*              *
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*** **    ****OOOOOO.OO..O.OOOOOOOOOOOOO...O......* *..*
*...*..* **OOOOOOOOOOO_OOOOOOOOOOOO.OOOOO.O.OOOO...* *..*
*..*.. ..*OOOOOOOOOOOO/ \OOOOOOOOOOO.OO............OO*...*
** *.  OOOOOOOOOOOOO.\ /OOOOOOO.OO....OOO...OO....... ...*
**.* *O.OOOOOOOOOOOO..| |OOOOOOO.OO...OOOO...O.. ...OO ...*   *
* *....*O..O..O..OO..|\__| |__/|.O...O...OOO........O....O...****.*
*.*...._....._.. ... .| __   __ |.........OO......................**.**
*..../ \_/\//........|/..| |..\|__........OO..........................*
*..../ /\ /\/......... _..| |.../ /..._..._...................__........*
*../ |.//.....__.../\//..| |..| |.../ \.//..___..__ __.._.../_/...__....*
*...| |.\\..../_ \.//\/...| |..| |...||\\\\..\ /./_ \\ \/ \.._..../_ \...*
*..| |..\\..//.||.\\/\...| |..| |...||//.||..\\// ||.|  _ \.||..//.||..**
**...| |...\\.||.||..\/\\._| |_.| |._.||/_.||..//|| ||.| /.\ \||._||.||....*
*.....\ \...//.\\/  \/\_//.\   /.| |//.\\//.\ \//.\\/  \| |.| |||//\\/  \....*
***. .\ \_//__.\_/\/\__/...\_/..\__/...\/...\_/...\_/\/|_|.|_|\_/  \_/\/..**
*.... \_____/..............................---------------------------.....*
*.**... ............. ..... .... .. .... ..(A r i a   o f   S o r r o w).***
**...................... ............ .....---------------------------....*
**.....*..... ... ........ ..... ...... ........  ... .................*
*..***.****OOOO..OOOO.OOOOO.OOOO.OOOO.OOOO..OO.OOOOOOOOOOO..**..**...**
**   *    *OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO***  **  ***
*OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*
**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**
***OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO***
****OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO****
*****OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*****
******OOO******
***
The ASCII art is made by megabelmont.  Thanks go out to him for this.
+------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                      |
| Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow                          |
| For the Nintendo Gameboy Advance                     |
| FAQ/Walkthrough                                      |
| By Meowthnum1 (meowthnum1 [at] meowthnum1 [dot] com) |
| Last Updated: 6/14/03                                |
| Version 1.1                                          |
|                                                      |
+------------------------------------------------------+
Table of Contents:
I. Introduction
1.01: Table of Contents
1.02: Introduction
1.03: Dedication
II. Basics
2.01: Story
2.02: Controls
2.03: Souls
2.04: Characters
III. Walkthrough - Soma Cruz
3.01: Finding the Master's Chamber
3.02: Double-Jump
3.03: Dance Party!
3.04: Inner Quarters
3.05: "Death has returned!"
3.06: The Underground
3.07: The Last Hurrah
IV. Appendices
4.01: Bosses
4.02: Bestiary
4.03: Souls - Bullet
4.04: Souls - Guardian
4.05: Souls - Enchanted
4.06: Souls - Ability
4.07: Swords
4.08: Body Armor
4.09: Accessories
4.10: Items
4.11: Shops
4.12: Julius Belmont
4.13: Hard Mode
4.14: Endings
V. Last Words
5.01: Copyright Information
5.02: Revision History
5.03: Credits
5.04: "The battle's at an end."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I. Introduction
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=0
| 1.01: Table of Contents |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=0
Look up!  Lately, people have been asking why I include this section.  I'll
show you in the form of an email I received:
From: ********** (*******@hotmail.com)
To: Trace Jackson
Subject: POKEMON HEP!!!!
i need help were is teh table of contents its not in thet able of contetns plz
help
And that's why.
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
| 1.02: Introduction |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
Hello, and welcome to this guide for Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow!  This game is
part of the obscure -- yet extremely successful -- Action-RPG genre.  As is a
trend with games lately, it is attempting to copy off of Circle of the Moon and
Symphony of the Night.  This game, however, is a bit better.  I personally am
not a big fan of the soul system, but still.  This game has better graphics
than Symphony of the Night did.  It has an extremely good story as well (see
Section 2.01).  All-in-all, this game is great.  Anyway, back to the guide.  I
don't promise that this'll be the best guide, but I'll certainly try to make it
to be.  Scratch that.  This guide sucks.  It's vague.
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
| 1.03: Dedication |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
I'll dedicate this to two people.
First to Hal "Insane Clown" DeCoursey.  He's a very cool guy.  The pimp of CE,
if you will.  He's got potential as a writer, and this might encourage him to
continue writing.  I mean, he had the audacity/craziness/bravery to write for
Wind Waker.  That's gotta say something!  He's a great writer, a great person,
and a great friend.
Second to Kelsee Wenzel.  She's really cool, and a close friend of mine.  I'm
wondering if she'll see this.  Anyway, for her sake, I won't say too much more.
Anyway, I may have to put this somewhere else for her to see.  Anyway, she's
cool.  Yeah.  I said that.
--Trace.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
II. Basics
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=0
| 2.01: Story |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=0
This is taken directly from the instruction booklet of the game, and is
therefore copyrighted to Konami, 1985-2003.
The year is 2035.  Japan.
Crowds of spectators are gathering around in anticipation of the first full
solar eclipse of the 21st century.
My name is Soma Cruz, and I am a high school exchange student studying abroad
in Japan.  I live near the Hakuba Shrine, an ancient shrine with strong ties to
Japanese Mythology.
Mina Hakuba, the only daughter of the shrine's caretaker, is both my classmate
and my childhood friend.  I started making my way to the shrine to see the
solar eclipse with Mina.
But, for some strange reason, the stairway leading up to the shrine felt longer
than usual, as if something was trying to keep us from our destination.  When I
finally managed to get through the shrine gate, my senses began to dim.
In the distance, the solar eclipse was approaching totality, but the pitch
black sun appeared to be trapping chaotic darkness.  At that moment, Mina and I
were knocked unconcious - only to awaken inside a myterious castle.  Now I must
find a way out of this labyrinth and escape safely with my friend.
--
Also, I find it funny that they chose 1999 as the apocolypse.  Chrono Trigger
did the same.  In all honesty, I thought that the ending would involve a giant
spiked creature coming up from the foundation of the castle and raining needles
on you.
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| 2.02: Controls |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
Basic Controls
--------------
-------- ----------------
| Button |    Function    |
| ------ |    --------    |
|        |                |
|   A    |      Jump      |
|   B    |     Attack     |
|   L    |  Use Abillity  |
|   R    | Use Blue Soul  |
| Start  | Status Screen  |
| Select |   Map Screen   |
| Down   |     Crouch     |
-------- ----------------
Advanced Controls
-----------------
Up + B - Uses a red soul.
Down + A - Slide (when you have the ability), jump down through thin floors.
A + A - Double-Jump (when you have the ability).
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| 2.03: Souls |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=0
This is just to outline the basics of souls.
Red - Bullet Soul - By pressing up and, "B," you fire one.  This is a lot like
a subweapon.
Blue - Guardian Soul - By pressing, "R," you can use these.  This isn't like
the Bullet, but is as useful.  It helps you, just not by
attacking.  Sometimes, holding, "R," allows it to
increase in intensity.
Yellow - Enchanted Soul - It boosts a start or a physical effect as long as it
is equipped.  It doesn't use MP.
Silver - Ability Soul - A soul that always stays with you.  It grants you a new
ability, which takes effect as soon as you get it,
doesn't consume MP, and is always active.
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| 2.04: Characters |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
Soma Cruz - A high school exchange student, studying in Japan.  He goes up to
the shrine to watch the eclipse, and blacks out.  When he awakens,
he's in a mysterious castle.  He's not of the Belmont line, so what
role will he play?
Mina Hakuba - The best friend of young Soma, and apparent love interest.  It is
obvious from the beginning of the game that she cares deeply for
him, and vice-versa.  If you need advice, come back and get help
from her.
Genya Arikado - A dark, mysterious guy, who is somehow connected with national
security.  He seems almost too familiar with the prophecy of
Dracula.
J - A man who suffered amnesia.  It happened because of something that occurred
in 1999.  He has amazing magical powers, and is fearful of the resurrection
of Dracula.
Hammer - A soldier sent by America to investigate the shrine.  Why someone
would do that is beyond me, but he does.  I mean, seriously, why would
you send a guy with the name HAMMER to check out a building?  Anyway,
he runs a shop in the castle.
Graham Jones - He founded a new religious sect.  He was actually born in 1999,
and is an expert in the apocalyptic prophecies regarding 1999
and 2035.
Yoko Belnades - Evidently, a descendant of Sypha, aid to Trevor Belmont.  She
is a witch hired by the church*, and she was sent to check out
the prophecy.
*Isn't it interesting that in the 18th century, they were killing witches; not
hiring them?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
III. Walkthrough - Soma Cruz
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Alrighty then!  Here's the walkthrough.  As a few tips:
- Take your time.
- Sell all used weapons unless otherwise indicated.
- When you equip something, make sure your stat isn't going down!  For example,
if you have a Baselard equipped, and you pick up a Rapier.  The Attack stat
turns red, which means it would go down.  So don't use it!
- Always destroy candles.
- I try not to spoil things, but as the guide progresses, that'll be harder.
Read at your own risk!
- When fighting, move in to attack.  When the enemy is about to counter, run
back.  Run back toward the enemy after its attack, and beat it again.  This
becomes easier later, and you'll find out why.  So let's go!
Introduction
------------
When you start out, you see the story from the instruction manual scrolling up.
Soma is climbing the shrine.
Soma wakes up, and you have a conversation with Mina.  Mina introduces Genya
Arikado.  After some dialogue, some monsters appear.  They attack Mina, and she
faints.  Genya casts this really awesome spell, and it destroys all of the
enemies -- except for one Winged Skeleton.  You automatically kill it.  After
killing him, a red sphere appears, and flies in to Soma.  This is a soul of an
enemy.  You can take these from most enemies, but you may have to kill them
several times to get the soul.  This soul is the Bullet Soul, Winged Skeleton.
It's automatically equipped to you.  You can now throw spears by pressing up
and, "B."  After some dialogue, you're told to proceed to the Master's Chamber.
Head right, and go through the door.
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| 3.01: Finding the Master's Chamber |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
Castle Corridor
---------------
Go right, and fight some Zombies.  I recommend that you try and get its soul
before continuing.  Two swipes of your knife will kill it.  This WILL take
awhile.  If a Zombie drops a Cloth Tunic, grab it, and equip it.  To equip,
pause, go to equip, go to where the, "Casual Clothes," are, and change the
Casual Clothes with the Cloth Tunic.  Also, I got a Baselard while fighting
them.  If you get this, go back to the equip screen, and change Knife with
Baselard.  If you get to level 2, leave, and come back later.  The Zombie soul
is an Enchanted Soul, that makes you stronger when you're poisoned, so it's not
that important.  Go right, and through the door.
Here, go down the stairs.  Kill the bats, and get the Short Sword.  If you got
the Baselard, the Short Sword isn't as powerful, so don't equip it.  Continue
left, down the stairs.  Go left, and through the door.
Underground Reservoir
---------------------
Here, destroy the Tiny Devil.  I personally got its soul from this, which
throws blades out in three directions.  It's a Bullet Soul, so you'd have
to change it with the Winged Skeleton.  I personally recommend keeping the
spear for now, and going on down the stairs.  Note that if you didn't get his
soul, which you probably didn't, don't sweat it.  Go down the stairs, and kill
the bats.  If you get the bat's soul, it's weird.  It too is Bullet, but it's
close-range.  You have to get next to your opponent, and use it.  It creates
supersonic waves around you that REALLY hurts your foe.  Anyway, continue down.
You'll see a Skeleton.  When he tosses a bone, if you hit it with your sword,
you can knock it down.  Kill the skeleton, and go down the stairs.  When you
get to the bottom, go left, and collect the pendant.  Equip it, and enter the
door to the right.
Run forward, jump over the water pit, and on to the pillar.  Swim right.
Ignore the boats, but do try and kill the Killer Fishes when they get close
enough to you.  Hopefully you'll get its soul.  For information on all of the
souls from here on out, check the appendices.  At the far end of this room is
some Tasty Meat.  After you get it, head back to the beginning of this room.
Ascend the stairs, while killing enemies.  Exit through the door.
Castle Corridor
---------------
Head right, and in to the water.  Kill some Mermen to try and get their souls.
Jump up on the platform, and you'll see a gray sparkling pot.  This is called
an Ability Pedestal.  Breaking the pot will grant you an Ability Soul.  Break
this one to get the Gravedigger Soul.  This will allow you to slide backwards!
Now it's easier to dodge enemy attacks.  Get out of the water, and go to the
room on the right.  This is a save room.  Press up while under the candle to
save.  When you're done, head back out of here.  Jump up the platforms, and
climb the stairs.  At the top, before you go in to the room on the right, go up
and left. Up here, you will find a Cape.  Personally, I recommend keeping the
Pendant on, while having the Cape in your inventory, but it's up to you.  The
Pendant increases your Luck by 1, while the Cape increases your defense by 1.
When you've decided, go right, and out the door.  Also, if you're wondering,
you can Backdash by pressing, "L."
Go right through here, killing the Skeletons.  There are a lot of them.  Go
back and forth until you have the Skeleton Soul, and you're at level 3.  When
you've done this, head right.  Here, go right.  You'll now be dealing with the
fearsome Axe Armor.  To deal with him, duck, and constantly slash at him.
You'll dodge/destroy his axes, while hurting him.  At the end of this room,
you'll go in to the boss door, to face the first boss...
BOSS: CREAKING SKULL
HP: 240
Here we go!  Your first boss!  Basically, you want to stand under him, and
slash at him.  When he raises the bone in his hand, backdash twice.  Here, use
the Tiny Demon or the Winged Skeleton soul.  He has but one other attack.  He
will open his mouth, and a flame will begin to form.  Duck, but continue
slashing.  When the fireball has been shot, you may come back up.  Repeat this
until he is destroyed.
Upon killing him, a fiery ball will drop.  Grabbing this will bring your HP and
MP to full.  You'll also notice that you didn't get his soul.  Suspicious,
isn't it?  Go right, and leave this room.  If you come back, it will be
populated by Skeletons.
Jump across the stairway to get Castle Map 1.  Now you have three different
directions in which you can go.  Start by going right to reach a save point.
Come back out, and go down.  As you go down, you'll destroy some bats.  At the
bottom is a new enemy, the Peeping Eye.  Destroy it.  As always, try to get its
soul.  Enter the room at the bottom.
Go right, and jump in to the water.  Kill the Killer Fish, and jump out, on to
the platform to your right.  You'll be doing this for a little while.  At the
end is a blue Ability Pedestal.  Open this to get the Flying Armor.  Be sure
to equip it.  By using, "R," you can jump higher, and fall slower.  Leave this
room.  Now for something interesting.  Kill the Peeping Eye.  On the bottom
floor, attack the left wall.  After four or so swings, it will break.  Enter
the room.  Here you'll grab a Mind Up.  Leave.  Kill the Peeping Eye and the
Bats, while going upward.  Exit through the top way.
Jump up the platforms.  Now you meet a new foe, the Skull Archer.  Stand
level with him, and duck.  Slash at him while he's shooting arrows to destroy
him.  Jump up some more platforms, and kill the next one.  Jump up two
platforms, and over on to the ledge.  Kill the Blue Crow, and jump up another
ledge, killing another crow.  Go left, and jump up the ledge.  Jump over, and
kill the Blue Crow.  When you do this, an enemy called a Buer will come down.
One or two slashes should kill it.  If all else fails, use the Flying Armor,
and jump over it.  Jump up another platform, and on to another ledge.  On the
left of this, you have a lot of platforms.  Get to the top, use the Flying
Armor, and jump to the ledge next to it.  Enter the door.
Here you have a potion, and a White Dragon.  Grab the potion, jump up, and
slash at the White Dragon.  When it coils up, backdash to the other side, so
as to avoid its spring.  When it inhales, and begins to shoot fire, get back to
either door.  After you kill it, enter the door to the right.
From here, put on the Flying Armor, run, and jump.  You SHOULD be able to get
to the ledge up there.  If not, try again.  Use the Flying Armor again to jump
across the gap, and grab a potion.  Jump back across, and kill the Skeleton
Knight.  Go right and DOWN the stairs.  Using the Flying Armor, grab the
Leather Plate, and go back up.  This time, however, take the upper staircase.
Kill the Skeleton Knight, and enter the room.  This room has two Axe Armors
and a Skull Archer.  Take them out, and go in to the room to the right.
Kill off the bats, and climb the stairs.  At the top, destroy the Axe Armor,
put on the Flying Armor, and get the potion.  Go right, and down the stairs.
You cannot reach the stairway that you can see (although it LOOKS like you can
reach it with the Flying Armor, you can't), so keep going down.  Take out the
Skeleton Knight, and enter the door.  Destroy the White Dragon in the same way
as before.  Now grab the...uh...thingy that looks like a bow (it's a scarf),
but don't bother equipping it.  Head back through the previous room, and
through the room of random axe throwing.
Once back here, drop off of the stairs, and go right.  At the bottom of the
staircase, enter the room.  In here, you have a lot of Ghosts coming at you,
as well as a Zombie Soldier.  Kill them all, and try to get their souls.  You
will notice that outside, there is a Peeping Eye.  It can't do anything to you,
although the one that is INSIDE certainly can.  Keep going right until you
come in to the next room.
Here, destroy the two Skeletons, and the Peeping Eye.  There's nothing here
that you can do for now, except to enter the door.  Here, we meet up with our
old friends, the Zombies, and we have the Skeletons.  You should be able to
kill both with one hit (although how you'd actually HIT a Skeleton is beyond
me).  Afterward, enter the door.  Now you encounter another Skeleton Knight.
Kill him, take out the candles above him, and enter the door.
Here we have Tiny Devils, Blue Crows, and Skull Archers.  Dispatch them all
as you go through the room.  In about the middle of the room, you meet the Rock
Armor.  This is bad for those of us who are low on health.  Hit him a few
times, and then run for it.  Jump over his rock, and come back.  Use your
Bullet Soul if needed.  Continue on, and enter the door.  You see a sword
wedged in a crevice.  You can't get to it for now.  Jump across the ledge and
save.  Now drop off the platforms outside.  Down here, head left.
Go left, drop down the stairs, and destroy the jar.  Kill off the Zombie
Soldier, drop, and go left.  Jump over the water, and enter the door on the
bottom-left corner of the room.  Kill the Bats and the Killer Fish in this
room, and head to the next.  Grab the $500, and go back two rooms, to the big
room.  Now take the door on the bottom-right corner.  Kill the Zombie Solider,
and grab the potion.  Head back out, up the stairs, and out of this room.
Go right, and in to the Master's Chamber.  Here you have a talk with a man
named Graham Jones.
After you're done, head right, and through the door.
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=0
| 3.02: Double-Jump |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=0
Chapel
------
In the first room, you'll be attacked by Ghosts.  Make sure you get its soul
before you proceed.  Going right, you'll come across a broken stairway.  Jump
on the upper half, and go to the next room.  This room has an awesome back-
ground.  Go left, and leap across the platforms to get $100.  Come back down,
jump over the gap, and head right.  Kill off the Axe Armor, and proceed right.
Go up the ramp, jump left, and jump on to the next ledge.  Duck, and take out
the bottom Bone Pillar.  These are very weird enemies.  The bottom one shoots
out a burst of flame, while the top shoots out fireballs.   After you've taken
them both out, jump up to the platform on your right.  Kill the Bone Pillar,
jump left, and go up this ramp.  At the top, jump up the stairs, and jump to
the right.  You can jump ON the bells to get across.  Jump to the left (lots of
jumping here.  Soma Toad), and on to the ledge above you.  At the top, jump
left to get a Mind Up.  Go back down, jump to the left, kill the Axe Armor, and
continue to the left.  Don't worry about the Bone Pillars.  At the far end, you
will notice a stone wall.  Take a note of it, go left, and drop down the hole.
Go right, and drop through this hole, after destroying the Bone Pillars.  Using
the bells, jump across, use the Flying Armor, and hug the wall as you drop.  At
the bottom, go right, and jump up the stairs.  Get the Bamboo Sword from the
top, and go back down.  Kill the four Bone Pillars on the left.  Drop down,
and drop through the hole on your right.
Go right through this room, and out the door.  In here, kill off the Giant
Ghost.  Come in and back out to kill him until you get his soul.  It's useful.
Kill the Tiny Devil, and go right, all the way down the stairs.  At the bottom,
jump up the platforms, and up to the top.  Go left up the stairs, but before
you get to the top, use the Flying Armor, and jump to the right.  On the
platform here, get $100.  Go up the stairs to the left.
In here, go left, and up the stairs.  Kill the naked lady with the swords
(Durga), and continue up.  At the top, go right, and kill the next Durga.  From
there, jump up on to the platform, and kill the Bone Pillar.  Jump over the
next two platforms, and get the Rapier.  Go to the left, down the stairs, and
exit this room.  If you want to, kill the Axe Armor and the Bone Pillar on your
way down.
Back in this room, go right, down the stairs, and drop through the platforms.
This time, head out the bottom way.  Go through the first door on your left to
reach a save room.  Save, and continue downward.  Kill off the Bats and the
Ghosts on your way down, and out the left door.  Approach the Rock Armor - but
wait!  A plant suddenly appears at the bottom!  A plant!  In this solar eclipse
thingy.  Castle MUST be magical.  Anyway, get to where it is, duck, and kill
it.  If you want to make things easier, and you have the Tiny Devil soul, use
that.  This plant is called the Une.  Kill the Une and the Rock Armor.  Kill
two more Unes as you head left, and enter the boss door.
BOSS: MANTICORE
HP: 440
The Manticore is an easy boss once you get the hang of things.  If you have
slow reflexes, he will be kinda hard.  If you're this type, use the Winged
Skeleton soul, and attack him from afar.  If you want to try it a different
way, stand near enough to him that you can use your sword.  He'll be walking
toward you.  If he gets too close, jump up the platforms, and run for the other
side.  He has two attacks.  If he stops, and his eyes and his mouth begin to
flicker, get ready to jump.  He's getting ready to fire a fireball at you.  He
can fire more than one, so when you land, be ready to jump again.  If his tail
quivers, back away, because he is going to attack with his tail.  In accordance
with mythology, if his tail hits you, you're poisoned.
I just discovered a way that's a lot easier.  Attack him until he's about to
use a fireball.  Then use the Giant Ghost soul, and let him hit you.  Chances
are, it'll be bounced back at him, not hurting you, but hurting him!  This
really sped up the battle for me.
Now climb the left set of platforms, and enter the room at the top.  Kill the
Skeleton Knight, and grab the Silk Robe.  When you come back out, a host of
enemies have taken the room!  Kill the Ghost Dancers (heh, anyone remember
them?), and drop to the floor.  Duck, and start hitting the Quetzlcoatl.  He is
a White Dragon, but isn't attached to anything.  You want to duck in a place
that he doesn't jump on.  Go left, and out the door.
Kill the Rock Armor and the Bat.  When you come to the next gap, you encounter
a Fleaman.  Kill it before it jumps out, and then jump over the gap.  Kill the
next Rock Armor, the Bat, the Fleaman, and the next Rock Armor.  The Fleaman
is the most annoying enemy in this game.  After you've killed them, go out the
left door.  Kill the Tiny Devils, and go down the ramps.  Under the ramp, you
will see a Zombie Officer.  Kill it from above with a Bullet Soul, and go
through the door.
Study
-----
Jump over the platform, and go through the right door.  Kill the Durgas and the
Tiny Devil.  In the next room, drop to the bottom, and go through the left
door.  Kill the Giant Ghost, and the two Student Witches.  To kill them,
attack, and backdash when they raise their broom.  Yeah, they attack with
brooms.  Sheesh.  Evidently, whatever school that they go to is experiencing
budget cuts.  Anyway, at the far left, you'll get a Bastard Sword.  Grab it,
and exit the room.  You cannot reach the door on the right, so climb back up
the platforms on the left side of the room.  Exit.  Go back through this room,
killing the Tiny Devils and the Durgas, until you come back out in the first
room of this section.
Jump on the platform.  When the little thing guarding it moves past the point
where you are (I recommend being on the far left), drop through the platform.
Drop all the way down the middle of the room, but kill a Winged Skeleton, just
so you have him in your enemy listing.  Go through the hole.  Move left, and
grab the Uncurse Potion.  Now you encounter the Evil Butcher.  I recommend
taking him down from far away.  Move right after he's dead, and kill the Giant
Ghost.  Moving right, we encounter another Evil Butcher.  These things live up
to their name.  They ARE evil, especially when it kills you, and sends you back
to the Manticore.  Anyway, continuing onward...kill ANOTHER Evil Butcher, and
the following two Bone Pillars.  That is, two sets of Bone Pillars on top of
each other.  Exit the room.
Drop down the stairs (don't worry about the box for now), and go out the left
door.  Here, kill the Fleaman, and go to the Arachne.  For her, take a few
swipes, and backdash when you see her stiffen.  She's going to shoot...webs (?)
at you.  Avoid them, and kill her.  Next you see an Ectoplasm.  Kill it before
it touches you, for two reasons.  First, you'd have to be out of your mind to
want _ANYTHING_ that gross to touch you.  Second, you get cursed if it does
touch you.  One hit should do it.  Kill the Arachne, the Fleaman, and the other
four Ectoplasms in the room, and then move on.
Kill the Ectoplasm, and then face the bull known as Catoblepas.  Attack him,
move back, and then attack him until he's dead.  If you did it right, he'll be
driven back, and won't attack you before you destroy him.  Kill the next
Ectoplasm, and jump up the platforms.  Kill the Rock Armor, and continue left.
At the top of the stairs, you'll see a wall.  Attack it several times to reveal
another secret room.  Enter to receive a Melon.  From here, use the Flying
Armor to get to the other side of the room.  You'll collect $100.  Go back to
the left, near the secret room, and fall.  At the bottom, go through the hole.
In this room, enter the door to your left to find a save point.  Ignore the
bottom route for now, and jump the gap.  Kill the Skull Archer and the Student
Witch, and proceed through the door.  Here you have a conversation with Yoko
Belnades, apparent descendant of Sypha.  If you want something freaky, look at
what she almost calls Arikado!  After she leaves, head right.
Kill the Catoblepas, and descend the stairs.  Go forward enough to draw the
Ectoplasm toward you, and kill it.  After that, you face the fearsome Minotaur.
Hit it twice, and backdash.  A few times will kill it.  Moving on, we find a
room very similar to the first room.  Go through the door on the right to get
$100.  Back outside, get on the platform, and drop through it again.  However,
the rolling thingy is on the second platform.  Run off the right of it, and go
through the door.  Go all the way to the large skull-thingy.  Start to move
away until it opens its mouth.  When it does so, use the backdash to get in.
Inside, you'll find a Catoblepas.  Kill it, and move forward.  Go up the ramp,
and up the platforms.  At the far left, you'll find a Whip Sword.  Leave this
room, and go back out to the room with the skull.  Go left through this room,
until you're back out at the room that is a mimic of the first room of the
Study.  Climb up the platforms, and go off to the LEFT set of platforms this
time.  Enter the boss door.
****NOTE**** I recommend before doing this that you go back through the last
two rooms, and save again.
BOSS: GREAT ARMOR
HP: 650
This boss is evil.  This boss is very, VERY evil.  He's got a shield.  The only
way you can hurt him is to duck down in front of him, and use the sword.  Now,
if he didn't move, I wouldn't complain.  So run toward him, and duck down.
You want to be close so that his sword doesn't hit you, but yours does.  Back-
dash if you need to.  When he walks forward, get away!  Don't be afraid to use
a Potion.
Also, it helps if you use the Whip Sword, so you don't have to get too close to
him.
Grab the orb, and to left to meet Hammer.  He'll tell you about his shop at the
Front Gate.  After he leaves, go left, and get the soul Malphas.  Now you can
double-jump!
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
| 3.03: Dance Party! |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
Alright, now we get to backtrack to the beginning of the game!  Head right,
through the boss room, and out of it.  Climb the platforms to the top, and go
left.  Kill the Minotaur, the Catoblepas, and the Ectoplasm, and leave this
room.  You'll be back in the room where you met Yoko, and you'll see a Buer.
Kill it, and move on.  Here, kill the Student Witch and the Skull Archer.  Save
so you don't have to kill the Great Armor again.  Go up the platforms, in to
the next room.  Kill the Catoblepas and the Ectoplasms, and leave.  In the next
room, kill the Arachnes, Fleamen, and Ectoplasms.  Go out the right exit.  Jump
up the platforms, but stop when you see a box.  Push it over to the right,
until you see a platform above you.  Get on the box, and jump up there.  In
this room, head left, and grab the Heart Pendant.  Leave this room.
Once you're out, go back to the box.  Push it left, and down to the ground.
Now push it to the right, and use it to jump up on this platform to get the
Broadsword.  Drop, go left, jump up the platforms, and exit the room.  Make
your way through this room (nothing new), and jump the platforms to exit.  Go
up here, and through the door on your left.
Chapel
------
Climb up the ramps.  At the top, using the Winged Armor and the double-jump,
jump over to the room on the left.  Kill off all of the Zombie Officers and
Winged Skeletons, while making your way to the top.  Kill the two Rock Armors
and the two Skeleton Knights, and exit the room.  Defeat the White Dragon.  He
is easy to kill from behind with the Broadsword.  Go up the stairs, and kill
the Ghost Dancers.  Go left, and make your way up the platforms.  Go in the
door on the left.  Here, kill the Une, and get the Anti-Venom.  Continue up the
platforms to see a weird shrine-like room.  It has a picture of Dracula from
what looks like Haunted Castle.  Press Up on it, and you'll be shown the map.
Mess around with the dot until you get the one in the far-left corner.  Press,
"A," to be warped there.
Castle Corridor
---------------
Welcome back!  From this room, go right.  Kill the Zombie Officer, and make
your way up the ramps and platforms.  At the first landing, head left.  In this
tower, go up, and kill the Killer Doll.  ...The Killer Doll.  Konami is
desperate.  Anyway, go back down, and grab the Cestus.  Hop up the platforms,
and go left, back to the original tower.  Continue upward.  Kill the Killer
Doll, and go back down.  Descend the ramps, and go back to the warp room.
Before you get there, however, drop through the floor.  Go left while killing
some Zombies, and through the door.
Now you're back in the first room!  In front of you is Hammer.  Talk to him to
open the shop menu.  Be sure to buy a Castle Map 2, sell whatever you want, and
buy other items.  Once you're done, talk to Mina.  Now go right.  Jump up the
platforms, and up the stairs.  At the top is a Lucky Pendant.  Drop down, and
head through the door.  Go through the room with the Zombies.  In the next
room, drop down to the bottom, and go right.  Save if you want.  Go up the
ramp, and through the door on your right.  Go through this room with all of the
Skeletons, and out the door.  Kill the Axe Armor.  We're outside of the place
where the Creaking Skull was.  Instead of going in there, however, go up.  Up
the ramps, you'll find an Axe Armor and a Skull Archer.  Kill them.  Get to the
top of the platform, and using the Flying Armor and the Double-Jump, get overto
the other side.  Kill the Skull Archer, and head up.  At the first landing,
kill the Axe Armor, and go left.  Drop to the bottom of this tower to get the
Lance.  Go back up the platforms, and right.  Now back in the original tower,
go up.  You'll be killing some Harpies on the way up.  Up the ramps, up the
platforms, killing Harpies.  That's the way it'll go for a few seconds.  At the
top, head through the hole in the ceiling.  Enter the door.
Dance Hall
----------
In here, go left.  Destroy the chandeliers.  They serve as candles here.  At
the end of this room, you meet a man named J.  He had an accident in 1999, and
he has amnesia.  I could make a bad joke here, but even I don't sink THAT low.
After he leaves, go left.  From the doorledge, double-jump upward to reach the
platform.  Kill the Durga, and continue.  Go up the next ramp, kill the Durga,
and take the top exit.  Go right to save, come back out, and go left.  In here,
kill the Minotaur, the Zombie Officer, and the Quezlcoatl.  Deal with these
guys in the normal way, and exit through the left door.  Kill the Minotaur in
here.  Attack the left wall to reveal a hidden room with a Samurai Armor in it.
This is a great piece of equipment.  Exit back out, and don't worry about the
Minotaur.  Just double-jump to the platform, and exit.
Go right, and kill off the Waiter Skeleton and the Zombie Officer.  Jump up on
the platform when you first see it.  If you go too far over, you'll have to
deal with another Quezlcoatl.  In here, go through the right door.  Kill the
Waiter Skeleton and the Killer Doll.  Grab the $100, and leave.  Jump over the
gap, kill the Catoblepas, and enter the next room.  Kill the many Fleamen and
the Catoblepas.  Grab $100, and leave.  Now outside, do NOT kill the
Catoblepas.  Instead, jump on him.  Use him to get on the top-right platform.
Jump up on the next ramp, and kill the Waiter Skeleton.  Now this part is
tricky.  You want to kill the bottom three Bone Pillars.  There should be two
left.  Jump on them (it won't hurt), kill the Killer Doll, and grab the Mana
Prism.  Now hop back down off the ramps, and out of the room.
Now you'll want to backtrack to the savepoint.  Drop through the hole in the
floor, and take the left exit.  Jump across the platforms in the room that is
the Dance Hall, and exit through the left exit.  Kill the Durga, and continue
through the top-left exit.  Kill the two Quezcoatls, and continue on.  In this
room, kill the Killer Doll if you want, but otherwise, go down the ramp.  Kill
the Skeleton Knight.  Now you'll see a floating sword.  This is Nemesis.
Attack so that your weapon goes behind the sword.  Do this until it dies.  Kill
the Skeleton Knight, and move on.  This room has a teleporter.  Now that it is
registered, backtrack to the Dance Hall.  Go through the room on your left (the
room with the Durgas), and go to the bottom of it.  Exit to the right to find
yourself back in the Dance Hall.  Go down through the hole.
In here, go down, and use the right door.  Kill the Zombie Officers, and...Look
who it is!  Kill the Creaking Skull, and go through the door.  Kill the Zombie
Officer and the Wooden Golem that pops up.  To kill him, just hit him, and
watch out for his arm.  Go right.  Make your way to the bottom of this room,
while watching out for Winged Skeletons and Killer Dolls.  Go left.  Make your
way through this room, killing the Minotaurs and the Killer Dolls.  Grab the
$500 from the candle, and leave.  Go back to the room before the room with the
Creaking Skull.  Make your way to the bottom of the room, and exit.  Kill the
Evil Butchers, the Fleamen, and the Wooden Golems.  Exit through the right.
In this room, kill the Fleamen, and go down.  Kill the Evil Butcher, and go out
through the right.  Save, and come back out.  Go through the door on your left.
The BOSS door on your left.
BOSS: BIG GOLEM
HP: 1200
HOLY SWEET JEBUS ON A POGO STICK, THIS THING IS BIG.  It is a bit like the
Giant Armor.  You'll want to duck near it, and attack its leg.  Keep an eye on
its arm, though.  If it gets too near you, backdash away.  It has two attacks.
It can swing at you with its arm.  Also, it can spew rocks at you.  To dodge
the rocks, duck near him, or jump away from him.  His arm is your main worry.
Keep it up, and he'll fall down.  You can only attack the leg that is closest.
Meaning the leg that is brighter in tint.
Dustin Woodard (shiningdagger@yahoo.com) writes:
Hey, how's it going? to let you know, I read your FAQ on Castlevania Aria of
Sorrow ( great faq by the way), and I just wanted to point out that you can use
the giant ghost soul on the Big Golem boss to reflect the little rock things
that he shoots at you.
Go to the room on your left.  Kill the Tsuchinoko, and break the Ability
Pedestal to get the Skeleton Blaze soul.  Now you can slide!
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
| 3.04: Inner Quarters |
0=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~0
Coming out of the boss room, kill the Evil Butcher.  Save if you want, and
start going back up.  Kill the Killer Doll, and make your way up.  You've got
some backtracking to do.  Look at your map.  Directly north of your position,
you should see a red save point.  You're going to want to make your way up to
that.  On your way, however, you'll see a potion trapped under a ledge, guarded
by a Killer Doll.  Kill the Killer Doll, and slide under to get the High
Potion.  Continue onward.  Additionally, when you first come to the Dance Hall,
climb up the ledges to see a Cutail trapped under a ledge.  Get this too.
Back at the save point, come out of the room, and take the bottom exit.  Go out
the right exit in this room.  Kill the Minotaur, and slide under the wall.
There are two more Minotaurs following this.  Exit through the door.
Inner Quarters
--------------
In this room, kill the Persephone.  She's a maid-type person with a mean kick.
Climb up the ramps, and kill the two Durgas.  At the top, use the double-jump
to jump to the crown of the tower on the right.  Use the double-jump and the
Flying Armor to get on the other side to collect the High Mind Up.  Drop off,
and go through the door on the right.  In here, duck, equip the Broadsword, and
attack the floor of this room.  Drop down here, kill the two Student Witches,
and grab the High Potion.  Attack the right wall of this room to uncover
another secret room.  Go in there, grab the item, and leave.  Head upward.
Climb up the ramp, and kill the Durga.  Make sure you kill the Nemesis before
you do too much else, so that she won't disrupt you.  Continue climbing, and
kill the Durgas and Nemesises.  At this point, you can go left, right, or up.
Going left will yield the Chronomage.  He's a rabbit that can stop time.  If
you enter his room, you'll get sent back outside.  You can't pass here until
later.  If you go right, you'll find a Persephone.  Kill her, and leave.  Go
up, and take the LEFT door.  Save, because a lot of people consider what's
coming up extremely hard.  Come out of this room, kill the Durga, and go right.
There's nothing to do in this room, so enter the boss door.
BOSS: HEADHUNTER
HP: 700
She has three parts.
At first, you come in, and see a headless woman on the couch.  She stands up,
and a head floats by.  She puts this head on, and looks like a young woman.  To
beat her, duck near her (to avoid her knife), and attack, preferably with a
long sword, such as the Lance.  After some time, this head falls off.  She
adopts a new head.
Now she looks like an old woman.  She'll float around, so you'll want to be on
the platforms.  She has two main attacks.  You know she's attack when a
pentagram comes up behind her.  If you see red fire on it, drop to the floor.
Two dragonheads will come out.  They'll swirl around, so you'll want to jump
over them if they get too close.  If the things around her look like lightning
or ice, get on the platform, and double-jump.  She'll cast a lightning spell,
which is pretty low.  Jumping will help you avoid it.  Other than that, just
constantly hit her, and watch out for her, in case she decides to run in to
you.  After a minute or so of attacks, this head will fall off.
Her final head is that of a lizard.  She'll bounce all around on the walls.  If
she's on the ground, make sure you duck while attacking.  She has two attacks
here as well.  She'll stick her tongue out at you (distance yourself to avoid
this), and shoot poison out.  If she does the latter, duck.  It may be just a
coincidence, but I've found that using the Tiny Devil soul on her when she's on
the ceiling knocks her down.  Beat her until she dies.
When she dies, you get her soul.  Grab the orb, and leave through the right
door.  In the next room, take the top exit.  Go left, and kill the two
Valkyries.  Jump up the platforms to meet a Disc Armor.  Get really close to
him, and attack.  Be sure to duck.  When he throws his disc out, continue to
attack.  When he retracts it, jump over it.  Continue on.  On this platform, we
meet a Curly, an evolved Durga.  Kill her, and continue up the ramp.  Going
upward, you'll meet several of each enemy.  At the top, jump right on to the
platform.  Destroy the Ability Pedestal to get Undine.  Go left to get the
sword, Hrunting.  Go all the way back down, and drop back to the other room.
Kill the Curlies, and go down.  At the bottom, take the left exit.
This room is full of mirrors.  Kill the Valkyrie and the Curly.  Go to the
farthest mirror, and you'll see that your reflection turned in to a zombie.
Start attacking it, and it'll come out.  When his arm pops out, you'll damage
him.  This is the Kyoma Demon.  After killing it, leave the room.  Go right,
and kill the Valkyrie and the Curly.  Now you come to a fountain.  Equip the
Undine soul to walk on the water there, and jump up to the ledge.  Jump up the
ramps, and leave through the door on your right.
Kill the Curly, and quickly kill the blue demon.  DO NOT LET HIM HIT YOU.
Continue down the stairs.  Go through the door on the left.  Kill the Valkyries
and the Persephones in here.  Ignore the Kyoma Demon, and exit through the door
on the left.  This is another transporter.  We're actually going to use this
one.  Transport to the warp room on the far left.
Castle Corridor
---------------
Go right, and drop through the floor.  Make your way through the Zombies to the
room on your right.  Descend to the bottom, and go out the door on the left.
Underground Reservoir
---------------------
Make your way to the bottom of this room, and leave.  Go out on the water, and
using the Undine Soul, walk across the water.  You'll reach a point where there
is a platform above you.  Double-jump up here, and kill off all of the Mermen.
At the far left of this room is an Elfin Robe.  This robe will lower your
strength, but raise your defense and intelligence.  Now backtrack to the warp
in the Castle Corridor.  Warp back to the Inner Quarters.
Inner Quarters
--------------
Go right.  Back in this room, kill the Valkyries and the Persephones.  Kill the
Kyoma Demon in the second mirror if you want, and then leave the room.  Go down
the hole.  Now in this room, make your way left, killing the Persephone as you
go.  Kill off the Persephones, the Valkyires, and the Liliths as you go.  There
is nothing here aside from experience.  Come back to the right, and drop down.
Kill the Persephone and the Killer Doll, and enter the door.
Castle Corridor
---------------
Go left, and drop through the floor.  Now that you've gotten this bit of the
map (don't drop.  It takes a bit to get up), go back to...
Inner Quarters
--------------
Kill the Persephone and the Killer Doll.  Jump back up through the hole.  Go
right, and drop through the next hole.  Go left, kill off the Liliths and the
Persephones, and drop down.  Go right, and grab the Mind Up.  Leave the room
through the top, which is the way you came in.  Once up here, go right.  This
is a very bewitched room.  You have two Witches and a Student Witch.  Kill them
all, and exit through the door.
Top Floor
---------
The clock thingies are candles.  Go right, through the door.
Castle Corridor
---------------
Drop through the floor, and drop down through this room.  Kill whatever Killer
Dolls get in your way, and go out the left.  Go left through this room, and
kill the Zombie Soldiers.  In the next room, go left, and out through the next
door.  I'm sure you're tired of THIS.  In the next room, kill the White Dragon.
Go to the bottom of this room, while killing the Blue Crows.  Ignore any other
enemies.  At the bottom, go right, and save.  Continue down to the bottom, and
go right.  Get in the water, and jump on the platform.  Do this until you reach
a point where you can jump up on to some platforms.  Use Undine, and get up to
these platforms.  In order to use Undine while in the water, equip it, and then
jump.  Now double-jump up to the platform.  Make your way up the ramps, and out
the door.  In the next room, destroy the signs for some items, and enter the