Come, my liege. We are at War! _.----._ .- .------. -. .'.' '.'. ' ' ' ' . ' ' . . ' ' . . ' ' . .-' . . . . || . . . . || . . / . .--.|| .-'-. -'.-'._.-'. .-'-. . . / / // || ' _'| | || | ' | . . _.' ' || || .' | | || | .' | . . ' .' \\ || '' _| | || | '' _| . '-. \__/ '-.- -- -.- -.'--- ---- --- -.- -. ----' :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:..:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. ODAMA - GAMECUBE Version 1.0 (08/11/2006) Version History: 08/15/2006: No new info, gamerstemple added as a host. 1.0: Basic Guide Complete - (08/11/2006) .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:..:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. Legality: This Guide is Copyright, 2006, Matthew McIntyre This guide may not be used on a website or in any public forum where it is protected by copyright without the consent of the author. To contact me: entropiclobo(at)yahoo(dot)ca or chaos(dot)wolf(at)gmail(dot)com Websites with permission to use this Guide: www.GameFAQS.com www.neoseeker.com faqs.IGN.com www.1up.com www.honestgamer.com www.gamerstemple.com Game by Vivarium/Nintendo ****************************************************************************** * Table of Contents * ****************************************************************************** *To jump to a section, hold the Control Key and press F, then type in the section number as it appears (ie type OD1) OD1: Intro OD2: Basics OD3: Items OD4: Field Geography OD5: Voice Commands OD6: Strategy OD7: Walkthrough ODS1: Kuruwa Plains I ODS2: Kuruwa Plains II ODS3: Kuruwa Plains III ODS4: Kuruwa Plains IV ODS5: Kuruwa River I ODS6: Kuruwa River II ODS7: Kuruwa River III ODS8: Spider Temple ODS9: Karasuma Town ODS10: Karasuma Road ODS11: Karasuma Keep OD8: Secrets OD9: Credits Odama is rated "F" fopr "Flank and Destroy." It contains scenes of giant-sized feudal generals and a large, spherical redeemer crushing the bones of the enemy into dust. Player discretion is advised. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD1: Intro | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Something I've looked for during this passing generation are games that showcase originality and have the proper execution to do their concepts justice. I've found these games in a number of positions, and Odama is one of them. I was admittedly dubious of the game at first. The very concept of Odama drew me in, but I was wary of the Voice Recognition. I didn't think it was necessary and that even menus or shortcut buttons would be better. But, when I tried the game with voice I found it so immersive and addicting that I'd have it no other way - personally. I still do believe there should be alternative method for people who are mute/deaf or lose their microphone, however. But the recognition is clear and the troops respond to you as long as their morale is high enough. Little aspects like morale, and how every aspect of the game carriers some importance give the game sprinkles of flavour that deliver one killer product. In each stage you will be marching your Bell from the bottom to top, in an attempt to pass through the gate towards the top. You'll use the Odama to aide your troops in their war efforts. But the Odama is a double-edged weapon here. If you are reckless, it will become your own downfall. That's something else I love. There's a touch of unpredictability in that cold, unforgiving, steel ball. And that can only be good. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD2: Basics | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Odama is a game of Pinball and strategy, it's probably a line you've been fed if you've read anything about this game before. I mean, the general purpose of every stage is to march from start to finish? Where to you have to strategize? Well, you have to manage your troops at all times, and keep the Odama in check. The Odama is a powerful weapon - and under normal circumstances it can also crush your troops. So you need to play pinball, but you need to have a plan about it if you want to conquer the enemy with any great success. For actual game strategy you can read section OD6, this section will cover a few basics. ------------------------ The game controls as such: L: Left Flipper, hold button to hold flipper up as well. R: Right flipper, hold button to hold flipper up as well. B: If either are available, switch between Calvary and Rice Balls. A: Fire the Odama at the start of a match. Deploy Calvary/Fire Rice Ball. Control Pad (D-Pad): Move the cursor amongst selectable targets. Y: Zoom in on targeted cursor. Control Stick: Move the targeting reticule for Odamas at the start of the stage, or Rice Balls during. This also tilts the stage, a very useful feature you can read more about under Strategy. C Stick: Rotate the Board in Stages 8 and 11. X: Hold it down to activate the Microphone, talk a command then release it. Press start during a match to pause. Fromt his screen you can also retreat the battle to try again fresh, or view your Voice Commands. ------------------------ So you need to control your Bell Crew to make it through the gate at the end of the stage. If the Bell Crew is ever pushed behind your flippers then you will be Defeated. You will also be defeated if you run out of time, or lose all of your Odamas. Voice Commands are essential in guiding teh crew and troops to the end of the field. However, the troops will not listen to your commands if their morale is low. Morale is a meter displayed in the bottom left of the screen. You must keep this up or your efforts will quickly fall flat. If you give unsuccessful voice commands, crush your men with the Odama, or they falter against the enemy then morale will decrease. The two core methods of morale restoration are by using the voice command "RALLY" on a fired Rice Ball, or deploying some back-up. Keep the morale up at all times. ------------------------ There are three types of Odama: *The standard Odama can destroy both enemy and friendly forces. *The Heavenly Odama passes trhough your forces, and conscripts enemies to your side. *The Evil Odama passes through enemy forces, and kills yours. Evil and Heavenly status are temporary, and you should behave accordingly when you are converted as such. Conscript alrge bodies of enemies to keep your reserves high. ------------------------ Items in the game will help you greatly. You can pick up spare Odamas, make it Heavenly, collect Rice or Time. It's a great idea to stockpile on items, because time awards you extra lives (100 Time = 1 life, approx.) at the end of a stage and Rice is carried over. Get as many troops through the gate as posible as well, as theya re the only reserves you'll have for the next level. ------------------------ Lastly, ring the Bell often to toll it out and flatten enemy forces. You'll knock enemies flat on their back and scatter them. Try everything in this game with respect to the environment. Exercise patience and precision, and care for your men. That is that path to victory. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD3: Items | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Items are an important part of the game. You can earn them from the houses scattered across the battlefield. Bust the houses, collect the items, and make full use of your bounty. Note taht sometimes enemy troops drop items when smote with the Odama. *Green Power: This glowing green orb converts yoru Odama to a Heavenly Odama. It is recommended that you use this as your primary conscription item whenever possible - leave hearts as a reserve method of conscription - until you can make best use of it. Collect the green orbs whenever you see them. *Heart: This will amke the Ninten Bell glow white. Strike the bell to become a Heavenly Odama. It may be best to keep this ability in reserve until it is the best opportunity. *Hourglass: This hourglass adds valuable time to your meter. Collect them whenever you see them. They even benefit you after the match - time is awarded with Odamas as it is counted down following a match. *Odama: This rarer item will award you an extra Odama. *Rice: This gives you the use of one Rice Ball. Stockpile as many of these as possible for the later stages. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD4: Field Geography | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This is just a general overview of what you will be encountering in each level, troops, generals, mountains, and more. The special area is not covered here. *Arrow Tower: Archers take aim from high up with fire arrows. *Base: The location of your flippers and General. *Bell Crew: The heart of your army is the Ninten Bell. Protect this always. *Buildings/Structures: All other mundane buildings excluding houses. Destroy them to make room/reveal enemies/rescue your troops who have been captured. *Bumper: This will divert the march of your Bell Crew once built, in stage 5. *Calvary: Spin around your Bell Crew temporarily, acting as a shield of sorts. *Catapult: Fire rocks at you until disabled, or captured. *Cave: When it opens, it often has a useful item to claim. *Collapsing Platform: Hitting this will unsteady it temporarily. *Collapsing Ramp: Hitting this will form a temporary ramp. *Command Scroll: Teaches you a new Voice Command. Collect them all, the first three stages all have a hard to get Voice Command that you shoudl try to earn as well... *Enemy Calavry: Cut through your ranks and head for your base. They'll disable your flippers. Listen for their neigh to know they are coming. *Enemy Flippers: Until you capture them, they will hit your Odama on their own and turn it Evil. Divert the Odama's course until you capture them. *Enemy General: Level bosses. Knock them down and rally on them while they're disabled. *Enemy Troops: Often appear in huge numbers, they are the primary opposition to the bell crew. They'll push your forces back, so take care to disable large groups of them. *Evil Bell: Tolling this will level your troops and turn your Odama temporarily Evil. Avoid striking these at all. *Flippers: Your primary means of Odama propulsion. *Floodgate: controls teh flow of the river. Close it to cut off the water. *Gate: Gates at the end of stages must be entered via Press Forward. *Hill: Steeper hills require some method to pass for your your troops, though the Odama can be fired up most inclines. Check out the environment and use what's there to continue. *General: Your General fends off troops as best he can. If they get beyond your flippers, they are disabled. *Grabber: A catapult or building that grabs the Odama or Bell Crew and tosses it away. Take it on indirectly. *House: Contain items, bust them to reveal the items. *Human Ramp: A ramp created by the bodies of your men, a living ramp. *Item: Any number of the items in the game, collect them as they appear. *Key: Keys will oepn gates on the battlefield. *Ladder: Rally it to place it for your men to make a ramp. *Ladder Tower: Rally it to knock the ladder over, forming a bridge. *Odama: The ball in this game of Pinball. Make full use of the Odama to secure your victory. *Platform: Enemy troops wait on top of these. Topple them over and deal with the troops. *Pully: When in place, can control floodgates. *Raft: Run along rivers carrying items or red buttons. *Red Button: Reset all destroyed houses. *River: This water will wash away any troop not heavy enough to cross. To gain weight, stick by an item or bell crew. Most Rivers have some method of disabling or crossign them. *Rock: Can be moved in the way of enemy camps to cut off some of their reserves from entering the field in Stage 7. *Statue: Rally spots on Stage 8 to find these, and place them. *Statue's Wall: In stage 8, holding L and R will raise these walls, keeping the Odama in a target area... *Tree: Grow along the battlefield, often in the way of the Odama. Strike it to end it. *Troops: Your men. Guide them well with your voice, and you'll cut through the enemy forces. Try to get as many through the end gate as possible. *Tunnel: Serve as an escape point for the Odama when stuck in Stage 7. *Walls: Any kind of wall that blocks the Odama's progress. They often have a huge degree of kcikback when hit - so take care. *Water Cistern: Pours water out when knocked over, washing away your troops. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD5: Voice Commands | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= All of the Voice Commands are earned in the first three stages via command scrolls. *Advance Where: Stage 1. What: The troops will move forward. This is an up directional command. *Comapny, Halt Where: Stage 2. What: This will cease all movement by your Bell Crew. If you need to keep them away from danger, keep this command up (it is temporary stop only). Fall Back from danger, then halt. *Charge Where: Stage 3 What: The troops will form a line in front of the Bell Crew and attack enemies out of the way. This command is most useful in tight corridors. *Close the Gate Where: Stage 3 What: It will cut off water from the middle river in Stage 3. Closes the floodgate, in other words. *Fall Back Where: Stage 1. What: Causes troops to retreat backwards briefly. Use it if you are approaching a danger you have not yet disabled, and you need to cover some ground backwards. *Flank and Destroy Where: Stage 1 What: A powerful command, this causes your troops to surround the enemy and instantly kill them. You have to have enough space to surround them, however, and you need to outnumber them. If both requirements are met, however, this command can really help keep troops to a minimum. *Flood the River Where: Stage 3 What: It will let water flow back into the middle River of stage 3. In other words it opens the floodgate. *March Left Where: Stage 1. What: The troops will march left. This is a left directional command. They do return to marching up soon after. *March Right Where: Stage 1. What: The troops will march right. This is a right directional command. They do return to marching up soon after. *Press Forward: Where: Stage 1. What: The troops will advance with fervor. This is a combatative command to help you cut through ranks of enemy troops. It is also required to pass through the agte at the end of the field. *Rally: Where: Stage 2. What: Some trops will Rally on a certain spot - be it item or enemy General. Rally is a useful command that lets you form item crews when available. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD6: Strategy | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= These are a few little notes about Odama, and how to really play with an edge. A lot of the aspects here are pretty common sense, in regards to video pinball itself, but this section is written with the raw individual in mind. There are a few tips in here that can improve your game, and some more that will help you prioritize how you should play the game. As with any strategy, work with what works for _you_. If you have anything to add here, feel free to drop me a line. As always, I'm very open with my guides. 1. The Field is Equal 2. Know the Flippers 3. Master Tilt 4. Ricochet: Danger and Use 5. Starting a Stage 6. Watch the Morale 7. Proper Use of Rice Balls 8. Using Your Heavenly Odama 9. Dealing With the Evil Odama 10. Dealing With Calvary and Using Your Own 11. Fighting Generals 12. Don't Deploy All 13. Deploy All at the End 14. Outnumbered! 15. Don't Let Them Pile Up 16. Scrolls are Priority 17: Stockpile 18. Balance the Final Stocking 19. Watch the Bell Crew *1. The Field is Equal* --------------------- Before you start playing Odama - consider this: Everything is equally important in this game. That is, you can't get by without your Odama. You can't get by without your troops. And you can't get by without your voice. Everything plays a vital role in the ultimate victory of your army. Why then would this simple lesson be so utterly essential to keep in mind? Well grasshopper, you're playing pinball. But you're also directing an army. It is easy to get distracted with one aspect of the game, and have the other go to pieces. You shout out "FLANK AND DESTROY!" The enemies fall, the coast is clear and everything looks great. But you just lost your Odama. It is absolutely essential to check between both ends of your party while you play. If you aren't accustomed to the game yet, then hold your Odama in place while you direct the troops. After the learning curve, you should be able to control the game in a more cohesive manner, however. The other thing here to keep in mind is the field itself. Say you're fighting a General - the enemy troops aren't automatically a non-issue. You need to use the Odama to keep the big guy down until your troops get the chance to strike. See the issue here? Everything on the field needs to be considered. Also check out the environment. You need to take care to explore every avenue of the stage. Block rivers, break buildings, find Command Scrolls. Everything here needs to be considered. *2. Know the Flippers* -------------------- The flippers are your mechanism of propulsion for the Odama. The flippers are also a guard against the Odama leaving the battlefield and your loss of a chance. In a sense, the Odama is an extension of the flippers, they go hand in hand. One sets it up, and the other executes. If you're new to Pinball games tnen you have to keep in mind that a left flipper won't always shoot the ball to the right. The right flipper won't always shoot it left. *Fires the ball behind the flipper, without a lot of speed. | | *Fires the ball "up" with less speed. That is, there's little net | | direction here. | | | | *Fires the ball out, rapidly. | | | / \--..__ \ /______\ To hit with greater speed, you will need to flip from one flipper at its farther ends. Hit from the flipper opposite the target. On the other hand, if you flip from the middle or back of the flipper on the same side of the target then you may be more accurate (with tilt included) and score a hit. You must also realize that a ball coming down to the flipper with a velocity will behave differently then an Odama at rest. For instance, an Odama with a large velocity vectored at the opposite side of where the flipper is located may still have a velocity towards that side if you hit it with the rear of the flipper. In a sense, this ruins your accuracy. However, it may be useful to cut speed, or to cut the angle of the Odama. Most targets are positioned in a way that this sort of tactic would not be completely needed, but if you're shooting the heavenly Odama around or soemthing like that you may want to use it to keep it in play without slowing it down. There is an easier way to cut the speed of the Odama with the flippers though. That is, holding the flippers in to catch the Odama. .--. ' ' . / ' '. / '--'. / / / / \ / \ // Not quite like my little diagram there, but you get the idea. This is how you can _hold_ an Odama (given there is no tilt). This will give the Odama roughly a net velocity of zero, essenitally placing the Odama at rest. Or rather, it will cut the speed signifcantly. It might not speed down until it reaches the other flipper. .--._ / \ .--. \ ' ' . / \ ' '. / \ '--'. / \ / / *If the speed is enough as to not be stopped by the inclined / \ / ___..----/ \ flipper, then the Odama may roll over it to \ // /_________\ / the other flipper. Be ready. Know your flippers and you'll have a leg up on the competition. *3. Master Tilt* -------------- Tilt might not be necessary to connect with targets or anything of that sort but it helps so much that you will find yourself using it all the time without so much as a thought about it. In any Pinball game where tilt is unlimited, exploit it to the pull extent of its potential. __________ Consider this as the battlefield. \ Consider this a tilted battlefield. While the angle is not nearly \ this great, you get the idea. It becomes apparent that you can do \ many things with Tilt. \ \ The Odama is a ball. It rolls quite freely, but is sublect to inclines, and it does not keep a constant velocity. (O)________ (A) \ _________[T] \__________/ (D) (B) (C) The Odama (O) will be fired along the path. (A) The Odama keeps a fairly consitent velocity, though it slows over time. (B) Gravity accelerates the Odama. It increases in net velcoity. (C) Gravity accelerates the Odama down clines, so going up an incline will slow its progress. The Odama may quickly get over the incline, but some speed will be cut. (D) It continues on to its Target at (T). But add Tilt... TILT / \ / \ (O)________ / (A) \ \ \______ /__ (B) \ '--._.-'--..__ / ''--..__ \ (C) [T] / (D) You change the dynamic of the field if you tilt as you run the stretch into section (C). If you create a slight decline, then you will speed up. What this means is that if you tilt the field towards your destination, you add a stress to the Odama that will give it a little extra push towards the target. If you tilt opposite the direction the Odama is travelling - you give it a slight cut in speed. Now, taking this into a practical application, we can hit targets. At the arc of the Odama's movement, as it slows down, Tilt has the most noticeable effect. (O)-----------> Instead of passing your target by with a slow motion Odama \ tilt the field toward the target and conenct with it \ *TILT!* instead. That little extra push can be a life saver when \ it comes to picking up an item, hitting the enemy general, [T] and so on. Tilt is also helpful for hitting multiple targets. [T] [T] / You have an Odama locked into a section of buildings, you / \ / \ / cans kip it between them, or crush one and tilt towards / \ / \ / the next. The Odama usually only needs a lot of speed for (O) [T] [T] big targets. As long as you are in a spot with a lot of targets, cause an optimal amount of destruction. And an optimal amount of destruction may entail directing the Odama through a swath of troops. Or how about your own troops? They can push the Odama aside if it's slow enough that it won't kill them. Slow that sucker down if it's rolling toward your men! If there is a house or item near the flippers, you can hold the Odama at the flippers and tilt towards your target. It's a nice way to have more control over what you pick up. One more thing to keep in mind here - Tilt lets you pass the Odama between the flippers. Tilt up and away from the Odama and then direct it toward the next. You can trap the Odama with the next flipper. Take aim at your desired target and crush it. Tilt really has many uses, experiment. *4. Ricochet: Danger and Use* --------------------------- Of course, surfaces you hit - even those you destroy are going to try to counter your force by the sheer virtue of the physics in the game. That is, you will hit a surface with the Odama, and it will be deflected. If you don't hit a structure with enough force, you may bounce back even if you destroy it. (O) | What does this mean for you? You always have to be aware that \ | when the Odama stikes a target or wall, it's going to change \ | direction and you will need to be prepared to contend with this \ | change. \| /| When it bounces off an object with significant speed, it won't / | necessarily have its speed cut to the minimum. So if you hit an / | object very near to your flippers it might just be shot in between / | them costing you a ball. / | On the troop side of the coin, you could bounce off that enemy building and crush the bones of your own men. Not a nice thing. In these instances, tilt can help but it's best to play the flippers smart and try to either avoid too much ricochet, or abuse it for your own. The fact that the Odama can cover a lot of ground in a bounce with reasonable velocity means that it can be used to hit enemy troops at clever angles. If your men are in the direct path of the Odama, it may be possible to bounce it off a surface and coem up at the sides or behind the enemy - giving your men the help they need. The Odama can strike a surface and be angled in such a way that they can hit a row of troops that are in front of your men. You should see how they line up at fronts to meet with your forces, if you can cut a nearly 180 degree swath through the enemy then you are doing fine. Other uses of ricochet include hitting other structures after another is blown up, or hitting a target at a difficult position in relation to the flipper. Or hitting the Odama between two targets multiple times to score greater damage or hit passing people. Overall, it's not as consistently useful as tilt, or using the different positions on the flipper. But it does have its uses. It is a dangerous effect though, so treat it astutely. *5. Starting a Stage* ------------------- Now we're going to start a stage. Remember that the Odama has to be launched to start the stage. You ahve a slight timer before the Odama is launched - but during this time you will be able to aim the ball. Take this into definite consideration. Many stages have something you need to hit to release an item for a crew to take, hit a gate to stop a river, or a number of structures to destroy. The Odama is shot into the air, so don't worry about obstructions. Pick some target that will be of immediate use, or a difficult target that you may need to strike later - but can be knocked down now. Launch the Odama, and let your Bell Crew start their march forward. I tend not to launch all of my reserves at once mainly because I want to focus on one primary task first before I need to really divide my attention. Call out the reserves if Danger appears, or when you've completed your objective. I like to start out by collecting an item, and trying for a Heavenly Odama. Either conscript or kill as many enemy troops as you can right off the bat. You may even want to distract them with a nice ball while you get the job done. Now, this sounds like a risky move - waiting to unleash your reserves - but to perform your desired task shouldn't take any time at all. And you'll thank yourself in some later levels that your Bell Crew didn't get too far without your guidance. If you've got something like a river in your way, this can be a useful tactic. But if it's a flat out march for the first stretch then you'll want some troops out right from the get go. The real problem lies in having your troops in the way as you need to direct the Odama to specific points on the battlefield. You can just waste them with the ball, or the ball will interrupt their movements. Even consider ricochet to this extent - what if you bounce off your target and cream your own army? Find a way to start out a battle that works for you and stick to it. My suggestion here might not appeal to everyone, but it's worked well for me. *6. Watch the Morale* ------------------- As I've mentioned, the troops are absolutely as essential to victory as the Odama itself. But they're human - not cold, metal balls. They get scared, they get depressed, and they lose faith in you when the battle turns in the enemies' favour. The morale meter needs to be relatively full for the soldiers to obey your Voice. And Voice is needed to complete any stage. That presents a problem. How can you increase their morale? How can you keep it reasonable? As mentioned in Gameplay, troops and rice are the core method in increasing morale. If rice is not a viable option, then for sure launch a few men onto the field and watch the meter rise. If you can't send out reserves, then you are going to have to either find some rice in a house or if you _do_ have reserves that just can't be deployed then you will need to exercise a little cruelty. If you destroy a few of your men, then cast out a few reserves you might just have enough net gain of morale to push through. Of course, you will have to deploy a fair number of men to make this tactic even remotely worthwhile. It does get expensive so I really do recommend just looking for some rice. Though you only keep as many soldiers as make it through the gate, I do recommend that you conscript as much and as often as possible. It will help keep reserves on hand and the Heavenly Odama can be fired through your men - which means that hitting them won't decrease morale. Overall, you can keep up Morale by delivering effective Voice Commands (for instance, don't flank 100 enemies with 20 troops) and by staying ahead of the game. For instance, make sure you clear as many obstacles in the way of your forces as quickly as possible before they reach them. Make sure that you clear out as much of the enemy as possible, and conversely as few of your own men. Morale is universal amongst the troops, it's a mob mentality. Keep in mind that if you increase your morale with troops at one point of the screen, troops say in mid battle will also increase in morale. IT allows you to give that extra push without distracting your men. *7. Proper Use of Rice Balls* --------------------------- I mentioned rice up above as an effective cure for the blues among your forces. But this is a double-edged sword. A rice ball can be wasted, and even the enemy forces will eat them meaning that you may garner the incorrect effect from firing your rice ball. The rice is fired like an Odama, and the cursor can be moved about the screen. Again, it is shot into the air, so don't worry about obstructions. The proper use of Rice Balls can be executed by choosing a proper target. R = Red Troops B = Black Troops X = Target Cursor BBBBBBB BBBBBBB RRRRRRR RRRRRRR Two forces have met at a front here, and you have use of a Rice Ball. Now, the rice may be used here to increase the Morale of your troops or to distract the enemy. In either case, we fire the Rice Ball _behind_ the line. X BBBBBBB BBBBBBB RRRRRRR RRRRRRR Okay, so it is behind the enemy lines, and they will run towards it. Why behind in this instance? Well, it thins out the immediate front that your troops will be pressing against and it gives you, as the player, a better outlook on what's going on rather than ahving a jumbled mass. They can cream whoever's left behind, not at the rice, then move in on those who see fit to eat rice and not fight. BBBBBBB BBBBBBB RRRRRRR RRRRRRR X Enemy troops don't need to be told to rally on rice, they do it automatically. Therefore, you need to consider their greed when you fire a rice ball to feed your troops. Either rally a group far from the battle on the rice or fire it behind your front. Though you will be thinning out your ranks with the rice being eaten, you will increase in morale and that will allow you to give that extra push. BBBBBBB X BBBBBBB BBBBBBB BBBBBBB RRRRRRR RRRRRRR If you are outnumbered, and there are say items nearby or you want to utilise the Odama to kill foes, then shoot the rice away from the fronts. The enemy will run to it, giving you the chance to either scroll the screen up to get to the item or smash them with the Odama. It also makes it as if you're fighting one front, then you take on one more front once the rice is eaten. Maybe you will have a flanking opportunity when all is said and done? One more thing to say here - if there are a grave number of troops in hiding or in a difficult position - then rice can lead them out. But be warned - your Rice is a limited resource. Don't waste it, as it is most valuable in the later stages. *8. Using Your Heavenly Odama* ---------------------------- The Heavenly Odama's primary function is to conscript enemy soldiers to your own forces. However, it's often not worth the conscription efforts if there is not a significant amount of soldiers to be hit. For instance, if there are a few individuals running around at different points of the screen, well they are a less desireable target than a tight-packed enemy front that has engaged your forces. The key thing here is to maximize the conscription potential. The heavenly Odama merely has to touch the enemy to conscript it, so if you have a slower Odama then tilt can actually help you conscript more soldiers than if you shot the Odama from the end of a flipper. Greater control is a virtue for sure, but you have to balance accuracy and speed. Heavenly Odama are limited, so you have to make the greatest use of them in the alloted time. The Heavenly Odama are also useful for hitting things beyond your forces at a reasonable force. If you need to score a more direct hit on a target, then turn the Odama green and fire it through your forces. Even at times when your forces crowd a General can this be helpful. Generally, however, you should save the chance to become heavenly if you have to hit your bell to do it. The white Ninten Bell should be considered a reserve of sorts that you can activate either when there's an opportune time for conscription or when you know you can soon get another heart. *9. Dealing With the Evil Odama* ------------------------------ The Evil Odama, in the few stages it appears, can be a real issue. As mentioned it can destroy your own troops but pass through the enemy. That presents a problem as to how you can still make use of your Odama. Luckily, the Evil Odama does not discriminate against buildings. In both stages where the Evil Odama is a potential issue, there are plenty of structures to destroy. So even though you've been dealt a bad hand, you can still cause as much destruction as possible. You might consider hitting the bell, but your troops are probably hovering around it and that becomes a dangerous proposition pretty quickly. However, firing the Evil Odama at a white bell in hopes of generating a Heavenly Odama is a wise move. The easiest way to bypass the time limit imposed on the Evil Odama is to make it Heavenly. So go item hunting, stock up on Rice and Time, and turn Heavenly as soon as possible. Conscript as many troops as you can to make up for whatever you lost under the Evil influence. There's also the option of holding the Odama on your flipper until it reverts back to a normal Odama - but really, you're wasting valuable time that could be well spent destroying enemy structures or stocking up on items. *10. Dealing With Calvary and Using Your Own* ------------------------------------------- Calvary are mounted riders that can cut a path right through your forces. They are announced by a neigh and they charge down the field toward your General. Once they reach their target, your flippers will be disabled. Then, what should you do? Once you hear the neigh, get ready. Strike the Calvary as they appear with the Odama in hopes of killing (or conscripting, if Heavenly) these Horseback troops. Deploying troops in their path will not slow them down significantly, and while the General can fight off most other troops you don't really have that luxury here. If you are unable to kill the Calvary, then launch the Odama at some remote target and hope that the flippers are restored by the time it returns to them. Tilt is also useful here. Tilt away from the flippers - hit a house to bounce up - whatever you want. Just stick away from the flippers until they are restored to glory. If you manage to conscript some Calvary, they will be available for you to deploy as your own. Now, the normal use I had for calvary was to launch them when the Bell Crew is dangerously close to falling behind the flippers. They aren't as brutal to the enemy as they are to you, but they do have their uses. They might not even be a bad idea to send them out in line with a front that is outnumbered by the Enemy. The Calvary spin around your Bell Crew, and act as a shield so really they should be used in those desperate times. They can also act as a deterrent for enemies when you are trying to rally a General, but as a temporary and limited use shield you should save it for when you really need it. *11. Fighting Generals* --------------------- Each General has their own little twist on battle, but there is a general method to fighting them. Hit them with an Odama, and rally your troops on them. Now, there will be the issue of enemy troops. If you significantly outnumber the troops, flank and destroy them. Otherwise, make use of the Odama or Heavenly Odama to remove them from the fray. Keep the General down with the Odama by striking him when he attempts to get up. Striking the Ninten Bell may also help against the troops, but it is a temporary solution. There really is strength in numbers and to make a dent in the General you will need as many of your troops on hand as possible. Keep the Odama nearby, or well aimed and keep him down. Conscription during the fight is really important, as if the General gets up, then you may losing a fair number of troops really soon. Conscription and the release of troops also helps with Morale. And without morale, they will not rally on the General. *12. Don't Deploy All* -------------------- Deploy only as many troops as you need at the moment - or nearly all of them. It's not an easy task to see how many troops are on the field. You generally have roughly 200 max. If a few die then, don't start deploying right away unless there is an immediate benefit to dipping into your reserves. What I mean here is that there are three core uses as to _not_ have troops all deployed to the max. These are: Morale: A small boost of morale from back-up is extremely helpful in this game, it means the difference between loyalty and disloyalty in your ranks. Keep a small buffer open to give yourself a morale boost when necessary. Rally: I have found that often when you unleash a small group of troops, and then rally them on an item, then they are the most likely to run to that item rather than the troops already on the field. This means the others can keep up whatever task they are currently involved with. Saving the Odama: When the flippers or red, or there is a threat of the Odama slipping between the flippers then the buffer for reserves can be a lifesaver - literally. Slow the Odama down as much as possible with Tilt. When the Odama is slow enough your troops can push it out of the way. Therefore, deploy your troops just as the Odama slips down toward the centre. They should push it out of the way, buying you precious time! *13. Deploy All at the End* ------------------------- If you are playing the main game, then you will want to keep as many reserves on hand as possible. the problem here is that you _only_ keep the soldiers that make it through the Gate with the Bell Crew. This kind of contradicts the previous strategy, but at this point in the game you should have cleared most of the threats on the battlefield. Once you are ready to Press Forward through the gate, deploy as many troops as possible, and then press on when they get to the gate. You can be at a real disadvantage if you have a low amount of reserves going on to the next stage. Try to get 150 or more troops on through to the next stage. Free Play limits the amount of troops you have in a stage at around an average of 100. You will likely be used to the levels by then, and in Free Play this rule is not so much an issue. The presets are constant. *14. Outnumbered!* ---------------- It's bound to happen in a game where you have a limited number of troops, and the enemy is virtually limitless. There are a number of things you can do when you are outnumbered. Odama: Either crush the enemy front with the Odama, or conscript them with the Heavenly Odama. This is the most basic, and obvious method. It's not always a viable option if it means crushing your troops though. Bell: Ring the Bell to knock the enemy troops down, and Press Forward. While they are sprawled out and disorganized, you can get a leg up on them. Rice: Fire Rice Balls to draw off the Enemy. This will divide their available fronts and give your forces a little breathing room. Calvary: If they are tightly packed, consider deploying some Calvary to cut through their ranks. Also note when the game tells you how to cut off enemy methods of ingression. If you can disable the flow of troops onto the field, then outnumbering becomes less severe. *15. Don't Let Them Pile Up* -------------------------- As an aside to point 14, about outnumbering, it's just as important to intercept incoming troops rather than letting them outnumber you. It's easy to get distracted when you're attacking a structure or General or what have you, but if you can take out the ingress of enemy troops as well, then it makes it easier on your troops. While you ahve the chance, flank and destroy or conscript incoming groups. If they are allowed to snowball then they do become a problem. Or even if you have your forces spread out - it'll be easier for them to push back the Bell Crew. As I mentioned above, cut off points of entry for the troops, use the stage to your advantage. The best advantage you can have against outnumbering is prevention. *16. Scrolls are Priority* ------------------------ In the main game, Command Scrolls appear in the first few stages. Once you have them, they are always yours. Even in the event of Defeat, the scrolls will remain with you. As they teach Voice Commands, they are important to your overall victory. Focus your first play of a stage on collecting any Command Scrolls, then learning how to use them and studying the stage. Always try to win, but go through any length to get the scroll. And if you are in bad shape when you get the scroll? Accept defeat and do better the next time knowing that you already have the scroll. *17: Stockpile* ------------- There are items you can stock up on during a stage: Time, and Rice. Time will have immediate benefits and Rice will come in handy in certain levels. Now, I had a load of Rice by the last two levels and made great use of it there. How I accumulated the Rice is that I constantly harvested houses on the battlefield. Red buttons of course restore houses, and the houses give any number of items. Time is important because it extends your play time and allows more harvesting. Rice is pretty common, so stockpiling isn't too much of an issue. Even with items contributing to the Heavenly Odama, these are important for mass- conscription and the continued bolstering of your forces. If your Odama can't be of any immediate use, stock up on items. But don't ignore the rest of the field. *18. Balance the Final Stocking* ------------------------------ The problem with stockpiling your items is that time can start to run out and you risk losing more troops to enemy reserves if you hiver around the gate. You could, I suppose, leave the Press Forward to the last 10 or 20 seconds, but there are a few things to keep in mind. You shouldn't assume that the final press should be so easy. It probably will be, but soemthing could always happen. And more importantly, as time counts down on your victory screen, you are awarded extra Odamas. So yes, stock up on rice - but also make sure you get a couple of free chances awarded as well. *19. Watch the Bell Crew* ----------------------- My final note here is the most obvious and basic, but among the most important. While your troops, Odama, and voice are all important elements - the Bell crew is absolutely essential and is needed to beat levels. They also end the battle instantly if they are pushed beyond your flippers. It will end with your Defeat and frustration. Look for the word "Danger" to appear on the screen, but don't even let them get that far back. always check up on the crew, and push them forward if they are starting to fall back. Their safety is priority. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD7: Walkthrough | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS1: Kuruwa Plains I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 150 Basic Map +-----------[ ]------------+ #: River |##Br H * H!| X: Black Troops |## H * | O: Red Troops |## H R * | *: Hill's Edge |## H * | H: House |## * | Br: Bridge |## * | Fg: Floodgate |## XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX **| !: Command Scroll |#########################Fg| R: Red Button |#########################Fg| C: Cave |## OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO | |## C| |## | |## | |##H H!| +----..____ ____..---- --. .-- The first stage is very basic, but the short time limit _is_ a problem when it comes to collecting all of the command scrolls in the level. When aiming your Odama, you may want to go for some houses and try to get some of that convenient front of black armour troops at the river conscripted right away. If you aim at the Floodgate, then they will rush in to engage your troops. Though by virtue of the marching Bell Crew you will be engaging them eventually, you should probably prepare before you empty the river. Collect the first scroll, it's to the right of the flippers. This Command scroll teaches "Advance," "March Left," "March Right," and "Fall Back" - all are directional commands for your troops/crew. You can easily snag this scroll by catching the Odama on the righthand flipper, then tilting up toward the Command Scroll. Command Scrolls are priority pickups in this game. Once you have it, you always have it. So even if you lose the battle, you can still keep your Command Scrolls and make an even greater push for victory on your next try. Now, hit the Bridge from the right with the Odama. This will cause it to close and enemies will not be able to enter from that source. This will make it much easier on your men fighting back the enemy front. Keep an eye on the cave. When it opens it often has excellent prizes like hourglasses and 1-ups. By now, your troops are likely trying to cross the river. Hit the Flood Gate and let them go at it with Genshin's army. In the meantime, we're going to direct the Odama in earning the most important command in the game. Hit the Red Button to restore all of the houses. The house that held the first Command Scroll will also be restored. It now holds another scroll - Press Forward. Press Forward is a more offense oriented "Advance" and is also required to beat a level. You can reach the red button by either flipper, it might require some tilt, however. Now, the most difficult task in this stage is to get that Command Scroll up on the hill. Now, this scroll is definitely worth it. I am usually able to get it via the left flipper. Hit the Odama up to the right of the gate and cause it to coast across the wall and up the hill. It may not be that simple for you - but keep at - you have nothing to lose after all. The command is Flank and Destroy, which will allow you to quickly dwindle the enemy forces when used right. Outnumber the enemies, then swiftly dispatch them given you have enough room. It will prevent enemies from piling up. When all of the Commands are yours, Press Forward. Keep the Flood Gate open and Press Forward toward the gate. Your Odama can either be used to conscript (when heavenly) or to stock up on time and rice balls. Either way, keep the Odama in use and keep your men pressing forward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS2: Kuruwa Plains II ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +------------[ ]-----------+ X: Enemy Troops | H! | XXXX XXXX | Br: Bridge | | | #: River | ##***********************| *: Hill's Edge | K## | H: House | ##Br () () () () ()R | !: Command Scroll | ## | (): Tower | ## @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ | @: Enemy Structures (walls, etc) | ## C| R: Red Button | ##@@@@@@@@ XXXX @@@@@@@@ | C: Cave | ## | | ## | Note that a Raft runs up and down the River. It | ##H! H| often has an item or red button. +--##..____ ____..---- ## --. .-- Aim the Odama to one end of the Enemy towers, and fire it. Use tilt to bound it between the Towers and the structures below, destroying as many as possible. Dislodge the bridge if at all possible. All the while, release some troops to deal with the forces running to meet your Bell Crew. Hold them off while you let your Odama run down and get some items. If your Odama runs down the river, then it will connect with the Command scroll "Rally" which is necessary to finishing this stage. Now, this will activate another command scroll, up in the top left. This scroll is probably the most difficult to reach in the game - so don't get discouraged. Clear any trees from around that house and bump the Odama over to the righthand flipper. Fire the Odama from the very end of the flipper and use tilt to try and reach the far-off Command scroll. It's "Company, Halt!" While this won't get a lot of use, when you do need it, it is invaluable. Keep that raft in mind while you are doing this. It often holds an item or a red button. It is worthwhile. Gain a Heavenly Odama if possible and conscript some soldiers. Take advantage of the Heavenly Odama's ability to pass through your troops to destroy the walls near in front of the flippers. _Be careful_ as there is a great chance of ricochet in this level taht can either knock the Odama beyond the flippers or crush most of your forces. The best bet is to get the Odama between the structures and the wall and have it bounce against the wall over time. Also, if you are on the righthand wall check out the cave. It has some great items, such as hourglasses, to give whenever it opens. Morale is a real issue in this stage. So once you have most of the the structures eliminated, work on Conscription. Morale is required to Rally on the Bridge. Calvary are very common in this level as well. Conscript some if possible, if not let the structures block you until the flippers are restored. Rally on the bridge, and yoru men will place it near the gate. Send out as many reserves as possible, and keep conscripting more. PRess forward until you are beyond the gate. Now, there is a second gate in this stage, but I've never even seen it as worth the trouble to try and access as it's across the river and my Bell Crew is too stubborn to walk over there. You will do just fine if you conscript and deploy as many reserves as possible for the main gate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS4: Kuruwa Plains III ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 300 /{{ | +------------[ ]-----------+-_ #: River | ## () () | \ (): Tower | ## H | \ Lt: Ladder Tower | K#############################| | H: House | #############################| H! | !: Command Scroll | ## Lt | | K: Key | ## () | | X: Enemy Troops | ## R | | R: Red Button | #############################Fg | {{: Secondary gate \ #############################Fg / Fg: Floodgate | ##Lt() | | \ ## | | \##Pu H X X X X X X X X | | #############################Fg | #############################Fg | ## | / ## KH H!{{/ +----..____ ____..----+ --. .-- As in the previous stage, the secondary gate is accessible but it doesn't seem to offer any grave advantage. As long as you can keep your numbers high, then this stage isn't so bad. You've got a lot of environment to worry about, however, so watch where you fire the Odama. The first floodgate can be opened by the Odama, but if you do so the enemy forces will run out at you. Instead, take aim at one of their towers and down that first. We are going to collect the key and Command Scroll before we open the floodgate - release reserves as you need them. Knock the key off of the building and rally your troops on it. Don't break that house up in the upper right until you get the command scroll, however. Rally the troops on the key and they will carry it to the gate near to the flippers. Meanwhile, direct the Odama into the House near the gate. It will give you commands that will play a vital role in this stage, "Close the Gate" and "Flood the River." You'll be using them on the next floodgate. The troops should have opened the gate near the flippers. Fire the Odama from the end of the left flipper and use tilt to help shoot up and reach this command, Charge, which has its uses now and then. This can be difficult to collect, so keep at it. When Charge is collected, open the first floodgate if you haven't already. Take care fo the troops here with either a Heavenly Odama, or if you outnumber them- Flank and Destroy. Either way, knock the Pully off of its perch. When the men are free to do so, Rally them on the Pully and maybe Fall Back/Company Halt until they get the pully in place (The Odama can still cause damage up ahead). Once the pully is in place, Close the Gate. Whiel you _can_ drown enemies with Flood the River, it's best to conscript them if possible. Keep both floodgates open from here on out, so that any Reserves can quickly make it to the front. Once you cross the drained river, Rally on the ladder tower that is positioned central. Once it is knocked down, begin your final Press Forwards. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS4: Kuruwa Plains IV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 400 +------------[ ]-----------+ X: Enemy Troops | H I R | I: Ippeita | () () () () () () | H: House | @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ | R: Red Button | | @: Structure /| @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ |\ Eff/ffE: Enemy Flippers / |H _____ _____ H| \ (): Tower | | /@ Eff ffE @\ | | /@ or @\: Wall |R |/@ @\| R| | | XXXXXXXXX | | | | XXXXXXXXX | | \ | | / \| H H |/ +----..____ ____..---+ --. .-- This battle can be a struggle. To be honest, this is possibly the most difficult level in the game - do not get discouraged! IF you have a strategy, and keep your cool, then the stage isn't so bad. On your first time playing this stage in Main Game - I recommend you have a load of Reserves - more than 100 at the very least, better 150+ and optimally 200+. On return trips, you can manage with less - but this is your first exposure to Generals and Evil Odamas. Start teh stage by aiming up to one end of the structures blocking the path to Ippeita. Break as many of the towers as possible using ricochet and tilt to bounce yourself off of smaller structures and into the towers. As you head back to the bottom portion of the stage, try to open one of the houses and tilt to slow yourself down as you approach a wall. Try to band against the wall a few times to open it from this direction. Back at the Bell Crew, release a multitude of troops and Press Forward. Have a group rally one of the enemy flippers, and then have another group seize the other. Those flippers, when enemy-controlled - turn your Odama into an Evil Odama. In the event that you do turn Evil, use the Odama to collect items or smash structures on the battleground. Until the Flippers are seized, conscription is a risky business unless you go for the lesser quantity of soldiers at the top end of the field. Conscript as many as possible, however. As you rally the flippers, smash the walls with the Odama. Be warned! The ricochet of the walls is potentially fatal - it is very fast. You may want to fire the Odama slowly at the wall. When both flippers are seized, have the Bell Crew press forward. Fire the Odama up and around through one fo the smashed walls to land on top of the larger, manmade wall that rapidly restores. Bound from this and into the Towers, and concentrate on hitting Ippeita. If you strike him, all structures will be destroyed (besides Houses). Ippeita will now be attackable - and hitting him while keeping your troops healthy might become hard. It might not be a bad idea to use Calavry once while attacking him so your troops can better concentrate on him. But for now, watch out for the catapults that grab the Odama and fire it to the bottom section. If you can, become Heavenly and conscript as many of the newcomers as possible. In fact, being Heavenly helps immensely here, as it is very crowded around Ippeita and you need to hit him with the Odama. By the way, going up through the sides is the easiest way to get the Odama to the top portion of the screen. To get through the middle - fire more or less straight up and hold both flippers open. It;s harder, but sometimes you may want a more direct approach. Back to Ippeita, fend off his underlings and strike him with the Odama to knock him down. Rally the troops on him so that they begin to remove his armor. Keep the Odama gaining Heavenly status - or opn the captured flippers to strike Ippeita whenever he gets up. It hurts yoru efforts if the enemy troops build up and push the bell beyong the captured flippers. Maybe conscript or kill them, or use Calvary. Either way, get back to whittling Ippeita down asap. Once the message that teh enemy General is captured appears, Press Forward through the gate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS5: Kuruwa River I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 350 +-[ ]---Fg------------ X: Enemy Troops | ## Pu H: House | ====== Bu Pu: Pully | ====== Wc Wc: Water Cistern | *## H| Bu: Bumper | *## | Ra: Human Ramp |H *## XX XX | #: River | *## Pl Pl | Fg: FLoodgate |***** ## | =: Bridge over River | Ra ## | *: Hill's Edge | ## | | ## XXXXXXXXX | | ## XXXXXXXXX | | H ## H R | +----..____ ____..----+ --. .-- After your tough fight in Kuruwa Plains IV, this is a surprisingly simple stage that lets you rebuild your army to a degree. The water is never a problem for your men, unless you want to build a human ramp. Aim the Odama at the righthand platform and crush it. Roll down into the house and collect teh item. Jump over to the other house and collect that item as well. If you become Heavenly, conscript like a fiend. Meanwhile, unleash your forces to engage the oncoming group of enemy troops. As I mentioned, it is best to conscript as many of these as possible. Just keep using the red button to restore the Houses, and continue the march forward to the bridge. Before your men get too far, hit the Pully up toward teh top of the screen with the Odama to stop the River temporarily. Be careful of the Water Cistern, as it will wash away your men. Once the river is drained, rally a number of troops over there until the human bridge is complete. Let the river refill. Seems like a waste? Not really, the human ramp will act as a sink for enemy troops. They will head down there to plan an attack, but will be unable to cross over. This means, they are sitting ducks for the Heavenly Odama, and provide a modest source of conscription rather than firing up near your own troops - a dangerous thing to do, because of the water cistern. One the river refills, leave the Pully alone. As yoru troops march up toward the bridge, keep a steady supply of reserves and Rally some to make the Bumper. When the bumber is complete, and the Bell Crew gets this far, they will begin a march left across the bridge. Continue to send reserves, maybe distract some enemies with a rice ball. Meanwhile, the Odama should be stockpiling items like crazy. That is, continually restoring the two houses at the bottom with the red button. Collect as much Rice and Time as you can. Hearts will over no advantage now that you can't reach the Bell. If you can't Press Forward a lot of troops through the gate, don't worry. There are plenty of conscription opprtunities in the next stage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS6: Kuruwa River II ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +------------[ ]------------+ X: Enemy Troops | H ## H | -There are also enemy troops in the River. | H ## H | H: House | XXXX ## XXXX | R: Red Button | PlPl ## PlPl | Pl: Platform | ## | Ca: Catapult | CaXXXX ## XXXXCa | | PlPl ## PlPl | | ## | | CaXXXX ## XXXXCa | | PlPl ## PlPl | | ## | | H ## R | | H ## H | +----..____ ---- ____..----+ --. .-- This one sounds tough right from the get go, marching up a chillign River, but if you ahve reserves, or conscript reserves you can keep up the march through the extent of the level. Aim the Odama at one of the lower platforms, maybe the bottom left. Then, collect some items. If it becomes Heavenly, shoot it straight up the river to collect as many of those troops as possible. Afte rthat, fire it around the level to crush platforms. Send out a group to rally the catapults one at a time. The bottoms, then the top. This is a priority move not so much to have them as your source of offense but rather to remove them from enemy control. Rice is in order if you get low in morale, or better yet - reserves. Keep your morale high as you advance - and keep your rallying one step ahead of the advancing Bell Crew. And keep the Odama destroying those platforms. Once you have secured all four catapults, it's more or less a straight march up the River and to the gate. At this point, the Odama's magnum opus is to stockpile items like crazy while restoring the houses with the Red Switch. Whenever it becomes Heavenly, send it flying up the River to conscript any enemeis your forces are engaged with. Keep their morale high, stock up on items, and press forward until the end. You may not get a severely high amount of troops through the game, but if you get 90 or 100 you'll be fine. That's it to this stage! It's maybe the shortest and most straightforward in the game. As long as you have the men, this stage can fall rather quickly. And if yous tockpiled that whole time, the benefits through Time (spare Odamas) and rice (for the last three stages) are great. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS7: Kuruwa River III ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 600 +----------------------------+ X: Enemy Troops | HyWc | H: House | ******[ ]****** | R: Red Button | Cp R Cp | Hy: Hyobei | Cp H Cp | Wc: Water Cistern | Cp XXXXXXX Cp | Cp: Collapsing Platform | Cp XXXXXXX Cp | Cr: Collapsing Ramp |E Ro Ro E| Ro: Rock | Cp Cp | E: Enemy entry point | Cp Cp | *: Hill's Edge | Cr H Cr | Tunn: Tunnel | Cr Cr | |Tunn Tunn| +----..____ ____..----+ --. .-- Your second General battle, and it's not nearly as bad as Ippeita. Hyobei can, yes, cause more damage at once than Ippeita but the stage is clearer, more focused on a singular task. That makes taking down Hyobei that much easier. The real issue is knocking him off of his perch. Aim the Odama into a House and start to stock up on items. Chances are, Kuruwa River II left you with less men than desired. Conscription with regards to that large body of troops would be very helpful. Take out as many of the troops as you can, then if your numbers are right - Flank and Destroy. Alright, once the core body of troops are out of the way, then you have to deal with Hyobei's reinforcements. Rally a group of troops on a rock, have it moved in place and then take care of the other one. Meanwhile, watch out for Hyobei. It's alright to get somewhat close but he'll tip that vat of water over to take out large portions of your forces. The tunnels near the flippers are simply there in case you fall behind the rocks you put in place. You have to have the rocks in place before you even think about hitting Hyobei - they complete a bridge that those platforms make up. Avoid hitting the platforms, if possible, as you need to shoot the Odama over them - and if they are tilted you may roll off. Instead, only hit the platform closest to the flippers so that it drops and forms a ramp. From the flipper opposite of the ramp, shoot the Odama from near the flipper's end. It should roll up the ramp, over the platforms and rock, and hit Hyobei. Hyobei should land on one of the Collapsing platforms opposite of those that you rolled up. Hit the platform from the side to send Hyobei sprawling onto the ground. While you set this up, you may want to flank any troops you have engaged so that you have a clear run at Hyobei. Rally him when he drops, and keep hitting him with the Odama as he tries to get back to his feet so that you keep him down. Otherwise, he will climb back up to his perch and the process must be repeated. A Heavenly Odama is useful to hit Hyobei so that you don't smash your own troops. Make sure you restore their morale before you Rally him. Press Forward through the gate with as many troops as possible once you've captured him. As I mentioned, he's much easier than Ippeita as far as combat is concerned. The only real issue is hitting him down, but you have plenty of time so don't get flustered. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS8: Spider Temple ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There's a load fo trees on the mountain that will stop the Odama from reaching any great height. We're going to have to clear a path for it, after we get the troops moving up the stairs. Start the match by getting that house, and reset it with the red button. If you can get a Heavenly Odama, fire it up the stairs to conscript as many enemies to your side as possible. If not, just kill them with the Odama. Start a force marching up the stairs toward the temple. Keep up the Press Forwards and Charges so that they make it to the temple while you perform other tasks. The first of these tasks will be to secure the Statues. Move the cursor, it should automatically focus where the statue is. You will want to rally troops to the Statue's location. When they place the first statue, rally another group to the next statue's location. You can spin the view of the mountain with the C-Stick, and thus you will be able to keep an eye on your troops when they rally elsewhere. You can use the flippers either at their base or end to move to another part of the mountain. Unless an item crew or Bell Crew are in danger, fire it off the end of the left flipper (at teh starting side) and over to the next side of the mountain. At this section, collect items and clear trees out of your way. You will start to reveal a path - clearing the trees will make it easier to aim the Odama. Once both statues are in place, really begina press toward the Temple. Have as many troops out as possible, and try to make right up to the Temple. Charge can be helpful here. Back at the Odama, flip it up one of the paths you revealed and let go of L and R. When the Odama is nearest to the Temple, jam down on L and R to raise the walls the statues became. The Odama will spin round and round the Temple and this will purify it. The Beast Monk, Sasai will reveal itself. You never have to fight Sasai, just press forward into the Temple. You might want to use the Odama to strike him as your men capture the Temple. This is precisely why you needed to capture the stairs - to press forward after purification has taken place. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS9: Karasuma Town ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 450 This level is one long march through the streets of Karasuma Town. The flippers move over time - and the most dangerous times of this level are when the flippers move close to the Bell Crew. There is an absolute deluge of enemies in this Town, so be prepared. Start the match by aiming the Odama into a group of houses - the kind that give you items. Rice, Time, or the chance for a Heavenly Odama are all priceless to winning this stage. Have your troops march foward, and continually hit enemies and houses with the Odama. When you get to your first intersection, either March Left or March Right. The right road is wider, but with more opportunities to become the Evil Odama. Conversely, there's fewer Evil Bells towards the left but the streets are much more narrow. About these Evil Bells - they will turn your Odama Evil and the sound will level your ranks. They are not something you want to strike, at all. So if you see one - treat it as you would the plague. Through narrow streets, Charge seems pretty effective. You will constantly need to fight enemies, and if you can't kill them maybe divert them with Rice Balls? The Heavenly Odama allows for smooth progress in this stage so pick it up as much as possible. That's about it. The level is one long crawl to the end, and there's really not much to say but keep your troops moving forward and continually search out enemies with the Odama. Make a real push for it when you turn Heavenly. Time is probably the most valuable item in the level - really strive to get one when it appears. Regardless of which path you've taken, you'll arrive at the same gate. Kill off the final forces in your way and Press Forward to victory. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS10: Karasuma Road ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 800 If the Town was a hike, then this is a marathon. Nonetheless, the Road is actually a simpler level by virtue of the greater degree of space and closer view. The enemies are constant, however, and morale is a real issue in this level. This level essentially becomes _the_ reason to stockpile Rice Balls. Aim at a building right from the start and begin destroying houses. Conscript as many of the troops that engage you as possible, or failing that just kill them with the Odama. Flank and destroy as much as possible, when the numbers and space is right this is a huge boon to the army and will help you keep the stage moving as swiftly as possible. If you need morale during this stage, feed your troops. There's a Hot Springs in the area but Rice and Reserves keep the stage moving faster. Rice Balls also help divert enemy troops if you get distracted. The bridge up ahead takes a number of hits, but you can down it no problem with the Odama. What's more important to look out for, however, are the catapults positioned in the stage. When you see one - take it out immediately. When you approach the Grabber hand - Company, Halt, then March Left. Try to scroll as much of it onscreen as possible without it grabbing the Bell Crew. If it does, it will toss the Crew and set you back. Scroll the building it rests on onto the screen then strike it to disable the threat. When you reach the large gate - feed your troops as you complete the puzzle. Their morale will be restored for the final leg of their journey. While they chow down, hit the panels on either side of the gate. The left panel should read "Nin" and the right panel should read "Ten" (don't worry, they are spelled out in English as well as Japanese). When the gate opens, flip the Odama through it and cut a swath through the soldiers that would enage yoru men. Pass through the gate, it will be destroyed by advancing flippers. Through the gate there are easy to hit houses and plenty of troops. Hopefully, it's conscription time. Either way - food, time, it's all good. When you reach the twisty ramps, hit an Odama up one of them and it will reveal many items. Hit it up again to collect them - or if the flippers are close the structure will be destroyed letting them drop to the ground. Do not rely on the latter. Conscript a few final men, deploy as many as possible, and make the final Press through the gate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ODS11: Karasuma Keep ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time: 700 This is it, the final battle. The level has an amazingly simple, yet complex, layout and Genshin will engage your Bell Crew directly. But we are going to take a moment to conscript a few troops first... Aim the Odama into the gate in front of you. If it flies through the gate, you will be taken to a special Kyoto board (the large white building is Nintendo!). In this area you are always in the Heavenly mode and can conscript the future folks to fight for you. It is best to break through to the top left flipper as soon as possible. In front of the Nintendo HQ there will usually be a bounty of bodies to capture. Stay in here as long as possible, falling between the bottom flippers takes you back tot he keep. I'd recommend getting at least 200 troops on top of what you already have. It's best to take this slow and calculated, because if you fire the Odama at a structure too quickly it will have severe ricochet. You don't want to be taken out of Kyoto prematurely. You can always return to Kyoto through that front gate. Back at the keep, Press Forward and keep the Odama near the bell - ring it if you need to. There are four fronts to this stage. If you want to knock the Odama to either front adjacent to yours, make use of the ends of flippers. The bases fire the Odama to the front behind you, the front fires the Odama to the front opposite of the flipper. Deal with the enemy troops either by destroying them, or conscripting them if at all possible. If the numbers are right, you can flank, but they usually do outnumber you - initially. You need to keep them down in numbers to deal with Genshin properly. Genshin will eventually jump down off of the Keep and start to charge toward the Bell. He will execute his special move, Genshin Kick, to knock the bell to the next front and close to the flippers. So, hit Genshin as he runs towards the Crew. Hit him again to drop him. It's as simple as that - Genshin is easy to hit once you bring him to his knees. He is a huge target and you can keep the Odama near him to hit him before he climbs back on the Keep. Once he is down on the ground - Rally your men. But always watch out for the Bell Crew, it's very possible that they'll be pushed back beyond the flippers. The Bell Crew are your priority - regardless of Genshin. Keep some men on him, but help the Bell Crew safe at all times. That's pretty much all there is to it folks - you're close to Genshin and you can keep him down pretty much all the time. Keep your troops in order, and you can whittle Genshin down over time. With Kyoto there for you to always restock your troops, and the fact that you can start with mass Reserves - Morale should not be too much of an issue. It's really an issue of patience to drop Genshin. And it is frustrating to have a long victory suddenly lost. When he's down, Press Forward through the Keep's gate and watch the ending. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD8: Secrets | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= These aren't so much secrets, as much as an unlockable and a... not obvious warp. But I digress, here they are. Free Play ********* Free Play is activated once you have cleared the main game. It allows you to play any of the stages without consequence of ruining your quest cycle. Be aware, however, that Free Play works on preset levels for Rice, Odamas, and Troops. If you had 31 Rice Balls and 13 Odamas going into Karasuma Keep, you won't enarly have that luxury in free play. But if you know the stages, you will make due. Copious amounts of reserves are always welcome, but become less essential to your survival as your skillset improves. Kyoto ***** At Karasuma Keep, fire through the main gate in front of the cannon to be taken to this modern world, and the location of... Nintendo! Many of the structures here have heavy kickback, so be careful when breaking through them that you are not sent flying back. You are always a Heavenly Odama in this ministage, and you can recruit folks from the future to help you take on Genshin.There is no time limit, so clean up as many recruits as possible. There are usually many by the large central white Nintendo building. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= | OD9: Credits | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Thanks go out to Vivarium/Nitnedo for the excellent game. I've always loved video pinball games and this was a great experience for me - something different, yet something great. I'd love to play more of Odama, as the game was over far too soon. Thanks go out to my hosts of course for letting you see this guide. Without them, you would not see the guide. Websites with permission to use this Guide: www.GameFAQS.com www.neoseeker.com faqs.IGN.com www.1up.com www.honestgamer.com www.gamerstemple.com Game by Vivarium/Nintendo