Sanrio Cup: Pon Pon Valley aka Sanrio Cup(NES) FAQ/Walkthrough
version 1.0.1 by
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OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. CONTROLS
3. BEATING THE COMPUTER
1. EASY
2. MEDIUM
3. HARD
4. 4-WAY
4. CHEATS
5. VERSIONS
6. CREDITS
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1. INTRODUCTION
Sanrio Cup: Pon Pon Volley(SC) is another one of those fun little Sanrio
games that might not last, but they capture the essence of childhood stuff
that wouldn't be fun in real life, but is with Hello Kitty and her gang. It's
combination volleyball and tennis without the nets, and while there's only
one move to master(a power kick) and no other obstacles(don't lose focus)
it's the sort of simple fun we can't fully enjoy except through a computer. I
remember as a kid playing games like four-square, and this brings it back.
SC has two different major games for the solo player, with a 2 on 2 option as
well. The computer doesn't appear especially good in this mode, as it lumps
its players together to hit the ball with them both following the same AI,
but because it's Sanrio it's all rather cute. In any game you have a choice
of difficulty to ramp up to the big match, and you even have him and her
ostrich announcers in polo shirts and a golden ostrich cup if you win! Oh and
harmless temper tantrums and celebrations. Everyone applauds every point,
including the frowny frogs in the crowd. It will not get old before you solve
it.
The one-on-one mode is a straight court, but the one-on-three has a diamond
view and while it sometimes gets boring to wait for the ball to come your way,
it's fun to be able to pick out who you want to score on. There's even a bit
of strategy involved. I can't say I can play this game perfectly straight up
on hard, but I enjoy the do-overs it affords(more kid stuff I never got
enough of) and there's a certain pleasure in having your character hit a ball
right a few times in a row.
2. CONTROLS
At the start of each match you can choose 1vs1, 2vs2 and 1vs3. The second is
not covered in this FAQ other than to say a tennis doubles style strategy
works well--place your players kitty corner. You can also choose 1 or 2
players, your character(Kitty, Keroppi, Pochacco, Tabo) computer ability(high
medium low), message speed(fast medium slow, go with fast) and background
music.
Matches can be up to best of 15, which will get really boring, but a simple
short game works ok. All sets are up to best of 10.
As for kicking the ball, you can just stand where it lands and push B and you
will kick it to somewhere safe. The disadvantage is that the enemy may be
able to jump-kick the ball so you have to go running and sliding for it.
However, for your first game, you may just want to try this to make sure.
Serving is probably the best place to learn the power or angled kick. You can
direct a kick by pushing a direction as you kick the ball. It's best to do
that just before you kick it, as you will move even as you hold the kick
button down. In the case of a serve, you know where the ball will land, so
you can just jump straight up after it's fallen a split-second, then push B
to kick and really blast it. You also can move in the air while jumping, so
take that into account. There's a lot of intuitive stuff you just need
practice on that I can't quantify--how to run into a power kick, where to
stand to get it right--but once you do, you'll have the opponent running and
flopping. Diagonal kicks don't seem to work at all when in the air, so stick
with the main 4 directions. Firing up then down should beat anyone in 2-
player mode, and a few ups in a row win in the 4-way game.
Whichever way you are moving when you run into the ball, that is the area of
the court you kick it to. So, as before, staying put and kicking is safe. But
if you push a direction, you will hit the ball to the side. The advantage to
this is that you can hit it where the opponent ain't. The disadvantage is, if
you get it wrong, the ball may land on a boundary line(out, opponent's point)
or out of the court all together.
You can judge a ball in the air by where its shadow is, and so you can plan
to meet it as it comes down. This takes some judgement and experience as well.
But it is critical to beating the enemy on hard. On medium, you can just
directed-serve it to death with practice. You can also direct a kick while on
the ground, but don't expect much of it. It's possible to scuff it on the
ground, too, and you will never get much powerful. It's best avoided even on
4-player mode, where you can just wait for the enemy you want to score on to
kick it to you.
As you play you will also notice enemies making jumps and missing, then going
back and hoofing the ball. This isn't just teasing you or showing off. It's
actually a clue for a good strategy for any game or skill level. What they
are doing is trying for a power kick, but they don't always get it right. The
second ball bounce is much less predictable, so they just stand where it is
and kick it wherever the computer's random generator decides it will go. If
you slipped or aren't quite where you want to be in midair, best to just
retreat than to shank the ball and lose a point for sure. You can also miss
quite a bit early on and still make up ground.
One other thing to be aware of is that if you get a good kick, even if your
opponent defends it, you can often recover from a silly mistake later. You
will wind up tumbling and just barely getting to the ball. That is a nice
perk and a sign you're doing well. Opponents get the benefit more easily on
hard. However, too much exhaustion and you miss out entirely.
If you are not sure what your opponent is going to do, then it is best to sit
back in the center and see what to defend. They rarely get several good shots
off even on hard mode, but all the same, don't let them get comfortable too
long. The only time you should play kick back and forth is on the easy level
when you are getting your bearings and learning to time your kicks.
3. BEATING THE COMPUTER
3-1. EASY
You should have no problem with this if you perfect your serve. From the
middle of the court, jump in the air when the ball starts on its way down,
then kick and push right when you are at the top of the arc. It takes some
timing to get control of that, but it is worth it. The ball skips past your
opponent, and you win. Because there is no tiebreak
If you get into volleys, a good shot of pretty much any kind should take out
your opponent. So this is a good time to practice on them. Remember, the
higher you get the ball, the better, but the most important thing is to touch
it in the sweet spot, right when you are level with it. You need to develop a
bit of intuition and muscle memory for it to work.
You also will want to practice rejecting softballs. Going overconservative on
easy is not going to get you anywhere. And beating up the computer on easy
will not help you prepare for the trick shots you need to win medium.
3-2. MEDIUM
This is a bit trickier. But you can go to the top, jump, and kick and push
down when the ball is ready to kick, and if you do it right, your opponent
will be totally confused. Serving well is enough to win here, too. However,
you can also win by a power kick directed up or down depending on where your
opponent isn't. You may have to move the enemy to the top with shot #1, then
go down for #2.
3-3. HARD
You can't score an ace off the computer here. Generally, however, two good
hard shots in opposite directions are good enough to win. So the serve you
use in Medium will be a good start. Serve down, then kick back up. Your
opponent does not move after he hits the ball. Hitting to the center gives
him too much ground to cover. However, if he creeps up too far, a good power
shot to the back will suffice. You need to watch where he is on the court,
and often the only way to really do that is make sure he does not hit a
strong shot to your left, where he won't be visible. Weak shots also give him
less time to react to your slow shots.
Plus, if you do not force your opponent into slow shots, he will do the same
to you. You can't rely on the fairies here to do anything for you, and in
fact if you play keep-up for too long your opponent will gather a literal
head of steam and start kicking the ball a mile high, kicking a zigzag, or
even plowing the ball so fast you don't see it. Well, it IS hard mode. So you
have to take advantage of their weak shots. Even if you get a good angled
shot, it won't be enough. The other guy can make up a lot of ground.
3-4. 4-WAY
This one is a bit tricky if you want to win outright. You can get a 3-way tie
and congratulations and all, but to win by yourself, you may need a little
luck. The scoring here is that whoever lets the ball bounce twice loses, and
everyone else gets a point. So if you give up 2 points, it is nearly
impossible to win on your own. In fact, you have to nick everyone else evenly.
Proof:
0-2-2-2 after giving up 2 points
You need to nick everyone else for 3 points, and then the score is 9-8-8-8.
This means you score the next and win. However, if you don't pass the points
around, ie if you score on the same guy five times,
0-2-2-2
5-0-5-5
5-2-7-7
Now with the next 5 points you win, either #3 or #4 will get 3 points. (You
can only nick them for a combined 5.) Therefore, you only tie with best play,
and you in fact lose if you score on the guy across.
6-3-8-8 and #3/#4 manage at least 3 between them in the next 3 points.
So you need to spread the pain especially if you have given up a point. If it
is getting late in the game and you are not sure, visualize a scenario where
you keep taking points from your main rival and see if that closes the gap.
That's enough of the numbers game. Let's talk about actual strategy.
First, serving order: you, across, top, down. So you get to serve first.
Second, that your best move with the jump serve is to kick the ball right.
This means that the player to your right may take the most hits. It's good to
pick on him if you are winning clearly, but if you have a tie, you need to
try something with the guys on the top or the bottom. So don't be too much of
a bully on easy mode.
Second, how to tell if a ball is coming to you: again, observe its shadow.
You can also see if another opponent runs around. If he does, you know he is
getting the ball. You are not able to touch the ball by going outside your
square if it is going to another opponent's square. Being able to leave your
square is only there for if the ball gets away after the first bounce.
You also want to note that factors in 2-way are also present in 4-way. The
big one being, if you go diving after balls, you get exhausted, and a few
slams in a row will disorient the other player. Also, enemies play great
defense unless you spike the ball into the scoreboard, the bottom wall or the
fence, and a bad kick will leave the ball touching the line and cost you a
point. Also, the fairy will come along and randomly throw a good ball, taking
out the top guys, but other than that, everyone plays conservatively here.
They don't try to zap each other, or you. So once you've hit the guy on the
right twice, lay off him until the top and bottom guys get hits. Focus on
them. Once you nick each for a point, you can go back to beating up the guy
on the right. This is assuming perfect play. If you lose a point, you need to
knock off everyone on top. You don't have to win by much--in fact, best play
would give a 10-7-7-6 win.
The best way to knock off a top or bottom guy is when he gives you a soft lob.
Then you can throw something back in his face--kick up or down while in the
air. He can defend pretty much anything else including a weak jump shot. On
hard he may need to be softened up with a power kick from an opponent(they
can sense when the other is weak) but if you get a couple in a row, when he
returns it back to you, you should do okay.
Generally when you play defense and just kick a ball, it goes to the other
guy or to the right side, so that is usually safe. But the fairy comes out
when people play keep-up and then chucks the ball at someone.
4. CHEATS
Your score is at 0x7f0, and in 2-person your opponent is 0x7f1 and 0x7f2 and
0x7f3(in 1 vs 3) are 0xc.
In 1vs3, 0x7f1 is across from you. 0x7f2 is the top guy and 0x7f3 is the
bottom.
End of FAQ Proper
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5. VERSIONS
1.0.0: sent to GameFAQs 11/30/2007, complete. Fun!
1.0.1: sent to GameFAQs 2/27/2008, some details added
6. 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 folks for keeping it going.
Thanks to odino for suggesting this game.
Thanks to Gaijin translations for translating this game.
Thanks to romhacking.net for hosting the translation patch.
