STINGER General FAQ/Walkthrough v1.0 (Initial version) By Kristina Ann Potts AKA Aussie2B or Succubus E-mail: triacesuperfan@hotmail.com :0ZZ0 :B000000Z WZ8Z MZW MZ@ Z880r S08ZZ888 B888Z0 MMMMMMMMM.MWBWBBBWMMMM0MM M0MM MM0MM MMMMMMMMMMMM2MMWMM@MMM2MMBBMMMMMM MM28M .MMa MMBaB@MMM;M0S8M MSZ@M, 8MSM@ M@aBMM: X@@M. MZS8aBMS iMBSM X0SMM ZMaSM7 0MBS8M MWS8M MSZ2@M i@SMX.M2BM .;a XM@0a2ZM@ 8MB@MrBZMM iM0Z0MMM8 2MSBM MWS8M MXB8XMMMBSWMMZZMr MMMMW8MMrM2Sa0WWMM0MM2SX2a8MM MMZWMMM0BMM @MS0M MWS8M MX0MMBZ0ZSW@@8ZM8 ZMaWWSWM MS8M0WMM8 MaZBW@W0M MMSBM MXBMZ @MS0M MWS8M MX0M M2Z0ZM2 MaBMr 20SWXW@ M2WM Ma8M2MBSWM 8M28WMMM@ZWMr @MX0M MWS8M MXaM7WWZ82MM MMZ8MMMZXWXWM MS2BMMMMM MaZM M@S@M MMMMMMMMMMa MMMMM MMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMM;MMMMMMMMMZMMMMa MMMMMi ************************************************* TABLE OF CONTENTS ************************************************* Introduction Controls Power-Ups Normal Mode Walkthrough Harder Mode Tips Bonuses Ending and Staff Credits Contacting Me Copyright Information Thanks to... ************************************************* INTRODUCTION ************************************************* Stinger, known as Moero TwinBee! Cinnamon Hakushi o Sukue ("Get Burning TwinBee! Cinnamon's Been Kidnapped") in Japan, is the second game in a long running quirky shooter series by Konami named TwinBee. Stinger was the only game in the series to be released in America, thus the name change. Dozens of other TwinBee games were released in Japan, and many of them were released in Europe. Despite that, the series has remained quite unknown, so only a small cult following appreciates the obscure series. Unfortunately, the United States didn't get a very good representation of the TwinBee series with Stinger. TwinBee games are traditionally vertical shooters, but Stinger has several horizontal stages (in addition to the vertical ones) which sort of have a Gradius-esque feel to them. Despite that the game seems to rip off Gradius at times, it's still a very fun, very under-appreciated game. I guess the name change for Stinger wasn't enough, so Konami also changed the story of the game. In the intro of the US version of the game, you see a UFO attack Konami headquarters. The ship lands, and some aliens come out to kidnap some random scientist. The game begins, and you, TwinBee, have to save the scientist. In the Japanese version, however, the scientist is actually Dr. Cinnamon, creator of the robot bee-shaped ships TwinBee, WinBee, GwinBee (usually piloted by Light, Pastel, and Herb respectively). In his laboratory on Donburi Island, Cinnamon has been working on the science of sweets and candy, and evil aliens kidnap him to use him for their plan to turn the world into delicious cotton candy. The name and story change may not make a huge difference, but we sadly lost some much more interesting features in the Japan to US conversion. The simultaneous three-player mode with WinBee was removed, the difficulty selection was removed (however both difficulties can be played if the game is played through twice), and an extra screen of the introduction featuring the pilots conversing was taken out as well as the song that accompanied it. Enough back story, though; the game is fun whether you're playing the Japanese TwinBee 2 or the US Stinger. This FAQ will help you beat the game, rack up lots of lives, and complete the second harder quest. Are you ready? Let's get burning! ************************************************* CONTROLS ************************************************* D-Pad - move ship in all directions SELECT Button - choose number of players on title screen - choose yes or no on Game Over screen START Button - start game - pause game B Button - tap to shoot A Button - shoot hearts above you (in horizontal stages) - throw bombs to attack land enemies (in vertical stages) ************************************************* POWER-UPS ************************************************* As in nearly all TwinBee games, Stinger's bouncing jingling bells are your main source of powering your ship up. In all but the last stage, small clouds will float by. When you shoot most clouds, a gold bell will pop out. If you grab it at this point, you'll simply get some bonus points, but if you bounce around the bell with several shots, the color of the bell will change. Depending on the color, you will get all sorts of different power-ups. In the last stage of Stinger, the clouds are replaced with Konami's own mascot, Konami Man, who flies by and throws out bells. The following are all the different bell power-ups you can acquire: Blue Bell (5 hits) - speed-up White Bell (10 hits) - double shot Pink Bell (15 hits) - laser Pink Flashing Bell (20 hits) - two following shadow ships Blue Flashing Bell (25 hits) - shield If you hit the bell TOO many times (30 hits), beyond getting any of the power-ups, it will turn into a little chubby Japanese face, which will cause instant death if you touch it. Shoot it to destroy it. There are other power-ups you can acquire by destroying land enemies with your bombs. Some of these attacks are considered more powerful than the bell power-ups, so they will replace the effects of the bell power-up. Future bell attack power-ups you acquire will take no effect. L - left side shot (vertical stages) or up shot (horizontal stages) R - right side shot (vertical stages) or down shot (horizontal stages) L & R (combined) - behind ship shot Moon - triple spread shot Star - five-spread shot ? (question mark) - has many effects: 1. Invincibility - For a short time, take out as many enemies as you can for bonus point ranging from 500, 1000, or 5000. Some enemies tend to run away while you're invincible. 2. All enemies on screen vanish 3. All enemies on screen turn into bells 4. Skull - no effect After being hit, there are two items that can help you out: Emergency Repair - In the vertical stages, if an arm gets shot, you will lose both arms and the ability to throw bombs. An emergency repair item with a red cross on it will drop from the top of the screen accompanied with an ambulance siren. Quickly grab it to fix your ship's arms. Only available once per life. TwinBee Angel - When you die while possessing power-ups, a TwinBee angel will float upward. Quickly grab it to recover all your power-ups. If you die a second time, there will be no angel, and you must collect power-ups once again. Finally, while this is more of a special attack than a power-up, with two players you can perform a special two-player attack. Simply line up one ship on top of the other and "tap" the other ship. When the ships bump into each other, they will fire out a huge ring attack that can take out numerous enemies at once. However, the strength of this powerful attack all balances out with the higher difficulty of the two- player mode in which some item locations are moved, enemy movement at times changes, and there are more bullets to deal with. ************************************************* NORMAL MODE WALKTHROUGH ************************************************* ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 1 - THE COUNTRYSIDE OVER DONBURI ISLAND ---------------------------------------------- The theme of this horizontal stage's enemies is vegetables and other foods. You will encounter: Radishes - These timid enemies travel in groups of five and run away if you fly close to them. They move in a straight line diagonally across the screen from one corner to the other. They do not shoot bullets. Donuts - These enemies are in packs of five, and they move diagonally across the screen as they do loop-the-loops. They usually fire out a couple shots. Angry Broccoli - These guys also travel in groups of five, and they move in a huge wave pattern that spans the screen. They shoot one or two shots. Candy Swirls - These enemies are just like the radishes except they do a little spin when they reach the edge of the screen and head off in a new direction. Green Pumpkins - Yet another type of enemy that likes to be in packs of five. These pumpkins with faces usually form a vertical line that moves straight across the screen, but depending on your position when they show up, they may form a short horizontal line. Pink Popsicles - The popsicles finally break the five-monotony since they like to travel in groups of... six! They semi-home in on you as they bounce across the screen. Of all the enemies in stage 1, these fire the most shots. The enemies of stage 1 appear in this order: 4 groups of radishes 2 groups of donuts 4 groups of broccoli 2 groups of candy swirls 2 groups of pumpkins Then a pattern consisting of the following will begin: 1 group of radishes 1 group of donuts 1 group of broccoli 1 group of candy swirls 1 group of popsicles 1 group of pumpkins This pattern will repeat four more times, and the stage wraps up with: 1 group of radishes 1 group of donuts 1 group of broccoli TIPS AND SECRETS: - As soon as the stage begins, move down right in front of the very first tree and fire. Your bomb should uncover a 1-Up Cross. - Don't be too concerned about getting powered up in stage 1. If you can get one or two speed-ups (Blue Bells), that's more than enough. - There are plenty of Peacock Head and Money Bags bonuses to be found in this stage. - As soon as the pattern of one group of each type of enemy begins, bomb the land in order to find another extra life which is hidden right between two land targets (that turn into ? Skulls). - If you pay attention to the land, you'll notice that the stage begins with a long road. This road will break off and reappear periodically. After you have seen four chunks of road, bomb the land to discover the Dr. Cinnamon Head which will enable you to enter the bonus game after defeating the boss. This is also the point where you longer see the road for the rest of the stage. - There's one more life in this stage (which will bring your life total to at least 6 if you don't lose any on this stage or boss). When the scenery of the stage ends (and the boss approaching music kicks in), simply move up to the top of the screen and bomb the sky. You'll find another Cross up there. BOSS: CRAZY WATERMELON This slice of watermelon moves straight up and down on the screen while spitting out numerous watermelon seeds at you. Its pattern consists of two shots, then a brief period in which you can attack. The best way to dodge the seeds is to stay near the left edge of the screen and squeeze between the gap of the two shots OR you can sneak around the shots at the bottom or top of the screen. Get in several shots and quickly pull back or the next spew of seeds will hit you before you even see it coming. Like all of Stinger's bosses, you have to hit the center of the boss for the shot to count. Use the sound clues to your benefit. A high-pitched clinging sound means you're doing no damage while a fuller deep sound effect means the boss is getting hit. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 2 - UNDER THE SEA ---------------------------------------------- The theme of this vertical stage's enemies is sea life. You will encounter: Hebrew Turtles - I call these guys "Hebrew Turtles" because they have the Jewish star on their backs. :P These turtles travel in horizontal lines of three from one upper corner of the screen diagonally to the bottom. When they hit the bottom of the screen, they'll flip over and swim back up and off the screen. As they flip, they fire out one shot. Round Jellyfish - These jellyfish travel in spread-out groups of five. They move straight down for about half of the screen, but when they get close they somewhat home in on your ship. They tend to shoot one or two shots. Blowfish - Groups of five red blowfish enter the screen from the left or right side, and they move in a small wave pattern. They never shoot anything. Starfish - The starfish are very much like the jellyfish. In packs of five, they appear spread across the screen. They semi-home in on you when they get close, but unlike the jellyfish, they'll stop right before hitting you, fire a couple shots, then move back and off the side of the screen in an orderly line. Triangular Octopuses - The octopuses are similar to the blowfish. They also travel in groups of five, and they move from one side of the screen to the other. Their "wave" is more pointed, so they are not only triangular in appearance but also in movement. The enemies of stage 2 appear in this order: 4 groups of turtles 3 groups of jellyfish 2 groups of blowfish 2 groups of starfish 2 groups of octopuses Then a pattern consisting of the following will begin: 1 group of jellyfish 2 groups of turtles 1 group of blowfish 1 group of starfish 1 group of octopuses This pattern will repeat once, and the stage wraps up with: 1 group of jellyfish 2 groups of turtles 1 group of blowfish 1 group of starfish TIPS AND SECRETS: - Now that you're in the first vertical stage, it's a good time to get powered up. The bells are much easier to hit in the vertical stages, so pick one out and shoot it until it's a Blue Flashing Bell. This will give you the very useful protective shield. - The most important thing to get in this stage is the triple spread shot. This is a must-have for the stages ahead. You can pick up this power-up in the form of a crescent moon in the leftmost land target in a horizontal row of three. This row appears in the stage when the repeat of the enemy pattern begins. - This stage is loaded with the Konami Logo bonus. In particular, you can find a horizontal row of four of them right at the end of the stage where the scenery stops. BOSS: DEPRESSED SQUID This sad looking squid moves left and right. Guarding its tender belly is eight regenerating legs. Follow the squid as it moves back and forth while frantically shooting to take out the legs. If you're two slow or you miss, the legs with turn into spears and shoot down towards you. Once all the legs have been destroyed or all the spears have been shot, eight new legs will appear. This is one of the more time consuming bosses of Stinger as it's hard to get in a lot of hits before the legs come back. The spread shot helps out a lot in this battle. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 3 - DESERTS OF EGYPT ---------------------------------------------- The theme of this horizontal stage's enemies is clothing. You will encounter: Buzzsaws - The movement of the row of five buzzsaws varies depending on your location on the screen. If you're on the far left edge, they tend to stay in an orderly line as the move diagonally across the screen. When they do this, they're very similar to stage 1's radishes and thus not much of a threat. However, if you're further in the center, one or more of the buzzsaws may stray off from the orderly line to more correctly aim for your ship. If you get too close to all the buzzsaws, beware because they may all move in towards you. This homing in action can be very deadly, and sometimes they even pull of circular motions. Other than their unpredictable movements, watch out for the one bullet they sometimes fire. Shoe-Shining Brushes - These strange brushes with eyes hop up down across the screen in vertical lines of five. They occasionally fire one shot. Spiral Snakes - Another enemy type that likes to move in rows of five. Like the buzzsaws, they may stay in an orderly line as they move diagonally across the screen or they may split up a bit as they home in on you. Most often, though, the snakes like to bounce across the bottom or top edge of the screen and fire a shot at you. Sneakers - These shoes hop straight across the screen from the right to the left in spread-out groups of five. They usually shoot two or three shots from their "mouths". Clothes Pins - These clothing pins move in on the screen from one of the left corners, do a circle motion, then fly in a line towards you. Right before hitting the edge of the screen, they'll do another circle- like motion and scatter apart as they move off the screen. They travel in groups of five, and they often fire two shots. Clothes Hangers - Finally an easy to dodge enemy in stage 3. These clothes hangers travel in spread-out groups of five. They move straight across the screen from right to left. No hopping, bouncing, homing in, circling, nothing. Just watch out for the couple shots they tend to fire. The enemies of stage 3 appear in this order: 2 groups of buzzsaws 2 groups of shoe-shining brushes 2 groups of buzzsaws 2 groups of snakes Then a pattern consisting of the following will begin: 2 groups of sneakers 1 group of buzzsaws 1 group of clothes pins 2 groups of clothes hangers 1 group of shoe-shining brushes This pattern will repeat five more times, and the stage wraps up with it as well. TIPS AND SECRETS: - Now that you've reached stage 3, you'll have to deal with your first land enemies. They appear as white Egyptian heads and little yellowish heads with sunglasses. When the land targets move, they're about to fire a shot, and the bullets are always directed at your ship. Since bombs fire automatically when you shoot in the horizontal stages, it shouldn't take you too much effort to take all the land enemies out quickly. - The most common bonus in stage 3 is the Goemon Head bonus. - The Dr. Cinnamon Head item that allows you to enter the bonus game after defeating the boss is most often found in a diagonal row of land targets which appears right after the fourth large green sphinx passes by. BOSS: PISSED OFF FAUCET This faucet is peeved, and it's looking for someone to take out its anger on. In a very non-threatening looking yet deadly attack, it spews out big pink bubbles non-stop. Follow the faucet as it moves up and down, and stay close to its toothed faucet mouth. Again, the spread shot will make your life easier in this battle, but tapping the shoot button like crazy will suffice (you'll just have to target more accurately). If all goes well, you'll not only destroy all the bubbles before they become a threat, but you'll also get in a hit now and then to its weak spot - its mouth. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 4 - THE ARCTIC ---------------------------------------------- The theme of this vertical stage's enemies is household appliances. You will encounter: Electric Fans - These fans head towards you in lines of five. They usually split up and fire a shot or two at your ship. Sometimes they'll just fly off the bottom edge of the screen, but most of the time they'll "bounce" back up off the edge at least once. Beware of a large pile of them collecting on the screen. They shoot a shot or two now and then. Television Sets - These starry television sets are the evilest enemy you will have encountered this far in the game. They'll appear in groups of five from one side of the screen, home in DIRECTLY on you in a straight row. When you no longer can avoid them to the side, you must move up and immediately get away from them because... when you move up, they do too. They'll pull a sharp right angle and head up. If you manage to avoid them by pulling up and to the side, they'll continue straight up and no longer torment you. Vinyl Records - The vinyl records are actually kind of fun if you ask me. A group of five moves in from the side of the screen, and they travel in a huge circle that fills the screen. Just stay in the center of the screen and shoot away. :) Water Pitchers - These pitchers will appear from one of the upper corners in a line of five, pull a quick loop, and then fly off in your direction. They fire a bullet or two occasionally. Irons - Don't be close to the bottom edge of the screen when these irons appear. They show up from one of the bottom corners in a vertical row of five. They fly straight up, and when they hit the top edge of the screen, they'll bounce back and move across the screen diagonally. Telephones - These phones show up from one of the top corners of the screen and bounce their way down in vertical lines of five. When the bottom phone of the row is perpendicular to you, they'll turn at a right angle at that point. Quickly move up or down to avoid their bouncing horizontal line and the several shots they tend to fire out. The enemies of stage 4 appear in this order: 3 groups of electric fans 2 groups of television sets 2 groups of vinyl records 3 groups of water pitchers 2 groups of irons Then a pattern consisting of the following will begin: 1 group of electric fans 1 group of television sets 1 group of electric fans 1 group of television sets 1 group of vinyl records 1 group of water pitchers 1 group of irons 1 group of telephones 1 group of vinyl records This pattern will repeat once, and the stage wraps up with it as well. TIPS AND SECRETS: - Stage 4 can be a bit straining on the eyes, as it's hard to see bullets and the shots of your ship against the white background. Thankfully the stage isn't too long. If you don't have the protective shield be VERY CAREFUL. - This stage's land enemies are blue sasquatch looking guys and red square-ish head with large mouths. You will have to destroy them manually with your bombs. - The Dr. Cinnamon Head that allows you to enter the bonus game usually appears near the third igloo in the stage. - There aren't a whole lot of bonuses to be found in stage 4 other than some money bags from destroyed land targets, but you can find the the Hat-Wearing Elf Head bonus at the end of the stage on the right side just before the land breaks off into a tiny platform of ice. BOSS: GENERIC 1980'S MACHINE (VCR?) As to what this boss is, your guess is as good as mine. Looks like a VCR to me. This machine stays in the center of the screen, and a long chain of circles with + shapes on them spins counter-clockwise. This boss is really easy. Just circle around the boss to avoid being hit by the chain, and shoot every time you're below the boss and get a chance at hitting its center. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 5 - MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS ---------------------------------------------- The theme of this vertical stage's enemies is sports equipment. You will encounter: Hammers - These mallets pound their way in groups of five in a wave- like motion from the top of the screen to the bottom. They shoot out three shots. Volleyballs - These volleyballs swoop in from both upper corners of the screen and cross in the middle. The six balls will cross each other one or two more times, and then they'll spread out as they home in on you. They usually fire a couple shots. Unicycles - Groups of six unicycles appear from the upper corners of the screen and move their way down diagonally back and forth. They tend to fire three shots. Dumbbells - These dumbbells travel in lines of five diagonally across the screen. Sometimes they are harmless like the radishes, while other times they spread out or swoop back up after hitting the edge of the screen. Workout Stretchers - These things probably have an official name, but hell if I know it. O_o They travel in groups of four, and they're very hard to see against the green and blue background. To make things even harder yet, they spread out and bounce all over the screen in no particular pattern. Be careful not to run into them as well as their bullets. Footballs - The footballs start out in simple diagonal lines of five, but they quickly spread out and ricochet around the screen like crazy. If you don't destroy them, they'll linger on the screen for quite a long time. Take them out in a hurry before they become a threat. The enemies of stage 5 appear in this order: 4 groups of hammers 3 groups of volleyballs 3 groups of unicycles 2 groups of dumbbells 2 groups of workout stretchers Then a pattern consisting of the following will begin: 1 group of footballs 1 group of unicycles 2 groups of hammers 1 group of footballs 1 group of volleyballs 2 groups of workout stretchers This pattern will repeat once, and the stage wraps up with: 1 group of footballs 1 group of unicycles TIPS AND SECRETS: - In case you've died and lost your spread shot, this stage gives you the chance to get it back. At the beginning of the stage you'll see a vertical row of four snake heads. Destroy the last one in the line to discover the elusive crescent moon spread shot item. - The land enemies in stage 5 are white snake heads and a darker version of the shades-wearing heads from stage 3. - There aren't a whole lot of bonuses to be found in this stage either, but if you bomb between the two last land targets in stage 5, you will find a funny looking Penguin. :) There is another Penguin to be found when the stage begins if you bomb around the left side. - Also near the end of the stage, you can find an extra life Cross. When you see the two snake head land enemies appear at the top of the screen on the left, bomb the land on the right just below the small mountain group. BOSS: STONED BOOMBOX Another easy to defeat boss. This radio moves left and right and periodically throws out several music notes. The spread shot will take them out quickly, but if you have the normal shot, it's simple to shoot one or two and use the freed up space to dodge. Aim for the center of the boombox for a quick win. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 6 - MILITARY BASE AND OUTER SPACE ---------------------------------------------- The theme of this vertical stage's enemies is insects. You will encounter: Pink and Green Bees - They may be bees like TwinBee, but they sure ain't friendly. They move diagonally back and forth across the screen in groups of five as they fire a couple shots. After they travel over the full screen, they'll stop for a second and proceed to home in on your ship. Like other enemies that don't disappear right away, be careful to not let a huge group pile up. Blue Ants - These ants with huge pinschers travel in packs of five. They don't have a very clear pattern besides homing in on your ship and shooting several shots. Pink Beetles - These beetles show up on screen from one of the upper corners in lines of five, but they quickly start moving in a wave formation from one side of the screen to the other. They fire out a few shots. Green Fireflies - Okay, okay, these insects don't really look like fireflies, but their behinds do seem to be glowing. O_o If you have a better idea as to what they are, let me know. Anyway, these bugs shuffle their way from one side of the screen to the other, and they tend to shoot three bullets. As far as stage 6 goes, they're one of the less threatening enemies. Praying Mantises - Real-life mantises have a bad reputation as being one of the more heartless bugs, and these guys are no different. Groups of four quickly swarm in on your ship, one from each corner of the screen. Hastily shoot the ones in front of you, dodge the ones coming from behind, and avoid any shots they may fire or you'll be the one missing a head. O_o Red-Faced Snails - These snails like to drop straight down from the top of the screen in spread-out groups of five. Then they wiggle and "dance" at the edge of the screen for a moment before they leap up and off the top of the screen in a wave-like movement. They occasionally shoot a shot or two. The enemies of stage 6 appear in this order: 3 groups of bees 2 groups of ants 1 group of beetles 2 groups of fireflies 1 group of beetles 2 groups of mantises Then a pattern consisting of the following will begin: 1 group of snails 1 group of ants 1 group of fireflies 1 group of mantises 1 group of fireflies 1 group of ants 1 group of beetles This pattern will repeat six times, and the stage wraps up with it as well. TIPS AND SECRETS: - By now the triple spread shot isn't proving quite as useful as it did way back in stage 2, so it's time to get your last power-up. Destroy the very first purple land target you come across in the stage in order to uncover the five-spread shot Star. Once you acquire it, do not under any circumstances pick up any Moons you come across or your five-spread shot will be downgraded back to the triple shot. - The land enemies in stage 6 are round purple buildings and white square buildings with pink roofs. There are a ton of them in the stage, and they fire frequently. However, you most likely won't get many chances to destroy them due to the dangerous enemies in this stage. Keep a close eye on your ship and all the bullets on screen. Thankfully you'll receive a break towards the end of the level when the military base ends, and you'll have a nice clear outer space background with no land enemies to deal with. - The Dr. Cinnamon Head item that allows you to enter the bonus game is most often found on the land when the military base part of the stage ends. - Like the previous stages, there aren't very many bonuses besides some money bags from land targets in stage 6, but you can find a couple Dracula Heads. In particular, one can be found in the outer space portion of the stage if you bomb near the planets. BOSS: THREE-EYED SUN This freaky looking sun is one of the harder bosses in the game. Circling it constantly are numerous green flames that regenerate very quickly. The sun moves up and down in an attempt to crush you with its spinning fire buddies. Even with the five-spread shot this can be a long and dangerous boss fight. When the boss is near the top of the screen, move underneath it and tap furiously. You'll take out many of the flames, and hopefully you'll squeeze in a few hits to the center of the sun's body. As he lowers toward you, move to either side in order to be a safe distance from the green flames. You should continue to shoot if you have a spread shot. Keep this pattern up, and if you're successful, the sun will die and the green flames will turn into bells. Then you will see Dr. Cinnamon move diagonally across the screen screaming "HELP!" ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 7 - THE SOLAR SYSTEM ---------------------------------------------- The theme of this horizontal stage's enemies is mini versions of the previous bosses. You will encounter: Watermelon - These slices of watermelon appear in horizontal rows of five as they move on the screen. Then they'll loop back, loop forward again, and spread out as they home in on your ship. They tend to fire three shots. Squids - Unlike all the other enemies in the game, the number of squids in each group can vary. You will encounter packs of either four or six. However many you encounter, they will always be broken up into two even groups which move in mirrored waves. Nearly every squid fires a shot, so I recommend dodging to the top or bottom of the screen after you attempt to destroy the squids. Striped Sinks - Yet again, I can't say with confidence what these enemies really are. Even with outside input, no one can determine what they are, and the ideas vary from a well to a bucket. Keeping with the boss theme however, I'm guessing that this enemy is related to stage 3's faucet boss. They come out in spread-out groups of five, and they fly straight until they hit the edge of the screen. After stopping there momentarily, each one takes off in your ship's direction. Red Suns - These suns are the deadliest enemies in the game, but they can be simple to take out with the five-spread shot. Their movement is the epitome of "homing in". They'll show up from behind your ship, so don't hang out on the edge. They'll follow you until they fly off the screen, but that's not it. They'll appear yet again and keep on homing in on you until they're destroyed. The best strategy to deal with them is to lead them forward while they're behind you; then quickly swoop up and around them. As they follow, shoot like mad to destroy them all. If a stray one escapes, kill it quickly once it returns. Generic '80s Machines - These guys squirm in vertical and horizontal movements all over the screen in packs of five. Due to their sporadic movements and the numerous shots they fire, destroy them right away. Blue and Green Boomboxes - These machines also travel in groups of five. They move in a wave-like pattern until they get to your ship at which point they split up and home in. The enemies of stage 7 appear in this order: 4 groups of watermelons 4 groups of squids 3 groups of sinks 1 group of suns Then a pattern consisting of the following will begin: 1 group of generic 80s machines 1 group of boomboxes 1 group of suns 1 group of watermelons 1 group of squids 1 group of sinks This pattern will repeat four more times, and the stage wraps up with: 1 group of generic 80s machines 1 group of boomboxes 1 group of suns TIPS AND SECRETS: - Not much to say here. In this Gradius rip-off stage, the background is nothing but outer space, so there are no land enemies or bonus items to worry about. Most of the enemies aren't too hard either, so relax and enjoy the final stage! Just be sure you don't make a careless mistake because it's very hard to recover any power-ups with Konami Man throwing those bells out so quickly. I've been able to beat this stage even without any power-ups, though, so as long as you make it to the boss with at least one spare life, you should do fine. BOSS: EVIL SNAKE Stinger's final battle is rather disappointing, but I suppose it's a Konami tradition for their shooters to have easy lackluster final bosses. This snake homes in on your ship, and it moves in circular motions. As soon as you see it, you'll probably discover the very simple cheap way of beating it. If you get close to the snake and in the right position, it will circle you endlessly. While it may take a long time, you can stay like that safely indefinitely shooting the snake's head at your leisure. It can be difficult to get in the right position at first, so you're best having one life to spare in order to get yourself situated. Even if you want to do it the "hard" way, the fight still isn't particularly challenging. If your ship has enough speed-ups and a spread shot, you can easily defeat the slow snake by keeping the ship moving. When the snake comes close, move around it, wait for it to follow you a bit, then move out in front of its head again to get in some more hits. Rinse and repeat. When the snake dies, its body will turn into bells, and a little "exit" box will appear as a siren goes off. It's just a trick, though. There are no more challenges to face, and despite the siren, there is no urgency. Move into the exit whenever you feel like it, and... Congratulations on beating Stinger! View the ending with Dr. Cinnamon, watch the credits roll, and if you wish, press the START button when the game directs you to in order to replay the game with a harder difficulty and some brand new enemies and animations! ************************************************* HARDER MODE TIPS ************************************************* Beat Stinger but still craving more? Well, you're in luck because after you view the staff credits you can press START for a second mode! Unlike most shooters that throw in cheap harder difficulties that consist of nothing more than more enemies and/or bullets, Stinger actually offers a few new things in its harder difficulty. Since the stages stay the same for the most part, it's not necessary to cover the same things over again, but this section of this guide will inform you of the changes. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 8 - THE COUNTRYSIDE OVER DONBURI ISLAND ---------------------------------------------- New Enemy: Green Mushrooms - These huge eyed mushrooms come out in diagonal rows of five. After they reach about the midpoint of the screen, they'll start zigzagging. They'll do so until they get close to your ship, at which point they home in. They occasionally fire out a couple shots. They always show up between the groups of radishes and donuts. Land Enemies - They were inactive the first time around, but now the land enemies will attack. They appear as windmills (bet you thought they were gravestones before, eh?) and brown round buildings that look like upside-down hazelnuts. O_o ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 9 - UNDER THE SEA ---------------------------------------------- New Enemy: Red Sunflower Star - These multi-armed starfish travel in groups of five. They enter the screen from the side in horizontal rows. They turn in order to head towards you in a diagonal line. They spread out a bit, sometimes fire a shot or two, and some may bounce back up off the edge of the screen. They always show up between the groups of jellyfish and blowfish. Land Enemies - Like stage 8, the land enemies didn't attack in the normal difficulty, but now they've become aggressive. They appear as round green sea urchins and purple pearl-containing oysters. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 10 - DESERTS OF EGYPT ---------------------------------------------- New Enemy: Mops - When they appear, you'll be tricked into thinking there is only one mop, but when it reaches the center of the screen, it splits into five mops that spread across the full screen. They always show up directly before or after the groups of sneakers. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 11 - THE ARCTIC ---------------------------------------------- New Enemy: Steel Bars - These metal bars only show up in stage 11 once, but that's still once too many. They are the trickiest enemies in the game by far due to the fact that they're invincible. Yep, that's right, you can shoot them all you want, but they won't die. To make matters worse, they show up in a group of six, and they ricochet all over the screen for a very long time. As you're dodging the first group, even more will swarm onto the screen. They always show up right after the groups of irons appear for the first time. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 12 - MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS ---------------------------------------------- New Enemy: Bowling Pins - Spread-out groups of five bowling pins drop down from the top of the screen and zigzag their way all the way down. Each one usually shoots its own shot. They always show up before and after the groups of workout stretchers. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 13 - MILITARY BASE AND OUTER SPACE ---------------------------------------------- New Enemy: Dragonflies - These enemies are similar to the vinyl records. When they move on the screen in groups of five, they fly in several huge circles before leaving the screen. Each bug tends to fire a shot. They always show up before the groups of snails and occasionally between the groups of fireflies and mantises. ---------------------------------------------- STAGE 14 - THE SOLAR SYSTEM ---------------------------------------------- Although it's understandable, it's kind of disappointing that there is absolutely nothing new about this stage. Congratulations on beating the harder mode of Stinger! The game will loop around again if you press the START button after the credits, this time beginning at stage 15. As far as I can tell, there are no differences between the second time through and the third time through. The third game seems a little bit faster, though. ************************************************* BONUSES ************************************************* Most bonuses are acquired by destroying land enemies, but some are hidden in secret unmarked places. Try using your bombs everywhere, even up in the sky. Cross - extra life 100000 points - extra life Dr. Cinnamon Head - Allows you to enter the bonus game after beating a stage's boss in order to collect lots of bells for points. Bells don't change color in the bonus game. Gold Bell - 500, 1000, or 5000 points Money Bags - 100 or 500 points Peacock Head - 1000 points Konami Logo - 1000 points Goemon Head - 1000 points Penguin - 1000 points Hat-Wearing Elf Head - 1000 points Dracula Head - 1000 points Enemy Kill - 100 points Boss Kill - 10000 points ************************************************* ENDING AND STAFF CREDITS ************************************************* After beating the final boss and rescuing Dr. Cinnamon, he tells you: "THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY LIFE. I KNEW THAT I COULD COUNT ON YOU IN MY TIME OF PERIL. YOU ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST STINGERS OF ALL TIME." Then the credits roll: S T A F F PROGRAM BY KAZUHIRO SHINAMON MU-CHAN CHARACTER BY MADAM YANYAN MARI DAIBUTSU MUSIC BY CHARLEY SADA SPECIAL THANKS MITSUHIRO SHIMON RUSHER SHINYA BRILLIANT SATOE GIANT KEN YAMAKO SHIMONETA KENJI COPYRIGHT BY KONAMI T H E E N D ************************************************* CONTACTING ME ************************************************* Since I don't own Stinger's instruction manual I have to refer to enemies and items simply by descriptive names, so if you come across any official names in the manual that I'm unaware of, feel free to send me the info. In fact, if someone wants to scan the whole manual, I'd love to see it. Some names come down to a matter of opinion, though, so I won't necessarily change something just because you don't like what I call it. I will not provide any ROMs, emulator help, emulator information within this FAQ, or ROM hacking codes. I encourage all Stinger players to go out and buy the game. :) If you need help with Stinger or have any questions about it, feel free to email me. Please don't ask questions answered already in the FAQ, though. If you have requests or submissions for this FAQ, I'd be happy to hear them. If you just want to chat about Stinger or the TwinBee series, feel free to send me mail. E-mail address: triacesuperfan@hotmail.com ************************************************* COPYRIGHT INFORMATION ************************************************* This FAQ is copyright 2003 Kristina Potts. This FAQ may be used only if the author has been contacted and gave permission, nothing is altered, and the FAQ is used in its entirety. Credit must also be given to the author. This FAQ may NOT be used for commercial purposes. ************************************************* THANKS TO... ************************************************* Konami for creating quite possibly the most enjoyable shooter I've ever played and Nintendo for licensing it. I can't wait to play the other TwinBee games; I bet they're even better. GameStop for selling Stinger as well as many other cool used NES games for low prices. No thanks to "Alex" for feeling the need to not only write his name on the cart in permanent marker but also to CARVE it in the plastic. Even after countless uses of Goo Gone, the back of my cartridge still looks messed up... The owner of TwinBee Land: http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/twinbee/index.html The best English TwinBee site on the internet. I learned so much about the series from that site. I used to know the guy from the old Castlevania Dungeon message board too... He was a cool guy; I miss him. :( GameFAQs for hosting this FAQ and all my other FAQs and reviews. Andreas for encouraging me to feed my obsession for all things fruity and Japanese. I also appreciate his help and advice, and of course, his love. tri-Ace because... imagine if they remade TwinBee RPG, but tri-Ace handled it this time. It would be... dare I say... the greatest game ever made. O_O Myself because... I'm an open-minded importer, so a whole world of fun TwinBee games is just sitting out there waiting for me. As much as I love Stinger, I couldn't imagine being a US game buyer only and being stuck with Stinger as the only TwinBee game I could ever play...