stronger whether they come
out of a hand gun, shot gun, or machine gun.
The main difference is the amount of bullets that are on the screen and
the direction that they travel.
The hand gun can shoot bullets, 3 of which can be on the screen at any
given time. Without a turbo button, each press of the B button shoots one
bullet.
The machine gun can shoot bullets, 5 of which can be on the screen at any
given time. The advantage is that the bullets shoot in rapid-fire while
holding the B button down. The machine gun can shoot 63 bullets starting
from full ammo. Even if the gun is used like a hand gun, the gun will
still consume ammo.
The shot gun shoots 3 bullets at a time and can shoot 32 sprays of 3 bullets
each starting from full ammo.
The laser gun shoots 1 laser at a time and can shoot 16 lasers starting
from full ammo.
The homing gun shoots 3 rockets at a time and can shoot 21 rockets starting
from full ammo.
The grenade gun shoots 1 rocket at a time and can shoot 11 rockets starting
from full ammo. The grenade rocket looks thicker than the homing missile.
The gameplay is compared with Mega Man and Contra, a run-and-gun style game
where killing a sub-boss grants you gun upgrades that you can call upon
throughout the game and where enemies drop items that you can pick up.
Journey to Silius is considered one of the hardest games on the Nintendo
Entertainment System and the Famicom.
The NES and Famicom games developed by Sunsoft are known for their
innovation at the time and I recommend these: Blaster Master, Batman,
Gremlins 2: the New Batch, Gimmick, and Fester's Quest. Besides sharing
sound effects, these games share some gameplay elements.
Bosses don't take damage until they are in place. An example is on the
Stage 2 tank boss. Even though the vulnerable spot is on screen, your
gunfire will not affect the boss until it is finished rolling in and
begins to fight back.
Whenever Journey to Silius is mentioned in the gaming world, it is most
often due to its strong, compelling soundtrack.
Instant deaths can be caused by falling into a bottomless pit, being
crushed, getting stuck by the scrolling Stage 5, or touching the propellers
on the Stage 1 boss.
When the game is paused by pressing SELECT, the game freezes the player,
enemies, and projectiles. It does not halt non-threatening background
animations or effects. The music continues to play as well. An example of
this in in Stage 2. Pause the game and there will be some wall lights
that continue to blink pink and white.
Another unique characteristic of Journey to Silius that must be understood
is that your character can still get shot after defeating a boss. Because
of this, gamers may get frustrated when after defeating a boss with one
bar of life left, a stray projectile hits your character and therefore
kills you. In this case, the game is favored over you. An early example
is the Stage 1 boss where after defeating the helicopter, a stray bullet
from the lowest cannon can hit and kill you even though you lose control
of your character after defeating the boss.
You begin the game with a hand gun and a shot gun. The shot gun shoots
three bullets at once in three directions. You obtain additional guns
from defeating the sub-boss at the end of the first four stages.
While having more guns with different firing patterns and strengths sounds
good, the downside is that all of the guns with the exception of the hand
gun share the same gun ammo. The meter in the top left corner marked G
will go down when shooting with any gun other than the hand gun.
Enemies drop health recharge sparingly. You can typically expect one to
three instances of this per game.
Journey to Silius is one of only a few NES games made in the later years
of the system that will not support scrolling backwards.
Enemies that end up off screen stay off screen and cannot return on screen
to attack you in any way.
If any enemies follow you to a boss fight, they will instantly explode.
This can occur when entering near the Stage 4 sub-boss. Any straggling
enemies will instantly explode and vanish as if you had destroyed them.
Journey to Silius is known outside the US as Raf World or Rough World. In
written form it is spelled Raf World, but pronounced Rough World. The word
Raf used for the game is meant to be a phonetic representation which comes
out to be Rough anyway. The different between Journey to Silius and Rough
World is that Rough World has a different title screen and a different
main character sprite.
The screen will scroll when your character is roughly 5/8 of a screen or
less away from the side he is moving toward.
When the gun energy meter is fully depleted, your character will
automatically be equipped with the hand gun. When you pick up a blue
energy capsule, you will need to select another gun to take advantage of
the available ammo.
Holding UP on the D-Pad while moving left or right will keep your character
moving in the current direction at the current speed, just like a car's
cruise control feature. If you hold UP while jumping and then change
your direction in mid-air, your character will continue to move and walk
backwards as long as you continue to hold UP.
If your character tries to walk off the left or right screen edges, he
will be frozen in the mid-walk frame.
Almost all sub-bosses and bosses have a specific point on them that you
must shoot at to damage them.
The only boss that has a resting area is the Stage 3 Troop of Cannons. If
you move your character to the right so that he is next to the higher
ground and then crouch, none of the bullets or lasers will hit you. This
can give you time to observe the firing pattern of the boss.
The Stage 3 boss is similar in boss design to the Batman NES Stage 2 boss
and a Mega Man 2 boss.
The four projectiles in the game are bullets, rockets, lasers, and energy
bursts.
Below is a list of the combinations of player projectiles that can be
displayed on the screen at once in the order in which the guns are used:
Shot Gun + Grenade Gun
Shot Gun + Homing Gun
Laser Gun + Homing Gun
Grenade Gun + Homing Gun
Shot Gun + Laser Gun
Hand Gun + Machine Gun (5 bullets on screen in total)
Shot Gun + Machine Gun (5 bullets on screen in total)
Laser Gun + Machine Gun (4 bullets and 1 laser on screen in total)
Homing Gun + Machine Gun (4 bullets and 1 rocket on screen in total)
Grenade Gun + Machine Gun (4 bullets and 1 rocket on screen in total)
Machine Gun + Hand Gun (only if there are less than 3 bullets on screen,
otherwise no)
Shot Gun + Hand Gun (3 bullets on screen in total)
Laser Gun + Hand Gun (3 bullets and 1 laser on screen in total)
Homing Gun + Hand Gun (3 bullets and 1 rocket on screen in total)
Grenade Gun + Hand Gun (3 bullets and 1 rocket on screen in total)
The Shot Gun cannot be discharged while any other gun's projectiles are
on screen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12) Game Strategies and Recommendations:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With many ways to suffer instant death, and only 3 lives with 3 continues,
you will, in the first few minutes of playing this game, die a lot. Never
fear; this guide comes from experience as a beginner to a veteran.
I strongly recommend using a controller with a turbo button for Sunsoft games.
The jump mechanic in Journey to Silius incorporates momentum. Unlike the
Mega Man games, your character falls at the speed and direction in which he
was before the fall. An object in motion stays in motion. To master this
game mechanic, you will need to learn how to not only control jumping at
different heights, but also walking and running at different speeds.
Losing a life does not replenish your gun ammo. If you realize that you
will not be able to finish a stage or boss, don't waste your gun ammo. It
will be more useful to you when you respawn with full health.
One aspect of the game which is best left to memorization is having your
character fall down a ledge without knowing what is below. Not only does
this require mastery of the jump and run mechanics, but one needs to know
what enemies are below, which one is worth destroying first, and how to
avoid enemy attacks and projectiles.
There are numerous enemies that require you to jump and shoot to hit a
vulnerable spot on the enemy. The best way to maximize getting off enough
shots while avoid the oncoming enemy is to jump away from enemy while
shooting toward enemy. This tactic is most necessary on the final boss
of the game, the T-800.
Whenever your character is by a ledge and needs to fall down, it is best
to jump down, even if the jump is a small jump rather than simply walking
off the edge. Walking off the edge usually has more forward momentum
than jumping. With a jump, you have better control when jumping as to how
fast and how high your jump is.
There are plenty of opportunities for relentless deaths. For example, when
an enemy hits you while jumping across a pit, your character loses forward
momentum, and then you fall into a pit and subsequently die. That is why
before traversing a bottomless pit, you move your character to the edge
right before the pit so that any enemies that may appear do so before you
jump across.
The shot gun is most handy for enemies that your character can't hit
straight on even when jumping at full height.
The laser gun is useful for the Stage 4 sub-boss. Although the sub-boss
has few projectile attacks, you want to get as much damage on it as you
can before it reaches you.
The grenade launcher, as the strongest gun, is handy but not necessary
for the Stage 4 boss and Stage 5 spaceship and terminator bosses.
In Stage 5, there is about a 4 second window of time where you must jump
on a box to reach a higher conveyor belt. Failure to do so will result
in an instant death.
When attacking enemies, you will be safe enough by keeping your distance.
There are only a handful of enemies and obstacles that only attack when
your character approaches. Read the Enemy Breakdown to determine which
enemies these are. In Stage 5, since there are no enemies for which
you need to destroy with your gun collection, you need to be as far to
the right of the screen as possible just to keep up with the automatic
scrolling.
There is at least one spot in the game where it is recommended that after
ascending on an elevator you walk in the area to the left so that when the
screen scrolls you can see enough to your right.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13) Toughest Enemies and Pitfalls
OR
Spots Where Non-Veterans Die…a Lot:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall
The most common ways to seriously die are from the following:
falling into a bottomless pit
hitting into an enemy or bullet while above a pit and then falling into a
bottomless pit
getting shot from floor or ceiling turrets or lasers
getting attacked from enemies that hover on you and don't lose their grip
blindly falling down a ledge onto enemies and their fire
Stage 1
Bugs that drop out of the Helicopter - Not only will this enemy latch on to
you when it is near you, continuing to drain life from you, it will jump
when you shoot a bullet. Destroy these bugs as quick as possible. When
firing, the bugs will jump. Plan your next fire so the bullet connects with
the bug on its landing. For beginners, countering the AI of the bugs will
be difficult. The skill of getting well-timed, lined-up shots off quickly
is essential for similar enemies that follow your character wherever you go.
Stage 2
Rotating Circle Eye - this enemy requires patience and good timing on jumps
to destroy. If the player is to the left of the enemy, jump and shoot
while avoiding the enemy bullet shot going west toward you. Running under
them is next to impossible without taking a hit. Some of these enemies
appear as the player falls down a ledge with little way for the player to
attack the enemy or evade bullet fire. The enemy variant that moves while
firing is more dangerous since the areas where the bullets travel and hit
change each second.
Stage 3
Flying Robot in Bumper Car - this enemy is particular fast-moving, so you
have about two seconds to identify him and get enough shots off to destroy
him. If this enemy latches on to you, it will hurt you and continue to
do so until you can place some distance between you and the enemy, which
is hard since there are more obstacles and enemies further in the stage.
Stage 5
Lavafalls - if you miss the timing on your jump past a lavafall, take the
hit and move forward while invincible from the hit. You will die if the
screen scrolls you off and you are in the small indentation under a lavafall
Tricky box jump - if you don't jump on the box to reach the higher conveyor
belt, consider one of your lives gone
Mid-air hits over bottomless pits - if an object like a box hits you while
you are jumping over a bottomless pit, your player loses momentum and falls
straight down, almost always into the pit, and you have no ability to
control the fall.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14) Stage Tips:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 2 - Know what's below when you fall down
Eliminate the enemies shooting bullets in all directions fast.
Watch out for two ground laser turrets back to back. You may be able to
destroy the first one, but the second one will still get its shot off.
Stage 4 - Elevators
When your character is descending or ascending on an elevator, the enemies
are still animated. Before boarding the elevator, place your character in
the direction where the upcoming enemies will be.
Stage 4 - Unstable foot blocks
Move as close to the edge as you can before trying to jump onto those
falling blocks so that the enemy that would fly out and hit you in mid-air
and send you into the pit spawns before you jump. That way you have a
chance to shoot them. Also when you land on the blocks, you should just
run. Don't jump off until you're at the last block.
Stage 5 - Boxes and conveyor belts
This particular part only gives you two tries to get on top of one of the
blocks and jump from that to a higher platform. Oh and if you get too close
to the platform you're trying to jump to so that you're pushed into it by
the moving block, it will crush you... yes, when you're just standing ON the
block, not next to it. Then you have to jump off the higher platform over
a bottomless pit into an opening in a wall to progress further.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15) Built-In Game Codes:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sound Test and Continues Menu
Press B 33 times followed by START while on the title screen. You can begin
inputting the code once the music begins to play.
Sounds go from 00 to 07, 8 in total
Continues go from 00 to 09, 10 choices in total
B button - go back a sound
A button - go forward a sound
START - play sound
SELECT - move down the menu
B button - remove a continue
A button - add a continue
START - when Exit is selected, return to title screen
Journey to Silius Doom Gun = DEBUNKED!
The Doom Gun in Journey to Silius is one of many video game myths. On many
sites and publications you will read that the doom gun can be activated by
pressing up, down, A, B, and then start at the title screen. It will not
work, and there is no information coded in the game for this to work. It
joins other urban legends debunked as false, some of which include the
"revive aeris" cheat in Final Fantasy VII, fighting Shen Long in Street
Fighter 2, and killing the hunting dog in the home console port of Duck Hunt.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16) Game Genie Codes:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Official game genie codes
Journey to Silius(tm) Game
SILI
CODE KEY IN . . . EFFECT . . .
1 SXNGYLVG Infinite lives
2 PAOSOTLA Start with 1 life
3 TAOSOTLA Start with 6 lives
4 PAOSOTLE Start with 9 lives
5 PEVIULLA 1 life after continue
6 TEVIULLA 6 lives after continue
7 PEVIULLE 9 lives after continue
8 PEKSOGZA Start with Machine Gun
9 GEKSOGZA Start with Laser Gun
10 AEKSOGZE Start with Homing Missiles
11 AOKSOGZA Start with Grenade Launcher
12 IEKSOGZA Start with Machine Gun & Laser Gun
13 OTUVOZSV Protection against most aliens
14 AAXTKAZE Some aliens are tougher
15 PAXTKAZA Some aliens are weaker
16 TOOETOLA Mega-jump
17 AZVALPPA + EVNEYENY Speed jump
18 LPSEYPGA + KVNELEKN Super speed
Journey to Silius is a trademark of Sunsoft Corporation of America.
Game Genie Codes taken from GameHacking
http://gamehacking.org/?s=v2&sys=5&gid=1197
Codes by Users sprinter_h, Tony Hedstrom, Jedi QuestMaster, and VisitntX
Infinite Weapon Power
SZUAUTSA
Start With All 6 Weapons
YOKSOGZE
Jump All The Way To The Top of The Screen
LXOETOLE
Start With Hand Gun, Shot Gun, And Lazer Gun
TEKSOGZA
Start With Hand Gun, Shot Gun, Lazer Gun, And Machine Gun
YEKSOGZA
Start With Hand Gun, Machine Gun, Lazer, And Homing Gun
IEKSOGZE
Start With Hand Gun, Grenade Launcher, And Lazer Gun
GOKSOGZA
Start With Hand Gun, Shot Gun, Lazer Gun, And Homing Gun
TEKSOGZE
Start With Hand Gun, Lazer Gun, And Homing Missile
GEKSOGZE
Start With Hand Gun, Shot Gun, Lazer Gun, And Grenade Launcher
TOKSOGZA
Start With Hand Gun, Machine Gun, Shot Gun, and Homing Gun
LEKSOGZE
Start With Hand Gun, Machine Gun, Shot Gun, Lazer Gun
YEKSOGZE
Start With Hand Gun, Homing Missile, And Grenade Launcher
AOKSOGZE
Start With Hand Gun, Machine Gun, Shot Gun, Laser Gun
YOKSOGZA
Start With Hand Gun, Machine Gun, Lazer, Homing Gun
IOKSOGZE
Alternate "Death" Music
This code should play an unused track.
PESKGLGZ
Infinite Energy
OZVGXYES
SAVGKYSZ
YAVGUYTE
Invincibility
SZXTSAAX
SXUTKAAX
Game Genie Codes taken from YouTube user FZeroTV
http://www.youtube.com/user/fzeroman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc1bNmBgBkI
NEEEEYL:
*Glitched jump+shoot Enemies, some are invisible.
*Pressing left drops player from the sky
*Game may reset
NEAAIP:
*Music and Sounds are Bass only
*Push or Hold down slides Player slowly to the right.
*Some invisible platforms
NOEEYL:
*Fire shooting Enemies litter the level
*Ground Enemies can't be destroyed
*Crash @ mid-boss
NYNEAX:
*Diffrent Music,Dr.mario-esk and kindof a remix
*Game may glitch up
*Some jumps/jumping may change the view/Crash the game
YEAAAL:
*Intro and music repeats
+Press start until you proceed
*Glitched walking robots liter the level
+can't be destroyed
*Game may reset
NYNAAX:
*Diffrent music
+changes tones 1/2 way through
*Slight gfx errors
*Invisible platforms
*May reset game
NEAAAL:
+Same as YEAAAL
*Other jump type enemies appear also
*Music get neat but annoying
Game Genie Code taken from NES World
http://www.nesworld.com/hidden-journeytosilius.php
XTUSKTAV - Stage Select
You'll be directed to a stage select screen after pressing START on the
title screen. By pressing button A or B you can choose the stage you want
to play. When START is pressed the game will begin at the chosen stage.
TEXINTIA - Final Boss in Stage Select
If you use the code above coupled with this one, you can go directly to the
final boss by selecting "ENDING[]."
WARNING: this code did not work as described for me. It does add the
additional choice to the stage select, but it instead sent me to the Stage
1 boss area without the boss.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17) Noticeable Bugs/Glitches/Oddities:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Stage 1 boss displays a graphical glitch on the ground as the helicopter
flies overhead.
Bosses can be defeated without triggering the explosion sound effect.
If bosses walk off-screen, they vanish and you cannot continue onward in
the game!
After completing the game, the game begins with the gun you last used, even
though it is not selectable at the weapon select screen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18) Enemy Breakdown:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For each enemy and obstacle in the game, I have determined their shooting
patterns, areas of weakness, and your best means of destroying them. Use
the legend below to follow the format of enemy characteristics. Enemies are
listed in order of first appearance in the game.
Legend:
Enemy Name - if no official name, my classification
Stage Appearances
Projectiles - bullets, missiles, etc, how they are shot and in which
directions
Movement - of the enemy
Intelligence - how the enemy adapts to player position and activity and
surroundings
Shots to Kill - based on the hand gun bullet
Tips to Destroy
Name:
Stage:
Projectiles:
Movement:
Intelligence:
Strength:
Tips:
Name:
Pet Robot
Stage:
Stage 1
Projectiles:
none
Movement:
jumps
Intelligence:
reverses direction upon hitting a wall
Strength:
4 shots
Tips:
shoot from afar or crouch near it and it will jump over you
Hovering Faucet
Stage 1
2 sets of spray of 3 shots SW, S, and SE
flies horizontally and stops to shoot
none
1 shot
jump and shoot from afar or line up your character between the bullet shots
and stand still
Ground Laser Cannon
Stage 1 and 2
laser beam
stationary
takes shot when player on same horizontal plane
2 shots
shoot from afar, jump over laser shot if you can't get enough shots off
fast enough
Background Missiles
Stage 1
missile
vertical from above
none
invincible
avoid at all costs
Ground Mine
Stage 1
none
stationary
none
1 shot
shoot while crouched anywhere but on top of it
Large Energy Blaster Cannon
Stage 1,2
energy blasts in pattern of 1 then 2
stationary
faces player when shooting
25 shots
crouch and shoot for first blue blast, then jump over 2nd and crouch and
shoot for third blue blast, repeat
Missile Turret
Stage 1
2 consecutive missiles
stationary
homing missiles are aimed at you
3 shots
destroy fast, or get behind cover as missiles only move in one direction,
shoot while it is not shooting back
Stage 1 Boss - Helicopter
Stage 1
3 cannons on left side
once situated remains stationary
none
13 shots
jump and shoot at blinking "eye" below the left propeller, avoid bullets
Robotic Bug - Mini Robots
Stage 1
dart
short hops and large jumps
hops toward player, jumps when player shoots bullet
4 shots
shoot as soon as possible, once latched on to you, they won't let you go
Futuristic Wheeled Japanese Robot
Stage 2
1 bullet horizontally
slowly horizontally
reverses direction upon hitting a wall, falls down off ledges
5 shots
shoot from afar
Sideways Claw Machine
Stage 2
6 bullets in facing direction, 2 NW, 2 W, 2 SW
horizontally, then shoots and moves in the opposite direction
shoots when near player
3 shots
run past before it gets the bullets off, shoot from afar
Folding Sword Barrier
Stage 2
none
stationary
barrier rises when player approaches
13 shots
shoot anywhere but on top of it
Rotating Circle Eye
Stage 2
1 bullet in each 8 cardinal direction continuously
spins and shoots clockwise, stationary and slow horizontal movement variants
none
3 shots
jump and shoot from afar while avoid any stray bullets, run and stop in the
places where the bullets don't hit, a real nuisance if not dealt with
promptly
Large Grey Flying Robot Bug
Stage 2
3 bullets spread out in front of it that fall down
horizontal and stops to shoot
shoots when near player, follows player direction
5 shots
shoot from afar
Muscular Robot with a Ball for a Head Stage 2 Boss
Stage 2
none
walks horizontally toward you
walks toward player
17?
jump and aim at head, use machine gun to get more shots off, if crushed in by
boss, run across to other side taking a hit and continue shooting boss
Stage 2 Boss Tankbot - War Vehicle Robot
Stage 2
pink balls thrown up and fall down near player, shot from backpack cannons
rolls horizontally forward and back
none
unknown
jump and hit blue rib where mouth would be, shoot from all the way left to
avoid the hand claw, avoid the pink balls when its trajectory is toward your
position, can't begin to shoot until boss is in place on screen
iRobot clone
Stage 3
shorts 1 bulllet horizontally toward player
walks horizontally toward you, shoots after every 4 steps
none
??
shoot from afar
Spinning box
Stage 3
none
moves horizontally across screen
none
??
shoot from afar, avoid its path
Aliens Flying Bot
Stage 3
none
moves through the air
moves toward player and follows player around
4 shots
shoot from afar
Wall Semisphere Turret
Stage 3
2 bullets, fired one at a time, either SE and SW, or NE and NW
stationary
none
5 shots
shoot and maybe jump from afar, use shot gun if hand gun bullets can't
connect with turret, if you don't want to destroy them, use caution when
passing by them as multiple turrets are strategically placed so one safe
place from one turret is a danger zone for the next turret
Pink Laser Beam
Stage 3
none
stationary
none
2 shots
shoot base anytime, watch timing when laser beam rises and falls, time your
jump across
Spider Bot
Stage 3
two bullets, either NE and SE, or NW and SW, depending on its direction
slow vertical crawl
shoot when player is nearby
8 shots
shoot middle area from afar
Ceiling Fangs
Stage 3
none
stretches vertically downward
stretches downward when player is in close proximity, continues to do so
repeatedly until player is no longer near it
invincible
place player close to but not directly under enemy, observe the rhythm of
its attack, pass under when it is raised
Robot Jumping Bean
Stage 3
none
hops on the ground, bounces off walls
none
??
shoot from afar, if it is very close to you, duck down and let it jump
over you
Blue Laser Barrier
Stage 3
none
laser appears and disappears
none
invincible
observe pattern before jumping through, laser has a quick and a long beam
time, you may need to anticipate a break in the beam when jumping even while
the beam is visible still
Falling Grey Block Platform
Stage 3
none
falls vertically downward
falls when player is near
invincible
make sure you realize that this is coming up, simply let it fall before
traversing the gap, you can tell where it is because the two of these in the
game have gaps to accommodate when the platform falls
Flying Robot in Bumper Car
Stage 3
none
moves through the air
moves toward player and follows player around
4 shots
shoot from afar, destroy fast because once it gets a hit on you, it will be
very difficult to shake off your player, a real nuisance if not dealt with
promptly
Stage 3 Sub-Boss Blue Robot Chicken
Stage 3
shoots approximately 6 shots per round toward the player
walks a few steps, then shoots while still
walks and shoots toward the player
??
use machine gun and shoot at head region as much as possible, shoot from afar
Stage 3 Boss Machine -Troop of Cannons
Stage 3
shoots two lasers alternating shots from NE to SW and NW to SE, and three
cannons shooting bullets horizontally to the left from varying heights
statinoary
none
27 shots
move to the right where the floor raises up, about halfway on the screen,
jump up and shoot the electric orb between the first and second bullet
cannons, time your jump and shot so the lasers don't hit your head and the
bottom cannon bullet goes underneath you, duck when the bottom cannon bullet
is approaching and you are not ready to jump over it
Blue Fish
Stage 4
none
fly horizontally in a sine pattern, bobbing up and down
none
2 shots
if not flying in your path, you can ignore, otherwise shoot from afar,
definitely destroy if preparing to jump over a pit
Shielded Floor Turret
Stage 4
7 shots to the left and 7 to the right about a quarter screen in each
direction
stationary
turret rises up when player approaches bullet hit radius
2 shots
get close enough so turret shots activate, shoot from afar, if turret is
beyond a pit, walk as close to the edge of the ledge to activate the turret,
and shoot it before attempting to traverse a pit, turret can only be
destroyed in the active position
Blue Alien Human
Stage 4
1 shot horizontally in facing direction
slow walk horizontally
enemy faces you to shoot and walks in that direction until ready to shoot at
which point he will turn to fare you again
5 shots
destroy quickly, otherwise duck under bullet shot and shoot some more
Heavy Weights
Stage 4
none
up and down vertically
none
invincible
run underneath when weights are moving up
Blue Snake Bouncers
Stage 4
none
bounces horizontally
none
4 shots
shoot from afar, if very close to you, duck and let it jump over you
Spikes on a Pole
Stage 4
none
slowly moves up, then falls down
falls down when player is within damaging distance
invincible
jump over the spikes while they are at their lowest point, jumping under them
when they are at their highest point is not advised
Blue Winged Robot
Stage 4
3 shots going W, WSW, and WSS, or E, ESE, and ESS, depending on facing
direction
swoops down and across to opposite side of screen
shoots and swoops down and across when player is within damaging distance
4 shots
shoot from afar, use shot gun if you cannot jump and shoot him with the hand
gun
Grey Ceiling Block
Stage 4
none
falls down
falls down when player approaches
invincible
get close enough so that it falls, make sure you know it is coming up, you
can see it in the ceiling as you approach
Spiked Ceiling Block
Stage 4
none
falls down and then horizontally to the left
falls down when player approaches
invincible
get close enough so that it falls, then jump on and over it as it approaches
while avoiding the spikes on the left side, don't let it push you into the
spikes in the gaps nearby, they are there so the spiked ceiling block can
push you in there
Unstable Foot Blocks
Stage 4
none
falls down
falls down when player steps on them
invincible
jump and move to the right immediately after stepping on them, otherwise
you will fall in the bottomless pit and lose a life
Stage 4 Sub-Boss
Stage 4
shoots bullets horizontally in facing direction, head shoots a spray of 3
shots in facing direction
floats horizontally
moves and faces toward player at all times
19 shots to destroy the body, 13 shots to destroy the disembodied head
jump and hit the head in body form, use a strong gun to speed up the process
Stage 4 Boss - Mammoth Cannon
Stage 4
shoots large energy pulse horizontally to the left
stationary
none
27 shots
move player as far left as possible without falling down the gap on the left
side, when energy pulse charges and approaches, jump up at full height and
shoot the target that opens up on the boss, by moving to the left side, you
give your bullet shots enough time to move across the screen and hit the
boss' target while it is exposed, rinse and repeat
Pink Block
Stage 5
none
falls down
none
indestructible
avoid hitting these when jumping across bottomless pits
Lavafall
Stage 5
a downward stream of lava
stationary
lava flows when player approaches
indestructible
move as far to the right as possible, anticipating the placement of the first
lavafall, once lava flows, wait for a gap in the flow and jump through at
that time, if you get hit jump out to the lava and keep moving forward at all
costs
Large Brown Box
Stage 5
none
falling down or moving on conveyor belts
none
indestructible
if in front of you, jump over, if falling, avoid at all costs, in one
instance you need to be far to the right and jump on a box to reach a higher
platform, otherwise you will have to lose a life
Pancake Smasher
Stage 5
none
vertically down and up
moves downward when player approaches
indestructible
if you haven't activated it yet, you can run to the right underneath them
before they can slam you, this is necessary where there are three next to
each other, they can also be facing the opposite way, in that case, jump and
move to the right right after stepping on them
Stage 5 Boss Spaceship - Giant Exodus Spaceship
Stage 5
one bullet at a time downward near player
very slowly horizontally
none
do not touch the ship, it will hurt you, first take a few shots on the front
viewport with your hand gun, avoid standing directly underneath the spinning
turret behind the viewport, when the ship is moving, you are not advised to
jump because you will lose health, when the ship makes a slow dip, avoid
the bottom part of the ship, stay near, but not directly under the spinning
turret until the ship is at its lowest point, begin to move under the ship
when the ship rises up a bit
pattern of boosters
1,2 (7 times)
3,4 (2 times)
4,5 (4 times)
3,5 (4 times)
4,5 (8 times)
3
5
4
2 (3 times)
1,2 (3 times)
1,4
1,5
3
5
3
5
4
3
4
3
4
3
3
Final Boss the Terrorist T-800 - Android (Human Metallic Skeleton)
Final
none
walks horizontally
walks toward player at all times, punches continuously while player is
within enemy arm distance
33 shots
shoot enemy's head from afar, when enemy is close to you and ducks to punch
you, jump over him and run to the opposite side of the screen, face enemy
and shoot head, rinse and repeat
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19) Ending Credits:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(many of the names are nicknames or pseudonyms)
Director - Vegas, Chow-Mu-Sow
Programmer - Nom, Hiro-Kun, North-River, Sleepy. H
Graphic Designer - You-Ri, Idaten, Hebereke, N. Habari, Masashi
Music Staff - Nobuyuki, About SS, Marumo, N. Kodaka, Mabochan
Special Thanks - Hero, Asshi, Dagawa-R, J. Moon, Kitachin, Ring Ring, Mac,
Right Hand, Nori
and Players
Presented by Sunsoft
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20) Recommended Web Sources:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bmf.rustedmagick.com/cr/journeytosilius.htm
This website looks at elements, like graphics and levels, that may have been
used at one point during development, but were cut from the final release
for various reasons. Information about the Terminator remnants and
accessing the game's stage select are found here.
http://tcrf.net/Journey_to_Silius
This website is part of the Cutting Room Floor which is the first site
listed. It has the same content regarding the Terminator remnants as well
as the cheat for the Sound Test.
http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2007/10/column_might_have_been_journey.php
This website explores the ways in which promising games, characters, and
concepts failed. This page looks at Sunsoft's Journey to Silius, released
for the NES in 1990. The article gives a bit of history as to what was
happening in the game industry at the time and postulates on why the game
was not a commercial success.
http://defendtheclassics.blogspot.com/2010/12/
in-retrospect-journey-to-silius.html
This website has the goal to exemplify the finer things about classic-style
games, whether they be old NES cartridges, new-age retro throwbacks, or
the newest entries in classic game series. This article gives a
retrospective to Journey to Silius in a review form looking at gameplay,
comparisons to Mega Man and Contra, and the soundtrack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkPSzYc7JHU
This video is from the Happy Video Game Nerd. I consulted this video when
preparing this guide.
http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?raf
This website looks at differences between Raf World and Journey to Silius.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21) Contact:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact me! Here are the following ways you can contact me:
E-Mails:
AOL: snazzyhoppy(at)aol(dot)com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22) Credits:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you to those who made this guide possible:
Sunsoft- for releasing this game despite the removal of Terminator elements
and for creating an awesome soundtrack
James Cameron - for imagining the world of the Terminator, by which this
game was inspired
The Happy Video Game Nerd - for dedicating a video review on YouTube to this
game
Chris Zawada, D.J. Bernat, and Bryan Peterson, - for writing the existing
guides to this game for which I drew inspiration
GameFAQs- for the best source in walkthroughs, maps, and helpful hints since
1995, and for their guidelines in constructing a FAQ guide
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Father, look! Our colony’s completed now!â€
-Snazzyhoppy
http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/78940.html?type=1
Copyright (c) Christopher Hopkins 2012
