Lutter(Famicom Disk System) FAQ/Walkthrough version 1.0.1 by schultw.andrez@sbcglobal.net Please do not reproduce for profit without my consent. You won't be getting much profit anyway, but that's not the point. This took time and effort, and I just wanted to save a memory of an old game and the odd solutions any way I could. Please send me an email referring to me and this guide by name if you'd like to post it on your site. Note that this guide has no text maps and assumes you have access to my maps on GameFAQs.com. I would recommend having one map in your browser, the guide in another tab, and the emulator(let's just bring the open secret totally into the open, shall way) in another, so you can alt-tab between them. Ad space: http://faqs.retronintendo.com is the NES FAQ Completion Project. It's inspired me to look at some games I never would have, otherwise. Have a look at it and see all we've done! This is not strictly an NES game, but FDS games came from a discussion topic about the proejct. It clearly has an NES flavor, though. ================================ OUTLINE 1. INTRODUCTION 2. CONTROLS 2-1. MOVING 2-2. POWER UPS 2-3. LEVELS 3. ENEMIES AND STRATEGIES 4. WALKTHROUGH 4-1. FIRST CASTLE 4-1-1. THROUGH BOSS 1 4-1-2. THROUGH BOSS 2 4-2. SECOND CASTLE 4-3. THIRD CASTLE 4-4. FOURTH CASTLE 5. CHEATS 6. VERSIONS 7. CREDITS ================================ 1. INTRODUCTION Lutter is an entertaining game that reminds you of Lode Runner, if you've played that, but it focuses on combat more than gaining treasure. You also have a few keys, like CastleQuest, and while the RPG element isn't terribly tricky because you have places to run enemies over, it's kind of neat overall. You have four castles to work through (pairs of 4x2 sets of rooms) with five women to rescue, and you will find power-ups, construction items like bombs or ladders, keys and doors, and trick walls and floors. The most appealing part of Lutter is the collection of hyperwarp doors that mean you see part of a level but can't reach it yet. Lutter really glosses over the violent bits. Basically, you will lose HP in any fight, but if you find a place to rest, it's okay. If one guy falls on his enemy, or tries to fight while going across a rope, he'll get whipped. You can walk away at any time, and you also can, if you're careful, horde special power-ups for the endgame. Overall, Lutter is a nicely intuitive game. You don't have to learn a lot of rules, and though you may get stuck in some parts due to misusing your finite power-ups or just because you missed a vanishing wall, I enjoyed working through it before it was translated. Mute has sent in a very nice translation to romhacking.net, though, and so I recommend you check it out that way. The second time through I got through Lutter in two hours, with the benefit of figuring a few power-ups, and you will probably find the way through pretty quick too, but it's a unique meshing of different genres without any huge faults beyond level building that fortunately does not take too long. Mute translated this, and the patch was posted romhacking.net, but you don't really need it to get through the game. The dialogue features some jokes and some people asking for money(always accept the offer) but nothing earth shaking. The game is big on puzzles and low on plot, and for a save-the-girl sort of game, it's a good one. 2. CONTROLS 2-1. MOVING First, let's look at controls in boss fights. You need to move constantly, and depending where you touch the boss, you do damage. If you push A, you eat bread and are healed. So save that for when you get low in boss fights. If you are killed, you just lose some gold. Now for regular controls. First, waiting in one space eventually heals you. There are lots of bunkers where you can go for this. If space is right under you, you fall, though you can walk over enemies. You can't fight on ropes. You need to push up to enter a door. You can move up and down a vine and have your feet on the top of it. There are squares that open and close, and if you fall in one, you need to push up to get out, or you'll lose big hit points. You can enter a door just before you fall off the edge, and touching a button no matter how you got to it causes predetermined vines to pop up. You can run into a moving platform and eventually flip past it at its edge with no risk of damage to you. You cannot suggest diagonal movement--any vertical movement completely overrides a horizontal movement. Tapping in a direction you can't go has several effects. --resets the timer before you start to heal --can start enemies running in a room you just entered To see your stats, push B. This shows your weapon/armor/shield and vital statistics. Push B twice again to remove the menu. If you want to surrender, push A. Surrender is useful if you are trapped in a room, but you can also just fight it out til you die. You don't get any sort of bonus for perfection, so it's not worthwhile to try. To use a power up, push A then the power up to use then the square you wish to use it on if relevant. Not all power ups work on all squares. Power up icons change through the levels, but their functions are the same. You can use a power-up in any square 1 vertical and/or 1 horizontal away from you. 2-2. POWER UPS Keys open doors of the same color. Pushing a button causes ladders to sprout up in predetermined locations. Triangle/pyramid: blocks enemies. You can pick it up later, but it can help you focus on getting somewhere if you place it in a bottleneck. Wheel: lets you fly. You cannot fly up, but you can fly left/right. Magnet: freezes enemies. Potion: changes a fake block to real. Does not operate if block is fake. Vine/ladder: makes a vine/ladder appear. Dirt circle: makes dirt, or a bridge, appear. Cannot be placed on a ladder- button square or any square occupied Bread: heals all HP. Outside of boss fights, this is not useful because you should have more than enough gold to win for those times you may die. Swords, armor and shields are as follows(there are 5 of each, 1 for each boss-level): 0=none 1=vest 2=jerkin 3=cuirass 4=mail 5=gold mail 0=none 1=dirk 2=short sword 3=bronze sword 4=silver sword 5=gold sword 0=none 1=wooden shield 2=bronze shield 3=rock shield 4=silver shield 5=crystal shield 2-3. LEVELS Here is when you gain levels: L#| Exp | From Last Level ---+-------+----------------- 1 | 8 | 8 2 | 48 | 40 3 | 144 | 96 4 | 320 | 176 5 | 600 | 280 6 | 1008 | 408 7 | 1568 | 560 8 | 2304 | 736 9 | 3240 | 936 10 | 4400 | 1160 11 | 5804 | 1404 12 | 7488 | 1684 13 | 9464 | 1976 14 | 11760 | 2296 15 | 14400 | 2640 16 | 17408 | 3008 17 | 20808 | 3400 18 | 24624 | 3816 19 | 28880 | 4256 20 | 33600 | 4720 21 | 38808 | 5208 22 | 44528 | 5720 23 | 50784 | 6256 24 | 57600 | 6816 25 | 65000 | 8400 Experience needed to get to level X = 4x^3+4x^2=4x*x(x+1) You start at level 0, and the maximum level is 25, since the maximum experience is 65535(2 bits' maximum value.) The amount needed to get between level X-1 and X is 12x^2-4x. In other words, experience needed varies as the square of the level. This means that it doesn't get tougher to gain levels as you go up. HP, power, speed, intelligence and luck increase randomly with each levels, so you can shuffle save states and reroll, etc. You also get 3-7 of an attribute for each ability scroll uncovered and 10-15 attack/defense for each chest. 3. ENEMIES AND STRATEGIES There's not much to fighting enemies. Just run into them and be aware of how they can zing you. Note that if one is on a rope and the other is not, the second has a huge advantage. So try to avoid this, and if you can't, fall from the rope. There are only two real enemies, too--flying and ground. There may be slow and fast ground enemies, but you should be able to outrun the slow ones easily. They do the most damage. Another way to get a huge advantage is to attack fallen enemies. Don't get trapped on each side by enemies. This should only happen if you fall between them or retreat too much. In general, you want to hide in a dead end as long as possible, then attack an enemy. Enemies get stronger as levels go on, but so do you. They give more experience, but they can't do anything magical. Enemies can flash if there are too many, so keep rough track of them. Never eat bread unless you're in the final screen or next-to-final of the final castle. Just sacrifice the gold and regenerate. Bread is very useful for the final boss. Wait at the far end of a door to recharge while enemies reappear. Then run at them when they get close. This gets you hit points while you wait for them to regenerate. Don't feel guilty about overusing this. It's best used when there is only one door for enemies to reappear. Surrendering is useful if you miss a jump, too, and are too impatient to walk around again. Fighting a bunch of monsters and getting killed will usually give a net gain of gold and experience, so that is good. Don't surrender unless the monsters are wimps--the opposite of what is intuitive, but harder monsters give more gold, quicker. Beware on later levels that enemies can appear outside of doors. Be prepared to locate these places, but there are never more than three regeneration points(doors + space) in any one level. You can enter a door when an enemy is flashing by it. Similarly, you can't really attack the enemy, so there's no point hawking around the doors. Use vines to protect yourself against flying enemies, gaps for walking enemies. Enemies move randomly, but generally they try to reach you by heading directly at you, horizontally at first. Locked warp-doors do not allow enemies in, and there are a few levels where it's nice to have only one door where enemies exit. You can also find where enemies are produced outside the doors on later levels, then you can wait and pop enemies there. If the way back to the start is tedious, surrendering is justifiable. Just make sure you have 1000+ gold at all times, once you get over for the first time. And you should, quickly. The gold piles up early on. Before a boss fight, improve to that next level, or find a room near there to beat up enemies consistently. 4. WALKTHROUGH 4-1. FIRST CASTLE This castle introduces you to doors and how they flip you about on a map. Castle maps are pairs of 4x2 sets of rooms. A door flips you between the sets of rooms, and early on, the doors don't go anywhere special, or they go to a dead end with a power up. This castle also has a quick easy boss before the main one, so you can get ready early. One way doors may set you back a bit, but you don't have a lot of puzzle solving besides getting to the white key, which requires you to either know what the enemy is saying or try to push every single square. All castles are completeable if you start out with no special items, but you can horde items here early on to make the last ones much easier. 4-1-1. THROUGH BOSS 1 Room 0-3: Enemies: 3 knights(1) The first screen gives you an introduction to the enemies. Basically, you just have to run into them to kill them, and if you kill eight, you get a level. Since the next screen is a lot tougher, let's look at your basic strategies here. Fall right, then wait to fall right onto the enemy. Do so when he is 2D of you, then go left. This gold gives you security if you get killed. Wait for the block to the left to form and walk over it. Get the gold and walk back. Stay on the right edge, and when the block 1R4D forms, drop on it, then go up the ladder and get the key--this may take two parts, too. Make sure the enemy is not waiting below when you fall. Now to actually tackle the enemies. Head to the DR and run into enemies to get there. If you want, you can go into the door and talk to the fellow on the left. A silver door is behind him. You don't have a silver key yet, but once you do, this door will house the boss fight. You can even go up the vine--that will give you a longer time to rest before enemies come over, letting you heal more. Then wait. You will gain a level after killing eight of them. That gets you more power and hit points. You'll have to repeat that five times to get another level, so zigzag your way to the top. Pass over one reappearing block at a time. Then open the door to the right with your key--wait to heal before entering the next room. If you goofed and did not get the key, of course, you will have to fall back left. Room 1-3: Enemies: 2 centipedes(3), 2 knights(1) Push up or down to wait and heal if you need to. However, you should not. You will want to proceed to the bottom and drop on the right key. You also may want to hang around between the ropes and kill any enemy that comes near you. If they are on the ropes, they are defenseless. Fall onto the key and go left. Open the door in the DL and push the button behind it. A vine will shoot up on the right. Now to get the treasures above. This is just a waiting game--step in to the left and wait for the appearing blocks. The bottom treasure gives you defensive strength, and the top one is a triangle that acts as a roadblock. You can use it then pick it up. You can't get to the green door above yet, so don't worry about it. I'd go for the top treasure first--with the bottom one, an enemy can fall from above and block you into an appearing block which means big damage. With the triangle, you can just fall in the center to get the defense. There, you should wait to heal up before going to the top. You can detour in the top door, though, to get some gold and rest up before heading to the right. There's the white key, but you can't quite walk over to it. Also, you can sit in the UR and beat up enemies as they run from the left. Waiting will heal you a bit. It's a bit quicker than the first room. Room 2-3: Enemies: 2 wasps(2), 2 caterpillars(3) This is a tricky room where you can hide out on the lower left to regain hit points. Get the gold below to start, then wait left of the rope for an enemy to come at you--the wasps will kill you on the rope. When there are no enemies on the rope, go right and drop onto the gold, then the key. Eventually you will want to run right on the rope to the UR to the door. Get the bread on the other side and come back. Note that you're getting a lot of previews of rooms you can't really explore yet. Fall left onto the platform when it is 1 away from below, then go into the door. Take the vine and come out below. You get an attack bonus! Now you can chop up enemies a bit quicker. You should get level 3 soon, too, so that will make the next part easier. Wait in the DR before proceeding to the next room. Room 3-3: Enemies: 1 amoeba(5), 4 knights(1) This is a spiral you can activate by going to the UR. Then you just have to watch the appearing blocks--drop when the one starts to appear. The power-up you get allows you to create a block to walk across a gap. This seems like it would be handy 2 rooms to the left, but first you need to get out of the spiral. You may wish to wait in the center then below the rope. Run up and past the enemies. It's not the end of the world to get killed, but you might as well try for the experience, bot for you with the controls and your guy. On the way out, stop in the door for some attack power. You can also heal here and come back to beat up the enemies some more. Go back to 2-3 then to the top of 1-3. You could use the block power-up right here, but instead, go through the door. Room 1-1: Enemies: 3 wasps(2), 2 blobs with hooks(2) Use the block 1L1D, and run across for the silver key. This saves a dark and light green key. Now cycle around the right and up. Grab the treasure. It's worth the side trip for the bread. If you fall off, so what? Just make sure you get the hit point power-up. Then go left. Room 0-1: Enemies: 3 wasps(2), 2 blobs with hooks(2) Drop down, use the key and hit the button to the left. Go up the right of the inner part and get on the moving block. Fall on the chest, to the right. More defense! Go along the outside now. Time the appearing blocks, then get the gold. Don't go in the door. It is a 1-way door to 0-3, and that does not help you. Instead, go to the DL, which you saw before. Now you can enter the door there. Once you are healed, do so. Make sure you are level 3 before entering. Boss fight 1: This guy is pretty easy. Change the disk side (f8-f6-f8) and you can just chop away at the center of the enemy. He'll go down. Don't push button A as that wastes a piece of bread you'll want later. Just run at the enemy, take your damage, and then the HP gauges will work in your favor. Once you win, the first girl you rescue thanks you. Now you can see the rest of the map of this castle. Enter the door again and you are in the DL of 0-3. Go left and you are in 3-3. Enter the door to get to a new room. 4-1-2. THROUGH BOSS 2 Room 3-1: Enemies: 2 blue hookblobs(4), 2 amoebas(5), 1 knight(4) Run left for the key then R D R. Climb over the blocks--you may have to anticipate when the right one appears--to get attacking power, then go R D L U L D L to the next room. Room 2-1: Enemies: 3 snails(6), 2 amoeba(5) Loop over the vine for speed. Fall left and go right to create vines. Then walk back out, if you want. This is a decent place to wait for enemies(DR) to boost your experience, but 3-1 is better. Don't take any of the doors, though. They lead backwards. Back to 3-1 and now use the bomb on the square left of the knight. Kill the knight and push the button. You can shuttle left and right below, by the door, to get a lot of experience. Go up the left vine. Room 3-0: Enemies: 3 blue hookblobs(4), 2 amoeba(5) Go up and left. Wait for the block to disappear and duck the falling amoebas, then get the key and zigzag to the top. Get the key and exit right. Room 0-0: Enemies: 4 snails(6), 2 green hookblobs(8) Go down the right, along the bottom and up. Get the sideways vine, then enter the door. Room 0-2: Enemies: 3 blue hookblobs(4), 2 knights(4), 1 green hookblob(8) Push the button above. Then go to the UL, wait for the platform, and take it right. Get the key and wait by the princess. Drop left and go right. Defense. Drop left and go right again. Place the vine 1R1D of the green key, then get the green key. Take the right door. In 0-0, zigzag up--stay for experience if you want til everyone is on the left--then take the platform right. Room 1-0: Enemies: 2 wasps(5), 2 green hookblobs(8), 2 knights(4) Run to the DR. There is an appearing block at the bottom, between the 2-high ladders, then 2U2R, 2R1D. Push the button. Then get the top of the block power-ups and drop down and get the next, etc. Get the key in the DL(beat up enemies in the DL for a bit if you want--stay 2R1D of the door) and the vine power-up above it. Go up the large vine and place a block 3R of the top rung to make it right. Room 2-0: Enemies: 5 snails(10) Go down and get the far right key. There's a bunch of fake walls to the right, so take them to where you can push the button. Run left for the power- ups, then for the vine. Drop below for another vine. Now you can muck around here for a while gaining experience from the snails that keep appearing. You can wait in the far left if you need to heal. When you're tired of that, come back up and get the left key and open the green door. Room 2-2: Enemies: 1 wasp(5), 2 red centipedes(6), 3 crabs(12) Time your run left to hit the button. Go to the left here, through the key. Room 1-2: Enemies: 2 flying apricots(11), 2 blue amoebae(10), 2 crabs(12) Get the key above. Then go left from the 2-vine. That's a secret passage. Fall left. Place the triangle 1R of the door, then kill the crabs below and take the platform right. You should be able to do so in peace. Be sure to push into the wall to make sure you get the vine to appear. Now go along the top--kill enemies in your way--and get the white key. You can surrender here(quick way, kicks you where you started, and you can't return there) or even fight til you get killed, to get some good experience. This is quicker than if you enter the door, go a room east, then take another door and go right. Either way, 3-2 is your next destination. Room 3-2: Enemies: 1 crab(12), 4 blue amoebae(10) Zap the crab below. Take the platform and clear the amoebae. Hack through quickly. Push the button then get the defense on the left. Retreat. You can continually run into the platform to flip yourself around it. This is an okay place to pick up experience. Enter the door when you are ready. It seems to lead backwards. But actually, if you go to the DR door, you wind up by the man, in the zigzag. Heal up and go to the top and fight the boss. Meet the new boss, about the same as the old boss. You should run up to the center and right. Run into the red eye a few times and he will go down. 4-2. SECOND CASTLE This one is a bit more involved and contorted. The enemies are stronger, too, but so are you. You'll shift among a lot of rooms. Room 0-3: Enemies: 3 beetles(12), 2 purple beetles (27) Get the key and go up the right ladder. Take the power ups from top to bottom. Then go to the UL and bust your way through to the right, placing the block power ups to get to the rope. Room 0-2: Enemies: 2 snails(14), 2 beetles(12) You need to loop around this room a few times to win it. You don't need to get the green key right away, so don't waste a bomb. Go to the UL, fall for the key, go back and go right. Fall to the rope, then fall below for the bombs. Oh yeah, get the speed power-up too. Room 1-2: Enemies: 4 tanks(16) This is a long level, but it is not really hard. Fall, go R U L U L to 0-2 and get the key. Come back and fall to activate the button. Now you can wind your way to the door, taking the ladders and falling. You get a bomb here, too. Room 2-2: Enemies: 4 snails(14), 2 beetles(12) Get the key across the appearing block. Fall below for the hit points, then climb and fall to the platform. Drop right off to the chute, then push the button behind the appearing block. yo need to wait a bit here while everyone reappears, so enemies fall in the pits. Climb down the right. Don't kill the enemies in the pits. Go down the stairs. This is a pretty good place to beat up on enemies. Room 2-3: Enemies: 4 purple knights(15), 2 tanks(28) Get the bomb. Then tackle the enemies to the left. Use a key to get the defense chest, then fall off the top row and gu UR. You'll need to complete the bottom bit later. Go off to the right. Room 3-3: Enemies: 4 wasps(19) Go right, fall, go left, fall, go right, fall and go left and fall to get to the button. Go 1R 1U 1R and place a bomb right, then go right, rest and climb the ladder to get out. Room 3-2: Enemies: 3 orange beetles(18), 3 lobster/green beetle(18) Climb to the top and use the door. Press up quickly when you reach it, or you will fall. There's a magnet here. They freeze enemies. Room 3-0: Enemies: 2 orange beetles(18), 2 purple tanks(22) You can get the bread and the hit points, then fall left and climb back to the top. Go left. To get the bread, you need to fall left off the lower ladder. Room 2-0: Enemies: 4 caterpillars(21) Fall down at the top. Work your way left. Push the button, go to the top and get the key. Then go left. Room 1-0: Enemies: 3 flying plums(15) You can fall immediately to open the door, push the button, and get the luck power-up. Get the green key on the way back, then take the right stair and get the key to the right. Come back to this room. Land on the platform as it comes back left. You may have some problems with enemies blocking you, but you can always return. Use the green key to exit the UL. Room 0-0: Enemies: 2 orange beetles(18), 3 caterpillars(21) Go to the bottom and get the key and push the button. Then go to the UL and drop and enter the door. You are back at 0-2 now, but you can complete it. Go up the stairs and fall right through the center-left fake brick. Then you can loop around to the center-right fake brick. Take the right door. Back in 0-0, fall left onto the platform, climb UR, go left on the rope, down the stairs, through the green door, and down. If you miss a jump to the platform, surrender to save time. Room 0-1: Enemies: 2 orange beetles(18), 3 green crabs(19) Run right on the ropes--go down the ladder to shake enemies first--then fall, go right and fall. Push the button, then get the intelligence power up, then loop around(secret door left) and take the top ropes going right and go up the stairs. Get the white key and go right. Room 1-1: Enemies: 3 purple tanks(22) You need to use a bomb here, and the best place to do so is above the button. Then the stairs appear, and you can collect the 3 bombs using the stairs to the left and right. Then use another bomb in the DR. Room 2-1: Enemies: 3 green caterpillars(21), 2 green crabs(19) You can save a green key and a bomb for later, as there's only an attack behind there. It's your choice. If you have enough greens later, it can make future levels less of a nag. I think you really only need one spare green, which you already have if you've used this waltkhrough. Get the white key at the bottom, then go on the top rope and fall left onto the DL rope. Go UR up the stairs after you get the gold, then D and DL. There's an appearing brick at the bottom. Go through it, UR and drop. Go left to push the button. Room 3-1: Enemies: 4 purple tanks(22) Collect the DR ladder power-ups and use them in the DL gap. Push the button, then collect the ladder power-up to the left and L U R U L of there. Go to the left edge and use two ladder power-ups to make your way to the UL. Get the goods and use the final ladder to get out of here and go to the UR. Back to room 3-0, where you just need to zigzag and push the button and enter the door. Now you are in 3-2 on the right. Use the platform to get to the key, then swim down to get the two keys. You will take damage, but if you wait before entering the water and by the keys, you can swim out to the DR with little risk. In 3-3, take the rope left and get speed, then drop left over the appearing for power. Go right if you want, to open the door. But you need to go to the bottom and use two bombs to the right. There are four secret doors after that to the silver door. You can't access that yet, so go left. In 2-3, push the button and go up the stairs. Get the magnet and the bombs by pushing left through the false blocks. Bomb 2L of the defense and then below it to get out. This gives the net gain of a bomb, too. Go to the left. It is one-way. Room 1-3: Enemies: 3 apricots(23), 3 beetles(27) In 1-3, get the various power ups--the potion will be useful in the next level--take ladder to the left, then use the platforms to get to the ropes. Fall through, return to the UL and use the green key to get through the door and net four bombs once you get the green key back. Head to the DL and use the bombs on the shaft to get to the next room. Or the first room. It's 0-3, and you can push the buttom to get to the silver key, then go down the shaft with the bomb and bread. Now the way back is easier. Up to 0-2, through the right door in the center, down to 0-1, right 3 screens, up and through the door, then down the water and enter the silver door. This is a good place to gain a few levels, as you need all you can get to defeat the giant centipede. I recommend getting to at least level 16 if you want to avoid having to heal. However, there's no shame in healig once or twice, so level 13-14 is probably okay. The boss centipede can be attacked from behind, though you'll want to clear the top attackers first. Its missiles will do some damage, and you just want to stand on one side then run at it from the back. The faster you are, the more you can smack it around. It'll come at you from the front sometimes, and actually you'll take less missile damage that way. When you've finished chopping the legs from behind, take on the head from the front to finish the deal. 4-3. THIRD CASTLE In this one you need a new power-up to win. It's a funny level with an ice theme, and if you are not careful, you will trap yourself with no way to win. Room 0-2: Enemies: 2 scorpions(39), 2 scorpions(31) This has a bunch of secret doors. You can talk to the guy on the right for hints how to get through--one of the blocks is modified--and then you need to swim to the DR. The exit is 2L of the DR square of the water tank. Push the button to the left and then exit to the right, get the key, return and go up and right. Room 1-2: Enemies: 4 scorpions(31) Use the door here. That's all you can do to start. Room 1-0: Enemies: 4 dust clouds(30) Get the ladder power-up to the DL, then run right and drop on the button. Then take the UR door back to 1-2. In 1-2 again, go down from the door. Fall left to touch the button, and this makes your life a lot easier. Take the potion and go left to fall for some gold. Then go up the keft side--fall left from the door--and use a potion 2U of the key. Sneak in for the speed fall right onto the defense chest, then left on the key. Go right to 2-2. Room 2-2: Enemies: 4 dust clouds(30) Push up to wait, get the gold, then drop through the appearing block 1L1D of the rope to get the intelligence. Fall to the bottom and use the platform to go right and fall and go below. Room 2-3: Enemies: 3 machines(38) Go along the left, collect power ups as you fall, fall to the bottom, push the button and climb up. Use the top door to exit. Room 2-1: Enemies: 4 tripods(35) The gold is worth getting, though you will fall a lot. Just work your way to either side and climb up it. Exit left. You need to scroll through this area. Room 1-1: Enemies: 4 tripods(35) Climb to the top, go right for the triangle, then get the key to the left. You should fall down through the top appearing block, get the ladder power- up, and use the teleport. It may send you to a dead end, but you may get lucky and go to the UR. It is purely random. Surrender if you are trapped in a left row. Repeat for the 3rd-highest. Then you need the 2nd- and 4th-. Here it is worthwhile to surrender yourself because it takes too long to go left and climb back up. Do not leave the room and come back if you wish to surrender. That will leave you on the left if you surrender. Go left on the top to get to the next room. Room 0-1: Enemies: 2 scorpions(43), 2 winged beasts(27) If you should happen to fall down, the orthodox way to go back up is to use the platforms. They'll probably hit a few monsters, and it'll take a while. But you probably entered here from the top, so this will be a breeze. If you can't surrender, though, it's time to learn patience as an Xtreme sport. Room 3-1: Enemies: 5 dinosaurs(46) Wow! What a mess! First, go to the DL and push the button to reveal the ladders. Now you can either surrender or loop all the way left. Now go along the top and drop in when the appearing block by the bombs is formed. Get them both, drop down and get the keys. There's no risk if you slip up--just be sure to heal up before re-trying. You can fall on an enemy down the center--if they come from the left, fall and run left over them--to talk to the NPC, but it is not critical. Then go up the right and place bombs 3U, 2U and 1U of the green door. Enter the green door. Room 3-3: Enemies: 3 mushrooms(59), 2 fliers(45) We aren't going to complete this room now. Let's just flip the switch, then go up the right side. Room 3-2: Enemies: 2 mushrooms(59), 2 tanks(55) Get the power-ups in the left niches. Then go left. Don't fall in the drink, or you'll need a ladder to get out, and they are valuable here. Back to room 2-2, where you can use the potion 2L1D of the chest, then you canfall through to the left and get the bomb and push the button. (If you want to skip through level 4 a bit, don't use the potion here. But I recommend you use it. You need all the armor you can get.) Fall down the left, then take the platform and fall right to get to 2-3. Use the top door below to get to 2-1, then take the stairs up to 2-0. Room 2-0: Enemies: 4 machines(38) Push the left button, then go to the UR rope and drop down. Go right to the next room. Room 3-0: Enemies: 4 elephants(47) This is a good place to zigzag for experience. You will take damage in the water, but it's worth it to get the healing. Zigzag back down on the right and exit right. Room 0-0: Enemies: 2 spaceships(36), 2 dinosaurs(46) You don't really need the wheel power up(flight) here, as there is another one below, but it can be handy in level 4. But you have enough ladder power- ups to get it and still finish the level, so why not? You might as well loop to the UR and then fall left all the way. Push the button to reveal the ladders, and now you can walk about and clean up the potions and the bread with ease. To get the flight, drop onto the platform and go up the center stairs. Use a vine power-up to get the flight. Either way, fall down and go right to 1-0. In 1-0, take the UR door. Then in 1-2, go down and left and down. You have a suicide mission here. Room 1-3: Enemies: 4 aliens(51) Get the key to the left, fall down the left for the bomb, then go UR and fall right. Go past the appearing blocks and zigzag up for the vine. Fall left and use a vine 1R1D of the exit. Climb to the next room. Room 0-3: Enemies: 2 tanks(55), 2 dust(54), 2 birds(45) Fall left and go right. Climb up the left and rope right and go D R U L(fall) and left on the rope. Go up--make sure you've cleared enemies--then go all the way left for a key and right for the flight power-up. You can use the bomb power-up on the block below the flight, or you can just suicide to get out of here. Or you can stay and beat up enemies for a while, building up abilities. Don't be afraid to lose a few lives. You'll get them back in gold. I got to 24k experience or level 18. Now the trip back to the boss room. Right to 1-3, up to 1-2, UR door to 1-0, right and down and left and (top door) left and left to 3-1. Take the door you bombed to. Now to solve 3-3. Go to the DL ladder and, at the top, use the flight power- up. You can't go up, but you can hang in space. At the left edge, use a vine, then use one U, UR, UR. Get the defense, then go right and bust through the doors and enter the silver door. The boss is not bad at all. Go to the top and run into the crosses dropping missiles. Once they ar gone, hack at the center of the enemy. If you get low on health, go to the top and wait and heal. Taking his body out is generally effective to win. You don't need to find a sweet spot. 4-4. FOURTH CASTLE They throw a lot of cool tricks at you here. Even more zigzagging between levels, too. Room 3-0: Enemies: 3 scorpions(54), 2 aliens(55) Very cute start here. The key is in the UL and the door in the DR, but they are hard to get to. However, this starting place is a good place to build up experience. Get the key and wait. Easy enemies run left, and you can take them out. You can repeat for a while safely, and you can even go to the right and up and beat them up more quickly. Beware that if you kill an enemy in the water, you will have to deal with them if they come from the right, unless you retreat left. When you're tired of leveling up(and there are better places later, but be sure to have 2000+ gold for the suicide missions in the near future) you have a recommended detour DL. Don't worry about healing yourself fully. Just get DL before you die. Room 2-0: No need to heal here. Just continue to the left, and if you die, recharge. You can recharge in the left too. But once the fun is done, return to 3-0 and take the door. Room 3-2: Enemies: 4 dinosaurs(62) More suiciding. Get the key and push the button behind the white door. Go down the vines and drop into the bomb area. Get four of them and suicide. Then fall on another bomb and suicide, then get the last bomb and suicide. To exit, go down the left for the key and through the appearing blocks. Get the magnet but do not fall right. Instead, go left, bomb 1L, then 1D of that and 1D of that. Leave this room. You barely see 3-3 below, so go left through it and we'll examine it in detail later. Room 2-3: Enemies: 2 pods(65) You can just fall through the right appearing block, then R L R. Or you can time your way across the blocks--the middle ones trap you, so avoid them--and at the left, talk to the man, fall in the left appearing block, then fall L R. Exit right in any case. Room 3-3: Enemies: 5 dinosaurs(62) A lucrative detour. You probably have enough white keys, but just in case, go up the right. Fall onto the potions in the center, then fall left for gold. Then repeat, but fall right for the other gold. Exit left. Exit left again. Room 1-3: Enemies: 4 dinosaurs(62) Get the key, then climb to the top. Take the right ladder, go left at the first turn, fall for the gold before the second ladder left, and now for business. Up the first ladder and UR for bread. Go left and fall twice, then L U R U L. Exit. The switch on the bottom only gives you a ladder back up left. Room 0-3: Enemies: 5 dust clouds(75) Climb down and talk to the person if you want. He wants some money, and for 3/4 of your gold, you get 2 portions of light. You need potions to get to the green key, but you don't have enough unless you passed on the armor in level 3. Go up the left and walk right. Kill everyone there on the left and attack the enemies. They should fall into the 2x2 pit, allowing you to walk over and push the button after you take the platform. Heal up before you drop off the left to push the button. Then loop back over and go up. Room 0-2: Enemies: 4 scorpions(64) A tricky level, but with a map it is not bad at all. Go right and up at the vine, then L U* for a power-up(light.) It has two uses, so you may want to use it now and in the next room so you get used to the area and can map it out--or of course you can use my maps. You will have to come back and return through. But don't get too upset. You will probably be able to memorize the way through easily enough. Go right to the edge, then up til you can't. 1L, 2U, right for a key, then L U R D to the bottom, R L and then go up 7(or to the top and down 2) and R D R 2U R D L--activating the ladders--and R U* L U R. Room 1-2: Enemies: 4 mushrooms(69) Oh wow! Another dark room. Light reveals a swastika shape, which is kind of uncool. R 2D 3R U L U for bread. 3R--you will fall--and drop through the false block, then go right to the edge and down. Zigzag UL then L through the false block, then at the edge go U R and UR to the top. R through two false blocks--you may have to fight through the enemy spawn square--then R* U R. Room 2-2: Enemies: 4 rolling beetles(74) Ah good, you've seen the back of that. For now. Fall right and go to the DR. Get the button and go up the side, collecting the power ups. Fall down the right false block at the top, then fall right the first time, left-right the next and left-left the third. Go up the left side and right, then fall left and then fall right-left. Now if you want to chuck an extra green key here, you can. Otherwise, go back L(go to the DR then DL to get out) L D to 0-3, and use the potions to get across to the green key. Then return here and fall so you can get on the platform and enter the green door. Nice job--you've completed one half of the castle. Room 2-0: Enemies: 4 machines(88) Oh look, the half-pool below where you detoured at the start. If you still have an extra green key from level 1, or from not getting the one power-up, you can cheat and go right up the stairs and use it in 3-0. Then you do not have to get the green key later on. But in any case, you can get the power- ups and go left. You can beat up the enemies and wait on the right edge for good experience. If you get low on hit points, move to 3-0 to recharge. Room 1-0: Enemies: 4 spaceships(84) Open the door to push the button. Get the keys and the bomb. This is a matter of patience. You can use your block power-up from 2-0 to get the attack power-up. It's worth it. Exit left. Room 0-0: Enemies: 4 beetles(89), 1 spaceship(75) Go up the stairs and right to get the green key in the left of 1-0. Now you can retreat to 3-0 and get the silver key if you haven't. It's pretty much a straight shot. If you're done, though, you can just go to the top. You may need to fall on someone, or you can ride your luck pushing left/up as you fall. You can also kill an enemy and wait for them to regenerate. Step over them after they flash a few times. If it doesn't work, goad enemies UR, kill them and try again. Push the UL button, then fall down and unlock the door. Or if you have the extra flight power-up from level 3, you can use it to fly left to the dirt icon, since you are not coming back. Otherwise you need to use a stair power-up or(better) a bomb to blow up the left edge of the pit you've fallen into. Room 0-1: Enemies: 4 beetles(89) Climb down here and get the bread. R D 2R D 2R U 2R D 5R. Go up the stairs and get the power-ups above, then go through the door. Room 1-1: Enemies: 2 ships(75), 4 dinosaurs(100) A great level to build up experience. Fall down the ladders to get each key. You'll need them for the next room. Then go right and down so you are right of the bottom rope. Sit there and thump enemies as they come right. They can't attack you on the rope, and they give 4*100+75*2=550 experience per trip. This is awesome. I'd go to level 25 if you have the time--just check to see if you've got the maximum stats on level 24 first, so you don't waste time. It will take at most 65000/550=118 trips, but probably a lot less as you've built up your guy well. Room 2-1: Enemies: 4 tanks(94) Fall down to the bottom of the pool and go 2R 2D 2L. Boom--bread and new ladders. Go along the bottom and up the side. If you still have an extra key, you don't need to risk it left. But if you don't, open one door left. Then wait and go 2L when the appearing block appears. Repeat til you get to the green key. Take it and go right. Room 3-1: Enemies: 5 mushrooms(99) A tricky room where you need to make some long swims. You should try to see if you can make it without healing up. The center is a nice break. Heal, wait for enemies to come at you, then tackle them and get to the center as soon as possible. This is a good place to use the magnet, once all enemies are on the left. Go down the center once they are on the left--you should stay 1R of the rope to distract them, if you have no magnet--then run quickly to the next area. The silver door is here. Take it to the 2nd-last boss. This is Beeton in humanoid form. If you listened to all the people giving you clues, one has told you that you should hit his heel when he bends his knees. He'll fire a lot at you, but you can just wait behind him and not worry about getting hit. Swoop in for one hit, then wait, and you will heal. On balance, I solved this pretty quickly without really bothering to duck But second last boss you say! Human form! Well, the final boss is what you save your heals for. When Beeton the dragon's neck is at an angle, hit it. If you are lucky, you can get two hits in. Try to avoid the water dripping, but more importantly, avoid the fireballs. Heal when at 1/4 of the yellow bar. I took 3 heals my first time through. You just need to be close to him, chest- high, and be prepared to retreat and also take some damage when he moves his neck horizontal to the ground. 5. CHEATS Below are the hex offsets that will work in FCEU. 0x22 = boss hit points. Set this to 0 and hit the final bosses, even for no damage, for a quick amusing knockout. 0x84 = armor type 0=none 1=vest 2=jerkin 3=cuirass 4=mail 5=gold mail 0x85 = sword type 0=none 1=dirk 2=short sword 3=bronze sword 4=silver sword 5=gold sword 0x86 = shield type 0=none 1=wooden shield 2=bronze shield 3=rock shield 4=silver shield 5=crystal shield 0x89 = current HP 0x8a = max HP 0x8b = power 0x8c = speed 0x8d = intelligence 0x8e = luck 0x8f = attack 0x90 = defend 0x94/0x95 = low/high byte of gold 0x96/0x97 = low/high byte of experience 0x651 = dirt power ups 0x652 = ladder power ups 0x653 = potion power ups 0x654 = bomb power ups 0x655 = triangle power ups 0x656 = pyramid power ups 0x658 = magnet power ups 0x659 = food power ups 0x65a = light power ups 0x65b = lt green key 0x65c = dk green key 0x65d = silver key End of FAQ Proper ================================ 6. VERSIONS 1.0.1: sent to GameFAQs 3/13/2008, touched up a few parts 1.0.0: sent to GameFAQs 3/11/2008, complete. 7. CREDITS Thanks to the usual GameFAQs gang, current and emeritus. They know who they are, and you should, too, because they get/got some SERIOUS writing done. Good people too--bloomer, falsehead, Sashanan, Masters, Retro, Snow Dragon/Brui5ed Ego, ZoopSoul, War Doc, Brian Sulpher, AdamL, odino, JDog, Lagoona, Da Hui and others I forgot. OK, even Hydrophant in his current not- yet-banned message board incarnation. I am not part of his gang, but I want him to be part of mine. Thanks to the NES Completion Project folks for keeping it going. Special thanks to odino and Pluvius for notifying me about this game. Thanks to Mute for translating this very fun game. Thanks to Romhacking.net for hosting the translation.