------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This FAQ was made for the NES FAQ Completion Project. You could contribute to this yourself! Just check out Devin Morgan's web site about it: http://faqs.retronintendo.com =============================================================================== Table of Contents =============================================================================== 1. - Game Modes 2. - Disclaimer =============================================================================== 1. - Game Modes =============================================================================== The game starts off will a simple age check. The only reason this is used is basically your choice of difficulty. I guess only the mentality of an eight year old can beat hard, so if you're at least eight years old, congratulations, you won't have any problems with this game. Pick four or younger for easy, five to seven for medium, or eight or older for hard. Believe me, hard isn't hard at all, this game was designed for kids so it is set to challenge a child's mind. ------------------------------ Sliding Puzzle ------------------------------ The sliding puzzle is the first game mode you encounter. It's really simple, especially for easy mode. The main reason it is simple is because you can only move the tiles side to side so you cannot possibly get yourself jumbled up, not even on hard. Just start from the top tiles and move them until it matches with the part of the picture above the tiles you are moving. Keep moving down and do the same thing until you complete the puzzle. ------------------------------ Setting the Switches ------------------------------ This is basically a remake of the classic game, Pipe Dream. However, once again it is much less complex. All you have to do is set the switches to allow Thomas the Tank to reach the train station. To flip the switches, just go to the intersection you want to change and click A or B. After you follow the track to ensure the correct switches are flipped, just click Thomas the Tank to bring him to the station. ------------------------------ Jigsaw Puzzle ------------------------------ The title really explains itself on this one. It's just a simple jigsaw puzzle involving no more than twelve pieces. At first you may be confused as to where to put each piece but you can see what you are trying to put together by holding the select button. So compare the picture you should get with the pieces you get so you can put them in the right spots. The only note I might have to say is to press A or B again to drop the piece in the desired spot. ------------------------------ Let's Race Bertie! ------------------------------ This is the action part of the game. You get to race a bus, Bertie, towards the next town. All you really have to do is put the cursor over either the train or horn on the bottom and just keep hitting A and B as fast as you can. Don't hit them at the same time, just keep alternating between each as fast as you can. You'll see Bertie pull ahead at first but you will eventually fly by him and beat him to the town. ------------------------------ Fixing the Tracks ------------------------------ This is also just like Pipe Dream except you have to lay the track out. Just put the cursor over the tiles you want to put the track. If you want to make a turn or something to make it interesting just keep clicking the same piece until whatever you want comes up. The only thing you have to do is connect the starting point to the station and click Thomas the Tank Engine. ------------------------------ Let's Race James! ------------------------------ This is the same thing as racing Bertie. Just keep alternating between pressing A and B as fast as you can and you will win this race with ease. ------------------------------ Let's Travel with Thomas ------------------------------ There are three stories to pick from, you can choose. I will list each story below: Thomas and Bertie's Great Race. Thomas was waiting at the junction, when a bus arrived. "Hullo," said Thomas. "Who are you?" "I'm Bertie. I've come to help you with your passengers today." "Help me!" said Thomas. "I can go faster than you." "I'll race you," said Bertie. Who will win? The Station Master said: "Are you ready? Go!" At first Bertie drew in front. "Why don't you go fast? Why don't you go fast?" called Annie and Clarabel. "Wait and see. Wait and see," hissed Thomas. He'd remembered the level crossing. There was Bertie fumign at the gates, while they sailed gaily through. "Goodbye Bertie," called Thomas. Then they had to stop at the station to let off passengers. "Peep, pip, peep! Quickly please," called Thomas, and off they went again. "We'll beat Bertie yet, We'll beat Bertie yet," called Annie and Clarabel. "We'll do it, we'll do it," panted Thomas. Then he heard Bertie: "Goodbye, Thomas. You must be tired. Sorry I can't stop." "Oh dear," said Thomas "We've lost." But he felt better after a drink of water. As they crossed the bridge they heard an impatient "honk, honk." There was Bertie waiting at the traffic lights. Bertie started with a roar and chased on after Thomas again. Who will win? Now Thomas reached his full speed. Bertie tried hard, but Thoams was too fast. "We've done it. We've done it," panted Thomas. Everyone was there to celebrate Thomas's victory. But they gave Bertie a big welcome too. Who won the race? Thomas Saves the Day. Every day Sir Topham hatt came to the station. "Hullo," he said to Thomas. "Don't let the silly freight cars tease you." "You have an important job as a special helper in the yard!" There were lots of freight cars, and Thomas worked very hard pushing and pulling them into place. There was also a small coach and two strange things his driver called cranes. "That's the breakdown train," said his driver. "The cranes are for lifting engines and coaches and freight cars." One day James came rushing through too fast. "Help! Help! They're pushing me," he panted. "On, on, on," laughed the freight cars. Soon came the alarm. "James is off the line get the breakdown train quickly." Thomas was coupled on, and off they went. What tain is that? Thomas worked his hardest. "Hurry, hurry, hurry," he puffed. "Bother those freight cars and their tricks. I hope poor James isn't hurt. They found James in a field. James's driver and firemen were feeling him all over to see if he was hurt. Thomas pushed the breakdown train alongside. He pulled the freight cars out of the way. "Oh dear, oh dear," they groaned. "Serves you right. Serves you right," puffed Thomas. Thomas helped James back to the shed. "Thomas, you're a Really Useful Engine." said Sir Topham Hatt. "You shall have your own branch line." "Oh thank you sir," said Thomas. Now Thomas is as happy as can be. He has a branch line and two coaches called Annie and Clarabel. He puffs proudly backwards and forwards with them all day. Why is Thomas a Really Useful Engine? Thomas, Percy and the Mail Train. At night, when the other engines are tucked away in their sheds, you can still hear the faraway call of engine whistles. What train is that? And the clickety- clack sound of train wheels turning. This is the sound of the mail train. One train is pulled by Thomas and the other by Percy, as the loads are too heavy for one engine to do the work alone. On a clear night, a big shiny moon brightens their journey, but often Thomas and Percy can't even see the stars! What train is that? One night Percy was waiting at the junction. The main line train was late. "Come on Percy," said the driver. "Let's make up for lost time." Percy puffed along as quickly as he could, but the sun was already rising as he finished his work. "Never mind," thought Percy. "It's nice to be up and about when it's the start of a new day with no-one else around." Percy was not alone for long. "Bother," said Percy. "It's that dizzy thing, Harold." "Good morning," whirred Harold. "I always said railways were out of date." "You're so slow with the mail, you should give everyone their stamps back post haste!" Percy was too tired to explain. "Bird brain," he muttered. "Good morning, Percy," called Duck. "You're up early." "no, you're wrong," sighed Percy. "I'm back, tired and late." He rolled into the shed and fell asleep almost before his buffers touched the bar. His driver decided to set off early that evening. Thomas was waiting at the junction. "Driver says that the person in charge of the mail has complained to Sir Topham Hatt about the delay last night." "But that wasn't my fault," replied Percy. "Tonight we'll just have to be quicker than ever before." said Thomas. The engines were just leaving the station when they heard a familiar buzzing. "I say, you two, there's news flying about," "Where?" puffed Percy. All over the place. They're going to scrap the mail tain and use me instead. Wings work wonders, you know." That night, everything ran like clockwork. Thomas and Percy steamed through the stations on time. At a station, Thomas noticed a man looking cold and worried. He had missed his train home. "We can give you a ride," said Thomas's driver. "Thank you," said the man. "Anything's better than sitting here." The next afternoon Percy passed the airfield and saw Harold. "Hello, Lazywings. Are you too tired to fly today?" "The wind's too strong. I've been grounded," grumbled Harold. "You need rails," laughed Percy. That night Sir Topham Hatt showed the two engines a letter. It was from the man who had missed his train. "He thinks you are both splendid," said Sir Topham Hatt. "Everyone says that themail train is the pride of the line!" Why is Percy a Really Useful Engine? ------------------------------ Quiz ------------------------------ The quiz depends on what story you read. If you don't remember any of the answers, you could look at the pictures which usually gives a pretty good hint. If not, you can just reread the story above and look for the answer. After those games you just keep circling the track endlessly. I would have to agree with AdamL with saying that consider running around the track three times and reading every story beating the game, there is no definite ending to this game. =============================================================================== 2. - Disclaimer =============================================================================== This FAQ/Walkthrough is copyrighted © 2007 to Frank Grochowski. International Copyright laws protect this FAQ/Walkthrough. You cannot sell this FAQ/Walkthrough for a profit of any kind. You cannot reproduce this FAQ/Walkthrough in any way with out my written consent. You are however allowed to download this FAQ/Walkthrough for personal use. You can also post it on your web site as long as you give me full credit, don't change it in any way, and it is free. The latest version will always be found at: http://www.GameFAQs.com