_____ _____ _ _ _____ _____ | _ | | _ | | | | | | ___| | _ | | |_| | | | | | | | | | | |__ | |_| | | _| | | | | | | | | | __| | _| | |\ \ | |_| | | |____ | |____ | |___ | |\ \ |_| \_\ |_____| |______| |______| |_____| |_| \_\ _____ _____ _ _ | _ | | _ | | | | | | |_| | | |_| | | | | | | _ < | _ | | | | | | |_| | | | | | | |____ | |____ |_____| |_| |_| |______| |______| Copyright Hal 1988 Written By Brian P. Sulpher E-mail: briansulpher@hotmail.com Version 1.1 Dates Written: July 30th to AUgust 1st, 2004 I dedicate this to the NES fans out there, as this one is part of the NES FAQ completion Project of 2004, courtesy of the FAQ Contributor Board. We honour the most truly awesome and great system... the Nintendo Entertainment System! Never mind about Atari, Commodore 64, Colecovision, Sega Master System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, or any of the newer systems, we all know that the good old NES is where true gaming is at! 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 August 1st, 2004 ----------- Version 1.1 ----------- -Submitted guide on 16th of October, 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------Table Of Contents------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Introduction 2) Controls 3) Entrance Section 4) Middle Section 5) Bottom Section 6) Bonus Section 7) Codes 8) Final Word ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------Introduction--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Welcome to one of the greatest pinball games ever to grace a home console video game system! Released in the middle of the NES lifespan, it revolutionized in music and design for home console video games, offering up very unique areas of the four screen machine! This is a game that any true NES fan could not resist the great gaming value of one of the two main premier pinabll titles to ever grace the system! So grab a controller, launch your ball, and go for the high score as you challenge the skyscraper! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Controls----------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) This section will look at the controls needed to rack up the big scores. D-Pad...: Moves all of the left flippers in the pinball machine. START...: Pauses/unpauses the game. SELECT..: No apparent use. B Button: Moves all of the right flippers in the pinball machine. A Button: Moves all of the right flippers in the pinball machine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------Entrance Section------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) This section will look at the top portion of the Skyscraper... the Rooftop! o-------------o | H-A-L Slots | o-------------o single slot = 500 Located right by the entrance spot for the ball, these three slots will start out dark. However, once a ball passes through a slot, it will light up, and once all three are lit up, you will gain a bonus score. Note that you can not move these lights by moving a flipper. When you get all three of them lit up, you will collect the entire potential Bonus Score you have built up to that point, meaning the later on in a run you do this the higher the points you will recieve. o---------o | Spinner | o---------o each rotation = 100 Located right beside the H-A-L Slots, this little doorway will spin around after a ball passes through it, blessing your score with several hundred points per pass. o------------o | Rebounders | o------------o each hit = 10 Your basic set of rebounders, they will throw your ball around the area in fast movements. o-----------------o | Rebounder Slots | o-----------------o each pass = 500 Right beside the Rebounders, these two slots will yield good points as the ball moves down towards your flippers. o-------------o | Hole Savers | o-------------o each entrance = 3000 On the right side of the area there are two, one on the left side (more on this one in the next paragraph). They are the only thing that can stop your ball from falling down to the next screen. If your ball enters into either one, the ball will be launched back into the central area where it becomes playable once again. The hole on the left side will continually switch between pointing up and then down, switching each time your ball enters the hole. Whichever way the arrow points will determine where the ball will be launched, so be ready for this spot to launch your ball down a screen sometime. However, if you have triggered three Cherries in the Slot Machine in this area, it will make this hole ALWAYS shoot the ball upwards! o-----------o | Exit Slot | o-----------o each pass = 1000 Located on the left side, it is above the Hole Saver on the left side where it is worth more due to the inherent loss of position represented by the Hole Saver. o--------------o | Corner Holes | o--------------o each entrance = 5000 In the top right corner are these two holes. This paragraph will cover the lower one, with the second paragraph covering the more complicated higher hole. The lower hole is nothing more than a launching spot, sending the ball upwards towards the higher hole and the Bumper that is located up there. The higher hole has a myriad of functions once entered, which are: Single Ball.: locks your ball in the compartment on the right side of the Bonus Screen above, sneding you back to the plunger to get your second ball in play to try and unlock the first one (more on that in the Bonus Section). Second Ball.: Since a ball is already locked into the hole mentioned in the last point, it will just be launched back out. Double Ball.: With both balls in play, the effect will depend if the gate is open or not in the hole on the right in the Bonus Section. If the gate is closed, the ball will just be launched back out of the hole. If the gate is open, the ball will be launched from the aforementioned hole on the right in the Bonus Section. o--------o | Bumper | o--------o each hit = 1000 Found between the two Corner Holes, this object will send your ball careening away every time it makes contact, though it can be an excellent point source if the ball gets pinned between it and a wall. o--------------o | Slot Machine | o--------------o each entrance = 3000 This is the small lane located right at the top and center spot in th area, every time it is entered, the three reels will spin, trying to match three of a kind symbols up to have a special effect. These effects are: Cherries.: These three lovlies will unleash EVERY helpful bonus the pinball machine has to offer. This includes some that are only accessible by getting this bonus! Bells....: The ringing of the three bells will increase your Bonus Score Multiplier, making your end of ball score much higher than it would be without it. Eggplants: These gross, purple things will cause ALL helpful bonuses to be revoked. For every successful grouping of three (even nasty Eggplants), you will be rewarded with a very nice 10000 points! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------Middle Section-------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) This section will look at the middle portion of the Skyscraper... the Office District! o--------------o | Letter Slots | o--------------o each pass through non-lett slot = 1000 You will see three slots near the top-centre of the screen, one of which will have the letter "A" on the slot. Each time you press the A Button, the light will moive to the right. The reason you would want to move the light is that you will be able to collect more points than if the slot is not lit up. You can increase the value of the Lit slot (base value is 3000) by hitting the trio of targets spread through out the area, but only the one with the green light behind it will add onto the base score (after collecting a lit slot point value, it resets to 3000). The following is the scoring chain for each successive point value for the lit slot: 3000 -> 5000 -> 10000 -> 30000 -> 50000 o----------------o | Letter Targets | o----------------o each hit = 300 Each set of targets (three in all) spread out over the area are used to increase the value of Letter slot, but only if the green light is behind the set of targets you knock down. However, you do get another tick of Bonus Points for hitting a set of targets, regardless of where the green light is located. o-------------o | Hole Savers | o-------------o each entrance = 3000 The hole on the left side will continually switch between pointing up and then down, switching each time your ball enters the hole. Whichever way the arrow points will determine where the ball will be launched, so be ready for this spot to launch your ball down a screen sometime. However, if you have triggered three Cherries in the Slot Machine in this area, it will make this hole ALWAYS shoot the ball upwards! o-----------o | Side Slot | o-----------o each pass = 3000 Found on the right side, your ball will pass through here usually when your ball got past the Hole Savers on the screen above. o------------o | Rebounders | o------------o each hit = 10 Your basic set of rebounders, they will throw your ball around the area in fast movements. o-----------------o | Rebounder Slots | o-----------------o each pass = 500 Right beside the Rebounders, these two slots will yield good points as the ball moves down towards your flippers. o--------o | Bumper | o--------o each hit = 1000 Found above the left flipper, this object will send your ball careening away every time it makes contact, though it can be an excellent point source if the ball gets pinned between it and a wall. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------Bottom Section-------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) This section will look at the lowest portion of the Skyscraper... the Dead End! o-----------o | Exit Hole | o-----------o each entrance = 3000 When the hole is not marked, it acts like your typical launcher hole in the game, sending the ball flying. However, if you have lit the Exit Hole Bonus (see the Bonus Light sub-section within this section for details on how to do that), you will get a free pass to the plunger while collecting a cool 5000 points! o--------------------o | Saver Post Targets | o--------------------o each hit = 300 The three targets are located just below the Exit Hole, where they wait to be pegged off. If you manage to get all three to go down, you will gain a Bonus Score Point as well as a Saver Post that sets up between the two flippers. o------------o | Rebounders | o------------o each hit = 10 Your basic set of rebounders, they will throw your ball around the area in fast movements. o-----------------o | Rebounder Slots | o-----------------o each pass = 1000 Right beside the Rebounders, these two slots will yield good points as the ball moves down towards your flippers. o--------------o | Outside Slot | o--------------o each pass = 3000 FOund on the far left side of the area, you do not want to be collecting this one unless the gate is open on the saver. Otherwise, this will be the LAST points you collect before you start totalling your Bonus Points as the end of play Bonus. o--------o | Bumper | o--------o each hit = 1000 Found above the two flippers, this object will send your ball careening away every time it makes contact, though it can be an excellent point source if the ball gets pinned between it and a peg located above. o-------------o | A-B-C Slots | o-------------o each pass = 500 Three little slots exist above the Bumper, lighting up every time the ball passes through an unlit slot. You can move the lights by moving the right flipper, allowing for manipulation of the lights to complete the set quicker than luck would allow. Every time that you complete the set you will gain a Bonus Point spot as well as opening up the gate in th ebottom left to make the saver work to stop balls from going out of play. o---------o | Spinner | o---------o each rotation = 100 Located right by the Bonus Light, this little doorway will spin around after a ball passes through it, blessing your score with several hundred points per pass. The added effect of this Spinner is that it changes the effect of the Bonus Light when it is active. o--------------o | Bonus Button | o--------------o each hit = 1000 When this is hit, the Bonus Light will become lit up for 15 seconds. This allows you to shoot for an extra bonus effect if you can hit the Bonus Light. o-------------o | Bonus Light | o-------------o each hit = 1000 When this has been lit by the Bonus Button, you will be able to run this light over, gaining a Bonus effect. The Bonus effect is determined by the Spinner, which spins through all the various effects it can have on the playing field. These are the possible Bonuses that can be achieved: 50000 Points.: You will gain an extra 50000 points for triggering this Bonus. Bumper.......: The Bumper will begin to flashm yielding 10000 per hit for the brief time this Bonus is in effect. Exit Hole....: One time path to plunger through the Exit Hole, it is the best way to climb the Skyscraper. Saver Post...: Post between flipper raises, making it tougher to lose your ball. You will also reap the reward of a Bonus Point spot in addition to whichever reward you triggered. o---------------------------o | Bonus Score & Multipliers | o---------------------------o The Bonus Score is earned through various methods (noted through out the guide), adding up as you play. With each step you take on the Bonus Ladder, the more lights and plateaus you will reach for your Bonus Score. The ladder goes as follows: 1K-1K-1K-1K5K-10K-10K-1OK-1OK-50K-100K. Each spot fills the next light in line, BUT it will hit plateaus where all the lights in a row will light the next one before you have to start fresh to build to the highest light. These plateaus are: 10K.: You will need to build back up to 5K to make the 10K light appear. 50K.: You will need to light up the four 10K lights as well as the four 1K's and the 5K to make the 50K light go on. 100K: Light up every single light by repeating the steps for the 50K plateau. So, the maximum Bonus Score is when you light up all the lights, meaning your maximum Bonnus Score can be 199000 per ball! However, you can actually get more points than that through getting Bonus Multipliers. The counter is located just to the left of the plunger that is used to launch the ball when you start a new ball. To gain a new multiplier, you have two possible methods: i) After completing the Bonus Bumpers (see the Bonus Section for details) once, you will then be able to complete it as many times to increase the Bonus Multipler. ii) Using the Slot Machine found in the Entrance Area of the pinball machine, get three Bells to make the Bonus Multiplier increase. The counter begins on x1 (it is not visible), every time you gain a spot, you will move through the following set: x2-> x3-> x4-> x5. The maximum is at x5, so feel proud if you can get it this far and enjoy the Bonus Winfall you will get once your turn finally ends! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------Bonus Section-------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) This section will look at the highest portion of the Skyscraper... the Air Up There! o------------o | Rebounders | o------------o each hit = 10 Your basic set of rebounders, they will throw your ball around the area in fast movements. o---------------o | Outside Slots | o---------------o each pass = 3000 These passages will reward you with a decent scoring chance, but they also lead down to the Entrance Area of the pinball machine. However, the Target Sets here can be used to block off these routes however. o-------------o | Target Sets | o-------------o each hit = 500 COming in sets of four, the four arrows indicating each target will begin in a flashing mode, indicating that they are untapped. Every time one is hit, it will solidify, meaning once all four are lit, you will get a 10000 Bonus (as well as a Bonus Score spot advancement) and a reward, depending on which set of Targets you downed. The Left side will raise a Saver post, which can block the ball four times before coming transparent, with the fifth block making it disappear completely. The Right side will open the saver gate, making th elauncher there shoot your ball back into play. However, if you do not have double ball yet, it will contain your ball and send you back to the plunger to set off a new ball. Also, if it holds a ball and you trigger this side, the gate will not open for you. o-----------------------o | S-K-Y-H-I-G-H Buttons | o-----------------------o The S-K-Y-H-I-G-H Letters are the meat of the Bonus Section of the pinball machine, as they are where the majority of the points in the game can be collected. Running over a Letter is how they first yeild points, but the condition of the Letter will dictate the point value recieved: Unlit Letter : 100 Lit Letter : 500 Flashing Letter : 1000 Note that if a Letter is flashing, that is the one you must light up by hitting the ball over it. After it is hit, it will be lit as a new one starts flashing. Continue this till the entire set is lit, meaning the next phase of the Bonus Section can begin. o------------o | Bonus Hole | o------------o each entrance = 3000 If you enter this before the S-K-Y-H-I-G-H Letters are all lit, your ball will be launched back down into play. However, if the seven Letters are all brightly lit, your ball will be launched back into play with a twist... Also note that if you have a ball stored away on the right side of the area, it will be launched out at this point to give you double ball! After you have completed the Bonus Bumper portion of the Bonus Section, launch a ball back into the hole to complete the Bonus, gaining a prize (Shoot Again is the first prize, then it is the upping of the Bonus Multiplier every time there after). o---------------o | Bonus Bumpers | o---------------o each hit = 1000 When these big, bumping beauties come out, prepare for your ball(s) to be ricocheted all over the play area! Each Bumper can take 9 hits, but the tenth hit will cause the Bumper to explode, scoring you a sweet 10000 points! Destroy all seven Bumpers to make the Hole at the top the target again, putting the finish line on your Bonus Round appear. Then you start again from the S-K-Y-H-I-G-H Letters step of the Bonus. Note that each exploded Bonus Bumper will add one more spot to your Bonus Score counter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------Multiplayer--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) This section will look into the Multiplayer, revealing all you will need to know to whip your opposition. o-----------o | Objective | o-----------o Before starting, set the point total from which both sides will begin at (choose between 500, 1000, 3000, or 5000), meaning that is the score that will be counted down from. The goal is to outlast your opponent by hitting targets on their side of the board and outlasting them so they hit 0 before you do. Note that it does not matter which ball hits a target, just what side that the ball hits something on. If it hits on your half, you lose points while anything hit on your opponent's side will remove his points. o---------o | Spinner | o---------o each rotation = 1 Located in both corners above the Flower Bumpers, this little doorway will spin around after a ball passes through it, removing several points from your score with each pass. o------------o | Rebounders | o------------o each hit = 1 Your basic set of rebounders, they will throw your ball around the area in fast movements. o-----------------o | Rebounder Slots | o-----------------o each pass = 10 Right beside the Rebounders, these two slots will steal good points as the ball moves down towards your flippers. o----------------o | Flower Bumpers | o----------------o each hit = 30 Found in the two top corners, this object will send your ball careening away every time it makes contact, though it can be a terrible point drain if the ball gets pinned between it and the wall. o-------------------o | Roullette Buttons | o-------------------o Whenever one of these are hit (located below the Flower Bumpers and just above the holes), the effect of the Roullette Targets located near the top of the area will be changed to whatever the effect window stops on. o-------------------o | Roullette Targets | o-------------------o These two buttons will trigger the effect that the effect window shows. The following are the possible effects: -10 Points....: Each hit will remove 10 points from your score. -20 Points....: Each hit will remove 20 points from your score. +50 Points....: Each hit will add 50 points from your score. Gravity Anvil.: Makes the balls react as if Gravity has increased (move slower). o---------------------o | Passed Ball Penalty | o---------------------o each time = 100 If you let a ball pass through your flippers, you will be penalized with a stiff 100 point penalty for your lax playing effort. o-----------------o | Score Switching | o-----------------o You will see four Buttons in the floor that will switch each time a ball passes over them. If four full faces are produced, then the two scores will be switched, which can really screw one guy while saving the other from a rather hurting loss! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------Codes------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) This section will look at some of the secrets contained within the game. o---------o | Credits | o---------o Score at least 1,000,000 points in a game, then return to the main menu area to let the story float on by. Once that has occurred, the credits will start to roll instead of the game just resetting the introduction! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------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. Quite the decent pinball game, it has good music, great areas of the machine that differ quite a bit from one another, and a fun set bonuses and scoring mechanisms that put it above all but Pinbot for this writer on the NES!