Tiles of Fate(NES) FAQ/Walkthrough version 1.0.0
by [email protected](anti spam spoonerism)

Please do not reproduce for profit without my consent. You won't be getting
much profit anyway, but that's not the point. This took time and effort, and
I just wanted to save a memory of an old game and the odd solutions any way I
could. Please send me an email referring to me and this guide by name if
you'd like to post it on your site.

================================

           OUTLINE

 1. INTRODUCTION

 2. CONTROLS

 3. STRATEGIES

 4. WALKTHROUGH AND MAPS

 5. CHEATS

 6. VERSIONS

 7. CREDITS

================================

 1. INTRODUCTION

Tiles of Fate is a take-off on Mah-Jongg where tiles are not piled up, and
instead of taking off edge tiles, you need to take ones that can reach each
other with no more than two right turns. You have the outside boundary of the
12x12 board to work with, and you have a few power ups to work around the
initial rules.

ToF has seven levels of three scenes each where you try and clear more
complex boards along the way. The more crowded the boards are, the fewer
routes there are to connect, and the more likely that a pair of tiles you
need to connect will appear on opposite sides, or both in the center, where
it will be tough to get to them. After each level, the Chin dynasty captures
another area of China. You lose the game when your time runs out--you gain
time for each pair you match--and you get three continues.

Constructing a legitimate board is a much harder proposition than in Mah-
Jongg proper. So there is a problem of whether it can be randomized. It isn't
really, other than for the power-ups, and the not-really-randomness combined
with the time limits make this a game without a lot of replay value. It tends
to get too tough too quickly, but it's a nice idea. It reminded me of a lot
of other similar simple, entertaining and yet ultimately frustrating games.

This game, according to a GameFAQs review, appeared in a 15-in-1 pack in
another NES cartridge. It's pretty good for such a game, but it has its flaws.

 2. CONTROLS

You have a cursor which you can move over the tile you want to zap. Then push
A, move it over another tile, and push A, then push A to complete the
transaction. Pushing B reverses a step. You also pick up a power up with A,
and there is no penalty for pushing A over an empty square.

Start pauses the game. But you cannot see the board during that time.

Select allows you to choose a power up. Pushing it once and hitting A
activates the flag power up, which finds a random move and plays it. If the
skull and crossbones is in the lower right and you use a flag, it is wasted.

Selecting two bricks and pushing select twice, then A, allows you to use the
ying-yang power up. The ying-yang destroys two bricks that can "see" each
other as normal tiles can. So unfortunately you can't bust out enclosed
bricks with this.

Selecting any two matching tiles and pushing select three times, then A, lets
you use the lightning bolt. This destroys them both.

To get out of using power-ups, make a bad move, or push B. Once you start
pushing select, you have to try to use a power-up, but remember when to use
it before(flag) and when after(the other two.)

You get 6 points for each match, 12 points for matching bricks, and 6*(#of
dots) as a bonus--this is not rounded up/down as the game does keep track of
fractions of a time unit.

 3. STRATEGIES

Learn the different types of tile with the different Chinese character on top.
A lot of them look the same, and it is really annoying. I can't imagine it
would be hard to create an English Mah-Jongg, for those who know how, but
until then we'll always risk matching up the forky character with the r.

Don't worry too much about time, but if you get to the yellow, and you see a
good power-up that can chain a few things, use it. Of course, you can use
save states or even alt-tab to another window if you are emulating.

Use time at the beginning to determine what combinations you need. There
should be a few good combos at the beginning, and getting a few will get you
to maximum time really quickly.

Also, on the subject of saving time, you can move the cursor while the
fireball is going. It's best to move the cursor to the nearest tile, then to
the other one, then you can click and get another combo.

Wild card tiles often appear in levels. There are four colored runes(2 red, 1
green, 1 blue) and 4 nature tiles. Identifying them will help a lot.

Use the sides early on in boards with a lot of tiles, for instance:

+4+++4++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
3++++++++++2
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
3+++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
+++++++++++2
+1++++++1+++

The numbered tiles, though at the edge of the board where you can move the
cursor, are not at the edge of where you can throw fireballs. Cutting away at
the edges this way can lead you to the center. Try to work into the center
hole or, barring that, try to work near a troublesome tile or one that can
clear all of one particular type.

In general you will have 4 or more of 1 particular tile type. This means that
there are several possible ways to pair them. In general, you should look for
combinations: if I pair these two blocks together, can I get another pair
quickly? You can also say, well, I need to wipe out these two blocks together,
what do I need to knock them out?

This retrograde analysis can work when deciding which two to pick off out of
three. If you leave one that is tough to match, that is bad, but if you leave
one that blocks another tile, that is even worse. However, retrograde
analysis is tricky in general because, unlike regular Mah-Jongg, there are
four ways to go at a tile, and just because a tile is visible from a side
doesn't mean it is usable. You have to guess around a bit, and matching tiles
that are closer together require you to remove fewer roadblocks.

There is no downside to wiping out all of a particular tile.

You should pair together any tiles that are close together on the inside of a
structure, with no way out, in the absence of a better move. The odds you'll
have a few of these on the later levels is rather good. If you are very lucky,
you can get a combination going where you break the inside hole up enough
that it leaks to the outside.

However, some of the later levels are, or seem, impossible to solve without
having to use a power-up. In general, a good rule of thumb is to expect to
get through the first four levels without having to use a power-up(though it
is ok to do so if at or close to your maximum) and then use one ying-yang and
one thunderbolt power-up per scene for levels 5-6, then use two for 7. On
level 7, your power-ups can be numbered as follows:

Start at 4, go down to 2, up to 3, solve 7-1
Start at 3, go down to 1, up to 2, solve 7-2
Start at 2, go down to 0, up to 1, solve 7-3--7-3 actually has 2 of each, so
use them when you start to run out, but don't bank on them. Remember, if you
have about half of the board taken care of, you should have discovered one of
each power up, and that should be enough.

When you have 4 of a power-up, and that power-up appears, you have time to
use a power-up and recharge. You cannot have more than 4 of a power-up, so it
is wasted if you just pick it up right away. Because of this maximization,
it's best to get the power-ups during the middle of the game and not at the
very start. Try to picture 2 squares together that you'd really like to zap,
both of tiles and bricks.

Never use the flag power-up unless you are really stumped. Of course, you can
save a state, use the flag power-up and evaluate the recommendation...but
that's tacky cheapskating.

Using the ying-yang power-up is not recommended until you can clearly see the
bricks are blocking a few combinations. You will not deliberately be trying
to reveal the bricks; however, eventually you will run into where the bricks
are a nuisance, and getting rid of them would match a couple pairs. Then, get
rid of them.

The lightning bolt power up is ideally used for tiles on opposite sides or
even corners of the board, where these are the only two tiles left. It's also
recommended if there's this one tile you'd really like to remove because it
is guarding a combination of 5 other tiles. If you have a combination that
would lead you to -that- tough tile, use that combo instead. Again, just
before using a bolt is a great time for a save state.

Finally, there are a lot of ways to get stuck and need a power-up. The
simplest ones are below.

12
x 34
x 43
21

If you see the potential for an above formation, try to break it up--for
instance, don't match the 2 easy 1's on the other side of the board, unless
you are sure there is a big combination and only the 1-2 area is left.

This is the sort of game where save states add to it, so it is useful to save
the state, probe in a level a bit, and come back with results. It's even
strategy, in my opinion, to find where the power-ups are and to play the game
knowing that.

It's also pretty easy to construct an impossible level.

abcd
bcda
cdab
dabc

or...

abcdef
fabcde
efabcd
defabc
cdefab
bcdefa

With a power up, you can bust through. Take out the d's on each side here,
and that will work.

 4. WALKTHROUGH AND MAPS

Level 1-1:

...........
...........
...........
..++++++...
..++++++...
..++++++...
..++++++...
..++++++...
..++++++...
...........
...........
...........

36 tiles, 0 bricks, 9 4-sets,

An easy introduction. Pick stuff off the sides and there will almost always
be a move. Cut through the center when you can, and that will allow more
edges to appear.

Level 1-2:

...........
...........
...........
...........
++++++++++.
++++++++++.
++++++++++.
++++++++++.
...........
...........
...........
...........

40 tiles, 0 bricks, 4 1-sets, 9 4-sets,

Here cutting down the center works very well. There are more tiles on the
edges, so this is slightly easier than 1-1.

Level 1-3:

...........
...........
...++++....
...++++....
.++++++++..
.++++++++..
.++++++++..
.++++++++..
...++++....
...++++....
...........
...........

48 tiles, 0 bricks, 12 4-sets,

Moderately tricky but again there are lots of tiles facing left, and lots
facing right. You have 8 total facing each way, and with only 12 4-sets, you
must have a few matches to start out.

Level 2-1:

...++++....
..+++++....
.++++++....
...++++....
...++*+....
...++++....
...++*+....
...++++....
...++++....
...++++....
...++++....
.+++++++...

52 tiles, 2 bricks, 13 4-sets,

This is a bit tricky and you may be well advised here to watch for traps, ie
getting yourself into a place where you need intricate combos to knock a
certain chunk out.

Level 2-2:

..+++*++...
.+++..+++..
+++....+++.
+++....+++.
......+++..
.....+++...
....+++....
...+++.....
..+++......
.+++.......
++++++++++.
+++++++*++.

60 tiles, 2 bricks, 6 1-sets, 1 2-sets, 13 4-sets,

This one is in practice easier than the 1, since it takes a lot less time to
burrow through the diagonal of the 2.

Level 2-3:

..+*++++...
.+++..+++..
+++....+++.
+++....+++.
......+++..
...+++++...
......+++..
.......+++.
+++....+++.
+++....+++.
.+++..*++..
..++++++...

60 tiles, 2 bricks, 8 1-sets, 13 4-sets,

See above. There's a lot to do here, but you have a lot of pieces exposed
from different angles, making this pretty easy.

Level 3-1:

....++.....
...++++....
..++++++...
.+++..+++..
+++....+++.
+*+......*++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
+++......+++
+++......+++
+++......+++
+++......+++

There are a lot of tiles here, and 19 total sets, but you have 48 tiles on
the outside to match stuff up and more on the inside.

76 tiles, 2 bricks, 4 1-sets, 18 4-sets,

Level 3-2:

+++++++++..
+++....+++.
+++.....*++
+++.....+++
+++....+++.
*++++++++..
+++....+++.
+++.....+++
+++.....+++
+++.....+++
+++....+++.
++++++++++..

80 tiles, 2 bricks, 8 1-sets, 18 4-sets,

Again, look on the inside to match things up.

Level 3-3:

.+++++++*..
++++..*+++.
++++....++++
+++......+++
+++......+++
+++.........
+++.........
+++......+++
+++......+++
++++....++++
++++..++++.
.++++++++..

76 tiles, 2 bricks, 4 1-sets, 18 4-sets,

Broken record time.

Level 4-1:

..++++++...
.+++++++*..
++.++++.++.
+...++...+.
++.++++.++.
++*++..+++++
+++++..+++++
++++++++++.
+++....+++.
++.*+++.++.
.*+....++..
..++++++...

84 tiles, 4 bricks, 21 4-sets,

Clearing out any part of the bottom mouth or the eyes will help you get going
quickly, but as before, the side tiles will also let you in.

Level 4-2:

..++++++.+.
.++++++++.+
+++*++++++.
++........++
+.++++++++.+
+.+..++..+.+
+.+..++..*.+
+.++*+++++.+
+.++++*+++.+
+.+++..+++.+
+..++++++..+
...++++....

88 tiles, 4 bricks, 4 1-sets, 21 4-sets,

There will be a few matches between the helmet and the top of the head,
unless you are really unlucky. I count 17 block placements and 22 possible
matches.

Level 4-3:

..++++++...
.++++++++..
+++++*++++.
*+..++..++.
++++++++++++
++++++++*+++
++++++++++.
+++....++*.
+++.++.+++.
.++....++..
..++++++...
...++++....

88 tiles, 4 bricks, 4 1-sets, 21 4-sets,

The hardest of them all, but again, cut through to the mouth and work from
there.

Level 5-1:

....+.+....
....++.....
.++.+.+++..
++++++++++.
++++++*+++++
++++++++++*+
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
+*++++++++++
++++++*+++.
.++++++++..
..++++++...

Now we are starting to get to the tough levels where you may have to use a
power-up. The only concrete advice I can give is to match what you can on the
sides and the top, and identify clumps and blocks that may be trouble. Try
hard to get the blocks not behind or in front of the bricks, as revealing a
brick does not help you find more combinations. While there are only several
possibilities for future boards, I can't really give any more useful comments.

100 tiles, 4 bricks, 25 4-sets,

Level 5-2:

.+.+..+.+..
..+.*+.+...
++++++++++.
++++++++++++
++++++*+++++
++++++++++++
++++++*+++++
+++++++*++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++.
.++++++++..
...........

104 tiles, 4 bricks, 4 1-sets, 25 4-sets,

Chug, chug, next verse.

Level 5-3:

....++.++..
....++++++.
....++.....
.+++*++++..
++++++++++.
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
+++++**+++++
++++++++++.
.++++++*+..

104 tiles, 4 bricks, 4 1-sets, 25 4-sets,

99 bottles of beer on the wall.

Level 6-1:

...++++....
++++++++++.
++++++++++.
+++++++*++.
+*++*++++*++
++++++*+++++
++++++++++++
+++++*++++++
+*++++++++.
*+++++++++.
++++++++++.
...++++....

108 tiles, 8 bricks, 8 1-sets, 1 2-sets, 23 4-sets, 1 6-sets,

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt, your name is my name too!

Level 6-2:

..++++++...
.++++++++..
++++++++++.
++++++++++++
+++*++*+++++
++++++++++++
++++++++*+++
++*+++++++++
+++*++++++++
++++++++++.
.+++++*+*..
..+++++*...

112 tiles, 8 bricks, 4 1-sets, 1 2-sets, 25 4-sets, 1 6-sets,

Someone's [yawning/squinting/typing,] Lord, Kum Ba Yah!

Level 6-3:

++..++..++.
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
*+++++++++.
++++++++++.
+*+*++++++++
+++*++++++++
++++*+*+++.
++++++++++.
++*+++++++*+
++++++++++++
++..++..++.

116 tiles, 8 bricks, 8 1-sets, 27 4-sets,

I'm bringing Sexy Back, duh, duh-duh, I'm bringing Sexy Back, duh duh... dah
duh dah duh dah

Oops, just overkilled the whole repetition riff with THAT one.

Level 7-1:

++*++++++*++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++*+++++++
++++....+*++
++++.++.++*+
++++.++.++++
++++....++++
+++*++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++*++*++++++

124 tiles, 8 bricks, 4 1-sets, 30 4-sets,

Here if you lose you get a more navigable board than the original one you may
get. So you may wish to lose, getting whatever power-ups you can and not
using any, restart and go through the secondary board. I've always gotten the
same one on the retry.

Level 7-2:

+++++*++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
+++++..+++++
+++++..+++*+
+*++++++++++
+++++*+++*++
*+++++*+++++
++++++++++++
*+++++++++++

132 tiles, 8 bricks, 8 1-sets, 31 4-sets,

You may wish to knock yourself down to 2 ying-yangs and thunderbolts by the
end, because you can really only use 4 in the next level.

Level 7-3:

++++++++++++
++++++++++*+
++++++++++*+
+++++++*++++
++++*+++++++
++*+++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++**++++
++++++++*+++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++
++++++++++++


136 tiles, 8 bricks, 34 4-sets,

This one has two ying-yangs and two thunderbolts, so it is not so bad to get
through. Waste everything you have, but preferably in the middle game, and
chip away at the edges first. Try to make a path down one row if possible. If
you start with more than 2 ying-yangs, wipe out bricks as you find them,
because there are 4 brick pairs total, so you will get rid of things.

 5. CHEATS

0x77 =?# of seconds of time
0x89 =?# index that shows how many dots are left(should be seconds + ??)

0x7b = # of flag powerups
0x7c = # of ying yang powerups
0x7d = # 0f thunderbolt powerups

End of FAQ Proper

================================

 6. VERSIONS

1.0.0: sent to GameFAQs 1/30/2008, complete

 7. CREDITS

Thanks to the usual GameFAQs gang, current and emeritus. They know who they
are, and you should, too, because they get/got some SERIOUS writing done.
Good people too--bloomer, falsehead, Sashanan, Masters, Retro, Snow
Dragon/Brui5ed Ego, ZoopSoul, War Doc, Brian Sulpher, AdamL, odino, JDog and
others I forgot. OK, even Hydrophant in his current not-yet-banned message
board incarnation. I am not part of his gang, but I want him to be part of
mine.
Thanks to the NES completion project people for keeping the whole thing going.
Without them, I'd never have considered looking at a game like this.

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