__ __ ______ ______ ______ __ __ ______
/\ \_\ \ /\ __ \ /\ ___\ /\ __ \ /\ "-.\ \ /\ ___\
\ \ __ \ \ \ __ \ \ \ \__ \ \ \ __ \ \ \ \-. \ \ \ __\
\ \_\ \_\ \ \_\ \_\ \ \_____\ \ \_\ \_\ \ \_\\"\_\ \ \_____\
\/_/\/_/ \/_/\/_/ \/_____/ \/_/\/_/ \/_/ \/_/ \/_____/
Hagane: The Final Conflict Strategy Guide
By: Sean Koch, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved
Started: August 1, 2010
Completed: August 5, 2010
Version 1.41
---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Version History
---------------
Version 0.1 - August 1, 2010
Started the guide.
Version 1.0 - August 5, 2010
Guide hits version 1.0 and is ready for editing and submission!
Woohoo!
Version 1.1 - August 6, 2010
Made some minor edits. Apparently, I've been lied to. It seems that
Hagane hasn't been released on the Virtual Console yet. Sorry, guys.
That'll teach me to rely on hearsay, huh? In any case, hopefully
we'll see it soon!
Version 1.2 - August 6, 2010
Added an explanation of Hagane's Dragon Punch and Flying Kick.
Hopefully everything is clear now.
Version 1.3 - August 6, 2010
Final version - for now. Made a number of edits and cleaned up some
of my grammar. I removed the part about using the Flying Kick on
the miniboss in Stage 3-2, because it just isn't as effective as I
thought.
Version 1.4 - August 7, 2010
Final-final version! I promise! Edited a few things.
Added a section on the secret in Stage 3-2, if you can even call it
that. If I missed any secrets, or pseudo-secrets, just drop me a
line at the email address listed in the Closing & Contact Info
section of this guide and I'll credit you. I appreciate it.
Version 1.41 - August 11, 2010
Added a useful tip on how to fight Amano in the Amano-Ikazuchi
section.
-----------------
Table of Contents
-----------------
1. Introduction
2. Story
3. The Art of the Ninja
3.1. Controls
3.2. Weaponry
3.3. Power-Ups
3.4. Advanced Techniques
3.5. Rhythm and Control
3.6. Keep It Simple, Silly
4. Stage 1 - The Path to Disaster
4.1. Stage 1-1
4.2. Stage 1-2
4.3. Stage 1-3
4.4. Stage 1-4
4.5. Musha-Mukuro
5. Stage 2 - The Fortress of Doom
5.1. Stage 2-1
5.2. Stage 2-2
5.3. Stage 2-3
5.4. En-Mikoshi
6. Stage 3 - Violated Heavens
6.1. Stage 3-1
6.2. Stage 3-2
6.3. Stage 3-3
6.4. Stage 3-4
6.5. Jasei-Jyu
7. Stage 4 - Cry of the Spirits
7.1. Stage 4-1
7.2. Stage 4-2
7.3. Stage 4-3
7.4. Jyuso-Dama
8. Stage 5 - Into the Darkness...
8.1. Stage 5-1
8.2. Stage 5-2
8.3. Stage 5-3
8.4. Stage 5-4
8.5. Stage 5-5
8.6. Shurb-Oh
9. Final Boss - Amano-Ikazuchi
10. Hard Mode
11. FAQ
12. Closing & Contact Info
13. Credits & Thanks
14. Legal Stuff
---------------
1. Introduction
---------------
Hagane: The Final Conflict is one of my all-time favorite games.
When it was released in the United States, it was available only at
Blockbuster Video stores, and so it was destined for obscurity from
the moment it arrived on western shores. Had the title gotten a
full State-side release, I wholeheartedly believe it would've gone
down as one of the best games on the SNES instead of just a cult
classic. Thanks to the Virtual Console, though, soon anyone who owns
a Nintendo Wii will be able to play it! Hallelujah!
My goal with this guide is to teach you how to play the game and
provide you with helpful tips and strategies for each of its five
stages, rather than walk you through it and rob you of the
satisfaction of having beaten the game on your own.
With that said, let's begin!
--------
2. Story
--------
Hagane: The Final Conflict
"The Fuma clan possesses extreme strength and spiritual power. They
are ninja capable of using ninja arts and black magic at will.
Their quest is to protect the Holy Grail. It is said to possess
power that can destroy the world. From long ago, the evil Koma clan
had plotted to destroy the world using the destructive power of Holy
Grail. Suddenly, they attacked the Fuma clan and stole the Holy
Grail. However, they failed to notice that among the severely
wounded, one man survived... On the verge of death, the barely
living man known as Hagane was brought back to life by advanced
cyber-technology performed by a mysterious old man named Momochi.
However, none of Hagane's body survived except his brain... Already
a powerful ninja, he now had the incredible power and speed of a
human cyborg. With this power, he vowed to take revenge on the Koma
faction.
"The Fuma and Koma clans who live mainly in darkness have mastered
the secret arts of the ninja and black magic. Although they look
just like normal people, they have strength and spiritual power
beyond normal human beings. Each clan consists of several groups
called factions. The Fuma clan is split into factions based on the
Chinese zodiac. For example, the cow, the tiger, and the dragon. The
Koma clan is split into factions by color, consisting of the white,
the gold and the red dragon. In the case of the Fuma clan, members
of a given faction know nothing more about any other factions except
that they exist. Their blood lines are cut off from the outside
world and are destined to decline."
That's the story as quoted from the game's instruction manual. It
doesn't make much sense, but since we're playing a video game about
cyborg ninjas, I think it's okay to suspend our disbelief for the
sake of great gameplay.
Hagane is interestingly plot-driven. Every boss has a name and even
a hint of personality. There are no cutscenes or dialogue to be had,
but the way the game is presented will make you feel like you're
battling old enemies. I like that.
-----------------------
3. The Art of the Ninja
-----------------------
3.1. Controls
Hagane has a pretty standard control scheme. The following should be
used as a reference.
Y - Attack
B - Jump
A - Special
X - Change weapon
L - Forward flip to the left, backflip when facing right
R - Forward flip to the right, backflip when facing left
Up - Grab onto the ceiling when jumping
Down - Duck
Left - Walk left
Right - Walk right
Start - Pause
Select - Change weapon
3.2. Weaponry
Hagane has a number of weapons at his disposal. They're all very
similar, but contrary to what you might think, they still have their
uses.
You can sift through your cache of weapons with either the X or the
Select buttons. The Select button cycles through your available
weapons in reverse. So if, for example, you need to quickly switch
to your grappling hook from your sword, you can tap the Select button
once, rather than tap X three times.
Note that you can also pause your game while selecting your weapon.
Now, onto the weapons!
-Sword-
This is your main weapon. It's powerful, fast, versatile, and oddly
reminiscent of Strider Hiryu's cypher. On the rare occasion, its
short range will limit its usefulness.
-Kunai-
These are a type of throwing dagger. They're thrown straight, which
makes them highly accurate. You can carry a maximum of 99 kunai.
-Grenades-
What separates these from Hagane's kunai is the angle at which
they're thrown and the radius of the explosion once they hit their
target. Grenades arc over Hagane's head and can be used to attack
enemies from above or around obstacles. You can carry a maximum of
99 grenades.
-Grappling Hook-
This has two uses: as a weapon and as a tool for latching onto the
ceiling. If you hold Up on the D-pad, you can aim it directly
overhead, which will be useful in the later stages of the game.
-Special-
Save the best for last, and I mean it! By pressing the A button,
Hagane unleashes an incredibly powerful explosion, killing, or at
least severely damaging, every enemy on the screen, while also
providing himself with temporary invincibility! You get a very
limited number of these, so I recommend saving them for the final
stages of the game, and not using them as an "Oh crap!" button for
when the going gets tough.
3.3. Power-Ups
In this section I'll provide information on the items that drop from
slain enemies.
Sometimes, in order to pick up Power-Ups, you have to press Down on
the D-pad while standing over them. You usually have to do this when
the game decides that you have enough of a particular item. That
wouldn't necessarily be a problem, but it makes this decision before
you've maxed out your supply, so always try to keep a mental note of
how much ammunition you have.
-Kunai Ammunition-
10 kunai. The icon for these has a distinct triangular shape.
-Grenade Ammunition-
10 grenades. The icons for these look like a cylinder.
-Health Refill-
The icon for this looks like an orange ball of fire. It restores one
bar of health.
-Health Up-
The icon for this looks like a blue ball of fire. It gives you one
extra bar of health up to a maximum of 5. The effect disappears
after you die, so be careful. If you already have 5 health bars,
this will refill one of them instead.
-1-Up-
The icon for this says "1-Up" on it, so you can't miss it. It gives
you 1 extra life, up to a maximum of 9 (plus the one you're currently
on, technically giving you a maximum of 10 lives).
-Special-
The icon for this looks like Japanese writing. It gives you 1 more
Special, up to a maximum of 9. These are pretty rare, so if you see
one, jump on it!
3.4. Advanced Techniques
Hagane employs a staggering number of techniques, and there are many
different ways to kill your enemy, so you can experiment and develop
your own fighting style. Below is a detailed explanation of Hagane's
moveset.
-Somersault-
Aside from the usual running and gunning typical of games in this
genre, Hagane can also perform somersaults and backflips with the L
and R buttons.
Somersaults can help you avoid damage when properly timed, but
usually jumping or simply stepping out of the way of an attack works
better and doesn't leave you as vulnerable to getting hit, even if
it is less stylish.
The main purpose of the somersault technique is to charge up your
Dragon Punch and Flying Kick. Usually flipping once and pressing Y
to perform a Dragon Punch or B to perform a Flying Kick is enough to
seriously damage or kill most normal enemies, and although you can
flip continuously to gain more attack power, it's generally not as
effective or safe as simply killing enemies with your sword.
Note: In order to somersault continuously without charging Hagane's
attacks, tap the L or R buttons instead of holding them down.
Below, I'll detail Hagane's Dragon Punch and Flying Kick:
1 Flip - Hagane doesn't blink. Standard attack.
2 Flips - Hagane blinks green. Semi-charged attack.
3 Flips - Hagane blinks yellow. Fully charged attack.
-Standard Dragon Punch-
Hagane lunges forward with his fist and then automatically backflips
away from his enemy. This technique does a lot of damage, but it's
not always a good idea to use this in the middle of a level where
Hagane can backflip right into danger.
-Semi-Charged Dragon Punch-
Hagane performs a spin kick in the air. The problem with this
technique is that it doesn't do a lot of damage and it's difficult to
control. Not to mention the fact that since he's using his foot, it
isn't much of a "Dragon Punch".
-Fully Charged Dragon Punch-
A fully charged Dragon Punch is an AoE (Area of Effect) attack that
damages everything on either side of Hagane. This attack isn't too
useful because you just don't ever need it.
-Standard Flying Kick-
Hagane jumps into the air and kicks his foot forward, damaging
anything he comes into contact with. This is my favorite technique
because it allows Hagane to leap through a group of enemies
unscathed. Very useful!
-Semi-Charged Flying Kick-
If you ask me, this looks more like what the Semi-Charged Dragon
Punch should've been. Oh well. Hagane spins into the air, engulfed
in orange fire. Unfortunately, it's about as useful as the
Semi-Charged Dragon Punch, because like its Y button counterpart, it
too can be difficult to control.
-Fully Charged Flying Kick-
A fully charged Flying Kick will send Hagane kicking straight up into
the air, making it one of only two attacks that can be aimed directly
upward (the other being the grappling hook). It's useful against a
number of minibosses, but it's in no way essential.
Note that Hagane is invincible during the activation of any Dragon
Punch or Flying Kick.
-Drop Kick-
This is a cool move to perform when you're above your enemy and want
to swoop down on them like Mario. When you're in the air, press
Down on the D-pad and Hagane will descend with a fiery foot onto an
unsuspecting foe. The best part about this move is that Hagane
bounces off his enemy after he completes it, allowing you to
continually jump on your foe until it's dead - or at least until it
moves out of the way. If you hold down the Jump button, Hagane will
jump higher when he bounces off his enemy.
-Mid-Air Somersault-
This is a tricky move to pull off, often giving players a similar
problem to that of the double jump in Shinobi III. But unlike in
Shinobi, in order to perform the Mid-Air Somersault, you have to jump
into the air and then press the Jump button again BEFORE Hagane
reaches the apex of his leap. In other words, if you wait too long
to press the Jump button while in the air, it won't work. I highly
recommend practicing this move, because it's vital to the game's
platforming. Hold down the Jump button for greater distance. If
Hagane hits a wall while performing this technique, he will bounce
off of it.
-Slide-
If you hold Down on the D-pad and press the Jump button, Hagane will
slide across the ground. It's useful for dodging enemy fire and
in those rare instances where ducking isn't enough of a defense.
3.5. Rhythm and Control
This is a simple concept: In order to succeed in battle, you need to
control the battle. If you keep dying against a boss, then you're
not in control.
In most games, especially ones as old as this, enemies have attack
patterns that are easy to predict. In Hagane, however, many bosses
are not as predictable as in other games, and so you have to learn
to react as well as anticipate. If you go into certain fights only
trying to predict what your enemy will do next, you'll lose.
Whereas the key to anticipating your enemy is, of course, knowing
your enemy, the key to reacting to your enemy is knowing yourself.
For example, Hagane's Mid-Air Somersault can launch him directly over
and away from an enemy, making it a great defensive maneuver that's
useful against almost everything in the game.
In short, it's not all about quick reflexes and knowing your enemy.
Knowing yourself and even your environment goes a long way too.
3.6. Keep It Simple, Silly
As a general rule, try to keep things simple. If an enemy can be
killed by standing in one place and hitting it with your sword, then
kill it by standing in one place and hitting it with your sword.
This game is challenging, and you might make unnecessary mistakes if
you try too hard to show off.
Power means nothing without the wisdom to know when and where to use
it.
And now you know.
And knowing is half the battle!
---------------------------------
4. Stage 1 - The Path to Disaster
---------------------------------
4.1. Stage 1-1
This stage is easier than it looks. Don't be cautious; the best way
to beat this level is to push forward with your sword swinging like
Hagane's life depends on it, because it kind of does.
Even if you feel overwhelmed, try not to use your Special this early
in the game. There may be a lot of enemies on the screen, but their
attacks are easy to dodge and they die easily. Don't let their
large numbers intimidate you.
A good technique to use in this stage is the Flying Kick. If you see
a group of enemies in front of you, somersault once and press the
Jump button and Hagane will leap past them, killing anything he hits
and taking no damage in the process.
When you encounter the ships that drop enemy soldiers on you, you can
destroy the turrets by jumping into the air and slashing them with
your sword, or if you're confident in your acrobatics, you can use
the Flying Kick attack to take them out in one hit.
After a few short battles, you'll have completed the level.
4.2. Stage 1-2
This is another easy stage. Beware of the spider-looking things
crawling on the ceiling, because they can rain debris down on you.
You can play this level in one of two ways. The first method is for
beginners: Move through the stage killing enemies with your sword and
using your kunai or grenades if and when you need them. If you go
this route, I recommend climbing along the ceiling for the first
parts of the level, that way you can avoid the black piles of goo
that try to Falcon Punch you. Use the grappling hook to latch on to
any ceilings that are too high for you to reach with jumping alone.
The second method for completing this stage is for more advanced
players who have been through this level a few times already. It's
possible to Flying Kick your way through the entire stage. Flip once
and then press the Jump button to launch Hagane through a group of
enemies. Do this continuously throughout the whole level to breeze
through it in record time without taking any damage.
-Secret-
There's a 1-Up on the slanted ceiling near the flying house that
shoots fire at you. To get it, ascend the ramp to your right and
then use your grappling hook to latch onto the ceiling above you.
Head left and take out any enemies that are in your way, and remember
your grenades!
If you try to descend the incline, Hagane will fall because he can't
climb on an angle. So what you'll want to do is inch your way down
with the Jump button, using your grappling hook immediately as you
begin to fall. It requires practice and quick reflexes, and if
you're having difficulty, you can safely skip it since extra lives
are abundant in this game.
-Miniboss-
Now you're going up against a giant punching toad. You can hang back
and throw kunai at him for an easy victory. Just Mid-Air Somersault
over him if he gets too close. For more advanced players, try using
your Dragon Punch to speed things up.
Easy, right? This game's a lot of fun when you start to get the hang
of it.
4.3. Stage 1-3
You should approach this stage with a healthy dose of caution. Kill
the giant worms and the turtles with your sword and be patient: This
level is short, so you have plenty of time to complete it.
For more advanced players, you can breeze through the first part of
this stage by wisely using your fully charged Dragon Punch. Play
around with it and see what you can do.
Everything else in this level is standard action-platforming. Make
use of your ranged weapons against enemies in high places.
4.4. Stage 1-4
Try to stay to the right of the screen at all times. Don't run ahead
or you won't have enough time to react to what this stage throws at
you. Make good use of your Mid-Air Somersault as well.
It takes practice - don't get discouraged if you keep dying here.
4.5. Musha-Mukuro
Your first real boss! This guy is both fun and easy. Basically, you
want to jump up and slash him with your sword while avoiding his very
predictable attacks. Don't be afraid of him - get in there and flail
around until the cows come home.
Note: It's not practical to rely on your Dragon Punch or Flying Kick
against this boss, because those moves require precision and
accuracy, and Musha-Mukuro is just too fast.
You've now beaten the first stage! Let's move on to Stage 2!
---------------------------------
5. Stage 2 - The Fortress of Doom
---------------------------------
5.1. Stage 2-1
I like how Stage 2 opens with a miniboss. What a nice touch. The
scenery is gorgeous too, isn't it? But I digress.
There are a lot of different ways to tackle this guy. For beginners,
you'll want to keep him at a distance with your kunai or grappling
hook. Avoid his attacks and use your Slide move if you need to.
For more advanced players, you can get in close and make short work
of him with your sword, or if you're feeling like more of a
daredevil, try using your Flying Kick.
5.2. Stage 2-2
Remember your Slide technique, because it's useful at the start of
this level. Like with Stage 1-1, a lot of enemies were put here to
distract and intimidate you, but as long as you keep in mind that you
shouldn't kill them all, you'll do fine.
This stage has some tricky platforming. Unlike in most games, Hagane
can't get a good running jump off of a ledge; if you try to do that,
he'll fall, so be careful. You'll want to walk to the edge of a
ledge and use a Mid-Air Somersault while holding the Jump button
down for as long as you need to until you reach the next platform.
The game isn't unfair - you'll get the hang of it with practice, I
promise!
There's a sequence at the end of this stage that consists of dodging
security lasers mounted onto moving walls. You'll take damage if you
touch the lasers. Use the Mid-Air Somersault to propel yourself over
the lasers and to bounce between the walls of the gaps in the
ceiling.
5.3. Stage 2-3
This level is light on enemies and heavy on platforming. Use your
Mid-Air Somersault and remember that Hagane can use it to ricochet
off of walls.
-Miniboss-
You'll face off against a machine that spits balls of electricity at
you. My advice is to stay to one side and damage it with your sword
after it exposes its weakness.
After some pretty forgiving platforming, you'll face off against...
5.4. En-Mikoshi
Honestly, the best way to fight this guy is to keep it simple and use
your sword. Close in and melee him after he shows his weakness, and
remember to duck! It's a fast battle that isn't too difficult.
Hint: Sometimes dodging attacks isn't enough and you need to deflect
those attacks with your weapon. Sometimes you can't reach those
attacks without getting hurt. Sometimes those attacks are directly
above you. Aren't you glad you have a long range weapon that you can
aim upward?
-----------------------------
6. Stage 3 - Violated Heavens
-----------------------------
6.1. Stage 3-1
A lot of the enemies that you'll encounter in Stage 3-1 are best
dealt with from a distance.
The option to Dragon Punch everything is there for those of you who
err on the side of fashion rather than function. Yes, the Dragon
Punch works here, but beware of the automatic backflip Hagane
performs when he's finished.
Don't be afraid of the guys with the balls and chain. Stand at the
opposite end of the screen from one and open fire with your kunai,
so that you can kill him without fear of retaliation. Another
option for dealing with these enemies is by getting in close: If you
duck in front of one, the spiked ball he wields will go right over
Hagane's head when it's swung, allowing you to safely melee him to
death. If the spiked ball comes back around, jump over it and
finish him off.
6.2. Stage 3-2
This stage isn't too different from the one before it, except that
now you have to deal with turrets that hang from the ceiling and fire
lasers at you. You can kill them any way you want, with your sword,
kunai, or grenades.
-Secret-
When you come across the first group of rotating platforms, ascend
them and head left instead of right to find a small corridor
containing loads of enemies and power-ups.
At the end of Stage 3-2, you'll fight a miniboss.
-Miniboss-
This thing is a piece of cake. Get beneath one of its guns and
attack its weakness from below with your sword or grappling hook.
Although it might be tempting to use your fully charged Flying Kick,
I wouldn't recommend it because you're fighting on a conveyor belt
and this miniboss' weak points are small to begin with, so aiming
your kick would be very difficult.
6.3. Stage 3-3
The time limit on this stage is just another intimidation tactic (I'm
noticing a lot of those in this game). This level is on rails,
similar to stage 1-4, so it's impossible to run out of time here.
My advice is to take out any enemies with your sword as soon as they
appear on the screen, and if you can't reach an enemy, kill it with
your kunai. Try not to use your Specials in this stage either; if
things get too hot, swing your sword around like a berserker and
remember that you can deflect incoming missiles with your attacks.
Don't be afraid to take a hit or two, because this is a very short
level.
6.4. Stage 3-4
Use the same strategy as in the previous stage, but beware of the
flying centipedes. Not much has changed here other than the fact
that you now have more room to dodge enemy fire.
6.5. Jasei-Jyu
This boss might seem scary at first, but she's a real pussycat in
reality. At the start of the battle, stay at a distance and throw
kunai at her. If she gets in too close, circle around her and attack
from behind, but beware of her tail; use your grenades to attack from
a safer distance. Another option for when she closes in on you is to
position yourself under her and spam your grenades until she dies, as
the blast radius from the grenades will help to deflect some of her
attacks that you wouldn't otherwise be able to avoid, but I don't
recommend doing this with only three bars of health. If you're in a
tight spot, feel free to use a Special.
You may have defeated Jasei-Jyu, but don't get cocky - the remaining
three stage bosses are even harder.
-------------------------------
7. Stage 4 - Cry of the Spirits
-------------------------------
7.1. Stage 4-1
This stage is very similar to Stage 1-1. There's no platforming
here, just a lot of very strong enemies in your way. Don't be hasty
this time - stop and kill enemies if you need to, but try to avoid
the birds as they're mostly harmless.
-Miniboss-
It took me two and a half hours to master this guy. You might be
tempted to keep him at a distance with your kunai, but stave off that
temptation because if you stay too far away from him, he'll slide and
jump around more and you'll quickly lose control of the battle.
Instead, keep him close. I know, he's faster than you, but he's much
more predictable if he isn't sliding around like a crazed penguin.
The standard Dragon Punch is his weakness: Not only does it do a lot
of damage, but it provokes him into using his short ranged attacks,
which Hagane will then dodge with an automatic backflip. Also,
hitting him with any weapon can both damage and stun him, allowing
you to keep this duel well under control.
7.2. Stage 4-2
Although this cave might appear to be nonlinear, it's actually only
pretending to be. None of the branching paths go very far, or lead
to anything worthwhile, so you can safely skip them.
The falling boulders aren't as tricky as they look. Just slide under
them. Badda bing, badda boom.
To kill those green ninjas that pop up out of the ground and throw
shurikens at you, stand directly under them and kill them with your
grappling hook - very easy.
-Miniboss-
A giant snake that can burrow into the earth? That's original. To
end this fight quickly, hit him with your sword a bunch of times.
It's that simple. If his tail appears on the ground to send a
shockwave in your direction, jump into the air to avoid it.
7.3. Stage 4-3
Again, I'll tell you: don't be afraid of the obstacles that you'll
face here. Be patient, and watch out for any green ninjas that pop
up out of the ground.
After dropping down from the ledge, head left and take a ride on the
mining cart. Be prepared to Mid-Air Somersault to the next platform.
The rest of the stage should be easy - it just requires some skillful
platforming.
-Secret #1-
There's a whole mess of items on a nearby ledge at the beginning of
the stage that I can't seem to get to. I've decided that the
developers put it there as a wild goose chase, but if anyone knows
how to get to them, send me an email and I'll credit you. Thanks.
-Secret #2-
Underneath the platform where the mining cart is are a couple of
enemies and a Health Refill power-up. If anyone knows how to get it,
send me an email. Thanks again.
7.4. Jyuso-Dama
You have a large room in which to do battle, so I recommend using it
to your advantage.
In Jyuso-Dama's first form, try to position yourself directly under
him so as to avoid his attacks, and jump up to damage him with your
sword. It's not difficult.
In his second form, he'll throw parts of his body at you. Move all
the way to one side of the room and let him come to you, attacking
the red pieces of armor he tosses your way until they're all gone.
In his third form, he'll lunge at you from above, but you can simply
step out of the way of his attack and hit him with your sword until
he disappears and tries it again.
In his final form, Jyuso-Dama transforms into a large green face. He
breathes blue fire onto the ground that branches out in either
direction. You can perform a Mid-Air Somersault over the blue fire
to dodge it, but I highly recommend positioning yourself to one side
of the room and letting Jyuso-Dama come to you. When he's in range,
attack him with your sword, kunai, or grenades, and when you see him
about to breathe fire, walk or somersault past him to the other side
of the room. Rinse and repeat until he's dead. For more advanced
players, try to aim a couple of fully charged Flying Kicks at him to
end this fight quickly.
You've made it all the way to Stage 5. What a workout, huh? You
ain't seen nothin' yet!
---------------------------------
8. Stage 5 - Into the Darkness...
---------------------------------
8.1. Stage 5-1
Stage 5 consists of a gauntlet of miniboss battles, but first you'll
need to take care of the minor enemies at the beginning of the level.
Just kill them as they come. The Dragon Punch works here because the
enemies come one at a time.
-Miniboss #1-
The first miniboss that you'll encounter floats in the air and shoots
purple fire in your direction. For beginners, I recommend killing
this thing with your grenades, as the blast will also destroy the
laser turrets that hover around it and the purple fire that it tries
to shoot at you.
For more advanced players, open this fight with a fully charged
Flying Kick and then finish this miniboss off with a few swipes of
your sword.
-Miniboss #2-
This bloke is a joke. Stand at the opposite end of the screen from
it and pump it full of kunai. If you see Japanese writing appear in
front of it, that means it's chargin' its laser, so jump up to avoid
it. If you see crosshairs attach to you, that means it's locking
onto you with its missiles, so be prepared to dodge those as well.
-Miniboss #3-
Ah, it's Hagane's old nemesis! And this time he can teleport! Use
the same strategy as in Stage 4-1, and remember: keep him close and
don't let him intimidate you. He'll teleport in order to get close
to you, so just step out of the way and stun him with your weapon to
maintain control of the battle.
Well, now that that's over with, we can move on.
8.2. Stage 5-2
If you've gotten this far, you likely won't need much advice for this
level, because it's pretty much the same thing you've been doing for
the whole game. Watch your back, though - literally.
If you're having difficulty dealing with the enemy that wears a
sakkat and shoots fireballs through the wall, you can toss grenades
over that same wall to kill him while jumping up to avoid his
attacks. Or you can ignore him.
When you come across two doors, one on top and one on the bottom, it
doesn't matter which one you choose, as both doors lead to the same
place. Neither path is safer, but the bottom door is the shortest
route to the end of this stage.
8.3. Stage 5-3
-Miniboss-
The game forces you to use your grenades on this guy, so that's what
you should do. He's easy and can't do much to you. If you're low
on ammunition, the brown writing that hovers about nearby can be
destroyed to drop grenades.
8.4. Stage 5-4
I bet this stage frustrates the heck out of you, huh? This is
another part of the game that requires practice. Don't give up,
because it's easier than it looks.
Ignore most of the enemies on the screen and Mid-Air Somersault your
way across the platforms. Ignore the 1-Up you see until you've fully
mastered the Mid-Air Somersault.
8.5. Stage 5-5
You're in the home stretch! Only one more level to go! This stage
is a tricky one too, often making players use up many continues
before finally throwing down their controllers in frustration.
For starters, remember your Drop Kick! Also, you'll encounter
platforms that attempt to make you fall by spinning around beneath
you. Simply jump into the air before the platform starts spinning
and you'll be fine.
-Spiked Wall Sequence-
I've decided to devote a whole section of this guide specifically to
this difficult and frustrating part of the game. I'll try to walk
you through it as best as I can.
First things first: If you attack the spiked wall with your weapon,
you can stop it in its tracks momentarily, which can help buy you
some time if you mess up. If you Dragon Punch the wall, you can even
push it back a little bit, which is useful for the beginning and
latter parts of this sequence when you're not jumping from platform
to platform.
There are three enemies in this part of the level: a fire-breathing
woman, a swordsman, and then another fire-breathing woman. Ignore
the first fire-breathing woman and the swordsman as they serve only
to distract you. Mid-Air Somersault from platform to platform, and
know that you can still make the jump to the highest ledge from the
lowest platform.
Finally, kill the last fire-breathing woman and destroy the wall with
your sword, Dragon Punch, or Flying Kick.
It takes practice, but it's perfectly doable!
8.6. Shurb-Oh
This is the most patterned boss in the entire game. I recommend
using your grenades for this fight because his weakness is often
difficult to get to and the blast radius of the grenades bypasses
any obstacles that might be in your way.
When he attempts to strike you with lightning, evade it with a
well-timed Slide or Somersault. Everything else should be a cinch to
dodge - just remember your Mid-Air Somersault.
Now that Shurb-Oh is defeated, it's time for the final battle! Are
you as pumped as I am!?
-----------------
9. Amano-Ikazuchi
-----------------
Amano is one mean mother trucker. In order to win this battle, you
have to destroy the five heads in the center of his body and the
three remaining heads at the top before the timer runs out.
I hope you've honed your platforming skills because you'll need
them here! I also hope there's a soft pillow nearby for you to
punch because you'll likely die a lot at first.
Watch out for the fire-breathing dragon heads on the ledges and for
the fire that each one of Amano's heads can shoot at you; if you get
knocked off a ledge and fall too far, you've basically lost the
battle.
Use your sword, kunai and grappling hook as needed. If you have any
Specials left over, try to save them for the top three heads. Make
sure the heads are on the screen when you use them, otherwise they
won't take any damage.
A truly excellent way of defeating Amano is by getting above him and
using the Drop Kick attack on each of his eight heads. Be careful
of those pesky fire-breathing dragons, though, because some of them
can still hit you!
Tip: Try to use your Specials defensively rather than offensively.
Specials will destroy the multi-directional fireballs that Amano
shoots at you, and so you shouldn't unleash them all the moment his
top three heads appear on the screen. Instead, use them while
attacking with your sword or Drop Kick to avoid getting hit and
falling too far.
Congratulations! You've beaten Hagane: The Final Conflict! Now you
can watch the credits and see what happens to our hero after all is
said and done.
-------------
10. Hard Mode
-------------
Oh, man. You've beaten Amano-Ikazuchi and now you've opened up Hard
Mode! This should be twice as challenging, right? Nope. Sorry.
Hard Mode doesn't pose as much of a challenge as you might think.
The normal enemies and minibosses are all two to three times more
powerful and the attack patterns of some of the minibosses have
changed, but the actual stage bosses and platforming puzzles were
left untouched. That's right, this means that the minibosses in this
mode are much harder than their stage boss counterparts.
Because the gameplay remains largely unchanged from Normal Mode, the
only advice I have to give you here is dodge - a lot - and remember
that you don't need to kill everything.
All in all, if you're playing Hard Mode, then chances are that you've
mastered the game and don't need my advice.
Practice, and trust yourself.
------------------------------------
11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
------------------------------------
Q: How do you pronounce Hagane?
A: Ha-ga-nay.
Q: Why is this game so unknown?
A: Probably because it was only available at Blockbuster upon its
release in the US, and it was an obscure game to begin with. It also
didn't get much advertising, if any. On top of that, it was really
difficult for its time, and I know of some people who think the game
is cheap and unbalanced.
Q: What's with those weird rhythmic blips when I pause the game?
A: I'm not sure. It's as if the developers tried to do what Rare
did with Battletoads, but they tried to be less obnoxious about it.
Q: Hey, I have a better way of doing such-and-such!
A: Cool, send me an email, which you can find in the Closing &
Contact Info section of this guide.
Q: Your tips aren't working! This game sucks!
A: Be patient. In order to succeed in this game, you not only need
practice and speed, but patience and observation. Really ninja-like
in my opinion. Just keep at it!
Q: Why is Amano Ikazuchi so hard!?
A: Hey, back in the day, games were praised for having difficult
bosses. Suck it up and keep platforming!
--------------------------
12. Closing & Contact Info
--------------------------
Whew, I'm finally done! I want to make this guide the best it can
possibly be, so please send any questions, comments, tips or
strategies to the email address listed below. I'll be sure to credit
you for your contribution.
supertuft<at>live.com
Thanks.
As a final note, I'd like to apologize for anything that I got wrong
in this guide. If you have a correction to make, whether it's about
the game or my English, send me an email. Thanks.
--------------------
13. Credits & Thanks
--------------------
Rev. Sean Koch - Yours truly.
Mrs. Koch - My soon-to-be wife. Thanks for helping me write this
guide and for being so supportive.
Hudson - For making this brilliant game.
You - For being patient with me while you read my first FAQ and for
providing me with any potential feedback.
---------------
14. Legal Stuff
---------------
This guide and its contents are
Copyright Sean Koch, 2010, All Rights Reserved.
Hagane: The Final Conflict is
Copyright Hudson Soft, 1994/Copyright Red Entertainment, 1994.
Disclaimer: This guide is intended for personal and non-commercial
use only, and may only be distributed with the author's permission.
