++,,,,,,,,,,,,,,                     ++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++             ++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++             ++++++++++++++++++++
++  ++WWWWWWWW::::::::++               ++++++++++++++++++++++  ++
++  WW::##,,,,,,,,::##::               ++++++::,,,,,,@@@@::++  ++
++  WW::##,,,,,,,,::##::               ++++++::,,,,,,@@@@::++  ++
++WW,,##,,,,,,,,,,##::++           ++++::##,,,,,,,,,,##,,++++
++WW,,##,,,,,,,,,,##,,++         ++  ++,,##,,,,,,,,,,##,,++++
++WW,,##,,,,,,,,,,##,,++         ++  ++,,##,,,,,,,,,,##,,++++
WW,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WW                 ++,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,++
WWWWWWWW::WWWWWW                   ++++++++::++++++++++
WWWWWWWW::WWWWWW                   ++++++++::++++++++++
,,WW::                       ++++++::++,,++++++++
,,WWWWWW                       ++++++++++++,,++  ++
,,WWWWWW                       ++++++++++++,,++  ++
,,WWWWWW                             ,,,,::,,
,,,,++++,,                         ,,####,,,,
,,,,++++,,                         ,,####,,,,
++++++                             ######
++++++                                 ######
++++++                                 ######
WWWWWWWWWW                         @@@@@@@@@@
_____                    _____ _
/  __                   /  ___| |
| /  | __ ___   _____    `--.| |_ ___  _ __ _   _
| |    / _`   / / _    `--.  __/ _ | '__| | | |
| __/| (_| | V /  __/  |__/ / || (_) | |  | |_| |
_____/__,_|__/____|______/______/|_|_____, |
|_________________________________________________/ |
___/
Walkthrough
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|======================================================================|
|   Table of Contents                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                      |
|                                                                      |
|   Introduction.........................................[sect000]     |
|                                                                      |
|   Getting Started......................................[sect001]     |
|                                                                      |
|   Controls.............................................[sect002]     |
|                                                                      |
|   Walkthrough..........................................[sect100]     |
|        -First Cave.....................................[sect101]     |
|        -Mimiga Village.................................[sect102]     |
|        -Egg Corridor...................................[sect103]     |
|        -Grasstown......................................[sect104]     |
|        -Sand Zone......................................[sect105]     |
|        -Labyrinth......................................[sect106]     |
|        -Waterway.......................................[sect107]     |
|        -Egg Corridor?..................................[sect108]     |
|        -Outer Wall.....................................[sect109]     |
|        -Plantation.....................................[sect110]     |
|        -Last Cave......................................[sect111]     |
|        -Endgame........................................[sect112]     |
|        -Sacred Ground..................................[sect113]     |
|                                                                      |
|   Cave Basics..........................................[sect200]     |
|        -Weapons........................................[sect201]     |
|        -Items..........................................[sect202]     |
|        -Power-up Locations.............................[sect203]     |
|        -Bestiary.......................................[sect204]     |
|                                                                      |
|   Misc. Stuff..........................................[sect300]     |
|        -Frequently Asked Questions.....................[sect301]     |
|        -Credits........................................[sect302]     |
|        -Copyright Info.................................[sect303]     |
|        -Contact Info...................................[sect304]     |
|                                                                      |
|                                                                      |
|______________________________________________________________________|
===============================================================================
|  INTRODUCTION                                                   [sect000]   |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cave Story, a freeware platformer made by Studio Pixel, is simply one of the
best freeware games of all time. With an almost flawless gameplay, exciting
plot, and a great combination of retro graphics and music, Cave Story is a
sidescroller that can rival any 2-D Metroid or Castlevania game.
Due to my immense love for this game, I decided to write a full walkthrough.
Before I go on, note that I do not consider myself an expert Cave Story player,
so some of the strategies here may not be the best or most efficient ones.
Regardless, I will do my best to provide a complete and detailed guide on how
to beat the game. I realize that this guide is a bit on the lengthy side, since
I tend to ramble when I'm explaining things. I've also tried my best not to
bore you with long paragraphs, but I probably failed there already. Um.
Anyways...
This guide is designed with the novice player in mind, containing a detailed
walkthrough of the game from start to finish. Additionally, there are separate
sections devoted to weapon stats, inventory list, bestiary, and other auxiliary
information that you may find helpful when playing Cave Story.
If there is anything you would like me to add or change in this walkthrough,
feel free to contact me (see the Contact Info section for more details).
===============================================================================
|  GETTING STARTED                                                [sect001]   |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So you've just learned about Cave Story, and you're interested in checking it
out. But where to start? Fret not, I've got everything you need to begin your
own cave adventure.
Cave Story is a freeware game, meaning that the entire game and all of its
components are free to download. To get the game, first copy and paste the
following url into your web browser:
http://cavestory.org/downloads_1.php
Now, if you just want the game and nothing else, you must first download and
install the Japanese version of Cave Story, then download and run the
translation patch by Aeon Genesis.
However, what I really recommend is to download the Cave Story Deluxe Package.
This package not only contains the original game with the translation patch
already installed, but also comes with a fan-made level editor, the Cave Story
OST, and many other doodads. It even contains the game Ika-chan, another game
developed by Studio Pixel and the predecessor to Cave Story.
Once you have Cave Story fully installed, just click on Play Cave Story (or
Doukutsu if you're accessing it directly from the program files) and you're
good to go.
Also, since the game is less than 5 MB, it can easily be transferred onto a
flash drive for portable convenience.
===============================================================================
|  CONTROLS                                                       [sect002]   |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up - look up
Down - action (talk, enter door, open treasure chest, etc.)
Left - move left
Right - move right
A/Y - jump, scroll through text, confirm
B/X - shoot, scroll through text, cancel
L - switch weapons (left)
R - switch weapons (right)
Start - items menu
select - map system (If Obtained
To change control settings, go to the file where the Cave Story program is
stored. There should be a program labeled "DoConfig". Open this program and
you'll reach the settings menu, where you can customize your controls and
screen size. If you're using an external controller, you can customize it here
as well.
===============================================================================
|  WALKTHROUGH                                                    [sect100]   |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, here we go, the walkthrough itself. There are 13 sections in all, mostly
categorized by area. Note that some of my strategies may not be the most
efficient strategies, so if you think you have a better way to defeat or get
past some part of the game, feel free to email me, and if it works, I won't
hesitate to add your strategy to this FAQ (as well as your name to the Credits
section).
At the head of each section, there is a chart with all the weapons, items, and
upgrades found in that particular section. Anything with a * next to it means
that it's optional.
But enough about that, let's move on to the exciting part.
==========================
| First Cave   [sect101] |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
--------------------------
_________          _______
( Weapons )========( Items )=============.
|                  |                     |
| Polar Star       |                     |
'__________        |                     |
( Upgrades )=======|       -none-        |
|                  |                     |
| Life Capsule x1  |                     |
|                  |                     |
'----------------------------------------'
_____________
[ Start Point ]
You find yourself in a small cavern with no idea who you are or what you're
doing here. There are two items to note here: the floppy disk is a save point,
so be sure to keep an eye out for these. The monitor with a heart icon is a
refill station: it refills all of your health, and once you get the Missile
Launcher will also replenish your missile supply. You access both of these by
pressing the Down arrow.
When you get the hang of the controls, make your way to the top of the room and
press Down to enter the door.
____________
[ First Cave ]
Take a left and jump over the spikes. If you're still getting familiarized with
the game, don't run too fast - you can't afford to get hit with just 3 health.
Run underneath the Bats and jump up into the small alcove containing a Life
Capsule (press Down to obtain it). Life Capsules increase your max health, so
try your best to collect all of them.
Continue downwards while avoiding the Bats. The last jump might be a bit
difficult - you have to perform a running jump immediately before you touch the
water. Ignore the Critter for now and make your way to the tiger-head
structure.
_________________
[ Hermit Gunsmith ]
Sneak past the sleeping geezer and open the treasure chest for your very first
weapon, the Polar Star. Makes you feel great, stealing from a senile man,
doesn't it?
____________
[ First Cave ]
Now that you have a weapon, you can kill all the enemies in this cave. Whenever
you defeat an enemy here, it will drop either a heart, which restores your
health, or an energy crystal, which gives your weapon experience points, which
will level up your weapons.
Make your way back to the Start Point but head right this time. Now you can
destroy those star blocks obstructing your way earlier, so make a path for
yourself while killing the Critters along the way. Don't be too hasty to jump
towards the door - it's actually guarded by a door mimic. Just keep shooting
it until it dies, then proceed to exit through the real door. I recommend that
you upgrade the Polar Star to level 2 before you exit.
==============================
| Mimiga Village   [sect102] |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
------------------------------
_________          _______
( Weapons )========( Items )=============.
|                  |                     |
|      -none-      | Map System          |
'__________        | Silver Locket       |
( Upgrades )=======| Arthur's Key        |
|                  |                     |
| Life Capsule x1  |                     |
|                  |                     |
'----------------------------------------'
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
You arrive at this cozy little village inhabited by rabbit-like creatures
called Mimigas. As soon as you can move again, head right to find a save point
and refill station. Feel free to chat with all the Mimigas in the village if
you want.
Once you're tired of talking, it's time to get a Map System. Go east of the
central save point and drop down the gap onto a hanging platform. From there,
hop your way across to the right and open the treasure chest for the Map
System.
Now, head back to the save point and jump upwards to reach Yamashita Farm.
________________
[ Yamashita Farm ]
Head to the other side of the farm to find a Life Capsule in the water.
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
Next, enter the Reservoir on the middle left edge of the village.
___________
[ Reservoir ]
Hop your way to the fishing Mimiga and drop into the water. See those sparkles
at the bottom? Go towards them and press Down. You'll find the Silver Locket.
Now make your way towards the exit, and you'll encounter Toroko, that Mimiga
who initially ran away from you. She still seems a bit jumpy, though. Follow
her out.
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
After the hilarious (and somewhat pathetic) scene is over, save at the save
point, refill any health you may have lost for whatever reason, and enter the
shack at the southeast corner of the village.
_______
[ Shack ]
Walk a bit to the right and Toroko will suddenly pop out of the ground and
attack you. Jump over her and shoot her to calm her down. Once she's sedated,
talk to her, and eventually two of the main villains will make their entrance -
Misery and Balrog, a witch and a lunchbox/toaster/robot respectively. You'll
have an option whether or not to fight Balrog. He gives a lot of experience
crystals if you beat him, so I suggest you fight him anyway.
.---------------.
( Boss: Balrog(1) )============================================================
'==============='
Huzzah! Meet Balrog, one of the most memorable characters in Cave Story. For
the first boss, he is's extremely easy to beat. At the most, this battle will
serve as a warm-up for future boss fights.
( Attacks )
Well, this is as easy as it gets. Balrog, being the simple-minded guy he is,
charges at you, and that's about it. After he runs at you twice, he'll do it
again but add a jump at the end of his charge, so watch for that. It's nothing
you shouldn't be able to predict and dodge correctly.
If you do happen to get too close to him, he'll grab you and deal some damage
(the animation for this is quite...interesting), then toss you away. It's easy
enough to avoid, just play keep-away and you'll be fine.
( Strategy )
Just continuously shoot him with the Polar Star, and if he gets too close then
jump over him. Piece of cake. Having the Polar Star at level 2 is recommended,
but don't sweat it if it's still at level 1. After you beat him he'll drop some
energy crystals for you. What a swell guy!
After Balrog retreats, head back to Mimiga Village.
===============================================================================
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
Go up to the save point again and this time head right. Talk to Jack in front
of the Graveyard entrance and he'll scuttle away. Enter the Graveyard.
___________
[ Graveyard ]
Shoot the Pignons (those mushrooms) in your way, and jump over the Gravekeeper.
Loop around to the top-left corner to reach Arthur's gravestone. There's
something shiny here, so examine the sparkles to find Arthur's Key. Head back
to Mimiga Village.
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
With Arthur's Key, you'll be able to open the door to Arthur's House, in the
lower-left hand corner of the village.
________________
[ Arthur's House ]
Arthur's House will serve as your home base for the majority of the game. Don't
get too comfortable, though, since you'll only stop by here for plots and heals
before getting whisked off to your next mission.
Once you're in, inspect the computer terminal and select YES to the question.
Now you can use the teleporter to access the next area, Egg Corridor.
============================
| Egg Corridor   [sect103] |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
----------------------------
_________          _______
( Weapons )========( Items )=============.
|                  |                     |
| Missile Launcher | ID Card             |
'__________        |                     |
( Upgrades )=======|                     |
|                  |                     |
| Life Capsule x2  |                     |
|                  |                     |
'----------------------------------------'
______________
[ Egg Corridor ]
You'll immediately see a Life Capsule underneath you, so jump down into the
bottom tunnel as soon as the white spikey thing hits the wall. Be sure not to
let it touch you, since it will vaporize you in one hit.
Make your way back up and move towards the right. The first slew of enemies
shouldn't be too hard, and soon they'll drop enough weapon experience to max
out your Polar Star. After a while flying enemies should appear, but they're
easily taken down with one shot of the level 3 Polar Star.
Keep following the linear path until you reach a cut scene. Once it's over
(nice job just standing there, hero), go a bit further to reach a door.
_________________
[ Cthulhu's Abode ]
Save here, talk to Cthulhu if you feel like it, and exit through the top door.
______________
[ Egg Corridor ]
Jump across the gaps to reach the Life Capsule on the ledge. After that,
continue heading right. The platforming becomes a bit trickier now, but it
shouldn't be anything too challenging.
Once you reach Egg No. 06, hop down into the alcove containing the egg and jump
into it.
____________
[ Egg No. 06 ]
You are now inside the egg. Open the chest to find an ID Card, then go back out
through the door.
______________
[ Egg Corridor ]
Keep making your way east. Right as you reach another doorway, you will be
attacked by a larger variant of the flying bugs that you've seen. As long as
you keep moving, you should be able to avoid its green energy balls. These
enemies drop a ton of power-ups. Once you've killed it, enter the door.
______________________
[ Egg Observation Room ]
Save here and notice the red petals scattered around the bed. Take the elevator
to the bottom floor and you'll notice that two monitors glow red while the
others glow blue. The red monitors signal bad eggs, specifically Egg No. 06
(which, if you have been following my guide, you should have visited earlier),
and Egg No. 01. Now take the elevator to the top floor and open the chest for
Ze Missiles(!). You're all done here, so save and exit.
______________
[ Egg Corridor ]
From now on you'll notice that enemies can now drop missile refills. This is
one of two ways to refill your missile supply, the other being from a refill
station. From this point onwards, you should level up your missiles as often as
you can. Shoot something using the Polar Star, then switch to Missile Launcher
and pick up the crystals. There will now be more flying bugs, so be careful.
Make your way to Egg No. 01 and enter it.
____________
[ Egg No. 01 ]
activate the terminal using the ID Card.
______________
[ Egg Corridor ]
Now that the red barrier's gone, you can reach Igor, the one who you saw
kidnapping the Mimiga earlier.
.----------.
( Boss: Igor )=================================================================
'=========='
IGOR SMASH!!! This poor Mimiga has gone rampant, so now it's your job to put
him out of his misery. This fight isn't much harder than the Balrog encounter,
especially if you have level 2 or 3 missiles with you.
( Attacks )
Igor will immediately charge at you and try to stomp you. As with Balrog, you
can easily predict this and time your jump over him. If you get too close he'll
perform a lightning-quick jab with his fists, although its range is so short
that it's not even a mild threat. Once his health gets low, Igor will open his
mouth and fire a bunch of round projectiles at you. This attack has a fairly
obvious forewarning, so use this time to distance yourself from him (or jump
behind him if you're gutsy). The projectiles are also easily destroyable, so
you shouldn't have too much difficulty with this attack.
( Strategy )
This would a convenient time to try out those missiles you just received.
Unload rockets at Igor until he jumps, then wait until he lands and jump over
him. Switch to the Polar Star to destroy the projectiles he fires. Don't be
afraid to exhaust your missile supply; there will be a refill station very
soon.
Once you defeat Igor, head into the first door (the save room will still be
locked).
===============================================================================
____________
[ Egg No. 00 ]
Talk to the Mimiga lying on the ground. She'll introduce herself as Sue
Sakamoto, a human turned into a Mimiga. After she finishes rambling about her
brother and sky dragons, follow her back out to Egg Corridor.
______________
[ Egg Corridor ]
The rightmost door will now be open. Enter it.
___________
[ Side Room ]
Heal, save, and restock on missiles here to prepare for the trip back.
______________
[ Egg Corridor ]
The enemies are still the same as before, so you shouldn't have too much
trouble making the return trip. Use the two save points along the way (one in
the Egg Observation Room, the other in Cthulu's Abode). Once you reach the end,
take the teleporter back to Arthur's House.
=========================
| Grasstown   [sect104] |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
-------------------------
_________          _______
( Weapons )========( Items )=============.
|                  |                     |
| Fireball         | Santa's Key         |
|                  | Chaco's Lipstick*   |
'__________        | Jellyfish Juice     |
( Upgrades )=======| Rusty Key           |
|                  | Charcoal            |
| Life Capsule x2  | Gum Key             |
| Missile Expn x2  | Gum Base            |
|                  | Explosive           |
|                  |                     |
'----------------------------------------'
* = optional
________________
[ Arthur's House ]
After the cut scene, exit to Mimiga Village.
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
Make your way up to the top of the central save room area, where Sue and King
are. Talk to Sue to receive your next mission and destination. Make your way
back to Arthur's House.
________________
[ Arthur's House ]
The teleporter should now be connected to Grasstown. Jump in the teleporter
once again and select Grasstown as the destination.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Jump up and head right to meet Santa, who dropped his key somewhere and now is
locked out of his own house (why not just go down the chimney?). Since he's a
big wuss, you'll need to find his key for him.
Continue right and you'll encounter your first enemies. Be careful here, not
only these do these Critters take more shots to kill than their Egg Corridor
counterparts, they can also fly short distances. Also, watch out for the Power
Critters, those giant blue ones. If they land on you, you'll lose a lot of
health, and given the low health you have right now, it basically means instant
death.
Anyway, kill everything along the way and eventually you'll see Santa's Key on
the ground. Be careful around this area, as there are a lot of enemies, and
things can get a bit hectic if you just rush straight into them. Nab Santa's
Key and head back to where Santa is. He'll tell you to follow him inside.
_______________
[ Santa's House ]
After you save and heal, talk to Santa to get the Fireball. Looks like you got
the better end of the deal, as the Fireball is an extremely effective weapon in
Grasstown.
Also, take note of the red spikes in the room. These will kill you in one hit,
so avoid them at all costs. They may seem laughably harmless right now, but
keep in mind that not every spike pit is going to have a huge warning sign in
front of it.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Head right once again. Get weapon exp. for the Fireball at every opportunity.
Once it's at level 3, the Fireball will make short work of anything that's on
the ground. Note that while the fireballs are moving, you can switch to another
weapon for added power.
Head back to where you picked up Santa's Key. There's a Life Capsule here that
you can reach with some well-planned jumps. First off, go to the two platforms
where there are destroyable star blocks on each platform. Making your way to
the top platform, jump from there to a higher platform to the left, and keep
doing so until you reach the Life Capsule.
Now continue eastward, and make sure you don't fall into the spike pit. Keep
going until you reach another building and go inside.
_______________
[ Chaco's House ]
Save and press Down in front of the fireplace. Chaco will notice, and she'll
tell you about how the Jellyfish Juice can put out the fires (regular water
isn't good enough?). Head back outside to get the Jellyfish Juice.
= Easter Egg =
After Chaco informs you of the Jellyfish Juice, take a nap in the bed and see
what happens next (check your inventory). Oh you naughty boy, you.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Once you go outside, you'll see that there are now Metr- er, I mean, jellyfish
floating around outside (thankfully you don't need the Ice Beam to kill them).
Go back the way you came, where you'll find a ton of these new enemies along
the way.
As you reach the location where Santa's Key once was, you'll notice a giant
jellyfish (called Kulala) attempting to camouflage itself on the ceiling. Shoot
it until it dies. It helps if you didn't destroy that star block underneath,
since Kulala would get trapped between it and the ceiling long enough for you
to finish it off. Once it's destroyed, it will drop an item chest containing
one serving of Jellyfish Juice.
Instead of heading back to Chaco's House, go left to Santa's House instead.
_______________
[ Santa's House ]
Put out the fire in the fireplace to get the Charcoal. This item will come in
handy later.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Head back east, and kill Kulala again to obtain another Jellyfish Juice. At
this point you can head back to Mimiga Village's Assembly Hall to nab a new
weapon, but you don't really need it right now. We'll pick it up later, after
we're finished with Grasstown. Make your way to Chaco's House.
_______________
[ Chaco's House ]
Use the Jellyfish Juice to put out the fire and reveal a door. (who the hell
puts a door behind a fireplace? Grasstown's inhabitants are pretty weird.)
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Continue heading east. Eliminate all the flying bats before you attempt to jump
over a gap, as a single misstep can lead to your demise. At the part with a
bunch of bats hovering over three shallow spike pits, be careful of the Mannan,
the white tombstone-looking thing. If you hit it, it will retaliate by shooting
a red shockwave towards the direction it's facing. To take this particular one
out, kill him with missiles then hide in the spike-less pit to avoid the
shockwaves. Once you dispatch it, drop down the edge.
The first thing you'll come across is a house within a small alcove labeled
"Power Room". Unfortunately the door is locked shut, so just remember where it
is for now. Make your way across the bottom of the ruins, killing the bats and
Mannans, then jump up and head back across the middle section to reach another
door.
____________
[ Save Point ]
Why yes, yes it is.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
There are a couple of items that you can nab in this region. First, jump up
onto the top corridor of the structure and hop your way to a treasure chest
containing a Missile Expansion. This will increase the maximum number of
missiles you can hold by 5.
Next, drop down and walk to the building where the pink hoverbike(?) is parked.
Inspect the door, and you'll see a small text bubble appear from a crack in the
wall. Go inspect the crack; it turns out that someone is trapped in here. He'll
give you the Rusty Key, but the door to the building doesn't have any keyholes.
Leave the poor guy there for now, and head right until you come across a tower
with a skull above the door.
___________________
[ Execution Chamber ]
See those two well-camouflaged thwomp-like machines above the star blocks? If
you shoot the star block underneath it, the machine (called a Press) will drop
down and kill you.
First off, shoot star block right above the door and quickly move out of the
way. Once the Press lands, it's safe to touch it, so use it as a platform to
reach the next floor. Now kill the other Press and hop onto the star block it
once stood on. From there, destroy the star block above you and grab the Life
Capsule. To exit, you'll need to kill the first Press as well.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Now that that's done, it's time to figure out what this Rusty Key is for. Go
save at the Save Point if you wish, then head back to the Power Room. The Rusty
Key will open the door.
____________
[ Power Room ]
Walk past the disabled robot and turn on the power. The robot will then come to
life. It sees you, spazzes out a bit, and is about to MOBILIZE AN UNDEFEATABLE
ARMY OF KILLER ROBOTS AND-
"Huzzah!"
...oh, never mind.
.---------------.
( Boss: Balrog(2) )============================================================
'==============='
Balrog's back for revenge, and for whatever absurd reason he's got himself a
pair of wings (so now he's a FLYING toaster monster? Awesome).
( Attacks )
Basically, he'll fly from one side of the room to the other, and scatter round
energy balls when he lands. This is easily avoided by walking underneath him
while he's flying, so the first half of the battle is almost a joke. Don't let
your guard down, though - once at low health, Balrog will start jumping around
instead of flying, so if you're not paying attention when this switch occurs,
you'll run right into him and lose a lot of health.
In the last part of the fight, just keep shooting at Balrog when he's on the
ground, and don't get too close to him (he still scatters energy balls every
time he lands). If you get pinned against a wall, run underneath him the next
time he jumps.
( Strategy )
Shoot at Balrog whenever he is on the ground. When he either flies or jumps at
you, dodge his attack appropriately and just continuously pound him with your
weapons. Unload your Missiles at him, and after you run out switch to the Polar
Star to finish him off. The Fireball isn't recommended in this fight because
that annoying ditch in the middle of the room severely hampers the weapon's
overall effectiveness.
> Advanced Strategy <
When I said that the Fireball was useless in this fight, I lied. As soon as the
battle starts, get up close to Balrog, then as he lifts off, hitch a ride on
top of him. You won't get contact damage, and you're at a prime position to use
the Fireball. Balrog will go down rather quickly this way.
===============================================================================
____________
[ Power Room ]
After Balrog takes his leave, help the robot by pulling him out of the ground.
He'll be so grateful for your help that he'll make an Explosive for you to bomb
down that door (what is with Grasstown's obsession with fire?), but first he
tells you to gather three materials: Jellyfish Juice, Charcoal, and Gum Base.
Go back outside.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Save at the Save Point if you like, then take the fan up the ledge you once
came from (hold down the Jump button to fly higher). Backtrack all the way to
where our good ol' pal Kulala is and get another Jellyfish Juice from it.
If you've been following my guide, you should already have Charcoal in your
inventory. If not, go back to Santa's house and use the Jellyfish Juice on his
fireplace. Now go back yet again to inner Grasstown (and pick up another
Jellyfish Juice alone the way) and this time, instead of entering Chaco's
fireplace, use the fan outside to reach the next section.
Once you reach the locked building, inspect the door once again, and the guy
will call out to you again. He agrees that Explosives might do the trick, and
will give you the Gum Key. Next to the building should be a fan, so use it to
access the building on the ledge.
_______________
[ Grasstown Hut ]
Open the chest to receive another Missile Expansion. As soon as you turn
around, an enraged Mimiga will pop out of the fireplace and attack you. It hops
twice then lunges at you, so predict its attacks and jump over him. It
shouldn't take long for you to defeat it.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Now make your way right, past the Execution Chamber. Keep going until you hit
the easternmost end. From there, get onto the middle level, save, and jump into
the path of the fans. They will carry you far enough so you land on the
opposite platform. Do the same thing for the topmost fans (watch that you don't
fall into that hole at the end), and open the door with the Gum Key.
_____
[ Gum ]
Open the chest to get the Gum Base. At this instant, Misery and Balrog appears.
They converse for a bit, and then Misery transforms Balrog into a...er...
.------------------.
( Boss: Balrog(frog) )=========================================================
'=================='
Looks like Balrog's appearance took a great leap forward! *BA-DUM TISH*. The
frog Balrog (or Balfrog, as I'm going to refer to him) might seem intimidating
at first, but he's actually quite easy to take down with the proper tactics.
Also, note the fans on the opposite ends of the room; you'll need them.
( Attacks )
First, Balfrog will slowly hop towards you. After each hop, a small frogling
will drop from the ceiling. Since you can't damage Balfrog unless his mouth is
open, concentrate on getting rid of the froglings instead. When he gets close
enough to you, hop onto one of the fans and sail over him.
Once you land, destroy any froglings left. Balfrog will turn around and spew
red projectiles from his mouth. The projectiles are destroyable, so most of the
time they shouldn't hit you if you shoot continuously. If you have the Bubbler
at this point, you can use it as a shield against the projectiles, but with my
strategy it's not really necessary.
After a while Balfrog will close his mouth, and the cycle repeats.
Occasionally at low health, Balfrog will take a great leap and slam down,
causing both froglings and large frogs to fall from the ceiling. Just make sure
you don't get hit by one of these and destroy them appropriately.
( Strategy )
The Fireball is the weapon of choice for this fight. While Balfrog is jumping
around, use it to kill the froglings that drop from the ceiling. Once Balfrog
pins you against the wall, jump over him (but don't land too far away from him)
and kill any remaining froglings so they won't cause you any trouble.
Now stand right next to Balfrog. As he opens his mouth, aim upwards and spam
Fireball. If done correctly, the fireballs should destroy all of Balfrog's
projectiles and cause massive damage to his larynx. Get away quickly after he
closes his mouth. Since the froglings drop weapon exp. and health, don't sweat
it if you get hit once or twice. Using this tactic, it won't be long until he
croaks. *BA-DUM TISH*.
===============================================================================
_____
[ Gum ]
You're finished here, so head outside.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Save and head back to the Power Room. You can avoid killing the monsters on the
ground again by going through a gap in the wall.
____________
[ Power Room ]
Talk to Malco again, and he'll use the three items you collected for him to
create an Explosive. I think you know what to do with this.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Go back to the Shelter and blow up that door. Finally.
_________
[ Shelter ]
Hey, this room looks familiar...
After all that dialogue is over, save and head outside.
___________
[ Grasstown ]
Kazuma and Prof. Booster will jack the hoverbike and take off by themselves,
leaving you to go on foot, those bastards. Anyway, say goodbye to Malco if you
wish, then head back west. Along the way, make sure to pick up another vial of
Jellyfish Juice. This will be the last one you'll need. Take the teleporter
back to Arthur's House.
=========================
| Sand Zone   [sect105] |XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
-------------------------
_________          _______
( Weapons )========( Items )=============.
|                  |                     |
| Bubbler          | Hajime              |
| Machine Gun*     | Curly's Underwear*  |
| Blade            | Mick                |
'__________        | Kakeru              |
( Upgrades )=======| Shinobu             |
|                  | Nene                |
| Life Capsule x2  | Life Pot            |
|                  |                     |
'----------------------------------------'
* = optional
________________
[ Arthur's House ]
When you get back, you'll encounter some major plot action, and everybody will
gather inside Arthur's House for a party. Talk to Sue, and another plot twist
will develop. Before you venture into the Sand Zone, however, there's something
we need to collect. Exit Arthur's House via the door.
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
Go up top and enter the Assembly Hall, the building next to the Graveyard.
_______________
[ Assembly Hall ]
There's a fireplace here, so use the Jellyfish Juice on it and you'll find the
weapon I mentioned earlier - the Bubbler.
________________
[ Mimiga Village ]
Head back to Arthur's House.
________________
[ Arthur's House ]
If you feel like wasting time, go to Egg Corridor and level up the Bubbler.
Otherwise, save and take the teleporter to the Sand Zone.
___________
[ Sand Zone ]
After taking just a few steps, you'll see a strange-looking girl, who will then
walk away. Continue walking and jump up the shaft while avoiding/killing the
bugs. When you reach the top, head left and enter the building.
_____________________
[ Sand Zone Residence ]
Hey, it's the girl from earlier. Hi, how are you, beautiful? Do you live here?
Let's go out someti- oh ****, a gun? I-I was just joking, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
.-----------------.
( Boss: Curly Brace )==========================================================
'================='
Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding, Curly Brace and her band of Mimiga
children (Mimigalings?) will attack you. Since you can't speak, the only way to
reach an understanding is by sheer brute force. Diplomacy, huzzah!
( Attacks )
Curly's only weapon is her machine gun, but it dishes out hurt like nothing
else. Make sure you have the sound turned on for this fight, since you can then
hear when Curly's charging her gun and jump and the appropriate time. The most
important thing to do in this match is to not jump carelessly. If you're in the
air when Curly fires her machine gun, chances are that when you land, you're
going to receive a face-full of bullets. Also, Curly can adjust her firing
direction in 90 degree angles, so don't try to jump over her. The Mimiga
children try to hurt you by tackling you, but they do insignificant damage and
a hit can stun them for a good period of time. The trick here is to not let
them distract you from Curly, the main threat in this fight.
( Strategy )
First off, missiles are useless in the match since Curly has some sort of force
field that blocks them. The Fireball should suffice, since you can hit Curly
even if you're jumping to dodge her bullets. They also disable the Mimigas
fairly quickly and effectively. Just keep a level head and don't jump too much
and you'll pull through.
===============================================================================
_____________________
[ Sand Zone Residence ]
After you defeat Curly, she'll ask you if you want to trade your Polar Star for
her Machine Gun (the trade is permanent, so no take-backs). Keep in mind that
the Machine Gun is one of three weapons you can trade your Polar Star for. You
can read more about the pros and cons of each weapon in the Weapons section.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the Machine Gun so I would recommend keeping
your Polar Star for now, but it's your choice. Once you either accepted or
declined her offer, talk to the Mimiga on the far left, then enter the door
marked by a save point.
____________
[ Small Room ]
Save and heal here, then pick up the dog by the bed. Aww, doesn't he look cute
sitting on your head?
= Easter Egg =
Checking the Map System will reveal a secret passageway. If you go along it and
hop into that small alcove at the end of the tunnel, you can find Curly's
Underwear by pressing Down. Like Chaco's Lipstick, it doesn't do anything, nor
does Curly ever react to it.
_____________________
[ Sand Zone Residence ]
Head back out to Sand Zone.
___________
[ Sand Zone ]
Make your way to the right by destroying the star blocks. Soon you'll see giant
spinning blade enemies. They're not too difficult, but after you destroy them
they spawn lots of mini blades that take only 1 hit to kill. Although annoying,
these enemies drop a bunch of power-ups, so that's always nice.
In the first column of star blocks, carve a path to reach the Life Capsule at
the top.
The next section is comprised of tall, thick columns of star blocks, with sand
pits between them. There are blade enemies between the columns, but like before
they shouldn't pose a problem. The most dangerous part of this section are the
Sandcrocs that reside beneath the sand pits; when you touch the sand, they snap
up at you, dealing heavy damage. They're extremely fast and difficult to avoid,
so make sure you stay off the sand pits no matter what. If you somehow fall
into the sand, jump IMMEDIATELY after hitting the ground, and the Sandcroc will
miss you by a hair.
The easiest way to get through this section is to make a single opening into
the pit area, preferably near the top, and wait for a blade to near the
opening. Once it gets there, kill it quickly and shoot down all his spawns.
Then when the pit is clear of all blades, create a jumping space at least two
blocks tall on both block columns and jump over the gap into the next block
column.
After the last block column, you can access a save point in a hidden passage,
whose entrance is marked by a block with a paw-shaped symbol on it. There are
also hidden hearts in this passage; shoot the air to reveal them.
The star blocks are now arranged in a zigzag pattern. It's best to travel along
the top of the star blocks and avoid confronting any blades in the middle.
After that section you'll come across a refill station. Restore your health and
continue on into the large room.
Hey, it's Misery again (what, no Balrog?). She'll talk to you for a bit, then
fly off as a large monster pops out from the sand.
.-----------.
( Boss: Omega )================================================================
'==========='
It's a random giant machine antlion thing. Let's kill it.
( Attacks )
Omega will start the battle by opening its mouth and spewing out lots of slow-
moving projectiles into the air. There are two different kinds of projectiles:
the brown ones are indestructible and disappear once they hit the ground, while
the red ones bounce along the ground indefinitely, but are destroyable. After
Omega finishes spitting out projectiles, he'll close his mouth and bury into
the sand for a while, only to re-emerge somewhere else once again.
At half health, Omega will no longer bury into the sand; he will now jump
towards you, firing off red projectiles every time he jumps. In addition to
avoiding the projectiles, you now have to worry about getting crushed by the
body, but it shouldn't prove to be too difficult to avoid.
( Strategy )
Similar to Balfrog, Omega can only be damaged when his mouth is open. For the
first part, don't use the Missile Launcher, as Omega will immediately shut its
mouth and burrow into the sand, making it difficult to damage him. Instead, opt
for the Fireball. Once Omega emerges, get up close to it and spam the Fireball,
similar to what you did for Balfrog. Destroy any projectiles coming towards
you, then continue to fire at him until he retreats.
Once Omega starts hopping, you're free to use missiles if you'd like, but the
Fireball can get the job done faster. Still keep close to him, and run
underneath him when he jumps. Continue pounding him with fireballs and he'll go
down quickly.
If you traded with Curly for the Machine Gun, you can try this alternative
strategy that Corey Gross submitted. With the Machine Gun at level 3, you can
use its recoil to fly directly above Omega. By shooting downwards, you'll
destroy most of the projectiles as well as deal damage to the boss. You'll have
to stop and land once or twice, but otherwise this is a safe and easy method to
take Omega down.
You've now lifted the spell of the sunstones. Woot.
===============================================================================
___________
[ Sand Zone ]
Head back the way you came, and heal at the refill station if you lost any
health or used any missiles. If you haven't quit or reset since Sand Zone
Residence, things should still be the way you left them, which is quite
convenient.
As you near the Sand Zone Residence, a new path should open for you. Hop down
and kill the Skullheads, then make your way left to Jenka's House.
_______________
[ Jenka's House ]
The old woman Jenka will thank you for bringing her one of her darling puppies.
She then asks you to find her remaining four puppies, who have all wandered off
somewhere. Time to get started, then.
By the way, I've seen a lot of people having trouble locating the puppies, so
here's a checklist for all of them:
.===========================================================================.
| Puppy   | Location                                                        |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Hajime  | Inside Sand Zone Residence (must speak to left-most Mimiga      |
|         | first).                                                         |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mick    | From Jenka's House, head up until you see a paw-shaped block,   |
|         | indicating a secret passage. Take it to the end and open the    |
|         | chest to find Mick.                                             |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Kakeru  | At the bottom floor of Sand Zone. He's in plain sight. Catch    |
|         | him by pressing Down just as he passes you.                     |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Shinobu | Look for a path upwards as you head right along the bottom of   |
|         | Sand Zone. You'll spot a secret passage. Shinobu is at the end, |
|         | but runs into a dark house. Use the Map System to find a safe   |
|         | path to Shinobu.                                                |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Nene    | Near the Sand Zone Storehouse, in plain sight.                  |
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------'
___________
[ Sand Zone ]
The first puppy is quite easy to reach. From Jenka's House, head up the way you
came, and at the topmost row of star blocks you'll notice a paw print block on
the right. Enter the secret tunnel to find a Life Capsule and a puppy in the
treasure chest. Head back to Jenka's House.
_______________
[ Jenka's House ]
Again, Jenka will thank you, and blabber about Mimigas and Red Flowers. We have
two puppies now, so let's find the rest.
___________
[ Sand Zone ]
Head down this time. You should see a sign pointing you towards the Sand Zone
Storehouse, where the Red Flowers are kept. Go past the sign and stick to the
platforms, ignoring the enemies walking on the ground. If you're having too
much trouble defeating the Crow + Skullhead combination, you can always use the
Bubbler for a shield and slowly but surely bombard them to death.
Hop along the platforms until you find a path upwards. You'll come across
another secret passage, which will lead you to another puppy. As soon as you
approach it, however, it will scamper into the building. Follow it in.
________________
[ Deserted House ]
The room is entirely pitch black, but you can use the Map System to find a path
to the puppy. Don't land in the sand pit; there's a Sandcroc in there. You also