Obligatory standard boiler-plate disclaimer: This walkthrough may not be
reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may
not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without
advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a
part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of
copyright.
Introduction: Nail 'N Scale is an action/puzzle game (in the same genre as
games like The Lost Vikings, boxxle, bubble-ghost, Pengo (obscure pioneer of
the genre), Whac-A-Mole DS (puzzle mode), Bust-A-Move, etc.). I consider it
a sleeper-hit that is highly under-rated. With that said, I can certainly
understand the frustration involved in having to complete over 50 levels in
one sitting (without the luxury of a password system or battery backup
capabilities). Still, the game itself is a relatively perfect blend of brain
and brawn as you must think ahead to find the exit while using quick reflexes
to avoid pits or even battle bosses. This walkthrough assumes you are playing
Hard Mode. In Hard Mode, you cannot jump as high and you are given a 3:00 time
limit to complete the stage.
Types of blocks: Throughout this walkthrough, I will be referencing the
various kinds of blocks there are available.
Breakable blocks: These include plain-textured blocks of either a blue or
green color (when using a gameboy advance SP with default color scheme).
These blocks can be climbed, but the walls detiororate when doing so. Some of
these blocks already have one crack and can't take another without
dintegrating.
Unbreakable blocks/perma-blocks (climb-ready): These include "bricked" blocks
(with a brick pattern), blue blocks (with a smaller square design in the
center), green blocks (with a shadow on the bottom/right half, piano-shaped
blocks, blue blocks with an oval-like white shape on them, green blocks with a
serrated edge and square shape in the center, sandstone textured
semi-oval-shaped blocks, and train-shaped blocks.
Unbreakable blocks/perma-blocks (cannot be climbed): This includes the blocks
that look like steel and other blocks that deflect thrown nails.
Basic nail strategies: These strategies are crucial for adding height,
distance, and reaching areas seemingly "out of reach." I used arbitrary names
for these techniques, and they may or may not differ from other titles
gamers have assigned to them.
Ground-pound (to gain height): Sometimes you can gain height by planting a
nail down into the top of a block and standing on the nail. Sometimes enemies
can be evaded if the enemy is short enough to walk under the nail you are
standing on. Also, if there are two vertical blocks with one space in the
middle,it is possible to plant a nail on the VERY EDGE of the bottom block
(allowing you to be able to break the bottom block).
Rapid wall Climbing: When there is a long vertical wall it works to make a
short jump and throw a nail into the wall and return to the ground. Jump
again (through the first nail) and throw a second nail before you land on the
first nail. Rinse and repeat.
Delayed jumping (to travel greater distances in the air): When you fall
(not jump) off of a ledge you can still jump (once) to clear greater distances.
The "fall-shoot-jump" technique: If there is a distant ledge you want to climb,
you can fall off a block, shoot a nail, and quickly jump on top of the nail.
Sometimes it may also prove helpful to shoot a nail towards a distant wall
first, and then fall off the current ledge to quickly jump on top of the nail
(this could be called the "shoot-fall-jump" technique).
Avalanche climbing: When confronted with a vertical wall of breakable bricks,
you can shoot a nail horizontally into a block and jump on the nail
(causing the block to crack once). Next, you carefully jump and shoot a nail
into the side of the block above it (leaving ample space between nails).
As you fall, you will land on the first nail and the first block will break.
Jump immediately as you hit the nail and land on the nail above it
(causing the second block to break and again jumping away from the nail as
you touch it). This way you can attain height while also clearing unnecessary
blocks.
Piton ceiling gliding: When there is an "upside down staircase" of blocks
above your head, it is possible to climb it. Just shoot a nail into one of the
blocks and jump on the nail. Next, fall off the nail and jump precisely so
that you barely clear the next block above. Quickly shoot a nail into the
BOTTOM of the new block AS YOU ARE JUMPING in the air and hopefully you will
land on the nail. This is difficult, but can be done with practice.Sometimes
it helps to shoot all the nails low (so can get higher on subsequent nails).
Main Walkthrough: Here I detail the solutions to all 51 of the levels in
Hard-Mode. Since I do not have access to the official character/enemy names, I
will do my best to describe them where appropriate.
Stage 1: Work your way left towards the exit. Avoid enemies where appropriate.
Stage 2: Work your way left towards the exit, using nails and dispatching
enemies where appropriate.
Stage 3: Rinse and repeat!!
Stage 4: Climb the tall left vertical wall. Work towards the bottom/right of
play-field. Avoid the middle "gap". Fall to the right of this middle gap
(while shooting down to dispatch enemies). Break the green blocks to reach
the door.
Stage 5: Climb the "staircases" (the blocks in midair). Work your way to
the door at the top left of the play field. Avoid/dispatch enemies where
appropriate.
Stage 6: Break all the blocks you can (using efficiency to make sure you
don't leave any breakable blocks out of your reach). Sometimes it helps to
work "top to bottom" to make sure the entire path gets cleared. Watch for
enemies and act accordingly.
Stage 7: Use the various nail techniques to gain height and distance and work
your way towards the top left of the play field. Watch out for enemies.
You will notice a cracked block "blocking" the door. Break this block and
enter into the small channel. Fall off the ledge and jump quickly to the exit.
Stage 8: Climb the left vertical wall as high as possible. Carefully fall,
shoot a nail into the wall on the right, and quickly jump on top of the nail
(i.e. the fall-shoot-jump technique). Go up until you can ascend the high
vertical wall on the right side of the play field. Break all the blocks that
stand in your way and work your way back to right blue vertical wall. Watch
for enemies (as per usual). Climb wall and break the green blocks "blocking"
the door. As usual, minimize the amount of breakage you cause as you climb
by pacing/distancing the space between planted pitons so no two pitons hit
the same brick.
Stage 9: This stage is similar to stage 7. Use the various nail techniques to
gain height and distance and work your way to the top right (exit) or the top
left (door powerup). As always, use the map to scan the area as necessary.
Disregard the cracked blocks on the right side of play field.
Stage 10: A boss is a nice change of pace from puzzle solving. When people
say the phrase "when pigs can fly" they are usually referring to the
unliklihood of something else unlikely happening at the same time.
Unfortunately, pigs may not fly, but this one does shoot bullets! There is
a silver lining, though. Although there are many bricks and blocks in this
game, this pig is not protected by a brick house. Simply hit the pig in the
belly repeatedly until he "cringes". Avoid his bullets by jumping or climbing
a wall with nails. Rinse and repeat!
Stage 11: Climb towards the top of the screen using various nail techniques
for height and/or distance. Watch for enemies. Also, when getting on to a
brick above your head, remember to use a "fall, jump, and shoot" technique to
get a nail into the top block which can be jumped on. Find the door!
Stage 12: Go left for the bomb powerup. Bomb one of the blocks on the
floor(staying away from the explosion). Break the blue/discolored block on the
left and create an opening. "Fall-jump" into the small opening on the left of
the far gap. Obtain the bomb powerfup. Climb up the unbreakable wall to the
area with scattered blocks. Use the bomb to blow the ceiling block. Break your
way down to the door whilst avoiding the red enemy blocks. Touch door powerup
and enter exit.
Stage 13: Work your up and towards the top/right using the various nail
techniques while minimizing breaking necessary blocks. Look for a weak layer
of breakable blocks in the double bricked column on the right of the play
field. Break the blocks in the crevice, enter, and climb the hard blue
unbreakable wall on the right (don't fall down into the fire as you climb).
When you reach the top, collect the four powerups. Fall and break the cracked
vertical blocks and the block "blocking" the entrance. Next, climb the hard
unbreakable wall to the top and find the exit.
Stage 14: Climb hard (unbreakable) right wall and "efficiency dig" (top to
bottom) all the blocks possible. From the left of play-field, ascend and break
your way towards the bomb powerup (destroying only the upper blocks standing
in the way). Get bomb and work your way top/left till you find a single block
"blocking" exit. Bomb the block and fall to exit. Try to minimize cracking or
destroying necessary blocks. Blow the block "blocking" the way to the exit.
Stage 15: Climb hard blue wall on left side. Stand atop the green column.
Fall into the pit (shooting downward as you fall) and land on the blue
column (use map as necessary). Break through the breakable blocks. Disregard
the bomb and climb onto the blue unbreakable block. Go up the narrow chasm
using the unbreakable blocks and various nail techniques to climb. Watch out
for enemies and find exit.
Stage 16: "Efficiency dig" top to bottom/left and clear all breakable blocks
till you reach the powerup. Climb up from there and break an entrance to the
door. Don't destroy necessary blocks and use the green piton as necessary to
avoid this.
Stage 17: Climb left blue unbreakable wall. Break the three blue
blocks on the right. Break the highest possible/reachable brick on the right.
Throw a nail into the unbreakable block on the right and use the nail to get
atop the blue block just to the left. Ascend using the unbreakable
blocks/nails and break through the cracked wall. Destroy one of the blue
vertical blocks and climb the hard blue wall on the left to the top. Avoid the
red block enemy by falling into the pit and plugging a horizontal piton into
the breakable block on the right as you are falling and jump on it. Break this
block and get to the top of the 3 perma-block (unbreakable) row to the right
of the same red block enemy. Dig down to the door.
Stage 18: Climb high vertical tower of unbreakable blocks on the right side of
play field until you reach the top of the three unbreakable blocks to the left.
Efficiency-dig from top right to bottom left the large group of blocks just
below. Clear as many as possible (even using the fall-shoot-jump technique to
break lower blocks without falling). Don't worry about dropping the red block
enemies. Find an opening to the vertical blue unbreakable tower to the left
and climb it. Break the highest possible green block on right and ascend
whilst minimizing breakage of green blocks. Watch enemies! Find the single
block "blocking" the channel to the exit and break it. Find exit.
Stage 19: Be weary of enemies as you carefully work your up to the horizontal
two-layer platform of blocks using the nail/jumping techniques discussed at
the beginning of this walkthrough. Rinse and repeat to get to the second large
horizontal row of blocks. From here, carefully climb up the breakable blocks
to reach the top (minimizing breakage in the process). Grab the two bombs. Dig
down the middle shaft to right boss door.
Stage 20: It is time to fight the boss (a turtle, not Bruce Springstein).
Turtles may be slow, but they are born with their own suit of armor and
defense system. Hit turtle repeatedly in the head (from a distance seems to
help). Use same general strategy for avoiding bullets as the last boss.
Sometimes when the fight starts and you fall from the sky you may need to
catch yourself on the wall with a nail to avoid bullets.
Stage 21: Watch for the circling enemies. Break the blocks that stand in your
way and work your way until you can ascend the hard vertical blue wall on the
left of playing field. Ascend higher using two horizontal nails on the green
blocks to reach the top of the row of pianos(not destroying the nearby green
block will make things easier). Break your way and reach hard green
unbreakable wall on right. Ascend. Break a block and kill enemy in the little
enclosed cove. Watch out for dragon fire. Carefully climb to the top of the
horizontal row of 4 cracked blocks. Break the blue block and ascend hard blue
wall on left. Break green block on right. Climb up to the area containing
the sewer hole. When there is an opening, dig under the hole and go right. Dig
down along the hard blue wall on the right.
Stage 22: Climb up right side (maintaining damage control on cracks/breaks).
Find the break/seem and break a way through (be weary of dragon). Ascend the
right side (including the hard blue wall) and find exit under the 2 green
blocks. Watch for enemies.
Stage 23: Climb hard (unbreakable) blue wall on right. Go left through the 3
narrow horizontal (and highest) open channels. Ascend the hard blue wall on
left. Kill enemies. Climb sandstone, brick, and any other climbable
blocks/walls till you can ascend the hard blue wall on left again. Work your
way right and down to the door.
Stage 24: Ascend the right hard blue wall (after breaking a passage). Use
extreme caution to navigate around enemies and climb the hard blue wall on
the left. Break and climb as necessary till you run past sewer hole. When safe,
break blue block to door!! Remember, enemies can sometimes be avoided by
standing on a nail and allowing them to pass below.
Stage 25: Climb hard left blue wall. Break green blocks and traverse the
"maze" till you find the little cove (small room with a train and piano block).
Maintain damage control. Dig down and fall to the left of the hard blue
barrier on the right. Use map as necessary. Disregard the door powerup
(who wants to skip a level in a puzzle game?). Dig down to the sewer drain
hole. Carefully break green block and fall along the right blue hard wall.
Stage 26: Find green bolt on the left. Break the 3rd cracked block
(in relation to the floor). Use the screw powerup on the 4th cracked block
and stand on it. Fall-jump to the platform on the left, being weary of enemies
and dragon fire. Proceed left and shoot dragons when safe. It might help to
carefully destroy the middle green block for more room. Work your way to the
top/right and find door.
Stage 27: Climb hard blue wall and break through the green blocks on the
right.Go up and around and descend with care so you do not hit the enemy.
Plant a nail into the middle block and stand on it so the enemy can go to the
right. Break the block on the left and descend when safe. Climb blue hard wall
on right as far as possible and get to the small green platform (composed of
two green/shadowed blocks). Ascend upwards and use the row of 3 pianos to
plant a nail and find exit.
Stage 28: Climb hard blue wall on the left. Traverse through the "maze" and
watch out for enemies (shoot downward when falling). Near the end, climb up
right wall towards the sewer hole and exit being weary of enemies along the
way.
Stage 29: Collect 4 bomb powerfups on the left. Blow up the green block on the
top/right of the hard bricked block. Use nail techniques and avoid explosions
to blow up the other three green blocks directly above the one you just
destroyed. Collect additional powerups as appropriate. Watch for enemies and
minimize breakage of blocks. As always, watch the time (which is critical in
this stage). Bomb the green block "blocking" the open vertical passage.
Ascend this passage. Work your way until you are proceeding right on the
piano/crackblock floor. Break green block just above and ascend hard blue wall
on left. Watch dragon and BOMB the first green block (being weary of
regenerating dragon). Go down and BREAK the second green block so as can break
a way through the green blocks below on the right. Climb hard blue wall on the
right. Use train blocks/brick blocks to either BOMB a hole in the wall or the
ceiling to get to the exit. If you are short of a bomb (due to error), you can
still break carefully through the ceiling without one.
Stage 30: This boss was made famous by a special and certain Saigon Kick album.
Fight the lizard by jumping up and throwing nails at his teeth. As usual, be
careful of bullets.
Stage 31: Carefully Chip blue-blocks "top to bottom" to get to the
"train/piano" wall. Ascend and chip to the hard blue wall on the left and
ascend all the way to the top. Start digging down one of the center columns.
Dig around the fire and carefully drop the red enemy blockhead that is
barricading the way to the door. Watch out for dragons!! They can't ALL be
tamed like in the film Avatar. Be weary of time also on this one. Fall to door.
Stage 32: Ascend as per usual and locate the green screw (use map as
necessary). It might help to start the level by climbing the far right segment
first. Carefully jump over fire to plant a nail. Avoid the enemy that circles
nearby the powerup. Ascend until you are standing on the lone train block by
the chasm. Fall off and jump at the right moment to traverse through the
opening to find the exit (maybe use a horizontal nail on the train block for
added distance). If you fall and didn't get through the hole the first time,
make sure you land somewhere safe to try again.
Stage 33: First off, there is a bit of a "trick" you can do here to advance
about 4 stages at once. Just touch the door powerup, die, and repeat till you
only have the one guy left. Bingo! Use the four door powerups if you so desire
(but where is the fun in that?). Anyway, avoid the bullets and get to the left
ledge the dragon is walking on. Climb hard blue wall on the left.
Fall-shoot-jump on the upper part of the cracked wall being careful not to
fall. Dig into the narrow vertical chasm and avoid the bat. Carefully climb up
and break your way to the hard blue wall on the right. Climb up and go towards
the door (watch out for the bat). Use special green nail for added safety as
needed.
Stage 34: Jump carefully over fire pits. Ascend the hard blue wall on the left
and stand on the piano block. Move past the bat AND the other enemy. Ascend
the hard blue right wall all the way to the top. Break blocks nearby
(underneath) and prepare to fall down the chasm on the left while watching for
a two-block breakable seam on the left of the chasm and enter the channel.
Watch out for enemies here! Climb up and dig through the green floor blocks
when the enemy is out of the way. Break green blocks and find exit!
Stage 35: Watch for enemies and use the map as you fall and guide yourself to
the green block on the right side adjacent to the fire. Fall left off this
block and weave your way right past the fire and fall while facing against the
vertical steel blocks. Hold right, and at the right moment hop over the "brick
block" that is atop the steel column. Watch out for the bat below! A nail
might help gain height above the bat if necessary. Watch for enemies as you
break downward and find your way to the area where two blue blocks are
between/above two patches of fire. Clear one of the blue blocks and avoid the
fire. Break the floor and start to fall towards the door. Before you fall into
the fire, hop onto the train blocks. Be careful of bat/enemies. Find exit. I
have that if you try to finish the stage as quickly as possible the timing
and location of obstacles seems more forgiving (just an observation).
Stage 36: Randomly use your skills to ascend to the row of cracked bricks
where the bat hovers above. Climb the unbreakable vertical wall (top/right)
and break some blocks in the other two columns on the left to make your way
to the top of the row of the 3 train blocks. Proceed right and ascend the
hard blue wall on the right. When at the top, go left and collect the blue
bomb powerup. Efficiency dig (top to bottom) on both sets of green blocks
(However, make sure to leave the bottom two stacked green blocks intact
sitting atop the 4th train in the row which are to the bottom/right of the
exit if you look at the map. Also preserve the stack of two green blocks just
below the previous ones on the map (in sum, "work top to bottom" on both
sections of blocks while leaving both of the 2-block stacks intact).
CAREFULLY ascend the left side and make your way into the room with the stack
of 4 red block enemies. Prepare an escape route by digging through the blocks
on the floor just behind the stack of red enemies (but do NOT fall down this
escape hatch until you make the stack of enemies start to fall). As the
enemies are falling, go down the escape hatch and backtrack to the top/right.
Bomb one of the 2 green blocks that are blocking your way and fall off the
high green block and jump to the door.
Stage 37: Ascend up the starting corridor using various jumping techniques as
per usual. Drop the red robot enemy. Minimize breakage and use hard blue walls
as much as possible. Climb all the way to the top. Efficiency-dig (top to
bottom) and clean the blocks and work your way between the two metal girders.
Release enemies along the way and go down until you reach the chasm between
the unbreakable walls (perma-blocks). Drop down and watch our for enemies as
you fall to the exit (weave left, right, left, etc).
Stage 38: Use the "piton gliding" technique (or try planting a spike low on
the upper block and medium high on the low block). Use the train blocks and
reach the 2nd door from the bottom (watch for enemies and bats).
Stage 39: Drop both red enemies. Plant a nail in the ground on the green block
to the right of the blockhead enemy and stand on it if the robot comes towards
you. Keep going left. Fall off green block and jump over lava. Drop the red
enemy block if necessary. Go towards door!!
Stage 40: I am not sure exactly what kind of animal this is. But instead of
taking notes on a new species of gopher, it is probably a better idea to hone
a fighting stance (unless you can find a science-grade observation booth in
the next 1 and 1/2 seconds). Use nails to climb the walls and jump over the
"gopher" and shoot a nail downward into his cap as you are in the air. Dodge
bullets as before. When defeated, don't let good food go to waste and send the
animal to the meat market.
Stage 41: Ascend the shaft and stay left to avoid the enemy. Fall off complex
and get the bomb powerup on the bottom. Use piton climbing to get back up to
the complex. Nearby blocks might offer some safety (in a war-torn world).
Watch for enemies when you descend back into the complex. Use the bomb as
appropriate to get to the door. If you found the bomb and died before you
could use it, the bomb will carry over and you can go straight to the door
(whilst avoiding all the climbing) and use it (providing that you have
additional lives in reserve).
Stage 42: Climb up using the various skills as per usual and find the top
right door. Avoid enemies along the way. Rather easy for being this near the
end of the game if you ask me (but I am certainly not complaining).
Stage 43: Grab powerup towards the right. Use it on the blue block above. Run
to safety. Return back and collect the 2 power-ups. Break the green block
below. Drop the red stack of block enemies (don't bother insulting them by
calling them block-heads, as they take that as a compliment). Return left and
climb. Break the clutter of blocks (top to bottom) making sure to leave the
top/left green and the nearest bottom/right blue block intact. Use green
needle when necessary. Drop left set of red enemy blocks to a single block and
then do the same with the right set of enemy blocks (using a bomb on the
top/left blue block). The block/space under the intact blue block can be used
for safety from the explosion. As per usual, always minimize unnecessary
breaking/cracking of blocks. Get through the top gap. Climb up the "brick"
wall and break bricks "top to bottom" only until three blocks are destroyed.
You want the green one to stand on so you can fall to the right, shoot a
nail into blue wall, and jump on the nail above the low patch of fire to
break through. Carefully proceed to the right, climb bricked-blocks, and
proceed to stand atop the two "brick" blocks. Shoot a nail into the left blue
block and fall-jump to get the bomb powerup. Get back to the bricked platform
and carefully shoot a bomb at the ceiling whilst maintaining a safe distance
from explosion. Find door.
Stage 44: Go left and work your way to the bomb powerup. Coming from the left,
destroy blocks (top to bottom) just to the right. Leave the three blue blocks
just to the right of the steel blocks that resemble an "F" formation so you
can make it up through the secret gap. Carefully drop the 3 sets of blockheads
down (using a bomb on the second and using the "avalanche" technique on the
3rd. Climb the perma-blocks (slang for unbreakable blocks) and shoot a nail
into the block above the low fire. Clear the other block at the same time and
go through the narrow channel without falling into the fire. Drop the right
blockhead. Drop the left set of red block enemies to the lone green block.
Destroy the block and while in the air quickly go over the stack and onto the
ledge. In this level "clearing the air" is a very figurative "figure of
speech"! Now go to the door (and don't let it kick you on the butt on the way
out).
Stage 45: Drop red block enemy. Climb "bricks" and destroy lone green block.
Drop left red block enemies while sliding left onto the green column. Dig
down. Progress upwards and very carefully jump over red block enemies (dip
into them just a bit before you hit the jump button). Find two bombs. Return
back to sewer-hole section/area (after breaking the green block in the way).
Bomb through lone green block that is in the way. Watch for enemies and
minimize breakage as you ascend upwards. Bomb the block above the shadowed
metal unbreakable blue block. Find safety with a perma-block of some kind.
Return to the same (shadowed) unbreakable block and "fall-shoot-jump" towards
the right and bomb the top blue block. Find safety with a perma-block. Get to
the top of the two columns of "brick" blocks. Cut through the breakable blocks
but LEAVE the green block under the 1st steel block intact. Use a floor nail
and drop the red (left) dude. Use the green block you preserved before to
get to the door.
Note: The only way I know how to get to the end of the game from this point is
to complete levels 46, 47, and 48 in one continue (so that the excess bombs
from 46 carry over into the next 2 stages). This can be very challenging, but
it is possible.
Stage 46: Climb the high left hard blue wall to the top. Use
efficiency-breaking (top to bottom) on the left set of blocks. Repeat on the
right side set of blocks (walk on ceiling to reach them). Dig through the
passage (break the blue block). Break the green block to the right of the blue
block. Leave the green block intact at the bottom of the passage. Break more
blocks and collect the three bombs. Now, intentionally die (yea, it seems
crazy). Repeat the process and collect the three bombs again. Die again
(you gotta be kidding, right?). Collect the three bombs again (for a total of
9 bombs) but DON'T die! It is time to break that "nasty habit." Now, backtrack
out towards the top/right and hopefully the enemy ball-guy who resides in the
chasm on the right will be close and come by and you can shoot him (or her as
the case may be). Fall down the long chasm and watch for the large set of
breakable blocks on the left. Destroy these "top to bottom" as usual and use
two bombs on the blue blocks to locate the 3rd door. Time is crucial on this
stage.
Note: a faster way to amass 9 bombs is to simply dig "top to bottom" ONLY the
left set of blocks delineated above. Now, plant a nail on the VERY EDGE of the
blue block standing in the way of the 3 bomb powerups and jump on the vertical
nail.
Note: Similarly, near the end of the stage you can also use this "edge trick"
to avoid wasting any bombs on the 2 blue blocks en route to the exit. This can
be very helpful when completing the next two stages.
Stage 47: Drop red enemy block. Run under him carefully. Use a bomb on the
high blue block (stand on a nail). Carefully use the "avalanche technique" to
make the blockheads fall while also landing on the steel block above.Carefully
drop the other set by breaking the green block below and return to the steel
block without falling. Carefully jump to the right and throw a bomb into the
green block "blocking" the passageway. Shoot a nail while standing on the
steel block into the bricked wall on the left and jump on the nail. Shoot
another nail while standing on the previous nail and jump to the nail. Shoot a
third nail into the wall while standing on the second nail. Fall to the right
and jump at the right moment to wedge into the little crevice (it seems to
help to error on the side of jumping late than early). Shoot a second bomb
into the next block and fall out of the crevice and jump back to the left
steel block (to avoid that awful TNT aftertaste). After the explosion, return
back to the crevice as before. Use 3rd bomb on blue block. Go up and find the
vertical column of cracked blocks. Fall along it and land yourself in the
opening underneath. Leave blocks 2 and 4 near the cracked wall intact (in
relation to the ground). Drop the red guys and collect powerups if possible.
Use a bomb to drop the upper most red block enemy from blocking the passage to
the door. Go back to the blocks you left intact and find the exit!!
Stage 48: Use the "piton gliding" technique to work your way up/right. Or, if
you have 6 bombs, you can use two bombs to create an entrance into the area
above the difficult jumps and avoid some of this frustration altogether. If
the green block becomes destroyed when doing this, it is possible to still
ascend the seemingly unreachable block. Just place an upright nail near the
very edge of the block you are standing on and hop on it to gain some height.
Now, avoid the enemies and drop the pile of red block enemies. Use 4 bombs to
destroy a path to the door FROM THE LEFT. Watch out for duds or bombs that
don't explode (i.e. nails replace themselves if you shoot too often). You
might need a horizontal nail extension for extra distance when getting to the
door.
Stage 49. Collect the powerup after falling (leave the low green block intact).
Clear the up/right assortment of blocks (top to bottom as per usual). Dig
downward by clearing the green and blue blocks. Jump on the lone steel block
and fall to the right of it. Destroy the block right above the fire and skip
over the fire. Make the other stack (left) of red blockheads fall and quickly
fall to the right and avoid them. Make the other stack fall over the fire you
skipped over before. Climb the bricked wall and "piton glide" upward. Go
through the narrow channel to the left. Carefully climb the wall to the doors.
You may need to "piton glide" a bit. Bomb the barrier and enter the top right
door.
Stage 50: Rats!! It is another boss........and he just so happens to be a rat.
Hit rat from underneath and avoid bullets as usual. Watch as he seems to like
to jump in the corners. Hit him 10 times. Hopefully you defeated it before it
spread any disease.
Stage 51: It is a good thing Dirk the Daring is not here (from Dragon's Lair).
He may experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when there is another mean
scary dragon in his midst. Thankfully, this time it is a boy in over-alls with
pockets full of nails. Hit the dragon in the head (aim for the horn) from
above and avoid bullets as usual. You may have to learn to jump over his
bouncing bullets at the right moment, as they are more difficult to doge than
usual. Remember the time limit!! It is crucial here.
