================================================================================
[ Sonic Blast Man FAQ ]
System: SNES
Genre: Brawler
Developer: Taito
Release Date: Feb. 1992
FAQ Author: Andreas Mavromatis
================================================================================
==== TABLE OF CONTENTS ====
(Search for the index in [brackets] to quickly jump to a section)
==[A0.]== What is Sonic Blast Man?
==[A1.]== What is a "brawler"?
==[A2.]== Why should I play Sonic Blast Man?
==[A3.]== "Story"
==[C0.]== Controls
==[C1.]== Move List
==[I0.]== Items
==[T0.]== Tips and General Strategies
==[T1.]== Explanation of Terms
==[T2.]== General Strategies
==[E0.]== Enemies
==[E1.]== Stage 1 Enemies
==[E2.]== Stage 2 Enemies
==[E3.]== Stage 3 Enemies
==[E4.]== Stage 4 Enemies
==[E5.]== Stage 5 Enemies
==[B0.]== Bosses
==[B1.]== Stage 1 Boss
==[B2.]== Stage 2 Boss
==[B3.]== Stage 3 Boss
==[B4.]== Stage 4 Boss
==[B5.]== Stage 5 Boss
==[H0.]== Hit Stage
==[W0.]== Walkthrough
==[W1.]== Stage 1: DEFEAT THE VILLAINS AND SAVE THE TOWN
==[W2.]== Stage 2: DESTROY THE FACTORY
==[W3.]== Stage 3: EXTERMINATE THE HIDEOUS THING THAT HAS RISEN FROM THE
SEWAGE
==[W4.]== Stage 4: DEFEAT THE MAD SCIENTIST
==[W5.]== Stage 5: DEFEAT THE STRANGE LIVING THING ATTACKING THE SPACE
STATION
==[R0.]== Region Differences
==[F0.]== Frequently Asked Questions
==[L0.]== Legal Disclaimer
==[A0.]== What is Sonic Blast Man? =============================================
Sonic Blast Man was originally a weird arcade game from Japan in which
you used a boxing glove attached to the machine to hit the screen with actual
physical strength. There are five levels, and on each level you get to punch
the screen three times. Your score for that level is the sum of the three
punches. The "levels" are really just some animated images depicting outrageous
scenarios that demand powerful punching to rectify.
Sonic Blast Man on the SNES, on the other hand, is a criminally over-
looked brawler that has been overshadowed by better-known (and in some cases,
legitimately better) games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in
Time, Final Fight, and of course, the cream of the crop, Streets of Rage II.
Regardless, Sonic Blast Man holds its own with unique gameplay mechanics and
a lot of style.
Why is Sonic Blast Man so obscure? I can only offer theories because
there is extremely little information about this game on the internet. So, I
know this isn't really necessarily fact, but here goes: Sonic Blast Man came out
in February of 1992, a little under a year after Final Fight came out for the
SNES. Because the SNES version of Final Fight was single player only unlike the
arcade version (not to mention it was missing a character and a level), many
gamers and critics panned this version of the game. Other developers saw this as
a huge weakness, and started making brawlers of their own as fast as they could
to provide a multiplayer home console brawler and outsell Final Fight. However,
Sonic Blast Man is also single player, so it was probably immediately dismissed
as nothing more than a Final Fight clone. Here's the thing, though: This game
actually has much deeper gameplay than Final Fight, and (I feel) much better
music as well.
==[A1.]== What is a "brawler"? =================================================
A "brawler" is a type of game that was popularized in arcades in the mid-
nineties that focused on fighting a large number of enemies at the same time,
usually with your bare fists, usually in some sort of urban area, and usually
offering co-op gameplay. These games were popular because they were sort of a
cooperative version of fighting games like Street Fighter 2. They share a lot of
gameplay mechanics such as timing, spacing, crowd control, nuanced attacks, and
of course, punching people in the face. (See section [T0.] for an explanation of
all these terms.) From an art perspective, brawlers are appealing because they
usually have huge, detailed sprites and cool urban backgrounds, two things not a
lot of other games have. From a gameplay perspective, they offer a lot of depth,
challenge, and replayability (because situations can play out differently each
time you play.)
A lot of games are miscategorized as "brawlers" when they're actually
just action platformers (a key example of this is "Bad Dudes.") The key gameplay
mechanic that defines brawlers isn't punching; it's the fact that you fight on a
2D plane and can move vertically as well as horizontally, and also jump up. So
there are three dimensions to consider instead of two. This vertical movement
is the very core of any brawler's gameplay. Mastering moving vertically is key
to both dodging enemy attacks and positioning yourself to grab or punch enemies.
An excellent game that illustrates the distinction between these two genres is
Legend of the Mystical Ninja for the SNES. The normal levels in that game are
brawler levels (i.e. they offer vertical movement as well as jumping) but the
boss areas are action platformers (you can only move left, right, and jump,
like in Super Mario Bros. Pressing up and down does nothing.)
Brawlers have been unfairly maligned as "button mashers" by most people.
Meaning that their combat is so shallow that all you have to do is "mash the
buttons" randomly in order to win. For a good example of this, the 3D Zelda
games have classic "button masher" combat. With the exception of stronger
enemies and bosses which actually necessitated timing and positioning, most
enemies in those games can be easily beaten by simply "mashing" the attack
button quickly with no sort of skill or challenge. A good brawler, on the other
hand, actually has very deep combat that requires the player to learn several
skills and strategically apply them as the situation demands. What I'm getting
at is that most brawlers are NOT button mashers, so don't call them that. Rest
assured, Sonic Blast Man is not a button masher, and offers excellent, skill-
based gameplay.
Oh, and please use the term "brawler" instead of "beat-em-up." The latter is
a word that a mom would use, and really brings down the coolness factor of the
genre. And one final thing. A "clone" is not the same thing as a "rip-off". A
clone is a game that is designed to be literally identical to its source, such
as a PC version of Pac Man. A "rip-off", on the other hand, copies much of the
gameplay and design decisions of its source, but makes an effort to be unique in
certain ways. Therefore, stop calling every brawler a "Final Fight clone". They
are actually "Final Fight rip-offs", which really isn't a bad thing. In fact,
Streets of Rage was created specifically to compete with Final Fight, and the
main character in that game fights almost identically to Cody from Final Fight.
But, despite being "rip-offs", the Streets of Rage series greatly surpassed
Final Fight across the board, with far deeper gameplay, way more imaginative
levels, better designed enemies and characters, and infinitely better music. So,
there's nothing wrong with ripping something off if you do it well. Just to be
clear, Sonic Blast Man is a "rip-off" of Final Fight, NOT a "clone". And in the
same way as Streets of Rage, Sonic Blast Man's combat is actually way deeper
than Final Fight.
==[A2.]== Why should I play Sonic Blast Man? ===================================
Here are the main qualities that define Sonic Blast Man:
[x] SNES brawler
[x] Goofy style
[x] Steep challenge
[x] Deep gameplay that requires skill and focus
[x] Virtually no coherent story
[x] Single-player only
If any of those qualities are dealbreakers for you, you probably should
not play this game. Nor should you expect it to be the end-all-be-all of the
genre (that would be Streets of Rage II or the Remake). You should play Sonic
Blast Man if you'd like to try out an obscure but pretty good retro action game.
If you're like me and you love brawlers but lament their apparent death as a
serious genre, this game will probably be an extremely pleasant surprise. And
there's also a sequel to try out once you're done with this one. But this one is
better overall.
"THE HERO OF JUSTICE HAS ARRIVED FROM A PLANET FAR AWAY TO PROTECT THE
EARTH. HIS NAME IS... SONIC BLAST MAN"
That's the text that scrolls on the title screen. Here's the only text that
even seems story-related from the U.S. instruction manual:
"THE BLAST MAN: Danger transforms you into Sonic Blast Man. You will charge
into battle using your Dynamite Punch and other skills to defend people who are
being threatened by vicious criminals."
The reason that I put "story" in quotations is that there is no story. It
doesn't matter. This game isn't about story. It's about gameplay, graphics,
sound, and most importantly, fun. It doesn't matter WHY Sonic Blast Man is
punching people; what's really important is HOW he's punching people and WHAT
the game feels like. And it feels good.
[LEFT and RIGHT] Move horizontally
[UP and DOWN] Move vertically (sidestepping)
[Y] Attack
[B] Jump
[A] Screw Bomb
[L] Activate Dynamite Punch
[R] Deactivate Dynamite Punch
[START] Pause game
==[C1.]== Move List ============================================================
Please note that I used the official names of moves that could be found in
the U.S. instruction manual, but I made up names for ones that weren't.
== Sidestep ================================================================
Press up or down on the D-pad.
Mastering this move is key to getting good at any brawler. You need to be
constantly moving up and down on the screen, because enemies will quickly
home into your vertical position and beat the crap out of you. You need to
sidestep enemies to both dodge enemy attacks as well as initiate attacks of
your own by sidestepping into enemies to grapple them. If you find that
you're getting unfairly surrounded and beaten all the time, it's because
you're not sidestepping enough. You should practice for five minutes just
dodging enemies on the screen without fighting back at all. Once you under-
stand how to use this move effectively, all brawlers will become much more
managable, and you'll appreciate them as much greater than mere "button
mashers". Balancing attacking with sidestepping is the key.
== Sonic Rush ==============================================================
Press [Y] repeatedly.
Quickly jab in front of you. If you hit the enemy five times in a row,
you'll automatically execute a Power Grapple, leading to heavy damage. This
move is what you'll be using almost all of the time. Learn how much range it
has, because most enemies have attacks that have longer range. Note that
there is a glitch(?) where if you punch two enemies very close to one
another, you will keep alternating punching the two of them and therefore
will not punch the same one five times in a row, and will NOT execute your
power grapple as expected. However, this is actually better because punching
infinitely is by far the fastest way to do damage. So try to punch very
close enemies as much as possible. Finally, it is safest to use this move
out of a Grapple, but some enemies dodge when you do this.
== Jump ====================================================================
Press [B] while standing.
You jump. Duh. Jumping in place can be used sometimes to dodge certain
attacks (such as grenades) but it's usually better to just dodge it by
sidestepping instead. Jumping while pressing left or right, however, is your
fastest way of moving around. I find jumping across the screen useful when
there's a stunned enemy on the other side of the screen and I need to get to
him before he recovers.
== Flip Kick ===============================================================
Press [Y] while jumping.
Unlike pretty much every other brawler in existence, the jump kick move in
Sonic Blast Man is extremely unsafe and requires precise timing. You should
only use this move when (A.) you're jumping across the screen, because
you're already vulnerable and it couldn't hurt, or (B.) you're fighting a
boss that necessitates this move (it is the ONLY way to hurt the stage 4
boss besides Dynamite Punches.) You can execute this move while jumping in
place, which is a little safer, and easier to time. But you probably should
use other attacks instead.
== Grapple =================================================================
Walk into an enemy.
To throw enemies, you must initiate a Grapple (grab them). You do this by
simply walking into them. Of course, if you walk straight at somebody, you
are liable to get rocked in the face. So sidestepping goes a long way
towards grabbing enemies safely. Also know when enemies are vulnerable to
grabs (this is almost always at the end of an attack.) Note that rather than
throw an enemy out of a grab, if you don't press any direction and press [Y]
you will go into your Sonic Rush combo. This is the best way to capitalize
on a Grapple, because the punch combo does a lot of damage and leads to a
Power Grapple, which leads to even more damage. Only use throws out of a
Grapple if enemies are near and you need to knock them away. Note that if
you hold onto an enemy for too long without punching or throwing, they can
escape and counter-attack. Some enemies can escape faster than others. Some-
times you might want to strategically wait a little bit to make sure you hit
enemies with your throws. Just keep in mind which enemies escape quickly.
== One Handed Throw ========================================================
Hold [UP or DOWN] and press [Y] while Grappling an enemy.
Sonic Blast Man wags the grabbed enemy in front of him and then throws him
over his shoulder in the opposite direction. This move hits enemies both in
front of and behind you and therefore has excellent crowd control. However,
it does pathetic damage (about as much as a single punch) and should only
be used if a bunch of enemies are nearby and need to be knocked away. Some-
times if it knocks enemies into critical health it will stun them, but not
always.
== Power Punch =============================================================
Hold [LEFT or RIGHT] and press [Y] while Grappling an enemy.
Sonic Blast Man punches the enemy rapidly, knocking them forward. This move
is nearly useless. It does pathetic damage (around two punches) and does not
knock other enemies back, therefore it's useless as both a damage-dealer and
a crowd control move. The only situation where it's useful is when you can
use it to knock the enemy into critical AND keep them on screen (your back
throw would knock them offscreen, and enemies knocked offscreen can't be
stunned.) But besides that rare situation, do NOT use this awful move. Such
a shame because it looks really kewl.
== Power Grapple (The Knock Out) ===========================================
Punch the same enemy five times in a row quickly.
The Power Grapple looks the same as a normal Grapple but you actually do
different (and much better) throws out of it. You want to Power Grapple as
much as possible because it's where you'll do the majority of your damage.
Like the Grapple, enemies can escape from it if you don't decide quickly,
but unlike the Grapple, punching without pressing a direction does nothing.
== Sonic Uppercut ==========================================================
Hold [UP] and press [Y] while Power Grappling an enemy.
Sonic Blast Man uppercuts the enemy and shoots a wave of energy directly in
front of him which travels across the screen. Don't use this move just to
hit enemies in front of you, because the Wind Up Punch also does that but
does way more damage. This move is useful because if you knock an enemy into
critical with it, it stuns them 100% of the time, and also it keeps them in
place with no chance of knocking them off the screen (where they can't be
stunned.) So, you want to use this move only to stun enemies that are near
critical state. It does far less damage than other Power Grapple throws, but
if you stun the enemy with it the resulting Airplane Throw will guaranteed
kill them. When Power Grappling an enemy, look at their health bar. If it
is under the "Y" in "ENEMY" then you can be sure that a Sonic Uppercut will
stun them, making this the best throw in that situation. Note that sometimes
if you are at the very edge of the screen this move will stun enemies but
they will be just out of your grasp and you will be unable to Grapple them.
== Judo Throw ==============================================================
Hold [DOWN] and press [Y] while Power Grappling an enemy.
Sonic Blast Man throws his grabbed enemy backwards, judo-style. This is your
second most damaging throw, and it also has good crowd control, but only
behind you. Additionally, this is your only Power Grapple throw that can't
be blocked, so it's your most useful throw against enemies that can do that
(see the Enemies section.) If the enemy's health bar is slightly past the
"Y" in "ENEMY", this throw will knock them into critical condition. Of
course, because it throws them far, be sure that you're close to the
opposite side of the screen, otherwise you'll throw them offscreen and they
won't get stunned.
== Wind Up Punch ===========================================================
Hold [LEFT or RIGHT] and press [Y] while Power Grappling an enemy.
Sonic Blast Man spins his arm around like DK in Super Smash Bros. and
unleashes a powerful haymaker that sends his grabbed enemy flying forwards
off the screen. This is your single most powerful throw, so it's effective
against enemies with a lot of health (especially certain bosses.) Also, it
is guaranteed to kill an enemy who is in critical condition. However, since
it always knocks enemies offscreen, it can never stun them. It can also be
blocked. You should use this throw instead of Sonic Uppercut if your goal is
to knock back enemies in front of you, because it does a lot more damage.
== Airplane Throw ==========================================================
Walk into a stunned enemy then press [Y].
Sonic Blast Man grabs the enemy, spins them around in a full circle, and
then throws them, killing them 100% of the time. You can only use this move
on stunned enemies, but it's the best move in the game because it kills the
target and also has a lot of crowd control with a surprisingly big range.
Therefore, a huge part of this game is stunning enemies so that you can use
this move. When grabbing them, you might want to wait for a second until
enemies get near so that you're sure you'll hit them. If you stun multiple
enemies, be sure to Airplane Throw the first one you stunned because other-
wise he will recover while you throw the other one. If done quickly enough,
you can Airplane Throw two enemies (you'll often get this opportunity after
a Dynamite Punch). Note that you can never Airplane Throw bosses because
they cannot be stunned.
== Screw Bomb ==============================================================
Press [A].
Sonic Blast Man jumps in place and spins around with his arms stretched out,
doing slight damage but knocking back all enemies in a large range. When
Sonic Blast Man lands, he will be stunned for about three seconds. This is
this game's equivalent of "desperation" moves that almost every other
brawler has, which hit all around you but also damage your character. This
move doesn't damage you, but if you fail to hit all enemies with it, it is
likely you will get attacked while stunned afterwards. Also, sometimes even
if you hit all enemies, they'll still get you while stunned. You should only
use this move if you're overwhelmed, or are about to get hit. It's better
to use this move and take your chances than to eat an enemy attack. Also,
this move can stun enemies, but it does very little damage so don't count on
it. Try to get in the habit of spamming the [A] button if you see an enemy
attack coming but don't have enough time to move out of the way.
== Dynamite Punch ==========================================================
After pressing [L], press [Y]. Or press [R] to deactivate D. Punch mode.
Sonic Blast Man charges up energy in his fist, then strikes the ground with
a force of 100 MegaTons while yelling "Take that!" This strongly damages all
enemies on screen and knocks them back. You get three Dynamite Punches with
every life. If you're about to die and still have D. Punches left, be sure
to use them all before dying, lest they go to waste. It's also a good idea
to throw a Dynamite Punch right at the beginning of a wave of enemies that
seems very powerful. This move does even more damage than a Wind Up Punch
and also stuns enemies, but usually knocks them offscreen where they won't
be stunned. Try to use this move when most of the enemies are at the center
of the screen so they'll land onscreen and get stunned. This move is also a
good way to wear down boss health. You should probably use up all the
Dynamite Punches you have right when you start the boss if you're not good
enough to beat them without dying, because bosses do a lot of damage and are
likely to kill you while you still have Dynamite Punches left. Using this
move at strategic points makes all the difference in beating a hard level.
Try not to use multiple Dynamite Punches on the same wave of enemies unless
you're about to die or are otherwise getting your ass kicked. Note that
after pressing [L], you will flash yellow and can unleash a Dynamite Punch
when standing on the ground, but cannot use any of your other attacks. Press
[R] to deactivate D. Punch mode if you wanna go back to your regular moves.
This section lists out the various items you can pick up in the game. Note
that certain enemies carry items and barrels always carry items. The type of
item you get is completely random within a certain list of possible items (see
walkthrough). Something that's kinda funny is that the items here are a combi-
nation of Streets of Rage and Final Fight items. If you played those games you'd
know what I'm talking about. Anyway, here are the items.
[x] Apple: Restores about a fifth of your health
[x] Hamburger: Restores a little less than half your health
[x] Turkey: Restores all your health
[x] Small Coin Pouch:
[x] Large Coin Pouch:
[x] Sonic Blast Helmet: Gives you an extra life
[x] Sonic Blast Glove: Gives you an extra Dynamite Punch
==[T0.]== Tips and General Strategies ==========================================
This section will break down how brawlers are played, give general tips on
beating this game in particular, and explain technical terms.
==[T1.]== Explanation of Terms =================================================
[x] Spacing: Strategically placing yourself at a specific distance
from your enemies, either for offense or defense. For
example, keeping enemies within your punching range.
[x] Crowd Control: Dealing with large groups of enemies attacking you at
the same time. An example of CC is keeping all enemies
on the same side of you so that you don't get attacked
from behind. "Crowd Control" can also be an adjective.
For example, the Judo Throw has good "Crowd Control"
because it can knock down large groups of enemies.
[x] Knockdown: The ability of an attack to knock an enemy on his ass.
Enemies cannot attack while grounded and most of them
are vulnerable to attack while recovering.
[x] Anti-Wakeup: A term I stole from Soul Calibur, Anti-Wakeup means
attacking your opponent while he is trying to get up off
the ground. Some enemies attack while recovering, so
this is not effective against them (see section.)
[x] Stun: Unique to Sonic Blast Man, Stunning enemies causes them
to sit prone with stars around their heads for a short
time. During this state, enemies cannot attack nor can
they be attacked by normal attacks. However, if you go
up and grab them, you will unleash your Airplane Throw
which always kills them. Certain moves cause Stun (see
Move List section above.)
[x] Sidestep: Moving up and down "vertically" in a brawler. This is
always accomplished by pressing [UP] and [DOWN] on the
D-Pad (except for Guardin Heroes.) Sidestepping is the
key technique that makes brawlers as a genre work.
Mastering it is essential to playing these games well,
as both offense and defense hinge on it.
[x] Grapple/Grab: Walking into an enemy so that you grab onto them. The
purpose of grabbing is to execute Throws.
[x] Sidestep-Grab: Sidestepping into an enemy so as to Grab them. Duh.
[x] Throw: An attack executed out of a Grapple. Throws are good
because they generally do a lot of damage and have good
Crowd Control (at the expense of requiring you to Grab
your opponent first.) Be careful, some enemies will Grab
and Throw YOU when you get near them!
[x] Block: Negating an attack by deflecting it with either your
body, shield, or weapon. You can't Block, but certain
enemies can Block your Wind Up Punch and Sonic Uppercut.
[x] Barrels: Almost every brawler has these, and they usually have
Items inside. In this game, the item you get is random.
[x] Items: Things you pick up off the ground that provide you a
boost, such as increasing health or giving you another
Dynamite Punch. Items are inside barrels and are some-
times dropped by enemies.
[x] Score: A numerical value representing your performance in a
game. Score goes up from attacking enemies, picking up
certain items, finishing stages, and by doing well on
the Hit Stages between levels. The only reason Score
is important is because you get extra lives after reach-
ing certain Score thresholds, which can mean the differ-
ence between victory and defeat.
[x] Boss: Very strong enemy, usually at the end of a level. Gener
ally each boss requires a specific strategy to defeat.
See the appropriate section. Note that bosses in this
game cannot be Stunned.
==[T2.]== General Strategies ===================================================
[x] Never walk straight
As I've already said multiple times in this FAQ, Sidestepping is the key to
this game and all brawlers in general. It is essential for both avoiding enemy
attacks and launching attacks of your own, such as Sidestepping into an enemy to
initiate a Grapple safely. If you approach an enemy from the front (especially
bosses) you will quickly be knocked on your ass. Get used to always moving in a
zigzag pattern. If you find yourself getting hit a lot, it's because you're not
Sidestepping enough. Get used to Sidestepping around enemies and then attacking
them once an opportunity presents itself.
[x] Use Dynamite Punches wisely
D Punches are your best friend. They do a ton of damage and also have really
good Crowd Control. First and foremost, never EVER die with D Punches left. If
you're really low on health, you might as well use all your ammo up as quickly
as possible. Secondly, get to learn which enemy waves are the hardest, and use a
D Punch as soon as they start. It's not a good idea to save up ammo for bosses,
because this move does much less damage to bosses than normal enemies. On the
flip side of that, you might as well use up all your D Punches as soon as you
meet the boss, because he's likely to kill you quickly anyway.
[x] Time your Throws
You are invincible during your Throw animation. However, you are vulnerable
again as soon as it ends. Learn the window of invulnerability of each Throw, and
use it to your advantage. For example, if you're Grabbing an enemy and another
enemy is about to land a belly flop on you, Throw your grabbed enemy at him at
the last second and you will have avoided the attack. Note that some enemies are
skilled at waiting until you are done with your Throw and punishing you with an
attack. So be sure to Throw enemies into other enemies!
[x] Pick the right Power Grapple Throw
A huge part of this game is using the best Throw at a given time. As stated
before, you generally want to stick to Power Grapple Throws because they do a
ton of damage and all have good Crowd Control. Picking the right Throw can mean
all the difference in a fight. Always look at an enemy's health bar while Rush
Comboing them so that you know which Throw to move. Here's a good general rule:
[x] If the enemy has pink (critical) health while Power Grappling them, use
your Wind Up Punch because it will kill them.
[x] If the enemy is near critical condition (their health is around the "Y"
in "ENEMY") use the Sonic Uppercut because it will Stun them in place.
[x] If there are enemies approaching quickly from behind or above, use the
Judo Throw. Also use this Throw if it will keep them onscreen and Stun
them.
[x] If the enemy can block, always use the Judo Throw against them.
[x] Remember, Flip Kicks suck!
Unlike almost every other brawler, your generic jump kick in this game is
not even worth using most of the time. It has surprisingly short range, must be
timed well, and does a tiny amount of damage. Even normal enemy attacks like
stabbing with a knife will hit you while Flip Kicking. The biggest purpose of
this move is to kill a specific boss. However, if you're already jumping across
the screen anyway, you might as well end it with a Flip Kick because you just
might hit somebody, and there's no reason not to at that point.
[x] Sidestep-Grab + Sonic Rush combo = your best way to attack
Sidestep-Grabbing is good because it's generally the safest way to approach
your enemy and initiate an attack. However, it might seem bad because the Throws
from normal Grabs are so weak. Therefore, it's best to Sonic Rush the grabbed
enemy (press [Y] while NOT pressing any direction), which does a lot of damage
and also leads to a Power Grapple (even more damage.) This tactic is effective
against every enemy in the game EXCEPT those that grab you, and also AMOEBA. The
enemies that can grab you should instead be fought by just Sonic Rush comboing
them from a safe distance instead.
[x] Use the very bottom or top of the screen
Try sticking to the vertical edges of the screen. This is basically like
having your back against a wall, so that enemies can only approach you from one
direction. This makes it a lot easier to manage dodging enemies.
[x] Take advantage of knocked-down enemies
Use Anti-Wakeup attacks against enemies you haven't Stunned but have Knocked
Down. That is to stay, either stand next to them and punch rapidly or walk into
them and Grapple them. This is an effective way to continue to combo enemies and
prevent them from getting in any hits edgewise. Just don't use it against bosses
[x] Keep trying
Giving up is shameful. Why are you playing a single player SNES brawler if
you don't want challenge? Power through and you'll be a better person for it.
Knowing how each enemy works and how to counter their attacks is key to any
action game, not just brawlers. Get a feel for how far away enemies can attack
you (even in the first level, several enemies have greater range than you.) Be
sure to remember which enemies can Block. And don't forget to throw enemies at
other enemies.
Note that neither the game nor the instruction manual has any official names
for enemies, so I made all these up. I tried to follow the same general (corny)
style that most games of this era tended to have.
The percentages for health represent how much of the health bar is filled up
when the enemy is at maximum health. Note that I played on Hard mode, where
enemies have more health and attack more aggressively.
====[x] Name: Sid / Vinnie =============================================
Health: 40%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Sid has an orange mohawk and either orange or green clothes.
Vinnie has black hair and purple or orange clothes.
Sid is your average brawler enemy, nothing more than an aimless thug with a
knife. That being said, he can still be a dangerous enemy, as he actually has
better range than you. Vinnies are tougher versions of Sids, as they are much
better at keeping their distance and surrounding you. These enemies are weak to
Sonic Uppercut because they have just enough health to be stunned by it off of
a single Sonic Rush combo.
[x] Shank
Sid / Vinnie stabs with the knife.
The only move this enemy has. It is dangerous because A.) it has greater
range than your punch and B.) it can hit you vertically but your punches can't.
If you're close to this enemy but are not on the same vertical plane, they can
easily get two or three shanks in and you can't attack back. Or if you misjudged
the range of your punch you could eat a few of these attacks.
====[x] Name: Derek ====================================================
Health: 35%
Can Block: No
Appearance: A diesel black dude with an armored vest. He either has an
orange vest and green pants, a black vest and red pants, or
a purple vest and black pants.
Altough he appears second, Derek is actually the easiest enemy in the game.
His attacks are really easy to evade, he doesn't do much damage, and has the
least health. He's a good target for Wind Up Punch, as it will kill him off of
your first combo. In the Japanese version, this was actually a pretty generic-
looking woman.
[x] Punch
Derek punches in front of him.
This move isn't very dangerous because he only uses it if you walk right
into him. He can combo you a few times with it. Has less range than your punch.
[x] Jump Kick
Derek will back up a few steps and then jump at you with a karate kick.
He tends to use this move the most. Dodging it is really easy. As soon as
you see him back up, you have ample time to either move up or down to evade it,
then Sidestep-Grab to punish him.
====[x] Name: Hernando / Cheech ========================================
Health: 50%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Hernando has a beard and bald head. Cheech has the face of
Cheech Marin and is either wearing a bandanna or beanie.
Both are fat guys wearing brown khakis and suspenders. They
can come in red, orange, or green clothes.
By far the hardest enemy in the first level, and the biggest reason the
first level is harder than the next two. His bellyflop causes all sorts of
problems, and he has a lot of health. If there are three onscreen at once, it
might be a good idea to use a Dynamite Punch. Sidestep-Grabbing him when he's
recovering from a bellyflop is the best way to attack him. Using Judo Throw and
landing him onscreen is best because it will Stun him and you can kill him with
an Airplane Throw. Sonic Uppercut also works well.
[x] Slap
Hernando / Cheech cock back and slap you open-palmed
This is what happens if you approach this enemy from the front. It has more
range than your punch and also can hit somewhat vertically.
[x] Bellyflop
Hernando / Cheech jump in the air and bellyflop on top of you
This move has no tell, so you just have to be careful around this enemy and
Sidestep all the time. If you quickly Sidestep this attack, you can follow up
with a Sidestep-Grab to punish. Note that this move always beats out your Flip
Kick, and also it can hit you while you're knocked down.
====[x] Name: Norm =====================================================
Health: 55%
Can Block: No
Appearance: A tall white guy factory worker with a vest and either a do-
rag or red hair. He comes in red & green or blue & green varieties.
Norm is a pretty easy enemy. His attacks are easy as hell to dodge and he
moves around slowly and awkwardly. His only strength is his relatively high
health, and I guess his anti-air capabilities (you shouldn't be Flip Kicking
anyway). Sometimes they will throw grenades when they jump onto the screen. Try
to Judo Throw and Stun them if possible.
[x] Wussy Slap
Norm gives you a weak overhead slap.
He doesn't use this move often, and even when he does, it's weak so it's not
a big deal. A "slap on the wrist" for approaching him from the front if you will
[x] Wussy Kick
Norm jumps in the air and busts out an effeminate-looking kick.
Norm tends to use this move a lot. Luckily, it is very easy to dodge. When
you see him jump, just step any direction except forwards. This move doesn't do
a lot of damage nor does it have a long range, but it does knock you down. It
will also knock you out of the air.
[x] Grenade Toss
While jumping onto the screen, Norm will throw a weak grenade.
Note that only certain Norms do this, as noted in the Stage 2 walkthrough.
This attack is a joke because the grenade has such a pitifully small range. Just
don't stand on top of the grenade, it should be easy to dodge.
====[x] Name: Kenneth ==================================================
Health: 40%
Can Block: Yes
Appearance: Red-haired guy wearing either green, red, or yellow Kung Fu
outfit.
Kenneth is the first enemy you meet that can block your attacks. That is to
say, he cannot block your Sonic Uppercut, however he will always block your
Wind Up Punch. Therefore, you have to use Judo Throw against him. He has a lot o
range and moves quickly, but doesn't have particularly difficult attacks or a lo
of health. In the Japanese version, this enemy was a kung fu girl instead.
[x] Karate Kick
Kenneth kicks forward generically.
Kenneth rarely uses this attack. I've only seen it two or three times myself
I think he uses it to knock you out of the air.
[x] Forward Flip
Kenneth jump flips across the screen.
Kenneth will jump around all the time, and often Chi Palm while landing. Thi
is your perfect chance to punish him. Sidestep when he jumps, then Sidestep-Grab
or Rush Combo him where he lands. Just make sure you're in range or he will Chi
Palm you.
[x] Chi Palm
Kenneth strikes with both hands forward.
This attack has much better range than your punches, so it's essential to
Sidestep Kenneth as much as possible. It also knocks you down.
====[x] Name: Bill / Lance =============================================
Health: 50%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Bill has a fu-manchu moustache and a do-rag. Lance has spiky
orange hair and sunglasses. Both of them are wearing army
camoflauge and carrying semi-automatic rifles. They come in
green, red, and blue.
Bill and Lance are gun-toting enemies that are surprisingly weak. They move
around slowly, have an average amount of health, and attack rarely. Regardless,
in a large group of enemies you should probably target them first because they
might shoot you while you're distracted with other enemies. Obviously they have
good range, but again, they don't attack that often.
[x] Semi-Automatic
Bill / Lance shoot at your chest.
This attack knocks you down and has good range. They rarely use it, though.
I think they use this more often when you're close to them.
[x] Shoe Strafe
Bill / Lance shoot at your chest.
This attack has longer range than the first one (I think). They also seem to
use it more when you're far away. It also knocks you down.
====[x] Name: Amoeba ===================================================
Health: 60%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Amoeba is a weird transparent, neon, blob-like humanoid
thing. It has a slouched posture and a human-shaped head. It
comes in red, blue, green, and orange.
Bet you didn't expect this enemy! Amoebas are strange blob-men that have a
projectile attack and a fair bit of health. Their signature move is turning into
a blob and moving towards you, Alex Mack-style. They are the only enemies that
are immune to Rush Combos out of Grapples. If you try to punch while Grabbing
them they will turn into their blob form and attack you. These enemies only seem
to be a problem when they're flinging their heads, because their blob form is
very easy to avoid.
[x] Hammer Smash
Amoeba cocks back both hands and delivers a double-fisted overhead blow.
This is Amoeba's standard melee attack if you get too close. However, it
seems to use Electro Blob much more often in this case.
[x] Electro Blob
Amoeba transforms into an electric blob on the ground and comes for you.
Amoeba tends to use this move all the time, and it's really easy to avoid.
As soon as you see his melt animaton, either walk backwards, up, down, or jump
over him forwards. He's vulnerable to Rush Combos when coming out of this attack
[x] Where Yo Head At?
Amoeba picks off his head, throws it at you, and grows a new one.
If you let Amoeba stay far away from you he will throw his head. This move
travels quickly so is somewhat dangerous. To prevent Amoeba from using this move
just get closer to him.
====[x] Name: Spectre ==================================================
Health: 40%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Spectre looks like a ghost/jissom that has a skull face,
vestigial arms, a tail, and comes in neon orange, blue, and
purple.
Spectres are little more than annoyances. They can jump onto you, forcing
you to press left and right rapidly to escape, but it does little damage. They
don't have much health and don't pose much of a threat so consider their
presence not a big deal.
[x] Strangle
Spectre jumps on you and strangles you with its body.
When Spectre jumps, it's using this move. Press left and right as quickly as
you possibly can and you will escape soon, without taking too much damage. The
only dangerous thing about this move is that other enemies can attack you while
you're being held in place.
[x] Tail Whip
Spectre whips its tail in front of it.
It doesn't use this move very often, and it doesn't do much damage. Not much
else to say here.
====[x] Name: Cell =====================================================
Health: 70%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Somewhat alien-looking transparent blob with broad shoulders
and long arms, with neon orange, red, green, and purple
varieties.
Cell is the strongest of the bunch. His Drop Down attack can be seen a mile
away and easily avoided, but his long arms can be problematic and also he has a
ton of health. Use Wind Up punches as much as possible to whittle down his
health (two should do it.)
[x] Drop Down
Cell stretches out its spine and goes up, then drops down on top of you.
At least one Cell will be using this move most of the time, so get used to
moving around (especially vertically) whenever you see him going up. He is quite
vulnerable when he's recovering from this attack.
[x] Stretch Armstrong
Cell stretches its arms out to attack you.
This move beats your range by quite a bit and can therefore be somewhat
tough. Like all other enemies, just Sidestep intelligently to beat it. Two Cells
using this move next to each other can be a real shitstorm, so keep your
distance and use Dynamite Punches in such a case.
[x] Name: CPX-M20 ==================================================
Health: 50%
Can Block: No
Appearance: CPX-M20's are floating robots with a bulbous head, two arms,
a tail and a forehead-mounted rocket launcher. They come in
brown, green, and blue.
This is the easiest enemy in Stage 4, but he can still be very dangerous. He
is similar to the Spectre enemies on the previous level. His Robo Strangle
attack is also no big deal, but his Rocket Launch attack can fill the floor with
explosions and cause a lot of trouble. At full health, he's too strong to be
stunned by a Sonic Uppercut, so you should try to Judo Throw him on stage, or,
failing that, take his health down with a Wind Up Punch. It is probably best to
take him out first, lest he fills the screen with rockets.
[x] Robo Strangle
CPX-M20 jumps at you while blasting its jet pack and strangles you.
This move is just like Spectre's strangle... meaning it does pathetic damage
and is easily escaped by pressing left and right rapidly. CPX-M20 tends to use
this move all the time if it is onscreen.
[x] Rocket Launch
CPX-M20 launches a volley of rockets that explode all over the ground.
This move can be very dangerous, as it fills a large portion of the screen
with rocket explosions, and if you're standing anywhere near them you'll get
knocked on your ass. Luckily, there will be indicators showing exactly where the
rockets will land. As soon as you see these pop up, quickly jump to the part of
the screen that is far away. The explosions have a large vertical as well as
horizontal range so you really should take care in getting away from them. It
seems that CPX-M20 only uses this move later on in the level, and tends to use
it when it is offscreen. I actually thought this was a level hazard at first.
[x] Name: Mk. VII ==================================================
Health: 60%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Mk. VII's are humanoid robots with arm-mounted guns that
walk on two legs. Their armor strongly resembles the Krogan
armor from the Mass Effect games (which is sort of a rip-off
of Warhammer space marine armor.) They come in blue, green,
and brownish-red varieties.
This enemy will cause a lot of headaches because he out-ranges you, knocks
you down, and inescapably attacks you while grounded. Be very careful to stay
out of his vertical range or he will punish you. Try to stick to Sidestep-Grabs
because Sonic Rush combos are dangerous to attempt and often outranged. Mk. VIIs
have just enough health so that at full power a Judo Throw will not Stunt them,
so it's best to attack with a Wind Up punch first.
[x] Piston Kick
Mk. VII kicks you with his robot feet.
Mk. VII's most dangerous attack, as it has greater range than your punches,
knocks you on your ass, and is almost always followed up with an inescapable
Foot Flamer attack. Because of this move, it's a really bad idea to attempt to
Sonic Rush combo Mk. VII's outside of a Grapple. Thankfully, this move hits sort
of low, so it will NOT knock you out of a jump.
[x] Foot Flamer
Mk. VII blasts your feet with a flamethrower.
Mk. VII tends to only use this move when you are grounded, and it will al-
ways attempt to do so after knocking you down with a Piston Kick. In fact, mul-
tiple Mk. VII's might Foot Flame you when you're grounded, resulting in an in-
escapable combo for a lot of damage. The moral of the story is, you should
really try not to get knocked down around Mk. VII's.
[x] Grenade Pooper
Mk. VII turns around and poops out a grenade that explodes on the ground.
Because grenades in this game have such small range, this move is not such a
big deal. If a Mk. VII drops a grenade near you, simply move up or down quickly
to avoid it. It seems like certain Mk. VII's never use this move, whereas others
tend to use it all the time instead of Piston Kick.
[x] Name: Mk. III ======================================================
Health: 75%
Can Block: Yes
Appearance: Mk. III's are larger versions of Mk. VII's that have a huge
futuristic arm-mounted gun. They float around using weird
electric back-mounted hover devices, and have small out-
stretched wings coming out of their shoulders. They come in
green, brown, and red versions.
These enemies can block, have a ton of health, and attack with an obnoxious
dash that is difficult to avoid and counter. They also can float around freely
so are somewhat evasive. Because they block, unfortunately Judo Throw is your
only real damage-dealing option (they occasionally do not block Sonic Uppercut,
but don't count on it.) Each one will take two Judo Throws and some extra hits
to kill. Use everything you've learned so far and play cleanly to defeat this
difficult foe. Don't forget Sidestep-Grabs!
[x] Robo Ass Stomp
Mk. III will jump off the top of the screen and then land on you.
When you see Mk. III jump up, start moving around vertically to avoid this
attack, or hit him with a Throw just as he lands. The most rarely used and weak-
est attack of this enemy.
[x] Shoe Strafer X
Mk. III will shoot at your feet.
This move is used sort of sparingly. It has large range and knocks you down.
I find that when you're on the same vertical plane but at a distance from Mk.
III he tends to use Robo Rush more often. Like every other attack in the game,
Sidestep to evade it.
[x] Robo Rush
Mk. III will use his boosters to dash across the screen.
This move has huge range, comes out quickly, and knocks you down. It's Mk.
III's best attack, and as far as I know there's no way to knock him out of it.
Try to never stay on the same vertical plane as this enemy (even at a distance)
because he will probably use this move. The final Mk. III of the level will ONLY
use this move, and it's super difficult to get any hits in. Sidestep-Grabs are
the best way to counter this, but not while he's in the middle of dashing.
[x] Name: Cocoon ===================================================
Health: 90%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Cocoons are humanoid aliens with armored torsos, kneepads,
and a spherical helmet with a visor. Like most of the other
enemies in this game, they wear khaki pants. They come in
green, red, blue, cyan, purple, and grey varieties.
Cocoons are fairly human-looking aliens that transform into monstrous forms
when they take enough damage. In their humanoid forms, they have fairly weak and
dodgeable attacks, but they have a ton of health (almost a full bar.) When they
are knocked down to less than half health, they will transform. If you attack a
Cocoon quickly enough, it is possible to Stun it and kill it before it is able
to transform. Try using two Judo Throws in a row to accomplish this. Lastly,
note that a Cocoon's color determines what it will transform into: green, blue,
and purple varieties transform into Mantises, whereas red, cyan, and grey types
transform into Xenos. Note that cyan and blue look very similar; cyan is some-
what brighter than blue.
[x] Standard Punch
Cocoon jabs forward in the most basic way possible.
Cocoon uses this weak, boring move if you get too close, or are jumping
around. Not much to say here. Don't walk straight into them!
[x] Shoe Strafer Infinity
Cocoon pulls out a small pistol and fires at your feet.
Like Bills / Lances and Mk. III's, Cocoon also has an attack where they
shoot at your feet. Again, this move has long range and will knock you down. It
is the move that Cocoons tend to use more often. Sidestep it!
[x] Emerge
Cocoon falls to its knees and transforms into a Mantis or Xeno.
I'm kinda sad that I'm ruining this for you, because when I first saw it I
thought it was awesome. Cocoons will transform when they're at less than half
health, or have been in Cocoon form for a long time. It seems that when one
transforms, it causes a chain reaction and the rest of the Cocoons onscreen
will also transform. If you Judo Throw a Cocoon twice quickly, it is possible
to Stun them, Airplane Throw them, and prevent them from transforming. Note that
during the transformation, Cocoons are invincible. Mantises can be Sonic Rush
combo'd when they're done transforming, but Xenos will just jump at you. Try to
prolong an Emerge as long as possible, because three transformed Cocoons are
much more dangerous than three humanoid ones. Note that after they transform,
they will retain the same amount of health they had in human form.
[x] Name: Mantis ===================================================
Health: 90%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Mantises are transformed Cocoons with insectoid, praying
mantis-like features, though their lower bodies didn't
transform and are still human-looking legs wearing khakis.
They have a large tear-shaped exoskeleton thing on their
shoulders. They Emerge from green, blue, and purple Cocoons.
Mantises aren't as bad as Xenos, but are still fairly dangerous. They have
as much health as they had when they used Emerge as Cocoons, which can be quite
a lot. You can use Anti-Wakeup attacks against them as they are Emerging. Just
be sure to stay at your maximum punching distance or they will Thug Hug you.
Also, if you try to Sonic Rush combo them out of a Grapple, they will also pun-
ish you with a Thug Hug. Therefore, the best way to fight this enemy is to only
use Sonic Rush combos. Use Wind Up Punch to whittle down their health, and then
Sonic Uppercut or Judo Throw to stun them. Be careful when attempting to Sonic
Rush them, as they can outrange you with their Baby Burst attack. The only time
that Sidestep-Grabbing them makes sense is if they're just on the verge of being
in critical condition. A well-placed One Handed Throw can land them onscreen and
Stun them.
[x] Claw Strike
Mantis cocks back and swats you with its claws.
This is Mantis's basic melee attack. He only uses it when you're close. It
knocks you down. It has very slightly better range than your punches. That's
about it.
[x] Baby Burst
Mantis's chest opens up and a head bursts out and bites you, Alien-style.
This move has much better range than your punches, so Mantis will use this
if you're walking straight at him without Sidestepping. He seems to use it a
little less than his other attacks.
[x] Thug Hug
Mantis grabs you and squeezes the life out of you with his arms.
Mantis will use this attack if you attempt to punch out of a Grapple, if
you're too close when using Anti-Wakeup attacks, or if you just get too close in
general. Because of this move, you should NOT attempt to Grapple Mantis (but you
SHOULD Power Grapple him as much as possible, as he can't block.) As with other
attacks that bind you, press left and right rapidly to escape.
[x] Name: Xeno =====================================================
Health: 90%
Can Block: No
Appearance: Xenos are transformed Cocoons that are hunched over, have
bent, clawed arms, a skeletal tail, a Protoss-shaped head,
and an artichoke-looking growth on their backs. They retain
the khaki-laden legs of Cocoons. They Emerge from red, grey,
and cyan Cocoons.
Xenos are a lot more mobile than Mantises, and are thus somewhat harder.
Like their brethren, they cannot be punched out of a Grapple, but unlike their
bros, they cannot be Anti-Wakeup attacked when Emerging, or they will use Xeno
Flip against you. Mainly, Xenos will flip and hop around the screen as much as
possible. The best way to fight them is to attack them just as they're landing
with a Sonic Rush combo leading into a Wind Up Punch. Like other enemies that
hop, if you hit them while they're in the air they will be knocked down and only
take minimal damage, so be sure to combo them right when they land. If you
Grapple them on accident, the best you can do is either of your weak throws,
which can lead to a Stun if they're very low on health. Note that if you don't
defeat them quickly enough, they will Xeno Clone themselves, which creates
another copy at full health. So prioritize killing them over Mantises.
[x] Xeno Flip
Xeno flips through the air forwards.
This attack knocks you down when it connects, and he will use it whenever
you're trying to punch out of a Grapple or using Anti-Wakeup attacks. If you
Sidestep the moment you accidentally punch out of a Grapple, it can be avoided.
He uses this move constantly.
[x] Xeno Flop
Xeno bellyflops on top of you after jumping.
This attack seems almost identical to Xeno Flip. I guess it has slightly
better range? Not much to say here as it is so similar to the previous attack.
[x] Xeno Clone
Xeno's back opens up and it shoots out a clone of itself and dies.
If you don't kill Xeno quickly enough, he will create a clone of himself and
die, which effectively just restores all of his health (the clone will always
have 90% health.) So kill this enemy quickly. If you're fast enough, you can hit
him right as his back opens up and prevent the cloning.
Bosses in Sonic Blast Man require a certain amount of strategy to defeat.
With the exception of Mother Cell, each and every one requires that you have an
excellent mastery of Sidestepping and spacing yourself so that you hit with the
very tip of your Sonic Rush combo. Although you can use Dynamite Punches to wear
down a boss's health (and you should be expending all of your D. Punches if you
are about to die anyway) these don't do all that much damage, and you will have
to legitimately fight the boss for a while to beat them.
==[B1.]== Stage 1 Boss =========================================================
[x] Name: Marcus
Appearance: A huge thug with sunglasses, a do-rag, and an X-shaped st
across his chest.
If you haven't been learning how to Sidestep and Rush Combo as soon as an
enemy gets into range, Marcus will be the first big brick wall you hit with
this game. However, once you learn how to fight him he's not so bad, and with
practice it should be pretty easy to beat him with a single life. The main
strategy behind fighting Marcus is to Sidestep up and down quickly, and lure
him into punching range before he can get a hit off. I find that using the top
and bottom of the screen makes this easier. Stay somewhat close to the top or
bottom, and Sidestep in opposite directions quickly. Marcus will move up and
down with you, trying to lock onto your vertical position so that he can attack.
You need to get Marcus within horizontal punching range, then let him Sidestep
onto your vertical plane. Then, hit him with a Rush Combo as quickly as possible
and finish with a Wind Up Punch for maximum damage. He will die after about four
punches or so. Marcus fights with one minion at a time, either Sids or Dereks.
He only has three minions total, and after you defeat them no more will come.
You might want to attack his minion and throw them at him for a little damage
and crowd control. Or using a Dynamite Punch to take control works also.
[x] Flying Knee
Marcus jumps at you with his knee forward.
Marcus only seems to use this move to knock you out of the air. You should
NOT be in the air at all during this fight anyway.
[x] Mighty Slap
Marcus cocks back and hits you with a powerful slap.
This is Marcus's main method of attack. Generally he walks towards you and
hits with this move. It has greater range than your punches, and does a fair
deal of damage. Read the strategy above to see how to avoid and counter this
attack. Note that after knocking you down with this attack, he tries to follow
up with a Gangsta Throw when you're grounded.
[x] Gangsta Throw
Marcus picks you up off the ground, lifts you in the air, and throws you.
Marcus uses this move to follow up on his Mighty Slap and do more damage.
As far as I can tell it's unavoidable, but often Marcus will mess up and some-
how miss grabbing you. It seems like if you're too close to the edge of the
screen he can't grab you.
==[B2.]== Stage 2 Boss =========================================================
[x] Name: Lyle & Erik
Appearance: Lyle is a hunched over thug with claw weapons on his hand
pointed sunglasses, and spiky orange hair. Erik looks just
like his bro except has rounded sunglasses and purple hair.
This boss can be pretty tricky. By far the hardest part about it is that
there are two guys, and they're dodgy and attack quickly. You need to focus your
attacks on one of them (it doesn't matter which, they seem to fight identically)
and eliminate him as quickly as possible to make the fight more managable. I'd
recommend expending your Dynamite Punches right off the bat to get a head start
on this. Once you're down to a single opponent, it shouldn't be too hard to fin-
ish him off without taking much damage if you're careful. As always, Sidestep-
ping is key to beating this boss. Note that they will knock you down if you try
to Rush Combo out of a Grapple, so only use normal throws when you Grapple them.
Therefore, it's better to try to Rush Combo them when they get in vertical range
rather than attempting Sidestep-Grabs (just like Marcus). You should generally
stick to Wind Up Punches to do the most damage, but might want to use a Judo
Throw to throw one into the other. There is no point to using Sonic Uppercuts
because they can't be Stunned. Note that sometimes when they are slightly lower
or higher than you vertically, you will continue to Rush Combo them past five
hits without going into a Power Grapple. This is a blessing, and you should keep
doing it even if you're about to get hit because it's by far the fastest way to
do damage. Also, the glitch where you keep hitting two very close guys infinite-
ly works on them! If you're lucky enough to get this, just keep punching as fast
as you can and you'll absolutely annhilate them (especially if they're at the
same health, otherwise you'll kill one first and Power Grapple the second.) Fin-
ally, note that they hop around a bunch, and if you hit them during a hop they
will be knocked down but you can't combo them, which is bad. So try to hit them
right when they're landing from a hop. Oh, and the top and bottom of the screen
help a lot with Sidestepping.
[x] Shadow Kick
Lyle / Erik jump in the air and kick you.
They seem to use this move a little less than your other attacks. Luckily it
is a lot easier to dodge than Ninja Slide. Just Sidestep whenever you see them
jump up high.
[x] Furious Slash
Lyle / Erik slash at you with their claws.
This move outranges your punches and knocks you down. They seem to use it
less often than Trip Kick.
[x] Ninja Slide
Lyle / Erik slide across the screen, front foot outstretched.
Lyle and Erik use this move all the time. They unleash it with no provoca-
tion, it travels really far, and it knocks you down. They aren't particularly
vulnerable after it, either. This is the biggest reason you need to constantly
stay out of their vertical range, only moving in when they land from a hop. It
can also hit you while grounded.
[x] Trip Kick
Lyle / Erik quickly kick at your feet, knocking you down.
If you're very close to them, they will usually use this move to knock you
down. They'll also use it while recovering, so Anti-Wakeup attacks are useless
against them. Additionally, if you try to Rush Combo them out of a Grapple, they
will always use this move to punish you. It also hits you while grounded, and
they might chain a few attacks together this way.
[x] Bro Throw
One of the bros launches the other high in the air and they land on you.
Obviously, they can only use this move when both of them are still alive.
You can tell they're about to do it because one of them stops in place and the
other goes towards him. I find the best way to counter this move is to walk up
to the bro that's doing the throwing and Rush Combo him as soon as possible to
punish. If you can't reach it, be sure to Sidestep quickly to avoid being landed
on. You can see the shadow of where he's about to land.
==[B3.]== Stage 3 Boss =========================================================
[x] Name: Mother Cell
Appearance: Mother Cell is a huge, alien-looking monster that apparen
spawned the Stage 3 enemies. Its front is a humanoid torso
with large exoskeleton plates on its shoulders and long,
clawed arms. It kind of resembles a hydralisk from Star-
Craft. Its back is a huge spherical egg sac with purple orbs
jutting out of it.
Mother Cell is by far the easiest boss in the game. At first, it seems like
she's invincible, because none of your ground attacks hit her. However, after
you find out that your Flip Kick damages her, she's really easy (this is the
only point in the game where you actually want to use this move.) She has no
attacks, but she spawns two Spectres at a time out of her back. You can throw
Spectres into her for some damage, but it's best to just Flip Kick her as quick-
ly as possible. In general, you want to Flip Kick in place quickly because this
is safer against the Spectres and a little faster. Of course, she moves left and
right slowly so you have to move occasionally. Really, this boss fight just
boils down to handling two Spectres at once, and they're an easy enemy anyway.
As always, if you're feeling overwhelmed or about to die, use your Dynamite
Punches. Keep in mind that although the Spectres spawn infinitely, they do not
spawn immediately. Therefore, if you quickly kill Spectres you will only be
fighting one at a time for a while as you wait for the next one. Lastly, Air-
plane Throws tend to hit her three times from anywhere on screen.
[x] Spawn Spectres
Mother Cell spawns Spectres from its back.
Not much to say here. If you go right next to where the Spectre spawns, you
can Anti-Wakeup attack it successfully. Her only attack. She only seems to spawn
purple and blue Spectres, but no yellow ones. Using Sonic Uppercut against the
Spectres is best because it Stuns them in place, and you can use the resulting
Airplane Throw to hit Mother Cell three times.
==[B4.]== Stage 4 Boss =========================================================
[x] Name: Mk. I
Appearance: The Mk. I is a huge green bipedal mech (walking tank) wit
arm-mounted guns, shoulder-mounted missile launchers, a
curved "head", a "chin-mounted" gatling gun, and jet
boosters on its back. It slightly resembles a frog in my
opinion.
This boss is initially quite intimidating because of its size, agility, and
powerful arsenal. It's so big that it can't be thrown (although it can be Power
Grappled, which results in blocked attacks as Judo Throw is impossible), and it
has attacks with huge range that come out quickly. It also shares the annoying
missile attack of the CPM-X20's. When I first thought this boss, a few of my
punches missed, so I stupidly assumed that only Flip Kicks could harm it, like
Mother Cell. However, when I found out that you CAN punch it, I quickly found an
extremely easy, very exploitable strategy that makes this boss a complete joke.
Mk. I is generally very vulnerable when it walks back onto the screen after a
Giga Dash. Sidestep onto his vertical plane, and punch him only once, then im-
mediately Sidestep away. He will attack with Gun Hammer, but you will have
avoided the attack by Sidestepping. Then, simply keep repeating this pattern of
Sidestepping in front of him, punching once, and Sidestepping away. If he some-
how escapes your onslaught, just carefully stay out of his vertical range and
attack him again when he walks back onto the screen. The instruction manual says
the best way to deal with him is Dynamite Punches, but once you master this
strategy you'll be defeating him with one life using no D. Punches. I should
mention that when you Flip Kick him, he will dash backwards off the screen.
[x] Gun Hammer
Mk. I uses its arms to strike directly in front of it.
Mk. I will use this move when you're standing right in front of it and fair-
ly close. The arms barely move, so it's pretty hard to spot. However, you can be
sure that it'll throw this attack almost any time you're right up in its face,
so it's actually really predictable. If you're standing in front of it for more
than half a second, just Sidestep immediately to dodge this attack. As I said
above, you can keep dodging and punishing this attack easily with one hit Sonic
Rush punches. Also it knocks you down, but you should be avoiding it anyway.
[x] Giga Dash
Mk. I uses its jet boosters to dash across the screen.
Mk. I uses this move often if you're far or to escape/break up your attacks.
It does a lot of damage and knocks you down. However, you shouldn't be stand-
ing on a part of the screen where you're vulnerable to this attack anyway. Just
stay horizontally close but vertically far from Mk. I so you're immune to his
attacks and can Sidestep in when he's vulnerable.
[x] Bullfrog Leap
Mk. I uses its jets to jump across the screen.
Mk. I uses this move to escape you or position itself better. It hits you
and knocks you down if you're standing where it lands. He is somewhat vulner-
able to punching when he lands, but honestly it's better to wait for him to
walk onscreen after Giga Dashing off. Obviously don't Flip Kick it.
[x] Shoe Strafer Maximum
Mk. I uses its chin cannon to shoot at the ground in front of it.
Like the many other versions of this attack in the game, it has a huge
range (the most of any variety) and knocks you down. Again, you shouldn't worry
about this attack because you shouldn't be standing in front of Mk. I that far
anyway. He will sometimes follow up a successful Gun Hammer attack with this
to hit you while grounded. Be sure to Sidestep as soon as you recover.
[x] Missile Launcher Maximum
Mk. I shoots missiles from its shoulders.
This is slightly better than the other version of this attack, as its ex-
plosions seem to last a little longer and have better range. However, you
shouldn't be in a position to get hit by it. If you're right in the middle of
all the indicators, if you Flip Kick towards Mk. I you might knock him back and
land safely.
==[B5.]== Stage 5 Boss =========================================================
[x] Name: Heavy Blast Man
Appearance: Heavy Blast Man is a taller, more diesel verion of Sonic
Blast Man. He has giant armored jet boosters mounted on his
shoulders.
Heavy Blast Man is, as you would probably expect, the hardest boss in the
game. He has a ton of health, dashes around rapidly, has many screen-filling
attacks, and can't be Sonic Rush combo'd out of a Grapple. This battle will
push your Sidestepping skills to the limit, and even with superb skill you'll
still likely get hit a few times because he's so fast. If you come into this
battle with a lot of lives, you can whittle down his health significantly by
throwing all your Dynamite Punches. However, in this fight you actually have to
time your D. Punches very well. He has certain attacks where he disappears from
the screen or blasts off the top of it, and he's invulnerable in these states.
If you happen to Grapple him, be certain not to punch because he will punish
you. The best you can do in this situation is to use either crappy Throw. Your
main method of dealing damage (outside of D. Punches) will be punishing his
Heavy Blast attack. Luckily, he uses this attack often and it's easy to punish.
This boss is obviously difficult to get practice on, so if you're beating the
game for the first time your best bet is to just play the stage really well and
come into the battle with 3+ lives so that you can just Dynamite Punch him as
much as possible and barely finish him off by fighting legitimately. Be careful
not to use a D. Punch at the very beginning of the fight because he's invinci-
ble. I should note that on very rare occasions he will not actually block your
Wind Up Punch. But don't count on it. Use Judo Throws instead. Also stay away
from Sidestep-Grabbing him because he usually punishes this and it only leads
to pitiful damage anyway.
[x] Heavy Dash
Heavy Blast Man dashes across the screen.
Not exactly an attack, Heavy Blast Man uses this to move around the stage
rapidly. He usually uses a Heavy Uppercut or Heavy Power Punch when he gets
close.
[x] Heavy Power Punch
Heavy Blast Man unleashes a powerful volley of rapid punches.
He usually uses this move after he dashes at you. It does a lot of damage
and knocks you down. Sidestep it!
[x] Heavy Blast
Heavy Blast Man repeatedly shoots sonic blast waves across the screen.
This attack shoots out rapidly, covers the whole screen, and knocks you
down. He will do this attack many times in a row, and this is your chance to
punish him. Follow the rhythm of his blasts, and Sidestep into punching range
between blasts. Then Sonic Rush combo him, and only use Judo Throw (he will
block Sonic Uppercut and Wind Up Punch). If you accidentally Grapple him, be
sure to use a Throw as punching out of a Grapple will be punished.
[x] Heavy Screw Bomb
Heavy Blast Man jumps up in the air, spinning around with his fists out.
Like your version of this attack, it hits in a wide range and knocks you
back. He uses this when landing from a Heavy Jet attack, or reappearing from
a Heavy Teleport. He is not vulnerable afterwards, so steer clear.
[x] Heavy Jet
Heavy Blast Man fans out his shoulder boosters and jets upwards offscreen.
When he fans his boosters out it hits you, when he blasts upwards it hits
you, and when he lands it hits you. Stay away from him when he starts this
attack. When he boosts ofscreen, go all the way to the top or bottom of the
screen. Then, after a little longer than a second, Sidestep all the way in the
opposite direction. You really have to learn the timing. When he lands if you
are close, he will hit you with a Heavy Screw Bomb attack. If you kept your
distance, he will stand in place for a second, vulnerable for a Grapple. But I
wouldn't chance it if I were you, because he often Heavy Screw Bombs when you
get close and it's not worth the tiny amount of damage.
[x] Heavy Missile Launcher
Heavy Blast Man shoots a bunch of missiles from offscreen.
Like other versions of this attack, avoid the indicators. It seems he only
does this half the time, and only when Heavy Teleporting. It hits in six spots
across the screen.
[x] Heavy Teleport
Heavy Blast Man stands in place for a second and then vanishes.
When Heavy Blast Man disappears, he is immune to Dynamite Punches so watch
out. He will reappear in a number of ways: after a Heavy Missile Launcher
attack, with a Heavy Screw Bomb, or with a Heavy Power Punch attack. Be sure to
be Sidestepping when he vanishes or you might get hit by one of these.
[x] Heavy Storm
Heavy Blast Man projects a huge sphere of electrical energy around him.
I've only seen him do this move one time, and it was when I was really
close. It has a decent range (basically the same as his Heavy Screw Bomb) and
knocks you down. Doesn't really factor into his strategy because it's so rare.
==[H0.]== Hit Stage ============================================================
Hit Stages are bonus rounds between levels that let you earn bonus points,
which give you an extra life once you've acquired enough (I think you get them
every 400,000 points, at least in hard mode). These stages are actually the same
as the aforementioned original Sonic Blast Man arcade game. You have to use your
punching ability to solve ridiculous problems. These stages are a hilarious sur-
prise, so I'm not going to ruin anything here. Play the game!
Playing Hit Stages is simple. Your goal is to fill up the POWER bar at the
top of the screen as much as possible before unleashing a punch. To do this, you
rotate the D-Pad in circles as quickly as possible. There's no trick to doing
this. You really just need finger and wrist strength. Lastly, to unleash your
punch you have to press any face button (ABXY). The position of your punch mat-
ters. It should be obvious where you should aim your punch.
The highest bonus I've ever gotten was 200,000, but it might be possible to
get even more. I lack the finger strength to get max power on all three punches
so I don't know for sure.
There's no special trick or cheat to beating Sonic Blast Man. You really
just have to master the mechanics, learn enemy strategies, and wisely use dy-
namite punches in order to win. So, the best I can offer with this walkthrough
is listing out the enemy waves of each level, and maybe give tips about certain
waves. But again, this walkthrough really won't help you. Just play the game!
Here's how enemy waves work: First, there's the initial enemies of the wave.
When you beat one, they will be replaced with a reinforcement if available. Note
that the number of initial enemies determines how many total enemies there can
be onscreen at the same time. So, if there are two enemies initially, there will
never be more than two enemies onscreen for that wave, even if there are ten
reinforcements. Reinforcements are marked with a "+" before their name. Also
note that reinfocements will arrive in the order listed below.
Note that this walkthrough is for hard mode. On easier difficulties things
might play out somewhat differently. But if you're playing a SNES brawler at
this day and age, you probably want challenge. So play hard mode! I promise it's
rewarding and a ton of fun once you learn how to play.
==[W1.]== Stage 1: DEFEAT THE VILLAINS AND SAVE THE TOWN =======================
TOTAL WAVES: 11
TOTAL ENEMIES: 56
Although this is the first level, it's actually significantly harder than
the next two levels, at least on hard mode. This is due to the Cheech/Hernando
enemies. Learning how to dodge and punish their bellyflop attack is essential to
beating this level, and will also prepare you for the rest of the game. If you
are having a really hard time, be sure to use your Dynamite Punches at key times
(i.e. when there are multiple Cheeches/Hernandos onscreen or you're about to
die.) Although the level is hard, the end boss is fairly easy.
==[W2.]== Stage 2: DESTROY THE FACTORY =========================================
TOTAL WAVES: 10
TOTAL ENEMIES: 58
Consider this level a breather after that balls-to-the-walls first level.
The enemies here are not very difficult. Note that this level has a hazard.
There are flamethrowers hanging down from the top of the screen in certain
waves. If you are beneath them, you will be set ablaze and knocked down. The
flamethrowers will have a small flame first, which can't hurt you, then blast
out. Just try to stay away from this hazard, especially if the small flames are
flaring up. Note that enemies cannot be hurt by this hazard.
[x] Wave 10
Bill
Kenneth
Norm
+ Lance
+ Norm
+ Kenneth x 2
+ Bill
+ Norm
==[W3.]== Stage 3: EXTERMINATE THE HIDEOUS THING THAT HAS RISEN FROM THE SEWAGE=
TOTAL WAVES: 10
TOTAL ENEMIES: 36
Another fairly easy stage. The enemies here are not that bad, there are no
level hazards, and it has the easiest boss in the game. Prepare for a huge
stylistic change! Even though this level is kind of a cakewalk, playing it well
is important so that you have lives and Dynamite Punches for the next two levels
where the difficulty level really starts to ramp up.
[x] Wave 1
Amoeba x 2
[x] Wave 2
Cell
Spectre
+ Cell
+ Amoeba
[x] Wave 3
Cell x 2
+ Spectre
[x] Wave 4
Spectre x 3
+ Spectre x 2
[x] Wave 5
Cell
Amoeba
[x] Wave 6
Amoeba x 3
+ Amoeba
[x] Wave 7
Amoeba x 2
Spectre
[x] Wave 8
Cell x 2
+ Cell
[x] Wave 9
Amoeba x 2
Spectre
+ Cell
+ Spectre
[x] Wave 10
Cell x 2
Amoeba
+ Spectre
+ Amoeba
==[W4.]== Stage 4: DEFEAT THE MAD SCIENTIST ====================================
TOTAL WAVES: 12
TOTAL ENEMIES: 47
Finally, a level that's harder than the first one. The enemies in this level
will really test your sidestepping ability and crowd control. They have a ton of
health and far-reaching attacks. Also, this stage has lasers hanging from the
ceiling which are pretty much identical to the flamethrowers on stage 2, except
they don't warn you when they're about to fire. Also, the lasers will move left
and right across the stage. Watch out! The final enemy in this stage is a sort
of a miniboss, and I haven't found any reliable way to beat him except to just
Dynamite Punch him into oblivion. Don't even attempt to fight him legitimately,
you will only lose health, time, and potentially D. Punch charges.
[x] Wave 1
CPX-M20
Mk. VII
[x] Wave 2
CPX-M20 x 2
+ Mk. VII x 2
[x] Wave 3
Mk. III
Mk. VII
+ Mk. VII
+ Mk. III
[x] Wave 4
CPX-M20 x 2
Mk. VII
+ Mk. VII
[x] Wave 5
Mk. III x 2
+ CPX-M20
+ Mk. III
+ CPX-M20 x 2
+ Mk. III
[x] Wave 6
CPX-M20
Mk. VII
+ CPX-M20
[x] Wave 7
Mk. III x 2
CPX-M20
[x] Wave 8
Mk. VII x 3
+ Mk. VII x 2
[x] Wave 9
CPX-M20
Mk. VII
+ Mk. VII
+ CPX-M20
[x] Wave 10
CPX-M20 x 2
+ CPX-M20 x 2
[x] Wave 11
Mk. III
Mk. VII x 2
+ Mk. III x 2
+ Mk. VII
[x] Wave 12
Mk. III (Super Edition)
==[W5.]== Stage 5: DEFEAT THE STRANGE LIVING THING ATTACKING THE SPACE STATION==
TOTAL WAVES: 15 - 21
TOTAL ENEMIES: 51 - 98
The final stage. The enemies here have a ridiculous amount of health, and
are immune to several of your best techniques. There are no level hazards. This
stage is unique in that there are actually branching paths (however, the only
difference between these paths is the number of enemies.) After a while you will
come to a pair of doors, and you have to pick which one to go into. The path you
select can wildly vary the number of enemies you fight, from a minimum of 51 to
a whopping maximum of 98. The easiest path is LEFT LEFT, and the hardest path is
RIGHT LEFT RIGHT. There is no bonus or anything to taking harder paths, so un-
less you're itching for a real challenge you should just take the easiest path.
You will need the extra lives, health, and D. Punches to beat Heavy Blast Man.
[x] Wave 1
Mantis
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
[x] Wave 2
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno
[x] Wave 3
Xeno x 2
Mantis
[x] Wave 4
Mantis x 3
[x] Wave 5
Xeno x 3
[x] Wave 6
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
[x] LEFT Path ==============================================================
[x] Wave LEFT 1
Mantis
Xeno x 2
[x] Wave LEFT 2
Mantis
Xeno x 2
[x] Wave LEFT 3
Mantis x 3
[x] Wave LEFT 4
Xeno x 3
[x] Wave LEFT 5
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis
[x] LEFT LEFT Path =========================================================
[x] Wave LEFT LEFT 1
Mantis x 2
Xeno
[x] Wave LEFT LEFT 2
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis
[x] Wave LEFT LEFT 3
Mantis x 2
Xeno
[x] Wave LEFT LEFT 4
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno
[x] LEFT RIGHT Path ========================================================
[x] Wave LEFT RIGHT 1
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno x 2
[x] Wave LEFT RIGHT 2
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis x 2
+ Xeno
[x] Wave LEFT RIGHT 3
Mantis x 2
Xeno
[x] Wave LEFT RIGHT 4
Xeno x 2
Mantis
[x] Wave LEFT RIGHT 5
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
[x] RIGHT Path =============================================================
[x] Wave RIGHT 1
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis x 2
+ Xeno
[x] Wave RIGHT 2
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Xeno x 2
[x] Wave RIGHT 3
Mantis x 3
+ Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT 4
Xeno x 3
[x] Wave RIGHT 5
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis x 2
+ Xeno x 2
+ Mantis
[x] RIGHT LEFT Path ========================================================
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT 1
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
+ Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT 2
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Xeno x 2
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT 3
Mantis x 3
+ Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT 4
Xeno x 3
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT 5
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
+ Mantis
[x] RIGHT LEFT LEFT Path ===================================================
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT LEFT 1
Xeno x 2
Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT LEFT 2
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT LEFT 3
Mantis x 2
Xeno
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT LEFT 4
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno
[x] RIGHT LEFT RIGHT Path ==================================================
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT RIGHT 1
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno x 2
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT RIGHT 2
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
+ Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT RIGHT 3
Mantis x 2
Xeno
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT RIGHT 4
Xeno x 2
Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT LEFT RIGHT 5
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
+ Mantis
+ Xeno
[x] RIGHT RIGHT Path =======================================================
[x] Wave RIGHT RIGHT 1
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno x 2
[x] Wave RIGHT RIGHT 2
Xeno x 2
Mantis
+ Mantis x 2
+ Xeno
[x] Wave RIGHT RIGHT 3
Mantis x 2
Xeno
[x] Wave RIGHT RIGHT 4
Xeno x 2
Mantis
[x] Wave RIGHT RIGHT 5
Mantis x 2
Xeno
+ Xeno
+ Mantis x 2
+ Xeno x 2
==[R0.]== Region Differences ===================================================
There are a few differences between the Japanese and U.S. versions of Sonic
Blast Man. Here they are:
[x] On the title screen of the U.S. version, you have to wait until "PRESS
START" blinks three times before you can advance. On the Japanese ver-
sion you can do it immediately.
[x] In the U.S. version, Sonic Blast Man says "Take that!" In the Japanese
version, he says something in Japanese. I'm gonna guess it's something
like "Fighting for freedom!" based on what he says in Sonic Blast Man 2.
[x] In the Japanese version, Dereks are actually a nondescript white woman.
Kenneths are a kung-fu girl. These were changed for the U.S. because
Nintendo didn't want violence towards women on their console. And hon-
estly, the U.S. sprites look better than the Japanese ones anyway.
You really shouldn't use these. It's shameful to do so and robs you of a
proper challenge. If you finish the game using cheats and you tell people that
you "beat" this game, you're a liar. The only "cheat" that's acceptable to use
is Very Hard Mode, which isn't a cheat at all. You can use the level select and
boss rush cheats to practice and get better, but you're a coward for doing so
and should be ashamed.
[x] Very Hard Mode
After the "PRESS START" text flashes four times on the title screen, hold
L+R and press START. You should hear a woman's voice scream and under the
options menu you can now select "VERY HARD" difficulty. However, I can't get
this cheat to work for the life of me. I'm pretty sure it exists because I
have seen screenshots online. Maybe you have to beat the game once before
you can do this?
[x] Level Select / Boss Rush / Hit Stage
In the options menu, under the music test, select either the stage you want
to skip to, BOSS, or HIT STAGE to go to a specific level, boss rush mode, or
the Hit Stages, respectively. Then, hold SELECT and press L, R, R, L, START.
When you play a stage, you can only play through it without playing the boss
and at the end you will just go back to the options screen. For the Boss
Rush mode, you will play all bosses in order. For Hit Stage, you can try out
a Hit Stage (duh.)
There is none. Feel free to copy and paste this FAQ wherever you want with-
out even giving me credit. I'll just be happy that anybody else on earth is
playing this sick game.
