Walker Boh's Guide to: Journey to Silius on NES Author: Walker Boh Real Name: Bryan Peterson E-mail: b-peterson@earthlink.net Contents: I: Legal stuff II: Intro III: Controls IV: Walkthrough Walkthrough Sections Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Closing 1. Comments 2. 2. E-mail Disclaimer 3. Legal Stuff TO put it briefly, this work is copyright 2001-2003 by Walker Boh-Ohmsford. It's all mine and nobody else's. You're welcome to post it on your webpage (if you have one), or print it and distribute it among friends for free. Note: No profit may be made off this FAQ except by me if I choose. Introduction This is perhaps one of my favorites on the old NES. I played it first in 1994 and several times since then. Not long ago I purchased my own copy. The play/control is good and the music's excelent. The story's a lot better than a lot of games out there, but it still revolves around exterminating evil aliens (Contra anyone?), except it's a bit more personal than that. In JTS, you play the role of Jay McCray, a young man whose father was responsible for the development of many space colonies over the years. Jay admired his father for the work he'd done and wanted to be like him when he grew up. Recently Jay's father was killed, a tragedy which was the result of an explosion on the Silius Space Colony, which was still in the works. People believed that it was an accident. Unfortunately the plans for the colony were supposedly destroyed in the explosion, which meant that no further work could be done. Jay believed that himself until one day he found a floppy computer disk in his father's room. He was curious to know what the disk contained, and when he inserted it into his computer, he discovered that it contained the plans for the space colony. It also contained a letter to him from his father. Jay was pleased, for he knew that he could continue his father's work. First though, he read the letter. The letter revealed that a group of alien terrorists were plotting to destroy the Silius Space Colony. Apparently that explosion was no accident! The letter also said that if for any reason his father was unable to complete his work, that it would fall to Jay to do so. Jay resolves to continue his father's work and avenge his death. Controls The controls in this game are simple. D-pad: Moves Jay. Down arrow makes Jay lay down. Up arrow makes him point his weapon upwards. Left and Right move Jay left and right. A Button: Jump B Button: Fire weapon Select: Pause game Start: Access subscreen where you can switch weapons if you have collected other guns besides the one with which you start. Walkthrough Note: At the end of each level (except the final one obviously, there is a miniboss that will yield one of the four other guns you can have. Though you have to collect these to move onto the actual boss there is no situation where they are absolutely necessary. However, such weapons do come in handy. Note: I looked up the names of the stages in the walkthrough by DJosef (skapunk_14@hotmail.com. Thanks. The names of the bosses come from the manual, and so apparently do the names for the stages. Stage one: Deserted Space Colony Weapon Upgrade: Machine Gun This stage has some of the best music in the game. It is also very easy. Just dispatch the aliens (actually I believe they're machines and not living creatures). Some will leave life capsules and Ammo capsules (right now those ammo capsules are useless). The life capsules are useful if you lose health. Be careful, as I believe there are landmines in this stage, as well as laser guns that you can't kill. Also, make sure you jump across the cliffs in this level, as you will die if you fall off. After clearing the cliffs, destroy the enemies and prepare for the first miniboss. It's just a normal enemy with a lot more power. Just fire at it and avoid its attacks and you should destroy it. Then pick up the Machine Gun upgrade. Boss: Helicopter and MiniRobots After collecting the Machine Gun, the music will change to the wonderful boss theme. However you just have a few mini robots to deal with. That's right, before the true boss of this level emerges you have to kill off three smaller robots. They can take some practice (and it takes about nine shots to kill one), but they're not hard to kill. Just fire away at them to destroy them. Then the helicopter comes onscreen. This one's harder than the little ones, because it has a certain spot where it can be damaged, and only by hitting that spot directly can it be harmed. I don't know the exact weak point on this boss, just fire at it and stay clear of its attacks. You'll know you're doing damage when you hear it make the sound normal enemies make when they take damage. Just keep firing at it (I prefer using the NES Advantage controler in this game so I can use the Turbo function), and it will blow up and you can go on to level 2. Stage 2: Underground Concourse Weapon Upgrade: Homing Missile Another stage with great music. It's also fairly easy. There are new enemies here who can shoot multiple bullets at annoying speeds. Just destroy those you can and work your way through this level, taking the elevators you find. The miniboss is considerably tougher than the first, since you have to aim for his head, as hitting him anywhere else will just make him absorb the shot, causing no damage. DJosef's FAQ says to use the Machine Gun for this and I happen to agree. The Machine gun's speed will be invaluable against this guy. Just make sure you're hitting him in the right spot. Anyway, after the miniboss is destroyed you'll collect the Homing Missiles. Boss: War Vehicle Robot This boss can be rather tough, since it has a grappling hook which will kill you instantly if it touches you..unless of course you're using a Game Genie. He also shoots bullets which wil home in on your position if you remain stationary for too long. Just fire away at him with whatever weapon you want, though I prefer to hold onto my weapon upgrades unless I really have to use them. This boss has a certain weak spot like the last one (this one's in the middle of its body), so make sure you're really good if you choose to use one of your upgrades (although there are ammo capsules that enemies drop if you need to replenish them). Anyway, avoid the tank's attacks, the grappling hook especially if you aren't using a Game genie, and fire away at it. Eventually it'll blow up. Stage 3: Terrorists' HQ Weapon Upgrade: Laser Rifle This one took me a while, let me tell ya! Destroy the enemies nearby and get ready to jump right away. You have to land just right on the elevator or you'll fall into the elevator shafts and die. You'll be doing a lot of elevator jumping in this stage, and one wrong move can mean your life. There are also mines to look out for, and they're well hidden, so you'll want to watch your step. The miniboss isn't too tough. I like using homing missiles on him, but if I choose not to I just keep moving and shoot at him. I believe his head is his weak point. After the battle collect the Laser Rifle and prepare for an easy boss. Boss: Troop of Cannons This one's easy. Just shoot at them when you can hit them and avoid the lasers. You could take them out quickly with Homing Missiles. However you do it, victory results in your progression to Stage 4. Stage 4: Enemy Spaceship Weapon Upgrade: Grenade Launcher This one's long. The enemies move fast and there are lots of traps, so be on your guard. Even the music's just right if you ask me. The Miniboss isn't too tough, just avoid him and fire at him with your weapons. After you kill him you'll get the Grenade Launcher, which is believed by many to be the best weapon in the game..for good reason! Boss: Mamoth Cannon This guy has a crystal..uhm..eye? that opens and closes. Yep, fire at the eye when it's open to inflict damage. I like using the grenade launcher (believe me, this boss is pathetically easy with that)! Just four or six hits with the Grenade Launcher should finish this boss off. Any weapon will work as long as the eye is open when you shoot it, but the Grenade Launcher is the best by far. Stage 5: Final Stage Weapon Upgrade: None Yes, the last level, and the hardest by far. This is one of those constantly scrolling levels that mean you have to keep moving. Think of it as..well..kinda like the airships in Super Mario Bros. 3. Stay stationary and you will die in a matter of seconds. There are no enemies in this stage, just things that drop stuff on you, and you cannot kill them. I'll freely admit that I still can't finish this one without help, even with a Game Genie. Anyway, there's no miniboss and no weapon upgrades in this stage. Boss: Giant Exodus Spaceship This is not the final boss. He is the real boss equivalent of the prior stages' minibosses. Just shoot at its eye and run away when it attacks. It'll kinda move from one side of the screen to the other. Just avoid its attacks and keep attacking it and it'll die. Now for the final battle. Final Boss: Android (Human) Metallic Skeleton He's disappointingly easy for a final boss. Just shoot his head and avoid his attacks and he'll blow up. If you have some Grenades left those will work well also. Note: The following information will spoil the ending of the game..but then again you don't have to read. Ending: After the battle, it shows a satelite leaving the orbit of a planet (Silius would be my guess as to the planet in question), then the credits roll, to the accompaniment of possibly the best music in the game. Closing Comments This is one of my favorite NES games. The story's cool, the music's cool and the gameplay's excellent. It's a bit frustrating at times, but hey, every game gets that way sometimes. E-mail Disclaimer If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to E- mail me at b-peterson@earthlink.net. I will consider your suggestion and if I like it I'll put it in the FAQ. First, there are some rules for E-mailing me, and violators will pay. First off, I will not accept file attachments, so don't bother sending 'em. I've received enough viruses to be suspicious of any files sent to me by people I don't know. Second and most important, if you're going to ask me for help on a game, be specific and be polite! Don't just say, I need help in level 1. Level 1 of what game? Be nice about it, too. No flames will be tolerated. I'll most likely ignore such mail to start with and block the offender's E-mail address if the problem persists. With that out of the way, Enjoy this FAQ and this great game!