_____ _____ | _ | | _ | | | |_| | | |_| | | | | | | I R C U S | | H A R L I E | | _ | | _ | |_| | | |_| | |_____| |_____| Copyright SoftPro 1986 Written By Brian P. Sulpher E-mail: briansulpher@hotmail.com Version 1.3 Dates Written: January 29th to January 30th, 2004 I dedicate this one to Jennifer Dixon. Her complete and utter love for this game has convinced me to write this FAQ. I love ya babe, and I still think back on the wild circumstances that we met through, and thE even more amazing events that led to us getting together! I LOVE YOU.. YOU'RE BETTER THAN ICE CREAM! Also, for Cougar, Howler, Koonce, and Gracey. I miss you, and I hope you are living it up in the afterlife as you did in this world. You will always be in my memories, and you will never be forgotten. ----------- Version 1.0 ----------- -Submitted FAQ on January 30th, 2004 -I always welcome contributions, so send them in! ----------- Version 1.1 ----------- -Submitted FAQ on April 5th, 2004 -Altered format and corrected a few errors ----------- Version 1.2 ----------- -Submitted guide on March 28th, 2005 -I added in Honestgamers as a site allowed to use my FAQs ----------- Version 1.3 ----------- -Submitted guide on June 22nd, 2005 -I added in Retronintendo as a site allowed to use my FAQs -Altered the format to make it easier on the eyes of the reader ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------Table Of Contents------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Introduction 2) Controls 3) Lion Riding 4) Tightrope Walking 5) Ball Balancing 6) Trick Riding 7) Trapeze Swinging 8) Bonus Lives 9) Final Word ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Introduction------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Charlie wanted to join the circus, and he has done so! He will move up through the harder events by proving himself on the lesser events, eventually reaching the Trapeze Swinging he wants to do. So, put on your best clown make-up, bring your reflexes, and guide little Charlie to his destiny! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------Controls--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) This section will look at all the different controls for each circus event that Charlie will partake in. o-------------o | Lion Riding | o-------------o D-Pad : LEFT and RIGHT will move Charlie and his lion in the corresponding direction. SELECT : No apparent use. START : Pauses/unpauses the game. B Button: Charlie's lion will hop into the air when this is pressed. A Button: Charlie's lion will hop into the air when this is pressed. o-------------------o | Tightrope Walking | o-------------------o D-Pad : LEFT and RIGHT will move Charlie across the Tightrope in the corresponding direction. SELECT : No apparent use. START : Pauses/unpauses the game. B Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. A Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. o----------------o | Ball Balancing | o----------------o D-Pad : LEFT and RIGHT will move Charlie and his large ball in the corresponding directions. SELECT : No apparent use. START : Pauses/unpauses the game. B Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. A Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. o--------------o | Trick Riding | o--------------o D-Pad : LEFT and RIGHT will slow down Charlie's momentum and speed it up respectively. SELECT : No apparent use. START : Pauses/unpauses the game. B Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. A Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. o------------------o | Trapeze Swinging | o------------------o D-Pad : LEFT and RIGHT will aim Charlie's leaps through the air in the corresponding directions. SELECT : No apparent use. START : Pauses/unpauses the game. B Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. A Button: Charlie will leap high into the air. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Lion Riding-------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) This section will look into the Obstacles, Points, Bonus Points, Strategies, and Looping Changes. o-----------o | Obstacles | o-----------o Flaming Pot : Found every 10 metres down the course, Charlie will need to jump these anoyances. Fire Ring : This is the main obstacle, these rings will continually be moving down the course towards Charlie. Hop through them as Charlie moves to the right. Mini-Fire Ring: Although these rings can be walked right underneath, you may wish to hop through them for the great bonus points they offer (see the Bonus points section for details). o--------o | Points | o--------o Flaming Pot: 200 Fire Ring : 100 o--------------o | Bonus Points | o--------------o i) Jump a Flaming Pot AND a Fire Ring (as well as a Mini-Fire Ring) at the same time to recieve a total of 400 Points (meaning you gain an additional 100 points for performing this feat). ii) If you hop through a Mini-Fire Ring successfully, you will gain either 500 or 1000 points (it appears to be random and not related to the number on screen, which is always 500 points) by grabbing the Money Bag. iii) When you get to a Fire Pot, jump back and forth over the top of it, waiting until a small coin flies upwards for Charlie to grab (this one is worth the effort as it smacks an extra 5000 points onto your score!). o------------o | Strategies | o------------o i) Be aggressive and charge forward to hop both Flaming Pots and Fire Rings in one hop. However, do not push it too far or your lion will get burned. ii) Do not get too tied up into trying to get the Bonus Coin or to get the Money Bag as surviving the round will lead to more points and a longer game than some foolish deaths. o-----------------o | Looping Changes | o-----------------o i) The amount of Fire Rings and Mini-Fire Rings will be increased. ii) A new obstacle, a Double Fire Ring will appear. These can be grouped fairly close together, but they can also be placed far enough apart that only a perfect jump will allow Charlie to clear them. You can not jump between them, even if they are extremely far apart. You will gain 500 points for jumping through one of these Double Fire Rings. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------Tightrope Walking----------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) This section will look into the Obstacles, Points, Bonus Points, Strategies, and Looping Changes. o-----------o | Obstacles | o-----------o Blue Monkey : Every now and then, this monkey will come charging along the Tightrope, jumping the other monkies that are ahead of him. He is a very dangerous obstacle, so keep a sharp eye out for him. Brown Monkey: Walks in a straight line across the Tightrope, often travelling in small groups with other Brown Monkies. o--------o | Points | o--------o Blue Monkey : 200 Brown Monkey: 100 o--------------o | Bonus Points | o--------------o i) If you jump a Brown Monkey as a Blue Monkey is jumping the same Brown Monkey, you should also sail over the Blue Monkey. If you land the jump successfully, 500 points will be your reward. o------------o | Strategies | o------------o i) For this level, charging forward and jmuping everything as you go forward at full tilt is suggested as this level is VERY easy. The only time you should be cautious is when the Monkies are together in groups of three or more, so jump carefully and take your time in those situations. o-----------------o | Looping Changes | o-----------------o i) More Brown Monkies will be appearing in groups of three. They will also be grouped into tighter groups more frequently. ii) The Blue Monkies appear much more commonly. iii) The Blue Monkies can now move in groups of two, one right behind the other. Jumping the two at the same time is worth 400 points, and if you hop both while both are hopping a Brown Monkey, 1000 Bonus Points will be yours. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------Ball Balancing------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) This section will look into the Obstacles, Points, Bonus Points, Strategies, and Looping Changes. o-----------o | Obstacles | o-----------o Balancing Balls: They are the only obstacles and the only things that Charlie is allowed to set foot on. Falling off of them will cause Charlie great discomfort in his groinal region (that means he will do the splits at a ridiculous falling speed). o--------o | Points | o--------o Jumping from one to the next (Balanaing Balls): 100 o--------------o | Bonus Points | o--------------o i) If you can jump over one Balanaing Ball to land on further down the line (in effect, skipping the next one to land on the one after), you will recieve 500 points as a reward. o------------o | Strategies | o------------o i) Take your time to line up your jump with the next Balancing Ball, remembering that Charlie can move left faster than the unmanned balls can. However, be aware of the balls behind Charlie that have not gone flying off screen yet. ii) Only try to skip a Balancing Ball if the next one in line is VERY close to the one you intend to skip. If you are not sure, it is best to just jump to the next one in line, as trying to skip balls too often is a sure way to lose a life on Charlie. iii) When you reach the end, be sure to line your jump to the stand accurately, or poor Charlie will look really stupid with his broken groin on the ground! o-----------------o | Looping Changes | o-----------------o i) The Balancing Balls will be spaced with more room between the closer ones, but the blank areas of no ballas have been filled. This means that you will be forced to deal with a lot more jumps than the first time through this area. ii) The close together Balancing Balls are eseentially non-existent, so gaining the Bonus Points for jumping a Balancing Ball will have to be gained through jumping over large distances. Unless you are conpletely sure you can make it, don't bother attmpeting the jumps for these Bonus Points, as losing an extra Charlie is not worth it if you are not sure you will make it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Trick Riding------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) This section will look into the Obstacles, Points, Bonus Points, Strategies, and Looping Changes. o-----------o | Obstacles | o-----------o Springboards: These are in sets of two, and they can be bounced on top of. However, run into the side or bottom of one and Charlie will lose a life. o--------o | Points | o--------o Springboards: 100 o--------------o | Bonus Points | o--------------o i) For every bounce Charlie performs on a Springboard, the next point total is double of the previous one. So, the following formulas are how to calculate the points: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ Two Springboards ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 100 + 200 = 300 points ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ Three Springboards ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 100 + 200 + 400 = 700 points ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ Four Springboards ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 100 + 200 + 400+ 800 = 1500 points As you can see, going slow while bouncing along the Springboards is not only safer in general, but it is also more profitbale in the points department (more than makes up for the lost bonus points, so abuse this feature for extra points). o------------o | Strategies | o------------o i) Slower you go, the higher you can score, and generally it the safest way to play. However, you should remember to speed Charlie up if he is moving slow with a springboard being taller than the first one he is hopping on (otherwise, Charlie is likely to not make it over the two boards). ii) If you move along at top speed the entire way, you will not likely be able to finish the level. This ties in nicely to the first point here, but it bears repeating. o-----------------o | Looping Changes | o-----------------o i) The Springboards will shrink in size, making it tougher to bounce across them, also removing the potential Bonus Points for extra Springboard bounces. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------Trapeze Swinging----------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) This section will look into the Obstacles, Points, Bonus Points, Strategies, and Looping Changes. o-----------o | Obstacles | o-----------o Ropes : Charlie will be on these, but he will have to be careful as one wrong jump will cause him to crash into the ground below. Trampoline: These sit on the ground, waiting for Charlie to bounce off of them, high into the air. Just be aware that they need to be used with precision of poor Charlie will miss his next rope. o--------o | Points | o--------o Grabbing A New Rope: 500 o--------------o | Bonus Points | o--------------o i) NONE! o------------o | Strategies | o------------o i) You can jump one rope to the next, but you need to do this from the point of the rope swing that is JUST before it reaches it maximum swing to the right. Otherwise, Charlie's jump will fall far short (looking ridiculous as he just lets goes to fall straight down to the ground far below). ii) Then other option is to wait till your rope reaches the farthest to the right spot it swings, at which point you should press A/B Button to drop down to bounce on the trampoline. Wait for the next rope to swing towards your position, and hold RIGHT to move towards the rope to grab it. o-----------------o | Looping Changes | o-----------------o i) The ropes will swing at a slightly faster rate, but this will not affect Charlie's jumping directly (only your reflexes, as the faster ropes means the window of oppotunity for jumping has been lessened greatly). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Bonus Lives-------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) This section will look into getting extra loves for Charlie to extend his day on top of the circus. Charlie will gain extra lives periodically, all of which is tied into point totals. i) Charlie will gain his first extra life at 20000 points. ii) Each additional life gained will come at 40000 points added onto 20000 there after for CHarlie (ie 60000, 100000, 140000, etc.). If this changes/stops at some point, please e-mail me about it. However, it does appear to hold true through out the game. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Final Word--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) As is the usual, this walkthrough is copyright property of Brian P. Sulpher, 2004. The only website, group, person, etc. to have access to post it is www.gamefaqs.com, www.ign.com, www.retronintendo.com, and www.honestgamers.com. You must ask for permission before posting this, as doing so without consent is a violation of international copyright law. If you liked it, hated it, have anything to add, then please E-mail me at briansulpher@hotmail.com. You can also contact me through MSN messenger through the same E-mail address. A really fun game that deserves to be experienced by everyone as it takes classic arcade action and ties it into that quaint NES charm!