<Nightmare Castle FAQ - Your guide to the River Styx of Puzzles.>
< Written by: Thomas Holt, ©2003 >
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1A)Intent of this Guide
B)Copyright Information
C)About the Author
D)Version
2)Pre-guide information
3i)Disaster Fire
ii)Disaster Light
iii)Disaster Water
iv)Disaster Wind
v)Disaster Earth
vi)Disaster Moon
vii)Disaster Luck
=============================================================================
1A)INTENT OF THIS GUIDE
The main purpose of this guide is to help people through the possibly
hellishly difficult final dungeon, though not because of bosses. When I went
through the final dungeon, I was irritated because of the annoyance a few
puzzles caused me. Namely, Disaster Light's ones. The bosses themselves are
not particularily difficult, and I reiterate - it's the puzzles.
B)COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
This document is Copyright 2003 Thomas Holt. It may be not be reproduced
under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be
placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance
written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part
of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.
C)ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Quick little tidbit about me. My name is naturally, Thomas Holt - though I go
by Tom. I'm mainly into RPGs, but spend most of my time with Final Fantasy
Tactics, and the gameboy version of that game. Challenge nut I am, though I
haven't completed many. Only one. Anyhow, yeah. If you want to contact me,
e-mail me at
[email protected]. I'd give away my AIM, but I'm
always on privacy. >D
D)Version
1.01 - Fixed alignment on the second Disaster Fire puzzle, and also added in
the solution for the first Disaster Fire puzzle. Thanks, Andvareel.
1.00 - Uploaded the FAQ, had most things well and done. But all was not well
in the neighbourhood.
=============================================================================
2)PRE-GUIDE INFORMATION
First off, when reading through this, don't expect boss strategies. I'm only
writing this to help along with the puzzles and such that can get
irritatingly frustrating. However, in future, I may provide boss strategies.
For now, all I can say is bring along elemental ward rings. Now, let's jump
into the FAQ, for I'm itching for some.. stitching?
=============================================================================
3i)
Disaster Fire Sequence:
How to get there: Top-right door. There are four braziers (candle thingies)
near the door, one not lit. Use the Tindercrest on the un-lit one. Door opens
First Puzzle: Three valves, with corresponding platforms. Each valve moves
certain platforms. To get by, turn the left valve to the left
once, turn the right valve to the right once, and turn the
middle valve twice in any direction. (Thanks to Andvareel)
Second Puzzle: More like a room. Activate the switch to the right on the
platform with the boomerang, then stand at the very edge of
the ledge. Just as the last moving platform goes in, hit
square for the gale crest. That should do the trick.
After that, you'll be underneath a moving grappling hook
platform. Wait until the shadow is about to touch Clive's
coat, then hit Square.
Next, there's a brown platform, differing from the check
pattern. Switch to Jet and the Radical Sneakers, and jump
until you're even with the bottom platform. Go through the
door and fight Disaster Fire.
--------------
ii)
Disaster Light Sequence:
How to get there: Lower-left door. Near the top-left door, there's 4 statues.
Put on the mighty gloves and pull out the third statue down
Door opens.
First Puzzle:Four gravestones, each with a clue, tablet to the south.
Grave 1: The primordial impulse, the Surge of Gaia. The Vassim blacksmiths,
with Flames in hand, are the first to embrace this primordial chaos
Grave 2: As time goes by, the demons descend to benumb the humans and Elws
with their cold power
Grave 3: A man comes forth seeking change. Entrusted by the people, he
becomes an advocate of the future
Grave 4: The demons used the dragons to devastate the planet, causing grief
to many
Grave 1 means Tindercrest, Grave 2 means Freezer Doll, Grave 3 means
Changecrest, Grave 4 means Boomerang. On the S Tablet, use those in the
following order: 1, 2, 4, 3
Second Puzzle: 9 blocks to be arranged in pattern seen on previous platform.
Numbers are the blocks, the letters are free spaces.
Starting Positions
N
12345
a.....
b.123.
c.456.
d.789.
e.....
Each number is a block, and I'll tell you where to stand. So say I want you
to move block 1 to e5 while standing on e4. I'd write e4 - 1 to e5
a2 - 1 to a1
a3 - 2 to a2
b2 - 2 to b3
e2 - 7 to e1
c1 - 4 to d1
c2 - 5 to b2
b1 - 5 to c1
c2 - 5 to c3
d2 - 4 to c2
e4 - 9 to e5
c5 - 6 to d5
d4 - 6 to c4
e3 - 8 to e4
d4 - 8 to d3
a4 - 3 to a5
b5 - 3 to b4
b1 - 1 to b2
d1 - 7 to d2
d5 - 9 to d4
--------------
iii)
Disaster Water Sequence:
How to get there: See that crystal pyramid switch? Grab the little boxes
which have the light in the center and throw it at that.
Door opens.
First Puzzle: Simple enough. See that brown square? Step on it, and a path
will start to appear in front of you. Walk the path, and
quickly, for the path behind you is disappearing as the path
appears. Don't be too quickly, though - walk steadily, only
stopping briefly when you need to look at the path for a second
Second Puzzle: Same as the first. Change crest with the white crystal in
front of you, then step on the switch. At the first junction,
take the left path, at the second junction, take the left path
again. At the end, when you see the door and a white crystal,
change crest the crystal, and bam. Homefree.
--------------
iv)
Disaster Wind Sequence:
How to get there: Near the bottom-left, there are two switches. Walk up to
one and hit X to activate it, then switch to Gallows and
the steady doll, and use it to press the other. Door opens.
First Puzzle: A door puzzle, fun. No matter of perspective here, just make it
so that the needle of the compass points north, and go in the
following doors in the following order:
Left door, Upper door, Right door, Bottom door, Left door
Second Puzzle: Top door, Top-right door, Left door.
--------------
v)
Disaster Earth Sequence:
How to get there: Between the door for Disaster Wind and Disaster Light,
there's a wooden pole. At the top of it - a crystal switch.
Switch to Clive and the Grappling Hook, and activate the
switch. Door opens.
First Puzzle: 10 big blocks arranged in a haphazard manner, and blocking your
way. It's hard to draw a diagram for this, but I'll try.
123456789
a11...22..
b1133.2244
c..3355.44
d.66.5577.
e.6688.77.
f...8899..
g..00.99..
h..00.....
Yes, it's confusing. No, there's not much I can do about it. Each number
is a segment of the block. If I want you to move block 4 up 5 times while
you're standing in square d9, I'd say d9 - 4 UP 5 TIMES.
h2 - 0 RIGHT 1 TIME
c3 - 6 DOWN 3 TIMES
d3 - 3 UP 1 TIME
d9 - 4 UP 1 TIME
c7 - 5 LEFT 2 TIMES
Second Puzzle: 11 big blocks arranged in a haphazard manner, and blocking
your way. Again, hard to draw the diagram.
123456789
a..11..22.
b33114422.
c33..4455.
d...66.55.
e.776688..
f.77..8899
g..00.++99
h..00.++..
h5 - 0 LEFT 1 TIME
h8 - + LEFT 2 TIMES
c4 - 6 DOWN 1 TIME
d6 - 8 DOWN 2 TIMES
--------------
vi)
Disaster Moon Sequence:
How to get there: After doing all the previous doors, you'll notice there's
one left, with a crack in it. Switch to Clive and Bombs,
and lay a bomb there. Door opens.
First Puzzle: Pull out Gallows' freezer doll. See the little spiky head thing
in front of you? Shoot the freezy stuff at it. You'll get a
glimpse of the floor. Walk along the floor, all the while
checking your path by using the freezer doll on the spiky head.
You'll make it across eventually. Make sure to move slowly, and
take it a step at a time, so you don't walk off a ledge.
Second Puzzle: Same as the first, but a lot more complicated. It might take
you a bit, as the path is a bit more weaving than the first.
--------------
vii)
Disaster Luck Sequence:
How to get there: This one took me a while to get. At the top of the stairs
is a door that's open, and always open. You go in that door
First Puzzle: Walk down the hallway. It's not as hard as it may look.
Second Puzzle: You'll find a door. The game will ask you if you want to go
through. Answer 1, "Open the door and confront the enemy."
-------------
Thus concludes this walk through the Nightmare Castle, the hell of puzzles.
Have fun beating the game, and enjoy the ending - not the greatest, but hey,
it's still good, right?
Credits:
Thanks to Andvareel, for providing the solution to the valve puzzle of
Disaster Fire. Stupid me, forgetting to write that down.
Fin~
