_ _ _____ _ _ _ ___ _____ __ __ _____ _____ | | | | | _ | | | | |_| | | \ |_ _| \ \ / / | ___| | _ | | |_| | | | | | | | |_ _| | |\ \ | | \ \ / / | |__ | |_| | | _ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | \ \/ / | __| | _| | | | | | |_| | | |___ | | | |/ / _| |_ \ / | |___ | |\ \ |_| |_| |_____| |_____| |_| |___/ |_____| \/ |_____| |_| \_\ Copyright Irem 1989 Written By Brian P. Sulpher E-mail: briansulpher@hotmail.com Version FotM Dates Written: May 25th to May 28th, 2004 I dedicate this to NES fans everywhere as I return to my love in writing... The NES Gaming Community. I write these things to assist new and old players alike, so here's hoping this assists you in your trials with this game! I also dedicate this to Trace "Meowthnum1" Jackson, Nathan "Minesweeper" Norris, and Chad "BTB" Steele for listening to me complain about how hard this game can be in some places while I was writing this FAQ. Thanks guys, you are awesome! Also, for Cougar, Howler, and Koonce. 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 guide on May 28th, 2004 ----------- Version 1.5 ----------- -Submitted guide on June 2nd, 2004 -Added in strategy for the Stage 2 Boss, Parasite -Added in a secret area in Stage 5 -The above two additions are the work of GameFAQs user "Starion" so a multitude of thanks to him for his knowledge on this game! ----------- Version 1.6 ----------- -Submitted guide on September 21st, 2004 -Did some format updating ----------- Version 2.0 ----------- -Submitted guide on July 16th, 2005 -I added in Retronintendo and Honestgamers as sites allowed to use my FAQs -Altered the format to make it easier on the eyes of the reader -Added in new info on the "Parasite" fight in Stage Two, thanks to Nick Morgan for the contribution ------------ Version FotM ------------ -Submitted guide on February 6th, 2015 -Made a correction to the story as the hero is named "Randy", not Randy (thanks to D Walter for the correction) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------Table Of Contents------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Introduction 2) Controls 3) Stage 1 4) Stage 2 5) Stage 3 6) Stage 4 7) Stage 5 8) Stage 6 9) Magic Spells 10)Items 11)Final Word ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------Introduction--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Here is a hard to find, Japanese game that plays similarly to those Castlevania games that so many others love. It even uses the whole medieval motif, though magic spells are far more prominent. Anyhow, it also has a very high challenge level, but nothing too tough to begin with. However, once you reach Stage Five or Stage Six (I defy ANYONE to get through the quintuple Rock Face room without save stating once since that is likely where you will play it), you will have surpassed even Battletoads for nearly impossible to beat challenge (and I am dead serious in stating this). However, despite this limited availability, I will not be telling you where to find any ROMs or Emulators, so any e-mails asking for them will be ignored completely (I am not a ROM dealer, so don;t even bother trying to ask me). The following is a story constructed based on the ending of the game, so it may not be 100% accurate to what the game programmers had in mind when they made the game: Randy, the hero, is setting out to retrieve the five emblem seals belonging to the King Crimson Family in an attempt to expell the greatest evil, the Black Slayer. He will have to battle through the horde of evil and dark creatures at Black Slayer's command however, making his mission near impossible! However, he can counter their Black Magics as he gains the use of new, Holy Magics as well as some much needed equipment! So, set out with courage, hope, and a little luck, or the darkness will surely dominate! Sounds pretty sweet eh? Well, despite the insane challenge later on in the game, this is a truly great game and I highly recommend you see it through to the end to reap the bounty this game has to offer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Controls----------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) This section will give all the goods on how to control Randy and vanquish the evil. D-Pad : LEFT and RIGHT move Randy in the corresponding direction. DOWN will cause Randy to duck. Hold UP to throw a fireball upwards. SELECT : Toggles your currently selected Magic Spell ON/OFF. START : Pauses/unpauses the game. B Button: Throws your fireball as well as triggers some Magic Spells. A Button: Randy will leap into the air. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------Stage 1----------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) Welcome to NOROI NO KYOKAI! Here you will first get to experience the tough challenges ahead of Randy! o---------o | Enemies | o---------o Daemons......: These small, flying, evil entities will usually appear in large numbers, flying a zig-zag pattern at Randy. If they are allowed past, they will loop around to attack from behind. One shot takes them down, but they can be tough to destroy. Executioner..: These small, red-hooded fellows walk around at a brisk pace, looking to run into Randy. They are rather basic enemies, so stick a fireball into them and they will go away. Flying Devil.: These large, spear and shield carrying devils will hover for a few seconds before charging at Randy. You can either jump and throw fireballs into them, get underneath them to throw fireballs into them on a ninety degrees angle, or you can let them charge, bringing them down to your level of fire. They take two hits, so the first two options are the recommended method of disposal. Purple Baller: These purple guys will charge and somersault all around your character in an attempt to make themselves tough to hit as they sap your stamina. Shoot them twice to destroy them, remembering that ducking their attacks can save some aggravation. o-------------o | Walkthrough | o-------------o The game begins with the protagonist on a tall cliff, overlooking a gnarled old tree by the entrance of an ancient castle on a dark night lit up by constant flashes of lightning. Head on down the tree or just free fall to the side of it (does not hurt you to do so), followed by moving right to pass through the door to the inside of the castle. Head down and to the right, killing the kamikaze-like Executioners as they charge forward. After a little bit of walking, Flying Devils will appear, so jump and fire away or get underneath them and throw fireballs upwards to eliminate them. Continue moving right past these two foes to find a stairway leading upwards, but go under the platform first to grab the Bracelet, which allows your fireballs to destroy certain blocks. Once you have climbed the stairs, destroy the blocks (thanks to the power of the Bracelet), collecting the Items within. If you are still not completely full on Lifer and Magic, go down the stairs and come back up to reset the blocks, allowing more Items to be collected. Once you are ready, head right to find Daemons appearing in sets of three, using their zig-zag attack patterns. Try to destroy them as they come at you, but be ready to jump them if you miss, followed by destroying them as they come at you from behind. Flying Devils will also appear here, so work forward quickly but efficiently to escape this trap. You will come across more breakable blocks and a Purple Baller (who often has a Life Potion on hand to refill your health) as well as the door to the next area. You will once again be outside, this time the tree you see will need to be climbed upwards. Purple Rollers will attack as you progress upwards, so use your upwards fireball ability to kill them before they get to the branch you are on. Once you reach the top, grab the 1-Up Doll to add an extra player to your reserves, and then move left to pass through the door to the BOSS FIGHT! o-------o | Satyr | o-------o this part goat, part human abomination is the lovely fellow that guards the end of this level. Before you even enter the fray, toggle your Magic Spells ON, allowing you to use Twin Fire. Head left to see the beat appear, giving you time to shoot it once in the head. It will then charge and jump over you, so jump and fire at it's head as it lands, then start running in the opposite direction, stopping when it leaps over you again or starts to throw fireballs of it's own. Once he finally decides to throw fireballs, run away from him till he is just off-screen, signaling his fireballs will not reach Randy (if he is closer to the side of the area, just get as far away as you possibly can). Once this occurs, he will continue with the same attacks patterns, so keep whittling him down, as he takes twenty hits of Twin Fire to destroy! Now head left to exit the room to come across the Blizzard Magic. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Stage 2------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Welcome to ZOUMOTSU ZIGOKU! Here your Blizzard Magic will get christened as the challenge takes a large leap forward! o---------o | Enemies | o---------o Bat..........: These grey beings will sit on the roof, hopping back and forth, firing off triple shots at the ground when your character nears. Hit it twice while it is in motion to destroy these severe annoyances. Blob.........: These red balls of matter will bounce all around, trying to smother Randy. use a single shot to wipe them out. Flame Dragon.: These nasty fellows will hop around, spewing fireballs at Randy. They take about a dozen hits to take down, so using Twin Fire Magic is highly recommended to make life easier. Purple Baller: These purple guys will charge and somersault all around your character in an attempt to make themselves tough to hit as they sap your stamina. Shoot them twice to destroy them, remembering that ducking their attacks can save some aggravation. Tearing Eye..: These wall hanging annoyances shed tear after tear of harmful acid, which flows downwards through the area they inhabit. If you are moving downward in that area, just shoot them as you move, removing their threat. if you are moving upward, avoid the acid till it is possible to shoot them. They take two hits to dispose. Winged Archer: These flying annoyances will hound Randy with sheets of falling arrows. Aim upwards and land two fireballs to rid yourself of this annoyance. o-------------o | Walkthrough | o-------------o Winged Archers start out the fun here as Randy moves right, jumping a gap to continue moving till you arrive at pools of lava. Here is where the Blizzard Magic will first be used, as the lava pools (as well as the annoying enemies) will be frozen, allowing swift passage. Just remember that if you press SELECT to toggle the Magic OFF, you can shoot enemies that are in your way. It will likely take two blasts of Blizzard to get across the lava fields, reaching some breakable bricks (many of which will contain Magic and Life refills). Continue to the right until you see an enemy appear, which is the sign that another Blizzard should be used, allowing easy crossing of a few gaps and a lava pool to enter into a cave. Head right past the Bats and Purple Rollers, taking your time to eliminate them one at a time (use the Twin Fire Magic between blast from the Bats to eliminate then a little easier due to the extended range of your Magic). When you see the lava fields, use your Blizzard Magic to freeze them (if you are needing Magic Points, kill the Purple Roller down in the lava to make a Magic Potion appear), allowing Randy to head right, shooting the frozen lava to remove it from your path so the ledge on the right can be reached. Here you will find more Purple Rollers and Bats, so move slowly right, taking them on one at a time, arriving at the entrance to a new area of the cave. Purple Rollers and Tearing Eyes inhabit this small, downward portion of the cave, so move down slowly, wiping out the enemy as you go, moving to the right side to fall down to the entrance to the next area. Just be sure to not to fall into the lava as it will sap your life. The next area starts out with a Winged Archer, some breakable bricks, Blobs, and then combos of Blobs, Winged Archers, breakable bricks, and bottomless pits. Your goal is to move right past all of this to find lava fields, requiring a dose of Blizzard to freeze them, followed by shooting through the resulting frozen lava flows to reach solid ground. Now head right past all the Blobs to climb the stairs to the next area. Head right, fight a Bat, then head right to hop a gap to find a Tearing Eye hovering over a gap. Wait for an opening in the tears, jump the gap, and then you will see a closed in area with another Tearing Eye over a gap. To clear this gap, wait for an opening in the tears, and then jump, but you will need to line your jump up so the low hanging roof will clip your jump, causing your guy to just clear the gap (if you go too early on the jump, into the gap. Go too late, you hit the Tearing Eye and then fall into the gap). After passing one more gap a nd a couple Tearing Eyes, use the Blizzard Magic to freeze the lava flow, followed by using your fireballs to carve a path up and then right to reach the high ledge (try to get the 1-Up Doll as you go along). Take on the Bat as you move right, fighting past some Tearing Eyes to see a hole leading down, but if you can, grab the Life Extender on the right, which will not only fill up your Life Meter, but extend it by one bar! Take on the Bat, followed by moving right to find a Flame Dragon (equip Twin Fire and go crazy on the attack to rid yourself of it), which is then followed by a few more Bats and two more Flame Dragons. Continue to the right to find a hole in the floor, which leads to the BOSS FIGHT! o----------o | Parasite | o----------o This nasty fellow is located on the right side of the room, where it is stationary. It will spew blobs of acid in sets of three, looking to hit Randy as he attacks. To win, start off by going to the left, getting into the smaller cubby hole you will see, equip the Twin Fire Magic, and then time your shots so they hit the Parasite between blobs of acid (be sure to jump incoming blobs of acid), and if it survives your Twin Fire Magic attacks (ie run out of Magic Points), charge forward while shooting the incoming acid blobs and fire at it's face from close range to get the victory as well as the Breaker Magic Spell! The other option is (preferably with full Life and Magic Points) is to just step right up near the Parasite and unleash everything you have, killing it off before it can kill you off, though this is risky. A "safe spot" to stand has been pointed out to me by GameFAQs user Starion, so I will add this in hopes it makes a tough battle easier. When you fall into the room, look at the design of the floor, finding the second from the right "exclamation point shaped" rock. Put your back foot just slightly to the right of this spot and begin to throw your fireballs as fast as you can. If you have lined up correctly, two of the three blobs of acid will pass overhead every time he pits them, with the third one being destroyed by your fireballs. This is a safer version of the all out kamikaze attack, as you should take no damage if this is done properly. Thanks to another GameFAQs user (Nick Morgan), another strategy that can make this fight IMPOSSIBLE to lose! When Randy is falling from the top screen before the Parasite has 'woken up', if you move him while in the air to the right and then jump up the step and get as far behind the parasite as possible (on the right hand side) very quickly, before it gets going, it is impossible for it to hit you. Then, just face the Parasite and open fire until it dies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Stage 3------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) Welcome to DOGUGOKE TAIRIKU! Here you will find a new Item as well as the most challenging set of enemies yet! o---------o | Enemies | o---------o Bat..........: These grey beings will sit on the roof, hopping back and forth, firing off triple shots at the ground when your character nears. Hit it twice while it is in motion to destroy these severe annoyances. Blade Blob...: These bouncing terrors will bounce along the ground, trying to slice and dice Randy. Do your best to pop them quickly, or they will swarm you under. Flies........: These annoyances will often appear in multiple numbers while they fly around the area. They seem to be invincible, so do your best to avoid them, though the Blizzard Magic will freeze them in their place. Floater......: This Fish may be floating but it is not dead! This tough gal will release a few smaller fish from it's mouth which will worm along the ground, followed by charging right at your character. A tough enemy as it takes multiple hits to destroy, so Twin Fire Magic is recommended here. Green Bounder: These insanely tough entities will bounce all over the room, firing off a ton of shots at Randy. You can destroy the incoming shots, but your best bet is to just charge forward and land as many hits as you can because long range attacks tend to be blocked or are just too tough to aim accurately. Larvae Nest..: These newly born, orange bugs will pop from the soil in multiple numbers, hopping all around, firing off shots. If you can get close enough, you can exterminate them as they appear, but if they get loose, try to use hit and run tactics if at all possible to facilitate with their deaths. Tearing Eye..: These wall hanging annoyances shed tear after tear of harmful acid, which flows downwards through the area they inhabit. If you are moving downward in that area, just shoot them as you move, removing their threat. if you are moving upward, avoid the acid till it is possible to shoot them. They take two hits to dispose. o-------------o | Walkthrough | o-------------o Head right to find three Larvae Nests and multiple Blade Blobs, which are guarding a few lava pools, so use the Blizzard Magic to allow passage across to the far side where more Blade Blobs and Flies await. Rush past them while the Blizzard Magic holds, passing through the door to the next area. Here you will find Flies and Tearing Eyes in a vertical area, so use Blizzard to freeze the enemies, climb upwards, and kill the first Tearing Eye for the Life Potion is possesses. Continue climbing (re-applying the Blizzard Magic once again after it runs out), kill the second Tearing Eye for the Magic Potion it holds, and then continue the climb to find a door to the next area. Here you will find a cave leading downwards that has a lot of Flies in it. Your first goal is to reach the bottom of the cave, so start falling down past the flies, finding a ledge near the bottom that has the Jump Boots, which will allow Randy to leap higher into the air! Now use the Blizzard Magic to freeze the pesky Flies, then start climbing upwards, looking for a passage on the right side of the cave to pass through to the next area. A Bat and a Floater greet you in this area, so Twin Fire the Floater quickly before it can charge at you. Continue to the right, fighting a couple Bats and another Floater to reach a lava pool that can be leaped with a perfect jump (thank to Jump Boots), which leads to a few more scraps with Bats and Floaters, all of which guards a stairway leading upwards to the next area. When you arrive in this area, you will see two Floaters, so bait the one on the right to get on your left side, then jump across the small gap by the stairs. Here you will need to wait for them to dive at you, dodge it, and then hit them as they retreat. Repeat this till they are wiped out, then continue on to the left to find another Floater to wipe out. Grab the Mana Extender, jump the first lava pool, kill the two Floaters, and then use the Blizzard Magic to freeze the lava, allowing Randy to reach the high ledge. Moving left fill bring you to two (one at a time thankfully) Green Bounders, which require a lot of hits to destroy, which allows your character to climb the stairs to the next area. Here you will find a vertical shaft where Blade Blobs dominate the enemy population, so as you climb, always be ready to shoot upwards to kill incoming enemies. After passing through the hole on the right side, you will arrive in a room that is highly over run by the Blade Blobs as well. Use the Blizzard Magic to freeze them, followed by moving to ther right. You will find a Mana Extender, which will add to your Magic as well as refill it, followed by continuing to the right to find a hole to fall through to the next area. Here you will find a Bat by your stairs, as well as a 1-Up Doll in the lava. If you have around two and a half bars of life or more, dive into the lava, walk left under the stairs as you sink, grab the 1-Up Doll, and then head back up one screen to kill the Blade Blobs to refill your Life Meter. Once you are prepared, head right to kill the Bat, then you will have to face a Green Bounder (use Breaker Magic from afar to weaken it, then switch to Twin Fire Magic after a couple hits). Next up is another Bat, then Blizzard Magic to freeze the lava flow, followed by plowing a path through the frozen magma to find a second Green Bounder in this area (equip Twin Fire and go directly after it). You will find a Life Extender under a bat, so eliminate the enemy, grab the lovely Power-Up, and then work your way right to take on yet another Green Bounder (Twin Fire Magic from afar works wells, just jump incoming attacks), then a few more Bats, and finally a doorway to pass through to the next area. Use Blizzard Magic immediately to freeze the incredibly annoying Flies, then jump up the platforms to move through the entrance on the right to find the BOSS FIGHT! o--------------------o | Carnivorous Plants | o--------------------o you will see six little holes (three on the roof, three on the floor) where two pink, flesh eating plants appear at and disappear from during the fight. These plants have three main attacks: i) Moving in a vertical line across the room, releasing one or two small worms that bounce around the room (these can be destroyed by your fireballs). ii) If they appear in the top but do not charge downwards, they will fire off spread shots before retreating back into the hole network. iii) If they appear in the bottom but do not charge upwards, they will fire off arcing shots that pepper the ground area. To win, simple take care of their worms as they are released, followed by shooting at the plants whenever they are near. The easiest time to really nail them is during attack type iii), as they are low to the ground, allowing Randy to unleash a ton of fireballs to the exposed plants. These two are not that tough at all, which is nice after the insanely hard level you just navigated. For winning, you will gain the use of the Overdrive Magic! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Stage 4------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) Welcome to OUGON NO SHINAEN! Here you will face an even tougher challenge, which will also introduce Randy to some new foes as well as the Wizard's Staff! o---------o | Enemies | o---------o Bat..........: These grey beings will sit on the roof, hopping back and forth, firing off triple shots at the ground when your character nears. Hit it twice while it is in motion to destroy these severe annoyances. Boulders.....: These bouncing rocks will try to plow you over, so land a shot to break them apart. Fire Snake...: These long, quick enemies appear around the outside of the castle, flying in looping and streaking patterns in an attempt to ram into Randy. They take several shots to destroy, so the Twin Fire is recommended for long range destruction. Gargoyle.....: These flying annoyances will stay out of your regular fireball range, firing their own fireballs. When they draw near, blast them into bits. Golem........: This large, pink, humanoid figure will attack with weak fireballs (your fireballs can break them) in twos as well as strong fireballs (can not be destroyed). Duck the strong fireballs and just lay into him with Twin Fire Magic to destroy this tough guy. Larvae Nest..: These newly born, orange bugs will pop from the soil in multiple numbers, hopping all around, firing off shots. If you can get close enough, you can exterminate them as they appear, but if they get loose, try to use hit and run tactics if at all possible to facilitate with their deaths. Sparks.......: These small, flying, balls of electricity will usually appear in large numbers, flying a zig-zag pattern at Randy. If they are allowed past, they will loop around to attack from behind. One shot takes them down, but they can be tough to destroy. Stone Head...: These bouncing guys shoot a lot of shots and look intimidating, but they do not shoot at the lowest levels that they can reach very often. Use this to your advantage by standing and firing to kill them off easily, though they do require multiple hits. o-------------o | Walkthrough | o-------------o Boulders and Gargoyles will be your starting tests, so try to use the breakable bricks for cover as well as refills on Life. Once you reach the gaps, try using the Overdrive Magic to help repel enemies, as the Gargoyles will continue to attack along with the ever persistent Larvae Nests. Upon getting across this insanely hard portion, apply the Overdrive Magic to get by the Boulders and one final Larvae Nest, allowing entrance into the next area. A Bat greets you, so kill him for his troubles, followed by moving to the right, passing Boulders to kill a Larvae Nest and another Bat. The Boulders will continue to harass and annoy as Randy moves right to find a solo Bat (which holds a Magic Potion) guarding the stairs leading up to the next area. Upon arriving, immediately blast your way through the breakable bricks on the left, sticking to the lowest two brick line you can, thus avoiding the attacks from the Stone Head as well as the Bat. Next up, toggle ON your Magic and equip Twin Fire, which you should to blast the Stone Head to the left of the next wall (don't jump, as it can not fire low enough to hit you), followed by exterminating a Bat so you can move left to deal with one more Bat before heading up the stairs to the next area. Three Stone heads greet you, so kill the one on the left first (he carries a Life Potion), then move right, equip Twin Fire, and shoot the first one through the wall before climbing over to take out the third one with your conventional fireball attack. Head right quickly, as boulders will start coming from behind, grab the Mana Extender from the small perch, and then head up the stairs to the next area. You will now be outside on the castle walls, so watch your step. Toggle ON your Magic, equip Twin Fire, and start across the gaps. Whenever you see a Firesnake appear, stand still, aim upwards, and unleash multiple Fireballs when the Fire Snake begins to pass overhead, as you will be able to kill it (if not, it will come back for you, and you do not want that). The third one will often yield a Life potion, so try to catch it if at all possible. When you are done, pass through the entrance to find the next challenge. you will see a path leading upwards and a path leading to the right, so you have to choose (however, I will tells ya since I am so darn nice). Head upwards, battling past the Bats and the Gargoyles to find a Wizard's Staff, which cuts the cost of Magic Spells in half! Head back down to the fork, this time heading through the door on the right. You should toggle your Magic ON, equip Twin Fire, and jump tot he next ledge to make the Golem appear. As soon as it appear, jump back over the gap, turn to face the Golem, and duck. Now fire away like crazy, as the Twin Fire will hurt the Golem, scorch his weak fireballs, and the ducking will take care of the powerful fireballs as they will pass overhead quite harmlessly. Once he is destroyed, he will drop a Dragon Carving, which will transform Randy into a Dragon that can fly and shoot fire! Put this newfound ability to use by flying to the right, getting your Dragon aligned about two spaces above the columns in the background (if it appears you could just fit another Dragon sprite between the column top and your Dragon, then you are in the right sport). Head right, firing off shots to kill the Sparks and the Fire Snake, only dipping down to snag the 1-Up Doll on the pillars below. Once you reach the end of the area, press SELECT to change back into your regular character's form. Upon appearing on the stairs, use Overdrive Magic, grab the Mana Extender, and then head right past the Sparks to face another Golem (equip Twin Magic after grabbing the Mana Extender). After destroying the Golem, beat the Sparks as you grab the Life Extender, followed by another Golem that guards the stairwell leading downwards to the next area. More Sparks and Golem are first up (the Golem carries a Magic Potion), followed by gap jumping and still more Sparks. If you manage to bypass this tough sequence, you will arrive at the BOSS FIGHT! o------------o | Eye Column | o------------o This is one nasty fight, as one false step will equal a plunge down the bottomless pit below. you will see four floating platforms that can be stood upon (one to the left, two below, one to the right) of the Guardian, the rotating pillar with the Eyes (the vulnerable point on this evil). To defeat this foe, you must be extremely good at dodging his attacks, because the fireballs can often be enough to knock you into the hole below. You can use one of two strategies: i) make use of your Breaker and/or Twin Fire Magic. Shoot the Eyes just as they rotate into the vulnerable area (ie near Randy) while shooting/dodging the incoming fireballs. ii) make sue of the Overdrive Magic. use the encircling mana blades to cut the enemy and some of the incoming fireballs down, possibly firing off regular fireballs. Re-apply Overdrive every time it wears out to help with the killing process. Either way you choose to go, this is one really tough Guardian, so a salute to anyone who can actually beat this tough old bugger of a guy! You may want to concentrate your fire on one of three rotating portions of the Guardian at one time, as this will allow for quicker removal of the fireballs from that portion of the Column. Once you are victorious, you will gain the use of the Thunder Magic! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Stage 5------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) Welcome to DKUMA NO KYUDEN! Here more mind boggling enemies, toughest around with their speed and intensity ratcheted up quite a bit! o---------o | Enemies | o---------o Boulders......: These bouncing rocks will try to plow you over, so land a shot to break them apart. Flame Dragon..: These nasty fellows will hop around, spewing fireballs at Randy. They take about a dozen hits to take down, so using Twin Fire Magic is highly recommended to make life easier. Ghost Pillars.: These appear in sets of two, springing from the ground to surround Randy. Go after the one Ghost Pillar who block the way forward, killing it off as quickly as possible. Just be aware that they shoot lots of small fireballs while you are doing this, so leave a bit of space so your shots can hit them, thus destroying them. Large Snake...: These long, quick enemies appear periodically, flying in looping and streaking patterns in an attempt to ram into Randy. They take several shots to destroy, so the Twin Fire is recommended for long range destruction. Skeletal Flyer: These flying annoyances will hound Randy with sheets of falling bones. Aim upwards and land two fireballs to rid yourself of this annoyance. Stone Head....: These bouncing guys shoot a lot of shots and look intimidating, but they do not shoot at the lowest levels that they can reach very often. Use this to your advantage by standing and firing to kill them off easily, though they do require multiple hits. o-------------o | Walkthrough | o-------------o You will have Skeletal Flyers and Boulders (which are green in this world) to start off with, so work past them until you see some lava pools. Here you will have to use Blizzard Magic and shoot through the frozen lava flows for the next portion, all the while contending with Skeletal Flyers and Boulders (one of the Skeletal Flyers may drop a Life Potion to you). Continue to the right for a brief period, fighting more of the same enemies, eventually finding a doorway to the next area. In this tiny cave are numerous Skeletal Flyers, so take them out as you work upwards, exiting through the right side of the screen (have Twin Fire Magic equipped). Roast the three incoming Skeletal Flyers immediately, then move right to kill another Skeletal Flyer, this one carrying a Magic Potion. Now continue to the right past two more Skeletal Flyers, locating another entrance to pass through. Upon entering, jump tot he ledge on the right (have twin Fire Magic equipped), destroy the Large Snake, and grab the resulting Dragon Carving to transform into a Dragon. Fly upwards, dodging the second Large Snake, reaching the ledge on the right, which is where a door waits to move your character to the next challenge. here you will find a hallway leading up, where Skeletal Flyers and Boulders start out the party, followed by a Large Snake that guards the passage to the next room. Equip the Thunder Magic, step forward to reveal the Large Snake, zap the Magic twice to kill the Large Snake (making sure it is in a wide open area for the second zap) to reveal the Dragon Carving, and collect the Dragon Carving to become a Dragon. Fly carefully past the Large Snake, making sure to grab both Mana Extenders as well as the 1-Up Doll before exiting the area. Use the Blizzard Magic to freeze the lava, cross over to the far side, battle the Flame Dragon (it has a Life Potion), and then equip the Twin Fire to blast the Ghost Pillar on the right (ignoring the one on the left). As soon as the Ghost Pillar is gone, use the Blizzard Magic to cross the lava, battling the Flame Dragon from the safety of the frozen lava (you will need to use Blizzard multiple times) as it will yield a Magic Potion upon it's demise, and then head right with the Twin Fire equipped to kill the Ghost Pillar on the right again, which you should follow up on by killing the next Flame Dragon. Cast Blizzard to freeze the lava below, followed by deploying Overdrive magic to break the ice. This will allow for Randy to break the ice, grabbing the 1-Up Doll, and then he should drop through the hole to the room below where he will find a Flame Dragon guarding a Mana Extender as well as a Life Extender! Head back up the lava flow (make use of Blizzard Magic as necessary) to get to the previous room, then climb the stairs to the next area. A Skeletal Flyer and a Stone head greet you here, so head left after wiping them out to find lava pools. Make use of Blizzard Magic as you head to the left, fighting off the Stone Heads and the Skeletal Flyers, reaching solid ground once again, where a Flame Dragon will greet you. Head into the next room, where a Skeletal Flyer and a Stone Head appear, so use the Twin Fire Magic to rid yourself of them. Now hop up to the floating ledge, then to the ledge on the right, where you should equip the Overdrive Magic. Set Overdrive Magic off, jump to the ledge on the left, where the Overdrive Magic will cream the Stone Head, and then switch over to the Twin Fire Magic to kill the Stone Head across the gap on the right (he will drop a Life Potion). Now climb up the left side of the room to find the exit to the next area as well as a Skeletal Flyer. Start off by shooting the Skeletal Flyer, then wear down the two Stone Heads while dodging their shots. Next up, head underneath the second ledge you can, equip the twin Fire Magic, and shoot the Skeletal Flyer as the Ghost Pillars appear above. Now stand there and wait for the Ghost Pillars to combine, thus destroying them, followed by retreating left, getting onto the ledge the Ghost Pillars just sat upon, and take out the Stone head across the gap. Continue to the right, killing Skeletal Flyers as they attack, reaching a platform where Ghost Pillars attack, so blast the one on the right backwards as you move towards a Stone Head, leaping past it first chance you get to exit the screen. Although you can go down here to get a Mana Extender, the danger far outweighs the rewards, as Stone Heads, Skeletal Flyers, and the Flame Dragon guard the treasure. Kill the Skeletal Flyer, go right and start climbing upwards, fighting the Stone Head and the next Skeletal Flyer for the rights to a Mana Extender. Next are breakable bricks to remove so Randy can take on a Flame Dragon and Stone head with Twin Fire Magic. Continue upwards to find another floating platform, which will take Randy into the BOSS FIGHT! o--------------------o | Embodiment Of Evil | o--------------------o Here you have an ultimate evil, in it's purest form, seeking to hunt down and destroy Randy itself. The vulnerable part of the enemy is the small ball in the middle of the three circling pieces, so it must be the portion that is shot. The best way to deal with the protectibv portions circling the vulnerable portion is to make use of the Breaker Magic, as it's shot pass right through the protective barrier, damaging the ball. Continually move, dodging the fireballs, firing off Breaker shots whenever you can, waiting till you see the attack pattern change. Once the enemy decides to gather together and charge down at Randy, switch to Overdrive Magic, as the circling mana blades will damage the ball while the enemy tries to ram you. Land fifteen hits to send this wannabe meatball packing, but the dude on the cross will fall through the floor! Your prize for winning this battle is the Cape Of Protection, which will half the damage taken from enemies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Stage 6------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) Welcome to BLACK SLAYER! Here is the final test for Randy, so expect the toughest challenge possible! o---------o | Enemies | o---------o Blob..........: These red balls of matter will bounce all around, trying to smother Randy. use a single shot to wipe them out. Daemons.......: These small, flying, evil entities will usually appear in large numbers, flying a zig-zag pattern at Randy. If they are allowed past, they will loop around to attack from behind. One shot takes them down, but they can be tough to destroy. Ghost Pillars : These appear in sets of two, springing from the ground to surround Randy. Go after the one Ghost Pillar who blocks the way forward, killing it off as quickly as possible. Just be aware that they shoot lots of small fireballs while you are doing this, so leave a bit of space so your shots can hit them, thus destroying them. Golem.........: This large, grey, humanoid figure will attack with weak fireballs (your fireballs can break them) in twos as well as strong fireballs (can not be destroyed). Duck the strong fireballs and just lay into him with Twin Fire Magic to destroy this tough guy. Green Bubble..: This annoyance will float around the room, trying to hit your character. It is indestructible, so you are best to just avoid it or freeze it, though a well placed Overdrive Magic may force it off the screen. Large Snake...: These long, quick enemies appear periodically, flying in looping and streaking patterns in an attempt to ram into Randy. They take several shots to destroy, so the Twin Fire is recommended for long range destruction. Rock Face.....: This large monolith fires off a lot of Fireballs, usually located in an area where their are plenty of gaps to knock Randy into and no way to pass them. They are also quite tough to kill, so hit them directly with your attacks, as even Thunder takes three hits to destroy them. Spider........: These creepy crawlies will scuttle and jump along the ground, trying to draw close enough to hit you. They take a few hits to kill, so Twin Fire Magic is advisable to make them die quicker. Tearing Eye...: These wall hanging annoyances shed tear after tear of harmful acid, which flows downwards through the area they inhabit. If you are moving downward in that area, just shoot them as you move, removing their threat. if you are moving upward, avoid the acid till it is possible to shoot them. They take two hits to dispose. o-------------o | Walkthrough | o-------------o The first portion of this level has an option in which way you can go, so both Routes will be covered. Route One will be the conventional Route, while Route Two will be the harder to take Route. Neither is easier than the other, so it is up to you for personal preference on the route. Just note that Route One is longer with more Mana Extenders to collect, while Route Two is shorter with less Mana Extenders to collect (also contains a 1-Up Doll, though going the other Route just means you have to go onto the back end of the other Route to grab it). ========= Route One ========= Head down the first shaft, but instead of flying through the hole on the left side of the area, go down to the bottom and exit through the right side. Be sure to be on the look out for the 1-Up Doll on the left side of the shaft as you descend. Kill the Tearing Eye, kill the Ghost Pillar on the right for a Dragon Carving, and then fly through the Tearing Eyes to the far right where two Tearing Eyes guard the stairway leading downwards. Use the Thunder Magic right away to kill two Tearing Eyes, then grab the Mana Extender before jumping back to the ledge tot he left. Now you have to make use of the Blizzard spell to freeze the lava flows, upon which you will have to carve your path. When the spell is about to expire, get ready to cast the Blizzard Magic again, freezing the flow, digging yourself out, and then continuing to cut yourself a path. Once you make it past the Tearing Eyes to solid ground, head through the hole to the next room. Walk towards the first gap with the Twin Fire equipped, watching for the Large Snake to fly up out of the gap, at which point you shoot it to make a Dragon Carving appear, allowing Randy to become a Dragon. Now fly to the left, shooting Blobs and Tearing Eyes while collecting FOUR Mana Extenders. Once you reach the stairs, dodge the Large Snake, turn back into your usual character, and climb the stairs to rejoin the path! ========= Route Two ========= Start off by heading down past the first ledge where the skulls block the hole to land on a second ledge on the left, where Ghost Pillars will appear. destroy the one on the right, making a Dragon Carving appear, allowing your character to become a Dragon. Fly down the left side of the shaft, taking the exit located there. You may wish to go past it slightly to grab a 1-Up Doll first however. Kill the Ghost Pillar on the left as you grab the Mana Extender, then use Blizzard to freeze the lava flows, allowing you to blast paths through resulting ice. It will take a few sets of this to get past the Blobs and the Tearing Eyes, resulting in a meeting of one more set of Ghost Pillars and a Tearing Eye, as they are the last thing between you and the entrance to the next room (grab the 1-Up Doll as you go). ======== Rejoined ======== Head left past some Daemons to jump a gap, at which point you should employ the Overdrive Magic as you move forward. A Golem will appear, so time your approach and jump to clear it perfectly, which will allow the mana blades to bust the skulls, allowing Randy through. When you land, apply the Overdrive again, move past the Daemons, and then hop over a second Golem to exit the screen on the left side of the area. Spiders everywhere! Use your Twin Fire Magic as you begin your climb upwards because the Spiders will continually spawn here, so make use of quick and accurate hops to bypass the seemingly endless Spider, reaching the top where a 1-Up Doll is on the right and the exit to the next area is on the left. Head left, fighting Spiders and a Golem, then more Spiders before a gap. Following that are even more Spiders and another Golem, all of which guard a hole leading down to the next area. Get off the stairs, equip the Overdrive Magic, and then jump across the many gaps carefully, outwitting the multitudes of Daemons that inhabit the area. The next room has a Tearing Eye as soon as you enter, so kill it, then begin your descent downwards, using the Overdrive Magic to bust the skulls as well as to kill the Spiders coming from above, eventually heading down through a hole. Here you will find a Green Bubble, which will usually bugger off if you use your Overdrive Magic. Now equip the Thunder Magic, go left, and get down to the ledge that puts Randy just across from the Rock Face. Your job is to kneel, throw a Thunder shot, then jump up and then forward, using the fireball shot from the Rock Face at you to bounce yourself back onto the platform, where you will need to repeat this pattern twice more to destroy the tough Rock Face. head left to face off with another Rock Face, this time firing from afar to get the three Thunder hits for the kill, then continue to the left to grab the 1-Up Doll, which is closely guarded by yet another Rock Face. Jump to the next ledge, use the Blizzard Magic, and then crank yet another Rock Face to continue left to face one final Rock Face, which covers the entrance to the next area. Here you will face Skeletal Fliers, which will drop a Life Potion as well as a Magic Potion (just like finding a 1-Up Doll!), then equip Overdrive Magic and begin to scale the platforms in the middle of the room, climbing up to the very top to be whisked through the door to the BOSS FIGHT! o--------------o | Black Slayer | o--------------o This fight can be particularly nasty as Spiders will appear through out the fight, twirling nails will loop through the room, cutting Randy, and the centre appendage can lash out to hit you. However, this fight is so easy compared to what you just went through, as all you need to do is equip the Thunder Magic and hit the enemy directly in the middle to start, moving over to the next vulnerable appendage after destroying the central appendage, continuing this movement outwards. Once the Thunder Magic runs dry, make use of the Twin Fire Magic to destroy the remaining appendages, wrecking the entity! OR DID YOU!? Yes, the enemy will get one more crack at wrecking you, so as you transform into a Dragon, get prepared for Round two with this vicious thug! You are a Dragon, and the enemy will attack by releasing Green Bubbles that will attack you. Avoid these as they move out, then line up with the eye of the enemy and start firing off shots as fast as you can. Since the vulnerable portion NEVER moves, you can knock the Boss out for good rather easily! if you are playing on a ROM, it may seem that the enemy moves, but it does not, so ignore it if the sprite appears to go up to the top of the screen. CONGRATULATIONS ON FINISHING THE GAME! NOW ENJOY THE ENDING AS YOU DESERVE TO RELAX AFTER THAT HARROWING GAME ORDEAL! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------Magic Spells--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) This section will look at all the Magic Spells within the game, including the Magic Points cost, the effect, and where they are found. Remember that the Wizard's Staff will half the cost of these spells once it is located. o----------o | Blizzard | o----------o MP Cost: 10. Effect.: Freezes lava as well as lesser enemies in their tracks. Found..: Defeat the Stage 1 Guardian, Satyrs. o---------o | Breaker | o---------o MP Cost: 10. Effect.: Concentrates a large blast of Mana into a devastating attack. Found..: Defeat the Stage 2 Guardian, Parasite. o-----------o | Overdrive | o-----------o MP Cost: 16. Effect.: Sends two large blades of mana out to encircle Randy for several seconds, destroying enemies and some blocks. Found..: Defeat the Stage 3 Guardian, Carnivorous Plants. o---------o | Thunder | o---------o MP Cost: 40. Effect.: Sends a bolt of lightning out, which explodes, killing all enemies on screen. Found..: Defeat the Stage 4 Guardian, Eye Column. o-----------o | Twin Fire | o-----------o MP Cost: 2. Effect.: Doubles the attack power of your fireball and lengthens reach to the entire screen. Found..: Begin the game with this Magic. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------Items------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10)This section will take a look at the Items that will assist your character in his quest. o-----------o | 1-Up Doll | o-----------o These small dolls can be found through out your journey, offering another chance in this tough old game. o----------o | Bracelet | o----------o Once you collect this beauty from Stage 1, you will have the ability to bust some blocks with your fireballs. o--------------------o | Cape Of Protection | o--------------------o This is won by defeating the Stage 5 Guardian, and it will half the damage taken from enemies, essentially doubling your Life Meter. o----------------o | Dragon Carving | o----------------o Found in the later stages, defeat an enemy to become a scary dragon, capable of flight and breathing fire for a limited amount of time. o-------o | Heart | o-------o This Item is found in breakable bricks and by defeating enemies, it will refill one half of a Life Meter box. o------------o | Jump Boots | o------------o Found in Stage 3, these Boots will increase the jumping ability of your character significantly. o---------------o | Life Extender | o---------------o These large, red jugs will not only refill your Life Meter, but they also add an additional square to your life meter. o-------------o | Life Potion | o-------------o This red flask will completely refill your Life Meter, and it is dropped by certain enemies within a level. o--------------o | Magic Potion | o--------------o This blue flask will completely refill your Magic Points, and it is dropped by certain enemies within a level. o------o | Mana | o------o These blue orbs are found in breakable bricks and by defeating enemies, each will refill 2 Magic Points. o---------------o | Mana Extender | o---------------o These small feathers will not only refill your Magic Points, but they also add an additional 8 Magic Points to your maximum total. o----------------o | Wizard's Staff | o----------------o Found in Stage 4, this useful Item will slash the cost of Magic Spells in half, essentially doubling the amount of your Magic Points. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------Final Word---------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11)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. Fun, challenging, great. All three words are excellent descriptive words of a game that few have played, but many of those love. It's wicked challenge does pose a formidable playing experience, but it also makes it that much more satisfying once the end is reached. Take a break if it gets too frustrating, and remember that it is just a game after all! ;)