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PAPER MARIO: THE THOUSAND-YEAR DOOR
A Full FAQ/Walkthrough, ver 1.3; March 13, 2005
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For the Nintendo GameCube
By Merca
(c) 2005 Chris Noonan. All rights reserved.
"An awfully long time ago... In a strange and far-off land, a big, bustling
town thrived. It was a town where all people lived very happy lives and it was
said that the town was very prosperous. But one day... tragedy befell this
blessed place. A great cataclysm struck the town and its people. Darkness
filled the skies, and the earth roared and shook. It was as if the very world
had come to a violent end and but in a single night the town sank into the
depths of the earth...
"Many moons rose and set... Stories of the town passed into the pages of fairy
tales and when the town's site no longer held relics of the past, people
gathered at that spot and built a new town. But word soon spread among the
people who moved in that an ancient city lay deep underground and that a
magnificent treasure rested there. Indeed... This is the tale of the fabled
treasure of Rogueport. Yes, this is where it begins, in the sea town of
Rogueport.
"The tale of the legendary quest for treasure and the Thousand-Year Door...
Starts here."
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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I. Introduction
II. Characters
III. Game Basics
a. Controls
b. The Basics
c. Story
IV. Walkthrough
a. A Rogue's Welcome
b. Castle and Dragon
c. The Great Boggly Tree
d. Of Glitz and Glory
e. For Pigs the Bell Tolls
f. The Key to Pirates
g. 3 Days of Excess
h. Mario Shoots the Moon
i. The Thousand-Year Door
V. Secrets and Sidequests
a. The Pit of 100 Trials
b. The Trouble Center
c. Odds 'n' Ends
VI. Bestiary
VII. Locations of...
a. Star Pieces
b. Shine Sprites
VIII. Items
IX. Badges List
X. FAQ
XI. Revision History
XII. Legal Disclaimer
XIII. Credits
WHAT'S NEW?
I finally got around to completing the Trouble Center. Beside that, I made a
few minor changes here and there, but nothing in particular that's worth
noting.
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I ------------------------------------------------------ INTRODUCTION
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Hey there! Welcome to my FAQ/Walkthrough for Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year
Door, a game that is devoid of splattered alien brains, potty-mouthed
gangsters, and camouflage-wearing snakes yet still manages to beat the pants
off all the titles alluded to above. Wipe your feet before you come inside,
please. My name, as the header would suggest, is Merca, and I'm here to take
you by the hand and lead you through this world filled with Goombas, Koopa
Troopas, and other weird Mario creatures. However, due to all the hand-holding
in this guide, I'm left with no choice but to request that you wash up before
using the walkthrough.
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, you take the role of Mario (duh),
everyone's favorite plumber who needs to lay off the doughnuts. Geez, just
look at that gut of his. Err... Anyway, this game combines a deep combat
system with hilarious dialogue and eye-popping (in a good way) graphics to
create a winning product. There are pirates, too! Arrrgh, matey! ... Ahem.
In any event, there are very few modern games, much less GameCube games, as
genuinely fun as this. If for some reason you're reading this guide but don't
have the game, please do yourself a favor and injure yourself with a spoon. Or
just buy the game--whichever you prefer.
Enjoy!
- Merca
faintwhitefigures311 (at) gmail (dot) com
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II ------------------------------------------------------- CHARACTERS
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Not only does this chapter provide a brief look into the dramatis personae, but
it's also sure to leave your mouth watering with succulent details pertaining
to each hero's pros and cons in battle. Maybe.
MARIO
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On the off-chance that the name of the game didn't give it away, Paper Mario 2
stars Mario, our heroically silent Italian stallion. This plump yet beloved
superstar features two methods of mayhem: his trademark jump and the hammer o'
doom. Successfully nailing a jump attack is as simple (or as difficult) as
pressing that shiny green A Button just before connecting with your intended
target. It is both powerful and practical, but keep in mind that foes with
armored or spiky heads won't be affected by it. In fact, the latter will even
damage poor Mario! Ouch! Mario's hammer works a bit differently; hold the
Control Stick left until the power gauge is full (a star will appear when the
time is right), then release. As you might assume, this hammer is the perfect
remedy for spiked baddies, though heavily armored enemies still prove
invulnerable. Some foes just aren't very cooperative, it would seem. Oh well.
Mario is also the only character in the game who levels up via Star Points (see
the basics section for more on that). This ends up making him an integral
part of your team, which works out nicely considering that you couldn't stick
him on the sidelines if you wanted to.
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SKILLS
======
-- Sweet Treat --
Gained during your very first encounter with the Thousand-Year Door, Sweet
Treat is a restorative move. By tilting the Control Stick left, Mario can
fire beams at icons that will fall from top to bottom. There are four types
of icons: one for Mario and his partner, a flower, and a poison Mushroom.
Every Mario/partner icon hit will replenish one HP, where as every flower
hit revitalizes a bit of FP. Steer clear of poison Mushrooms, though, as
they temporarily stun Mario, giving you less time to hit those bonuses.
(consumes 1 SP)
-- Earth Tremor --
One of Mario's best abilities, and one that will prove invaluable throughout
the game. When selected, a gauge with several nodes will appear on-screen.
As the gauge fills, you must press A at the moment a node is filled. Mess
up and the attack will be weaker than its potential. However, if you manage
to hit all of the nodes properly the resultant quake will be devastating,
causing much damage to all foes. (consumes 2 SP)
-- Clock Out --
A decent move worthy in a few boss battles, Clock Out has the same general
effect as, err... something that freezes someone. Anyhoo, select Clock Out
and watch as several buttons appear on the screen. Only press those that
appear over your enemies' heads, unless you enjoy causing damage to
yourself. (consumes 2 SP)
-- Power Lift --
This supportive maneuver temporarily increases your team's offensive and
defensive power. Here's how it works: nine spaces will hold constantly
moving icons. The icons come in several flavors, but the only ones you want
are up arrows, so *only* press A while those are selected. It's actually a
lot of fun! (consumes 3 SP)
-- Art Attack --
A beauty of a move, the Art Attack requires that you draw circles around
your intended targets. The move won't end until you screw up whilst
encircling a foe, so busting out a decent amount of damage to numerous
baddies at once is certainly possible. (consumes 4 SP)
-- Sweet Feast --
Simply enough, Sweet Feast is an upgraded Sweet Treat. Although it is much
easier to hit those nasty venomous Mushrooms, you'll also regain about twice
as much HP as you would with Sweet Treat. Sweet deal! (haha) (consumes 5
SP)
-- Showstopper --
Considering the absolutely miniscule SP requirement, the Showstopper is a
potent little power. Several button sequences appear on-screen when used,
and it's your job to mash them in perfectly. Do so and watch as every
baddie melts away into nothingness. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on
bosses. (consumes 2 SP)
-- Supernova --
By far Mario's most potent Special move, the Supernova can be unleashed by
mashing the A Button like a madman. Due to the frighteningly high SP rate,
however, this is one move best kept in your hat until those few very
difficult battles. (consumes 6 SP)
GOOMBELLA
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A cheerful young Goomba girl aspiring to become an archaeologist, Goombella
first encounters Mario when he helps her out of a bind upon arrival in
Rogueport. Like Mario, Goombella's main form of artillery is a jump attack,
extended in the same manner as Mario's (tap A just before striking). However,
she also has access to an interesting little ability called Tattle. Using
this, she can look up the Hit Point totals for foes, as well as details on
their attacks and weaknesses. Great if you're totally stumped as to how to
take down a certain baddie. Outside of battle, Goombella boasts a similar
skill. Press X and she will drop the lowdown on wherever it is that you may
be. More often than not, this Goomba gal's tips are invaluable, so consult her
whenever you get stuck.
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SKILLS
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-- Tattle --
Find out an enemy's HP, Attack Power, and Defense, as well as details on the
foe's capabilities in battle and possible weak spots. (consumes 0 FP)
-- Multibonk --
Very similar to the ability Mario gains when the Power Bounce badge is worn.
If executed properly, the Multibonk can become one of the best skills in the
entire game, allowing you to cut out massive chunks of your foe's HP. It
works the same as Goombella's basic Headbonk, except you get to keep jumping
until you screw up. Start practicing. (consumes 3 FP)
-- Rally Wink --
Think of this one as a forfeit move--use it and Goombella will give up her
turn to give Mario an extra opportunity to strike. Good if you need to
hammer a spiky enemy before they get their next turn. (consumes 4 FP)
KOOPS
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This troubled Koopa kid hails from Petalburg, a small village that lives in
fear of an evil dragon. Overcoming his worst nightmares, Koops teams up with
the crew to search for the remains of his father, who supposedly perished
before said dragon. Following the Koopa tradition, Koops wields his shell in
battle, allowing him to damage spiked foes that would laugh in the wake of
Mario and Goombella's leaping antics. To charge up Koops's shell, hold the
Control Stick left until the gauge fills. Just make sure that you release it
while the gauge is still full, otherwise the attack won't be as powerful.
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SKILLS
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-- Power Shell --
When selected, a pulsating power meter will appear. Hold the Control Stick
left until the gauge is full, then release as quickly as possible, or the
meter might start to unfill. A good attack for damaging a group of armored
foes at once. (consumes 3 FP)
-- Shell Shield --
Tap A while the cursor is in the center of the gauge to generate a massive
Koopa Shell, which Mario will then use as a shield. A few hits will destroy
the shield, of course, but it still works somewhat well for lessening the
damage Mario takes. (consumes 4 FP)
-- Shell Slam --
A sheer power attack, the Shell Slam is used for cutting through the defense
of multiple armored baddies. To execute it, continually tilt the Control
Stick to the left. (consumes 6 FP)
FLURRIE
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Not at all self-absorbed *wink*, Flurrie is an actress turned, err...
nonactress. Think of her as a big blue marshmallow, only far more delightful.
She attacks by body slamming foes, which provides the same advantages (can
target flying enemies) and disadvantages (spiked baddies--ouch!) as Mario's
jump. Perform this flying slam by positioning the stubborn cursor within the
white circle that appears and keeping it there until the attack commences.
Given that her abilities (seen below) aren't up to par with those of Goombella
or even Koops, chances are you won't be using this out-of-place marshmallow too
often. She does, however, make a good benchwarmer, what with all that fat.
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SKILLS
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-- Gale Force --
The interesting thing about this move is that its purpose is not to damage
baddies, but rather to eject them from battle altogether. Using it is a bit
out of the ordinary; hold A until the gauge stops filling, then release.
Rinse and repeat until the move is executed. (consumes 4 FP)
-- Lip Lock --
Only useful in certain circumstances, Flurrie's kissing ability can only be
used to restore her own HP, not that of anyone else. Mash A when the star
icon is illuminated and stop when it isn't to accomplish it perfectly.
(consumes 3 FP)
-- Dodgy Fog --
Perfecting Flurrie's final skill requires great timing with the Control
Stick. Tilt it in the indicated direction as the gauge moves along. Nail
it and Mario will gain ninja-esque dodging skills for up to four rounds.
(consumes 4 FP)
YOSHI
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A spunky and lovable Yoshi baby saved from a hot-diggity-dogged fate, Yoshi
joins Mario and co. during the rise to the top of the Glitz Pit. As such, he
refers to our hero as "Gonzales" throughout the game. Luckily for us, the cute
little guy is born in the nick of time, since his godly Gulp skill is required
to defeat a certain foe. In addition to that, Yoshi can also bounce repeatedly
on a foes head. Powering up this move to its fullest potential calls for quick
taps of the Right Trigger. Fill the gauge before Yoshi executes the attack to
break out with the maximum number of hits, thus causing maximum damage. On the
field, Mario can hop onto Yoshi's back, gaining extra speed. Also, Yoshi can
briefly float if you hold the A Button, allowing him to carry Mario across some
chasms that are too wide to leap across.
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SKILLS
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-- Gulp --
This one is a doozy. After swallowing the targeted baddie, Yoshi will spit
it out at another foe, doling out plenty of pain to both. (consumes 4 FP)
-- Mini-Egg --
A double-whammy, a foe struck with a Mini-Egg will not only take damage, but
it will also shrink like a, well, you know what, in water! Press A when the
gauge moves through each circular node to produce an egg, with a maximum of
four possible eggs. (consumes 3 FP)
-- Stampede --
Fill the meter by mashing the Left and Right Triggers alternately to summon
a herd of Yoshis to trample the opposition. (consumes 6 FP)
VIVIAN
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Looks can be deceiving. Abused and domineered by her older sister Beldam,
Vivian is one of the three Shadow Sirens. Malevolent siblings aside, Vivian is
actually very kind, and collaborates with Mario's team to pay back a favor of
sorts. Attacking enemies with her Shade Fist maneuver is as easy as tapping
the button that appears when the gauge automatically fills. Furthermore, her
field ability allows you to hide in the shadows, confusing foes and adding a
stealthy approach to certain problems. Her Veil skill comes in handy during
more than a few tricky boss battles, making Vivian an absolute necessity (not
that you can not get her, but whatever).
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SKILLS
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-- Veil --
Much like Vivian's field ability, this allows you to hide in the shadows,
effectively rendering all enemy attacks useless until you emerge. Pulling
it off requires that you hastily input a series of five buttons. (consumes
1 FP)
-- Fiery Jinx --
A flame attacks that strikes all foes on the screen, you must press five
random buttons in the proper order to activate the Fiery Jinx. (consumes 6
FP)
-- Infatuate --
A confusion tactic, all you need to do to Infatuate an enemy is press A as
soon as a heart icon appears above their head. (consumes 4 FP)
BOBBERY
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Salty as a cracker and sea-wise like a sailor (well, actually, he is a sailor),
Bobbery joins the crew as the only navigator capable of reaching the legendary
Keelhaul Key. Being a bob-omb, he's naturally a very explosive character, both
inside battle and out. His signature attack is a simple explosion, which can
be performed by holding A until the gauge is full. Release the button when the
star appears to cause maximum damage. This attack is perfect for armor-wearing
foes, as well as the numerous spooks that inhabit Keelhaul Key. Outside of
battle, Bobbery's explosive nature can also be used to blow through cracked
walls or hit otherwise inaccessible switches.
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SKILLS
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-- Bomb Squad --
This move releases a trio of time bombs that will explode on the next turn.
Press A when the cursor is position where you want to toss the bombs to let
them go. (consumes 3 FP)
-- Hold Fast --
Press A whenever one of the star icons lights up to set Bobbery into
"counterattack mode", where he'll automatically retaliate on any foe who
damages him. (consumes 4 FP)
-- Bob-ombast --
One of the most useful skills in the entire game, Bob-ombast targets all
baddies with a massive explosion. Despite the rather high FP consumption
rate, this move is worth it. Mash A repeatedly to set if off. (consumes 9
FP)
MS. MOWZ
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A badge-plundering mouse, Ms. Mowz serves as the game's only secret character
(check out either the Secrets or Trouble Center chapters to learn how to
recruit her). In battle, she relies upon her Love Slap to beat down foes with
love. Powering up this move requires you to repeatedly tilt the Control Stick
left and right. When done properly, this move can pierce an enemy's defenses.
When not in battle, Ms. Mowz can track down nearby treasures with the X
Button.
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SKILLS
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-- Kiss Thief --
A gauge appears on-screen, with a line toward the end marked "OK." When the
gauge fills past this line, immediately smack the A Button to execute the
move. If done properly, you'll steal an item or badge from the baddie.
(consumes 2 FP)
-- Tease --
Hold down the A Button to fill the gauge that appears on-screen, but do not
let it overflow. The result is that your foes are rendering dizzy, making
it difficult for them to land their blows. (consumes 3 FP)
-- Smooch --
By rapidly tapping the A and B Buttons in an alternating fashion, Ms. Mowz
can replenish 10 of Mario's HP with a lovely kiss. (consumes 10 FP)
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III ----------------------------------------------------- GAME BASICS
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This would be that unfortunate beauty of a chapter that is overlooked by many.
If you have no idea what you might find hidden within the confines of a section
named "Game Basics", you may need to get back into school.
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a. Controls
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Before diving head first into the nitty gritty, a few things should be
mentioned. To begin with, neither the C-Stick (that yellow stub) nor the Left
Trigger have any function. As such, I won't even list 'em. Also, hold down X,
B, and Start all at once to magically warp back to the game's main menu. Wow!
Control Stick - Move
Simple simple. Tilt this gray stick in the direction you would like Mario to
move in. You can also utilize it to scroll through menus and such, wouldn't
ya know!
D-Pad - Menu shortcut
Because pressing start to access the menu is just too much of a chore for
some, a quick tap of one of the four directions on the D-Pad will zip right
to the section you are seeking. Pow!
Start Button - Open Menu screen
Is that not self-explanatory enough? Thinking is your friend.
A Button - Action / Jump
This large green button serves two main purposes: 1) to execute Mario's
basic actions, such as speaking to nearby denizens of the game or confirming
menu selections and 2) it allows Mario to hop like a bunny. Useful if you
enjoy looking like a bunny. Or if you need to get across a chasm.
B Button - Cancel / Hammer
Another doubly important button. Tapping B whilst on a menu will either
cancel the current selection or move you back to the previous one. In the
field, this strangely small button serves as the only way to wield Mario's
prized hammer.
X Button - Use partner's ability
While exploring one of the many anywheres this game has to offer, hitting
that bean-shaped button on the right (earlier marked "X") will activate your
current partner's ability, be that informing you about the immediate area or
blowing a stream of wind Kirby-style (more on that kinda stuff in the
characters section). During battle, however, X's function changes. From
time to time, the button will appear on the bottom of the screen. Press it
at such an instance to jump into the crowd and disarm a potential tomato-
tosser.
Y Button - Paper airplane
When standing on gray platforms with paper airplane shapes painted on them,
a simple tap will transform our Italian stallion into a paper airplane. In
battle, hitting Y will switch your characters out, allowing your partner to
attack before Mario. Same deal once you get the paper boat ability.
Z Button - Display stats
Care to take a gander at your HP totals, coin amounts, or something similar
without opening up that terribly cumbersome menu screen? Fear not! Press Z
and voila! Your wishes are answered!
Right Trigger - Use Mario's abilities
Several of Mario's many skills, such as paper or tube mode, require the Right
Trigger to be held down before they can be used.
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b. The Basics
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This section could also be named "Stuff That You Should Already Know, or Very
Basic Stuff That Can Be Figured Out in Only a Few Seconds." But that's just a
bit harsh, so I thought I'd be nice at least in the table o' contents. Onward!
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BLOCKS
======
As with all Mario games (other than those lame Tennis, Golf, blah blah blah
cashcow games), Paper Mario 2 is filled with many different blocks. Since some
have purposes far removed from the "hit it to get a coin" type I'm sure you are
accustomed to, I shall now do some explaining.
Save Block: lovely rainbow blocks. Bash it to record your data. Which
proves useful if you suck.
Yellow Blocks: as the name suggests, these are yellow in color (surprise!).
They also have two block dots (that look kinda like eyes) in
the middle. Give it a good whack with Mario's hammer to get
past. Note that some king-size blocks require a more potent
whacking device to smash.
? Blocks: your classic Mario block. Nail it with your head from below
to attain whatever goodies lurk within.
Recover Blocks: pop one of these from below to restore all of your HP and
FP, but for the price noted on the side of the block.
! Switch: these blocks sit on the ground, and come in myriad different
colors. Regardless of the color, their purpose is the same:
smack it to activate the switch, which will then change
something about the immediate environment.
========
POWERUPS
========
While Mario's standard issue boots and hammer may seem just fine and dandy from
the get-go, you'll soon find that they are unable to satisfy all of your needs.
Luckily, enhanced versions of each can be found stashed away throughout the
game. With the Super Boots, Mario gains access to his Ground Pound move, which
can be used to crash through weak floor grates. The Super Hammer, on the other
hand, is the perfect tool for cracking massive blocks. Ultra versions of both
the Boots and Hammer can be located still later in the game, providing two
additional skills.
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MARIO'S ABILITIES
=================
"One man's curse is another man's gift." New phrase I'm gonna coin. Makes
perfect sense; black treasure chests scattered around various locales will
"curse" Mario upon being opened, granting him a plethora of new abilities,
ranging from the ability to fold into a paper airplane to flattening yourself
to the point that even Flat Stanley would get jealous.
Paper Airplane: find and stand upon a gray tile with an airplane design
inscribed upon it, then press Y to fold into a plane. From
there, you'll be able to glide onto a platform below. Tilt
the Control Stick forward to dip, or pull it back to pull
up.
Flat Mode: hold the Right Trigger to become flat as paper (although,
since the game is called PAPER Mario, you'd think Mario
would already be as flat as paper). This allows you to slip
through tight spaces, such as fences or really small alleys.
Tube Mode: tug on that Right Trigger and rotate the Control Stick a few
times to curl into a small tube. Great for rolling under
fallen trees, wall spikes, or anything else that needs to be
rolled under. Jump with A.
Paper Boat: similar to the Paper Airplane, as you might deduce from the
related names. Locate a brown boat dock somewhere, then tap
Y to take to the high seas. Beware that you can only
embark/ disembark at marked docks.
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ENEMIES
=======
Unlike most RPGs nowadays, enemies in Paper Mario roam freely about the same
field as you. To enter battle, simply touch the desired foe. However, certain
circumstances can throw the advantage to either side. Smack an enemy with your
hammer or leap onto it prior to the fight and you'll gain an extra chance to
attack, right at the beginning of the battle. But wait! Enemies have the same
opportunity for this first strike as you; should an adversary land the first
blow, they'll get a sneak attack from the get-go. Be careful!
Now then, let's say that neither you nor the enemy was able to mount a sneak
attack. What would happen then? Simple! Mario gets the first chance to
strike, followed by his partner. If the sound of this doesn't quite tickle
your fancy, you can press Y to allow your partner to make the first blow. Note
that this will only work if you haven't already taken your turn. Once that's
over with, the enemies (however many of them there may be) get to raise some
hell. A problem! Not only do you have no idea how to attack, but now you
can't defend yourself either! Well then, I guess that brings us to...
=========
ATTACKING
=========
Okay, so you're in the mood to bash a few skulls. That's quite lovely, but
before you blindly start mashing buttons, there are a few things you may be
interesting in learning. Mario alone has two different forms of attack, and
we'll leave it at that for now (check the characters section a few feet up for
information on everyone else's offensive techniques).
Jump: the quintessential Mario technique. To properly bop a foe on the
head, you'll need to tap the A Button just before making contact
with your enemy. Doing so will activate a second jump, causing
double the damage! The jump attack is effective against most
baddies, although those with spiked heads/backs will actually hurt
Mario should he land on one. Avoid such instances please.
Hammer: quite different from the leap attack detailed above, correctly
smacking a foe with the hammer takes much less timing. Here's the
lowdown: once you've selected the attack, hold the Control Stick
left until the gauge that appears fills all the way, and a star
appears. Release the stick at that very moment to let loose with a
devastating smash. This pounding strike works perfectly on armored
foes who are impervious to jump attacks, but is sadly unable to
target flying baddies.
Keep in mind that with certain badges equipped, Mario will obtain new
variations of each attack. These apply the same tactics to properly execute,
but cause significantly more damage. The downside is that they require FP, or
Flower Points. Monitor this statistic at the top of the screen, where it rubs
elbows with the HP and Star Points totals.
=======
DEFENSE
=======
There are two forms of defense, both of which should be familiar if you've
played pseudo-prequel Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. The first is a simple
guard move, which cuts down on the damage the targeted hero takes. To execute
this, hit A as soon as the enemy's attack makes contact with you. Next, we
have what the game calls a "Superguard", although the term "counterattack" is
much more fitting. Name aside, this move works the same as the normal guard,
except with the B Button. Additionally, to nail a counterattack, you must have
absolutely perfect timing, making it much more difficult than the guard. Pull
it off, however, the enemy will take damage instead of you! Suh-weet!
===============
STATUS AILMENTS
===============
One of those obnoxious things that populate RPGs just to frustrate the player,
status ailments are nasty conditions that change the way you're characters
fight. Check it out:
Dizzy: signified by a swirly blue thing (looks sorta like the Dreamcast
symbol) hanging over your hero's head. Being dizzy prevents your
attacks from hitting their marks. Grr.
Poison: as pointed out by a skull floating over your character. While under
the influence (of venom, that is), every time either Mario takes a
turn he will take damage. No fun.
Sleepy: Zzz. When your characters are counting the sheep, you know they're
asleep. This is arguably the worst status effect, what with a
sleeping hero being utter cannon fodder until they wake.
Fire: kinda like poison, you'll lose some health every few turns. This
ailment appears when hit by a flame attack. (duh)
Luckily, with the use of specific items (which can be purchased in most item
shops), you can reverse the curse in a way and frustrate the heck out of the
enemy!
=============
SPECIAL MOVES
=============
Acquired hand-in-hand with the Crystal Stars, Special Moves can be used to
level the playing field, so to speak. But when I say "level the playing
field", I don't mean that they give each side a chance to win. I mean that
they literally level the enemies; take them out, destroy them, however you care
to say it. There are also a few that restore your team, but those aren't
nearly as fun. Anyhoo, the use of Special Moves sucks up a little statistic
known as Star Power.
Star Power, interesting enough, is supplied by the audience watching the fight.
Once depleted, there are a couple of ways to restore SP. The first is to use
the Appeal skill, which will turn the crowd in your favor. Also, successfully
completing Action Commands (jump and hammer attacks) will please the crowd, and
effectively increase your Star Power. Furthermore, should you press the A
Button before and after an Action Command with good timing, your attack will be
much more stylish and crowd-pleasing.
=======================
MORE ABOUT THE AUDIENCE
=======================
As in real life, there are always bad seeds (sometimes bad isn't even the word
for it, more like terrible seeds) who'll boo and toss stuff at the stage. Not
cool, but it happens. If you see someone in the audience with an item in their
hand, you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll toss it on stage before you
know it. To stop them, press X to enter the crowd and attack that particular
viewer. However! Many times, the crowd members are carrying beneficial items,
such as HP-boosting Mushrooms, so make sure you check twice before attacking a
benevolent buddy.
======
BINGO!
======
Whenever you successfully execute an Action Command, a so-called bingo icon
will appear in the top-right corner of the screen. If you can get two of these
icons to match (the design on the icon is random, so there is no specific way
to do this), a roulette wheel will appear on screen, giving you a chance to
match the third and final icon. If you can match the third icon, you will
receive a BINGO! bonus. Not only will the audience max out, but you'll also
obtain a bonus of some sort, usually in the form of an HP or FP boost. Take
note, though, that if you match three poison mushrooms (nasty green-ish
mushrooms), your stats will be cut rather than boosted. Avoid this at all
costs.
===========
LEVELING UP
===========
Mario can be leveled up by accumulating Star Points, which are acquired
following each and every battle you fight in. Think of them as experience
points. Once you have built up 100 Star Points, Mario will level up, and you
will be able to choose a stat boost: either in terms of HP, FP, or BP (Badge
Points). In order to have a well-balanced yet quite potent fighter, I
recommend boosting each stat every third level up (i.e., first boost HP, then
FP next time, then BP, and then back around to HP). It's a simple concept that
works quite well.
As for Mario's many partners (don't take that the wrong way, please), they can
only be leveled up by a wily wizard named Merlon. He resides in Rogueport, in
the building adjacent to Professor Frankly's house. Buuuuuut... Merlon isn't
gonna level up your friends for free, no siree. He's not that nice of a
fellow. In fact, to rank up your pals, you'll need to collect three Shine
Sprites (which can be found in shiny gold blocks) and fork them over. Merlon
can't function without Shine Sprites, it seems (either that or he just wants
us to suffer), so he'll need three each time you plan to level up a partner.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
c. Story
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Nabbed directly from pages six and seven of the Paper Mario 2 instruction
manual, I now present a halfway lovely prelude to the plotline of this tale
rife with danger, intrepid heroes, and characters made out of paper.
-- A LETTER FROM PEACH --
Hello there, Mario! I am now on holiday, traveling in the Mushroom Kingdom.
In my travels, I came into possession of a mystical map... a treasure map,
actually. It was inside a box I got from an old merchant in a town called
Rogueport. But since it would be too difficult for me to try to go find
treasure all by myself... I though you could help me hunt for it! You will,
of course, won't you? I've included the map with this letter, so please bring
it with you when you come. I'll meet you at Rogueport. (That means you MUST
come!)
- Peach
So Mario headed for Rogueport, where hew knew Peach was waiting... but she was
nowhere to be found. Where had she gone? When Mario started to walk around
town to look for her, he found himself in the middle of a sticky situation. He
ended up helping a sweet Goomba gal who was in trouble. Her name was
Goombella, and she claimed to be in the midst of a treasure hunt...
When Mario told her that he had a treasure map, Goombella took him to see
Professor Frankly, a wizened old archaeology professor who knew much of local
legend. According to the professor, in order to find the legendary treasure,
they would have to first find and collect all seven Crystal Stars. Only then
would they be able to open the Thousand-Year Door, behind which the treasure
lay.
Luckily for them, the map that Peach had sent was the very Magical Map that
showed the locations of the Crystal Stars! By following the map, perhaps they
will also find Peach... A grand adventure awaits Mario and his friends!
=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=
IV ------------------------------------------------------ WALKTHROUGH
=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=+=--=
And now I proudly present the walkthrough. I'll begin with the practical stuff
in just a few, but first allow me to jot down several random notes that very
few will ever lay eyes upon (and that even fewer will pay heed to). So...
here we go!
* Knowing that up, down, left, and right are synonymous with north, south,
east, and west (respectively) would be far from a bad idea. Memorization
is your friend. So is common knowledge.
* At the beginning of each chapter, I've provided a lovely little listing of
three different things: items, enemies, and suggested level. The first
two include each item or foe that can be found in that particular chapter.
The suggested level, on the other hand, is my personal recommendation for
how advanced your Mario should be. Having him at a lower level does not
necessarily mean you're screwed, mind.
* I don't tell you when to save or use a Recovery Block. As common sense
would suggest, its a good idea to save your game whenever possible.
Recovery Blocks are a bit different; I recommend hitting them almost every
time you run across one, though you'll obviously want to refrain from doing
so if your health is high as is.
* For the sake of keeping the walkthrough easy to browse through, I haven't
included the locations of Shine Sprites or Star Pieces. Check out Chapter
VII for that kinda stuff.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
a. A Rogue's Welcome
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Welcome to Rogueport--the city of thieves, pirates, and, this is too
obvious, rogues! Where could Peach be? What's the deal with this map she
sent? And how was I supposed to see that tiny contact lens!?
ITEMS: Black Key, Fire Flower, Mushroom, Power Smash
ENEMIES: Blooper (boss), Goomba, Lord Crump (boss), Paragoomba, Spiky
Goomba, Spinia
SUGGESTED LEVEL: 1
Upon disembarking in Rogueport, Mario is at your command. Take a few seconds
to familiarize yourself with the control (but don't you *dare* try to drown
Mario--it's not half as much fun as it sounds). Move onward when ready. Due
west of the dock is a rainbow-colored block marked with an "S." Such boxes are
known as Save Points, and shall prove invaluable throughout the game. We don't
need to use one quite so early, so walk on past. If you like, chat with the
locals to learn a bit about this dangerous town. As you proceed northward, a
distressed Goomba gal seeks Mario's aid. Be a pal and lend her a hand!
BOSS: Lord Crump 5 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 9 Star Points
First battle can't be too hard right? Right! However, since you've don't
have a single lick of combat experience, it would be wise to stick with your
basic Hammer attack. A successfully executed blow (which can be performed by
holding the Control Stick left, then releasing once the gauge is full and the
star icon appears) will cause two whole points of damage. Nail it three times
and this freak of the week will perish.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afterward, Mario and the Goomba chick escape from the ensuing sticky situation
themselves. From there, head into town via the nearby staircase. Not only
does Goombella choose this time to join your party, but she also has a great
suggestion: meet up with Professor Frankly, a guru when it comes to all things
old. Although our new gal pal doesn't know where he lives, Rogueport is a
relatively small place, so he can't be hidden too well... (hopefully)
== ROGUEPORT ====================================
So let's get started. Ignore the inn and item shop for now, as there's no
need to visit either one at this point. If you have no confidence whatsoever,
picking up a few Mushrooms isn't *completely* out of line, however. Beside
that, you'll find an angry Toad girl on the plaza's northwest side. No matter
what you do, clumsy old Mario will end up squishing her contact lens. As a
result, the chick blocks off the entrance to West Rogueport until we fork over
a replacement lens. No such item is in stock at the adjacent shop, although
they can order one. Guess we'll have to check back later.
Now then, exit the plaza to the east and... some scab races by, taking half of
your coins with him! Totally weak! That dough is absolutely vital to our
survival (well, maybe not, but it's worth getting back), so return to the
plaza. Surely you've noticed the back alley between the shop and inn by now,
so make your way back there. Take a left (once the screen flips around, that
is). Poke inside the door at the end of the alley to locate our thief. The
guy seems pretty spooked, and he returns our stolen cash. Good deal. Back to
the east side.
* Note: In East Rogueport, you'll find a fellow by the name of Gus guarding
an entrance to some gang's territory. The guy's a swindler; he requires
some cold, hard cash to let you through. Don't pay up, but also avoid
fighting with him at this point--he's one tough cookie. As of now, there's
nothing back there anyway. Patience is a virtue, boys and girls.
Anyhoo, the second building here in East Rogueport is none other than Professor
Frankly's humble abode. Step inside to learn one key chunk of information: we
need Crystal Stars. Before searching for these ancient relics, we'll need to
look around for the Thousand-Year Door. Luckily, Frankly can help us get
there. First and foremost, however, the old guy goes off about some Action
Command thingies. Listen to his words of wisdom if you're new to the game,
otherwise proceed through that shiny green pipe.
== THE THOUSAND-YEAR DOOR =======================
Smack the nearby Save Point before anything else. For now, there's nothing
worth seeing to the west, so head right instead. Just ahead, you'll have a run
in with some nasty Goomba gangsters. It seems they wanna throw down. Where as
the Goomba (and his winged brotha, the Paragoomba) can be taken out by means of
your jump attacks, the Spiky Goomba is a bit trickier. Mario's hammer is the
only remedy for the disease that is his armored head... or something.
That taken care of, leap on up the stairs before curving around to ride the
shuttle platform across the chasm. Drop through the pipe on the far side. A
couple Goombas are strollin' and patrollin' the subsequent corridor, but you
know how to deal with them. Continue down the stairs at the end to find a "?"
block. Hammer-thwack it to receive a Mushroom! Yummy! Another block, this
one inclusive of a Fire Flower, lies just past there. Progress to the end of
the hall, where Mario stumbles across a doorway (don't head through--it's
currently useless), as well as a pair of yellow blocks. Smash the blocks, thus
revealing a hidden pipe. Zip!
Hey... what was that mouse-rat-mink-rodent-thing? Don't worry about that; he
won't come into play until later. For the time being, we should focus on
reaching that high ledge to the west. To do that, take a walk in the opposite
direction. You may notice a key sleeping happily on a platform above--that
little beauty will soon find a new bed in Mario's pocket and... err, yeah!
Until then, whack the blue "!" block, thus revealing a hidden staircase. Start
climbin'.
When you reach the top, ram Mario into the topmost wall and walk off the west
ledge. Voila! The Black Key is ours! Return to the top, this time entering
the doorway. Inside lies a mysterious black treasure chest. Well, common
sense tells me that our recently-acquired Black Key will prove the perfect
solution, so snap that bad boy open to find... oh crap. As it turns out, the
chest is actually a terribly terrible thing with the intent to curse us. Our
curse? Parents, cover your children's eyes, this a bit gruesome... your curse
is none other than the ability to become a paper airplane. Oh the horror!
Um, right. Regress to the previous room and move Mario onto the gray panel.
Such panels are referred to as airplane panels/tiles, so get used to the
terminology. Tap Y to assume airplane form, then glide across onto the yellow
block ahead. While in flight, pulling the Control Stick right ever so slightly
should make for smooth sailing. Head through the doorway to find... the
Thousand-Year Door! Looks like we made it! Go stand on the pedestal front and
center to learn the location of the first Crystal Star: Petal Meadows!
== THE ROAD TO PETAL MEADOWS ====================
According to the professor, there's a pipe somewhere below Rogueport leading to
Petal Meadows. Unless you care to swing by the local shop and snag some
supplies (not that there's any need to), drop back into the sewers via the pipe
near Frankly's place. Once knee-deep in icky, sewery fumes, stroll eastward.
Soon you'll stumble across a familiar gray tile. Plane it over the gap, then
step through the door. Hmm... what's the deal with that weird tentacle-like
thing sticking out of the water? Perhaps we should smack it? ... Whoops!
BOSS: Blooper 12 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 20 Star Points
Initially, the Blooper itself is inaccessible (and thus, invulnerable). In
order to target it, first we'll have to defeat its two tentacles, both of
which have 3 HP. Once both tentacles are out of the way, the Blooper will
fall from its lofty perch, leaving it wide open for attack. Use Mario's newly
acquired Power Smash skill to wreak some serious havoc, while Goombella should
pound away with her Headbonk move. Take a bit long and the Blooper will stand
up, which allows it to retaliate, namely with a nasty ink spray move. This
will cause 1 HP worth of damage to each hero--nothing to worry about.
Continue the assault and he'll bite the dust, err... water before you know it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the wake of Blooper's defeat, two stone slabs appear in the water. Hop
across them like stepping stones to reach an isolated pipe. Go through. Cue
Chapter 1 intro.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
b. Castle and Dragon
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
A titanic beast stands guard over the first of seven Crystal Stars. But
he's the least of our troubles! Beware--sprawling castles, curse-happy
treasure chests, and Fire Emblem-loving Toads lurk ahead! Be afraid, be
very afraid...
ITEMS: Attack FX R, Black Key, Castle Key x4, Close Call, Damage Dodge,
Fire Flower x2, Happy Heart, Honey Syrup, HP Plus, Inn Coupon, Last Stand
P, Life Shroom, Mega Rush P, Moon Stone, Multibounce, Mushroom x3, Mystery,
POW Block x2, Power Bounce, Sun Stone
ENEMIES: Bald Cleft, Bristle, Dull Bones, Fuzzy, Gold Fuzzy, Goomba,
Hooktail (boss), Koopa Troopa, Paragoomba, Paratroopa, Red Bones, Spiky
Goomba
SUGGESTED LEVEL: 1-5
As soon as you pop out of the pipe, do what you like with the nearby Save
Block. Also, smack the trees to gather some goodies. Afterward, proceed
forward to witness a horrifying sight. Scary. When it's past, continue along
the path. Make note of the holes in the strange stones here; we can't do
anything with them just yet, but we'll return in due time. As for now, nab the
Mushroom stored within the "?" block and move onward.
Ahead, a feisty Goomba attacks. Following the battle check the close by block
for an awesome new badge (go ahead and equip it now). Go left until you reach
a pipe, which leads to the top of another pipe. Though your mouth is likely
oozing with wet, drippy saliva at the sight of that, well, whatever it is on
the brick, it is sadly out of Mario's reach at this point. Stick it next to
those weird stones from before in your memory banks. Hop down and extract some
coins from the adjacent brick before scurrying off to the subsequent area.
Well, what have we here? A seemingly uncrossable river. What to do? Simple!
Examine the tufts of grass to the north--doing so will uncover a secret pipe.
Slide through and bop the blue "!" switch, thus creating a bridge. Nice. Now
run eastward past the block to gather a shiny Star Piece before heading back to
the foreground. Cross the bridge to find the town of Petalburg dead ahead.
== WELCOME TO PETALBURG! ========================
Check in at the inn (haha) if you're running a bit low on the ol' HP, and hit
up the local shop for some replacement Mushrooms if needed. Otherwise, you
might wanna grab a few POW Blocks, as they might just come in handy later *wink
wink*. That taken care of, visit the blindingly pink house on the east side of
town. Shoot the breeze with Petalburg's mayor to learn that the Crystal Star
we're after is in the possession of Hooktail, that giant flying beast we saw
earlier. Unfortunately, Hookie resides in a remote castle. The only way of
getting there requires someone (i.e. YOU) to retrieve a couple of stone keys
from the nearby Shhwonk Fortress. Let's go!
== GAME SHOWS AND STONE KEYS ====================
The road to Shhwonk Fortress is on Petalburg's far east. Along the path, you
will encounter a "new" baddie known as the Koopa Troopa. Basic Mario stuff.
Land on his head to knock him over, then slap the poor guy silly before he can
get up. Easy-peasy. At the far end of the field, you'll stumble across a box
containing a POW Block. Very cool. With that (and maybe a few others) in tow,
enter the building ahead. The door leading onward is locked, but those stone
statues sure are suspicious... Inspect them a bit more closely--they aren't
statues!
As it turns out, these nasty stone beasties--Bald Clefts--are invulnerable to
any form of attack you have. Uh-oh. So, just how are we supposed smush their
faces into the dirt? Well... Remember that POW Block you stumbled across just
outside? Give that a try--BAM! The Bald Clefts are down for the count! After
the fight, the gate slides open. Head back outside into another meadow rife
with Koopas and Goombas. Check out the grass clumps before crossing the
threshold into the next building, as another POW Block is just begging to be
found.
Inside, you'll run across an all-too familiar situation. Locked door, menacing
statues. Kick off the battle same as last time. This bout, however, pits our
plump plumber against a couple of Bristles. As with the Bald Clefts, damage is
only possible with the aid of a POW Block. Good thing we found one right
outside! Use it to eliminate the threat. On the other side, proceed forward,
snatching the Fire Flower and Inn Coupon as you go. A third building, this one
with a juicy Recovery Block sitting out front, looms ahead.
Walk inside to find a Save Point, which I would suggest you utilize. Following
that, go forth and examine the intimidating Thwomp statue by the back wall. As
opposed to picking a fight as you may expect, the Thwomp turns into none other
than Chuck Woolery. It's quiz time, so pull out your thinking cap. Here you
go, cheaters:
Answer 1: Stone Keys
Answer 2: 16 Coins
Answer 3: Kroop
Answer 4: Hooktail Castle
Answer 5: Go Through a Pipe
Major brain pain, right? I don't believe you, cheaters. Anyhoo, Mr. Thwomp is
nice enough to reveal the entrance to Shhwonk Fortress. Beautiful! Slide down
the pipe and snag the Multibounce badge (good stuff) to the right before moving
into the doorway just past there. Fight your way through a few Fuzzies to
reach the end of the corridor. The Sun Stone is lying in the subsequent
chamber! Cool beans! Grab it, deal with the four Fuzzies that rain down from
above, and return to the pipe room.
This time around, take the opposite doorway, the one on the left. Travel
through a second Fuzzy-filled hallway to find the Sun Stone's compliment, the
Moon Stone! Following a thrilling battle with another quartet of Fuzzies (note
that your brand spankin' new Multibounce move works great), find your way back
to the room with the pipe. There, an ambush of sorts takes place.
In order to prevent this Gold Fuzzy from lunching on your head, wallop him
repeatedly with Mario's Power Smash. Goombella should act as a healer whenever
(if ever) necessary, otherwise her Headbonks work great for racking up some
damage. Even after the Fuzzy Horde appears to party all over your HP totals,
retain focus on the Gold Fuzzy--when he goes down, he takes the whole group
along for the ride.
Afterward, take the pipe back to the surface and return to Petalburg.
== EN ROUTE TO HOOKTAIL'S CASTLE ================
First things first, swing by the mayor's place to show off your fancy-schmancy
stone keys. Apparently, there's some sorta secret pipe leading to Hooktail's
ominous castle... Well, remember that circle of rocks back in west Petal
Meadows? Yeah? No? Either way, there's where we need to be headed, so make
all your preparations (stop at the inn, snag some "just-in-case" Mushrooms,
whatever) and exit Petalburg to the west. Not far outside, a Koopa named Koops
shows up to join the team. Like it or not he's coming with, so you'd better
get used to his non-stop "umms."
Conveniently, Koops came on board in the nick of time; his assistance is
required up ahead. As such, switch him in for Goombella, if just for a few
moments. Before finding the stone circle again, hop into that useless pipe
from earlier. With Koops's shell, we can claim that lovely little item sitting
on the brick, no longer out of reach. Good deal. Persist westward to the
circle of stones.
When you arrive, toss the two stones into their appropriate slots. Doing so
reveals a pair of switches that, according to the runes on the center rock,
must be activated simultaneously. This task is actually much easier than you
may expect, thanks to our new found buddy's skills! Stand in front of the
leftmost switch, but face away from it. Hold down the X Button while moving
Mario in front of the opposite switch. Release the button and pound the switch
at the same time. If executed properly, a pipe leading to Hooktail Castle
appears. Here we go...
== BRAVING HOOKTAIL CASTLE ======================
Cue scary music. Overlook the trampoline pad for the time being and instead
venture through the door near the Save Block. This leads us into a courtyard
that has obviously seen better days. Though the bridge may be broken, if you
fall off the edge you'll land on a small platform in the moat below. Hop east
and a badge should appear in the corner of the screen--tap X to snatch it with
Koops's shell. Nice new badge, the HP Plus! Now, return to the entry room and
bounce on the trampoline to access the upper level. Bop the Recovery Block if
you like, otherwise simply go right onto the balcony. Fold yourself up and
glide across the courtyard. Pop the double doors open... We're in.
The staircase above is only for those who want to escape this place, so ignore
it. Rather, continue past there to discover a few Paratroopas swooping about
near a red block. Crack it to find the Power Bounce, one of the best badges
you'll ever obtain. Equip it *now*. Advance into the next chamber, where
Koops gets a bit sidetracked. When his spiel is over and done with, examine
the pile of bones near the far eastern door. The resultant skeleton mosh pit
provides something of a sticky situation, though nothing you can't hammer your
way through. A nasty red baddie awaits at the front.
This battle proves a bit tricky in that each and every enemy can create
additional foes to further complicate matters. With any luck, you'll have a
POW Block (I *did* mention something about getting one) or Fire Flower taking
up space in your inventory. Unleash either item to instantly eliminate all
four Dull Bones, leaving a singular Red Bones as your opposition. If you don't
have any such item, substitute Koops's Power Shell move. The remaining Red
Bones has a total of 5 HP, but since he can revive his fallen comrades a quick
solution is the only solution. Pound him with Mario's Power Smash and Koops's
shell; he'll die (again) before you know it.
With the threat gone, proceed onward. The next room contains a little of
everything: Dull Bones in the front, a Shine Sprite past there, and a locked
door way in the back. South of said door is a purple switch--hammer it to
unveil a block to the north. Use this box to jump atop the first gray block.
From there, leap across the gap, onto leftmost block. Wallop the yellow box to
destroy it, then hop down. Smack the yellow switch (next to the purple one),
this clearing away the triangle block. Now then, stand where that block was
previously and punch the red "!" switch with Koops's shell.
Doing this flips the staircase around, effectively allowing you to reach the
Castle Key (but not without Koops's help). Hit the red "!" block a second time
to re-flip the stairs to normal, then unlock the eastern door and scamper
through. Inside, enjoy the Save Point before checking out the door on the far
right. Watch out for aggressive Goombas and Bones while you approach the red
"!" block. Hold Koops out to the left while you head for the northeastern
gate. Release him to raise the gate just long enough for you to slip through.
A familiar black chest plagues the otherwise clean aura of the following room.
Against our better judgment, we'll need to search for a key to open this phony
treasure chest. The Black Key is easy enough to locate; snap open the chest
one room over. Of course, as soon as the key finds a way into your pocket
things start to go south. Spikes appear from all sides. Danger! To escape,
wind your way to the east, then race northward before finally pressing back to
the west. Back in safe territory, let the evil chest do his thing. Your new
"curse?" The ability to become paper flat. With such explicit content, how
did this game get rated "E for Everyone?"
Head west one room, applying your new skill to slide through the bars. Be sure
to grab the Attack FX R badge two cells over before returning to the previous
room. In here, you can ride the elevator block up to the top, but there isn't
much up there at this point. Hmm. So, what do we do? Backtrack to the room
where we were mobbed by skeletons. Since you can now fit through the bars (the
second set from the left), slip past to find another Castle Key. Now return to
the elevator room and ride up (you'll need Koops to hit the switch while Mario
sits on the block).
At the top, use your key to unbolt the door. Spank the blue "!" switch dead
ahead to reveal a hidden walkway, allowing you to proceed. The next block must
be hit with Koops's shell. Easy. However, the hole in the path ahead cannot
be mended, so jump through the open window instead. Walk left until you reach
another open window, which you should hop back through. In the following room,
fight your way past the bone creatures, then use Koops's shell hold thing to
hit the switch as you stand on the elevator block.
A pair of doors greet your arrival. Before heading through either one, though,
drop off the ledge to the northwest. You'll land on a semi-hidden platform,
where you can access a Life Shroom by squeezing through the bars. Find your
way back to the top and enter the western door. Once inside, you'll encounter
an, err... "interesting" person. Koops is in love. When she leaves, nab what
she missed: a Shine Sprite, a Mushroom, some Honey Syrup, and a shiny Castle
Key. Just what we needed!
Return to the corridor, then snap the eastern door open with that Castle Key of
yours. At the far end of this chamber, you'll find an elevator block, as well
as the corresponding switch. Slap it with Koops (as usual). Above, you'll
have to navigate a dangerously narrow railing. Slowly and carefully move left
toward the airplane tile. Slip between the bars before folding up, gliding
down to the door below, and passing through.
You will emerge in a stairway. First, head downward to find a yellow switch.
Hit it to lower the elevator block ahead, revealing a key on the opposite side.
Seize it with Koops. Now head all the way to the top, where a locked door (and
a Shine Sprite!) await. Once outside, cross the lengthy bridge leading to the
spiral tower. Ascend to the summit, where you'll find both a Recovery Block
and a save point. Use both, then proceed through the great double doors.
BOSS: Hooktail 20 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 30 Star Points
Before this battle even begins, make sure Mario has the Power Bounce and
Attack FX R badges equipped. The former allows you to cause an upward of 9-10
points of damage per round, while the latter creates a cricket-like sound that
distracts Hooktail, lowering its attack power. At the beginning of the
battle, pound this beast with Power Bounces, as well as either Headbonks
(Goombella) or Shell Tosses (Koops). If you somehow missed the Attack FX R
badge, you may need to use Sweet Treat to restore your health. Don't bother
with Mushrooms unless your SP has run dry.
Once you've depleted Hooktail's 20 HP, she'll begin begging for sweet mercy.
No matter how badly you want those coins, how enticing that badge sounds, or
how absolutely heavenly it would be to take a whiff of those lovely feet,
ignore her pleas! In turn, however, Hooky will gobble up the crowd, regaining
half of her HP. Continue the barrage of Power Bounces (although normal jumps
will due when/if you run out of FP) to finish this behemoth off once and for
all!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With the first of seven Crystal Stars firmly in our pockets, this chapter comes
to an end. What's cool, though, is that with each new Crystal Star acquired,
Mario gains a new special skill! This time it's the Earth Tremor, a
devastating move that damages all foes!
END OF CHAPTER!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Before we get to continue the quest with Mario, the scene switches to Princess
Peach, a captive of some unknown organization. After every chapter, you'll
witness (or in some cases, play) a short scene with Peach. This time, all you
need to do is enter the western room and take a shower (yes she gets naked, no
you don't get to watch, perverts), then proceed east into the wide open door.
Additionally, there is a scene with Bowser, but that is as easy as walking to
the end of the chamber. Simple stuff this first time around.
== BACK TO ROGUEPORT ============================
Once you regain control, use your brand spankin' new paper-thin ability to slip
through the mayor's fence, where a Mega Rush P badge can be located. Yummy!
Now then, you're free to head back to the Rogueport Sewers (remember the pipe
we used to get here in the first place? Waaaay back on the west side of Petal
Meadows? Travel back in that direction). Along the way, you'll receive an
e-mail from Princess Peach. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Back in the sewers, our first order of business is to pay the Thousand-Year
Door a visit. Use the floating slabs to reach a familiar room. Ascend the
first set of stairs--notice that pipe to the north? With our paper-thin skill,
it's possible to slide through there! Go through the pipe to reach an
interesting fortune-teller's shop. Whether or not you spend *coughwastecough*
your coins here is not my decision, however.
Anyhoo, make your way west until you stumble across another fenced-off pipe.
Squeeze through and slide down. Here, drop through the southern fence, landing
yourself directly in front of a pipe. Go on down. In this large, open
chamber, you'll need to ascend the staircase to the east. From the top, paper
airplane yourself westward. Enter the doorway to find the Thousand-Year Door.
Stand on the pedestal before it to learn the location of Crystal Star numero
dos (that's number two).
Following a not-so brief conversation with the Professor, you'll discover our
next destination: Boggly Woods! Before returning to the sewers, take some
time out to hit up the shops (you can now replace that angry chick's contact
lens!), speak to Luigi, and explore different parts of town with your paper-
thin ability. Also, don't forget to drop by the "powerup shop" right next to
the Professor's house. Assuming you've got at least 3 Shine Sprites, you can
upgrade either one of your partners! Cool beans!
When you're properly prepared, revisit the sewers. Make your way back to the
enormous chamber directly before the Thousand-Year Door's room (the place with
the huge staircase and large yellow block). Once there, you'll spot a puny
little creature scuttling through a hole in the wall. Pursue it via the
adjacent fence/doorway combo. Catch up to the thing, Punio the Puni, to learn
that he is a native of Boggly Woods. How convenient.
Speak to Punio a second time to reveal a secret passageway at the top of the
stairs. First, head left to locate the Damage Dodge badge, then go back east.
Dive through the pipe and say "hello!" to Chapter 2!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
c. The Great Boggly Tree
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Boggly Woods... a mystical forest rife with magical creatures, colossal
trees, and large-breasted marshmallows. Crystal Star two, here we come!
ITEMS: Blimp Ticket, Blue Key, Charge, Damage Dodge P, FP Plus, Happy
Heart P, Honey Syrup, Inn Coupon, Mushroom, Necklace, P-Down D-Up P, Power
Punch, Puni Orb, Quake Hammer, Red Key, Shrink Stomp, Sleepy Sheep, Super
Boots, Thunder Rage, Volt Shroom
ENEMIES: Beldam (boss), Cleft, Dark Puff, Magnus (boss), Marilyn (boss),
Mini-Yux, Pale Piranha, Pider, Vivian (boss), X-Naut, Yux
SUGGESTED LEVEL: 5-7
Do your thing with the save point ahead before leaving to the east. A trio of
incredibly evil witches are polluting the air with their incessant ramblings;
ignore them and head on by. Not far ahead, you may encounter a rock-hard foe
known as a Cleft. These guys (who are akin to the Bald Clefts of yore) are
*tough*. Hopefully, you've got some leftover POW Blocks in tow (and if not,
Mario's new Earth Tremor special will do the trick). Don't head onto the next
screen just yet--stick your face into the grass clump to the north. Aha! Some
Honey Syrup is somewhat camouflaged in the brush.
In the next area, the team stumbles across a pipe leading to the Great Tree.
Trail Punio, though you'll soon learn that the entrance has been blocked off,
mysteriously. Of course, there is an alternate entrance, but (obviously)
getting in won't be easy. As such, we'll need to enlist the services of one
Madame Flurrie. Apparently, this Flurrie chick inhabits a place in the eastern
portion of the woods. Make sure you snatch the FP Plus to the far east, and
let's get searchin'!
== THE SECRET ENTRANCE ==========================
Once Flurrie finishes whining about herself, regress through the pipe. Proceed
right, grabbing the shiny Inn Coupon along the way. Run past the pipe ahead,
and instead enter the brambles beyond. Fight your way northward through the
brush until Mario is again visible, at which point you're free to scoot left
across the ledge. If invisible blocks containing way-cool badges (the coveted
P-Down, D-Up P badge in this case) strike your fancy, I'd recommend jumping
continuously as you move. Might just find it. Mash the blue "!" switch at the
end, thus raising a nearby airplane tile.
Now, hop down and shimmy up that pipe we ignored earlier. With the
corresponding plane panel raised, you can glide swiftly and smoothly to the top
of the far brambles. Snag the Quake Hammer inside the red block, then dash
along further into the depths of the forest. Although an utterly *evil* fence
that *obviously* hates us is trying to preclude our path to Flurrie's place,
we'll soon stumble across a chink in the armor, so to speak. Continue moving
east (right) until a break in the fence can be found. Squeeze through in
paper-thin mode (unless you care to use the Recovery Block ahead first). Ha!
We showed that fence a thing or two, eh? Hug the wall and walk right to obtain
an elusive Volt Shroom. Then, run back in the opposite direction--you'll find
a pipe to jump through. Madame Flurrie's house is due east. Get there.
Inside, you'll learn that she's lost none other than... her prized necklace.
Since saving the world apparently takes the backseat to finding necklaces,
we've got little choice but to hunt it down. Luckily, you remember exactly
where it is... don't you? One of the Shadow Sirens had it... right? They
haven't moved an inch since we last encountered the trio of terror, so find
your way back there, pronto! By this time, they've finally got their act
together (somewhat), and are prepared to utterly demolish good ol' Mario.
Uh-oh!
BOSS: Shadow Sirens 10 HP (Vivian), 12 HP (Marilyn), 9 HP (Beldam)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 30 Star Points
The key to winning this battle is to concentrate on defeating one siren at a
time, rather than trying to destroy the entire trio at once. Marilyn is the
most potent of the three sisters, so pretend she's a giant punching bag for a
bit. Combine Mario's Power Bounce with the basic attack of whomever else is
on your team at the moment (preferably Goombella). Assuming you don't suck at
Power Bouncing, downing her should only take a few rounds. This is a good
thing, since leaving her alive any longer provides to opportunity to unleash
a nasty, nasty, nasty lightning attack. Ick!
With fattie (Marilyn) out of the picture, Beldam should become your next
target. Given her low HP (as well as the obnoxious ability to change your
characters into tiny, defenseless losers), she's a stool pigeon. Bop her with
everything you used on Marilyn, using Mario's Sweet Treat when (if) your HP
and FP totals start to run dry. The remaining sister, Vivian, has the
potential to... do absolutely nothing worth worrying about. She sucks,
fortunately. Pound on her a bit and she'll go bye-bye.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right. So the necklace is all ours. Hustle back to Flurrie's place, where
she, overjoyed, will emerge from her room (cover your eyes--it's a scary
sight). With a rather, err, "large" new party member along for the ride, find
your way back to the Great Tree. There, scale the giant root. Flurrie comes
in handy here; start blowing like crazy. Before long, the invisible whatever
will tear off, revealing the secret entrance! And wouldn't ya know it, it
actually is labeled "Secret Entrance!"
In we go.
== INNARDS OF THE BEAST =========================
Within the belly of the beast, a couple of bumbling fools are keen to ruin our
Crystal Star-searching fun. Luckily, each X-Naut sports a measly four HP,
meaning that you should have trounced them before you finish reading this
sentence. Or that they're fairly easy foes. Whichever you prefer. ANYWAY.
Mario is charged with a mission following the X-Nauts' defeat: gain the
respect of the Punies by freeing their imprisoned brothas. It ain't gonna be
easy... but fear not! You've got my masterful advice to help you through.
When you get the chance, take a gander at the far end of the room. Though the
door ahead is locked tight, the adjacent Save Point/Recovery Block are just
begging to be used. Swoop up the nearby pipe afterward. Upstairs, you'll
catch sight of a strange device that... has no use as of now. We'll be back,
however. In the meantime, proceed up the subsequent pipeline. Check out the
southernmost bush to score a Power Punch, then ascend the upward tube on the
other side. One narrow platform later, you'll stumble into yet another pipe.
Go in.
Wave hello to the imprisoned Punies--they're all here! The unfortunate thing
about being imprisoned, though, is that you can't get out without a key.
Hmm... perhaps we should look around for such an item? Head east to meet up
with the enigmatic Ms. Mowz again. When she's gone, you're left free to grab
everything she didn't (but no before dealing with a lone, helpless X-Naut).
By the time you leave this chamber, make sure you've added a Red Key and an
Ultra Shroom to your inventory.
Back in the prison room, we can free the sunshine-y Puni elder with the aid of
our lovely little Red Key. The others are not so lucky. We'll have to return
a bit later. For now, regress aaaaaall the way back to the entry room. To
brave the trials ahead, the elder sends 10 Punies to give us a hand... err,
antenna. She also forks over a nifty item called the Puni Orb. We'll witness
its (totally awesome) function in just a few, so hang tight till then. And
lastly: should a Puni (or two, or three, or...) go missing, you can return to
the elder to summon the stray Puni(es).
So let's get crackin', shall we? Climb back up that pipe to the east. See
that strange-looking doohickey front and center? Stick the Puni Orb into it
and watch as the Punies gather on the pad before it. Voila! A new pipe
appears! Remove the orb before jumping it, otherwise IT WILL BE LOST FOREVER
(actually it won't, but taking it now will save a minor inconvenience).
Anyhoo. At the bottom, slap the X-Naut before unlocking the door via the
control panel. Now we can travel between here and the entry room with ease!
Good deal, good deal.
But don't go through there. Instead, toss the Puni Orb into the pedestal (a
carbon copy of the one we saw before). While Mario has no trouble leaping from
ledge to ledge with the greatest of ease, his puny pals do. So, how are we
supposed to get them across? Blow them. If you laughed at that, please
remove your mind from the gutter. Thanks. With Flurrie, you can whisk the
Punies off the ledge (and into the water below). Moments later, they'll float
upward in bubbles. Give those a few puffs and the Punies will reach the
opposite ledge safe and sound. Yay. Two things before leaping over there
yourself: 1) grab the Puni Orb and 2) drop into the area below. A Thunder
Rage is hiding in the bushes. Snag the Shine Sprite, as well. That done,
reunite with the Punies and travel through the pipe.
Proceed west along the edge. A Pider blocks the way onward, so bonk it with
some well-timed jumping action before moving on. Next, scoot on down the pipe
ahead. Nothing down here (nothing that you can get, that is) other than a few
evil Piranha Plants guarding a pipe. Race past or beat them down--your choice.
Either way, head down still another pipe. Hey, what was that thing? Pursue
it into the eastern chamber... Big uh-oh! A Jabbi army! What to do? If you
just stand around and let the Punies do their thing, you'll come out on top no
problem. However, a significantly larger amount of enjoyment can be extracted
by blowing the Jabbies all around with Flurrie's breath. At the battle's
conclusion, Mario's puny pals destroy the Jabbi hive, exposing a super secret
doorway. Step inside.
Aha! A treasure chest! Pop it open to find... *drum roll*... the Blue Key!
Backtrack to the prison cells, where you can now release an additional 90
Punies. These guys have absolutely no qualms about pretending they are your
shadow, so retrace your steps a bit. Return to the chamber just before the
Jabbi hive. Instead of going east like last time, however, we'll take the
western route. The Punies are afraid of the Piders you'll encounter along the
way, so be sure to defeat them lickety-split. Along the way you'll likely spot
a red block. To snag it, shoot Koops's shell across the chasm to reveal a
hidden block below. Bam--the Damage Dodge P badge is all yours!
* Note: In the above room (the one with the narrow ledges and the Piders and
whatnot), drop off the ledge and you'll land in an open area filled with
bushes and a save point. To the left of the save point is a funny-looking
wall; use Flurrie's breath to blow it away, revealing Pungent's shop! Feel
free to stock up on anything and everything available!
The subsequent part of the tree contains a second army of Jabbies, albeit a
much, much larger one. As your 101 Punies face off against the 101 Jabbies,
blow the baddies around with Flurrie until the "war" comes to an end. As with
last time, the Punies will destroy the Jabbie hive, divulging a secret passage.
A Puni Orb-holder can be located inside, but we can't do a thing with it at
this point. So, take the pipe downward as an alternative. Bypass this room in
its entirety--just run eastward into the next area.
Stick the Puni Orb into the device... hey, what's going on!? Looks like we got
screwed! Though Mario can squeeze out of the cell, the Punies are stuck for a
while. We'll need to search for a way to free them. Go down the pipe just
outside the cell to find four pillars that should look familiar. Hit the black
"!" switch to do... something. Before ascending through the pipe again, take
some time to memorize the order of the columns: sun, moon, Puni, star. Got
that? Good. Return to the room where you found the matching pillars (in case
you forget, it's on the other side of the first Jabbi hive).
Mashing the black button has created four white switches in this room, as it
turns out. Whack them until proper order is displayed on the columns ahead.
What is the proper order, you ask? Pinhead readers, always forgetting things
(not *YOU*, I'm talking about other readers, obviously). Sun, moon, Puni,
star. Simple concept. Once you've done this, the pillars will disappear,
making manifest a secret doorway. Head inside to locate... the Super Boots!
These bad boys allow Mario to execute a devastating new move inside of battle
and out: the spin jump! With this, you can crash through rickety wooden
floors, such as the one in the previous room.
Spin jump through the floor in the preceding chamber. You'll crash land into
uncharted territory. Use Koops to snatch the Charge badge to the left, then
hop down and scramble up the pipe. From here, trek back to where the Punies
are being held captive. Upon arrival, move into the cell and smash the floor
with your new jump. In a rather obnoxious turn of events, the Punies are
unable to drop through this hole themselves. As such, Flurrie will need to
apply some heavy blowing action.
With all 101 Punies out of the cell, follow them through the hole. Now that
you've regrouped, regress a few rooms back. In the closest room with a Puni
Orb-holder (that, of course, isn't the one in the cell), break through the
floor and have the Punies follow you down (more blowing!). That done, head
down the pipe and continue ahead. Persist along this (rather linear) path,
sliding down pipes as necessary, until you reach a watery locale. Don't worry,
it isn't far.
Alrighty then. Since this lake precludes the path ahead, we don't have much
choice but to take the adjacent pipe. There isn't anything worth checking out
in the sunken area below, so use the stepping stones to reach the far ledge.
The Punies will be unable to follow, but don't worry, we'll reunite soon
enough. Take the bottom pipe, which leads upward into the previous room. You
may notice a blue "!" block floating in the water--that is our goal at this
point in time. In order to hit it, you'll need to stomp on the nearby blue
switch. Once you've done this, shoot and hold Koops out to the left, so that
he is hovering over the water. Now step off the switch, revealing the "!"
block again. Release Koops to activate the switch and drain this pool.
A Shrink Stomp badge can be located in the now dried up pool. After grabbing
it, return to area below to rejoin the Punies. Thanks to a series of floating
lily pads, crossing the lake with our puny pals is no problem! Head down
using the other pipe this time. All that can be found in the following chamber
is a Puni Orb-holder, so slap that baby in and ride the secret elevator on
down. If you're interested, a Save Point (as well as a Recovery Block) are off
to the left. I suggest using them before proceeding into the eastern room. In
here, stick the Puni Orb into yet another holding, thus revealing... the second
Crystal Star!
Unfortunately, Lord Crump crashes the party, leaving us with a mere three
hundred seconds to escape from the Boggly Tree. Uh-oh! Time to blow this
popsicle stand. Grab the Puni Orb and follow Lord Crump through the pipe.
From here, defeat the two X-Nauts to the left. Once they're out of the
picture, inspect the adjacent console to unlock the door, then head through.
Head up through the next four pipes and you'll arrive at the area where you
must blow each Puni across the chasm. Do things exactly as you did last time
around. No sweat. Enter the door on the far side of the chasm. You'll have
one last chance to save and recover before...
BOSS: Magnus 30 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 30 Star Points
From the get-go, your best bet is to continually whack Magnus with Mario's
Power Bounce. A few rounds of this alone is likely to end the battle, so
don't let up! Also, if you happen to have a rank 2 Goombella in tow, her
Multibounce skill works exactly the same. Great for doling out massive damage
before Magnus has a chance to do anything. Once you cause enough damage
(15 or so HP worth seems about right), Magnus will fire his fists at you,
creating an additional two foes. If you leave these things in the fight, they
will flat-out murder you. MURDER YOU. Evil. So eliminate them right away;
the X-Fists only have 2 HP a pop. Do things properly and they won't even have
the opportunity to attack.
Magnus's other attacks are laughably laughable. He can stomp (which is
actually somewhat difficult to guard against), but it causes minimal damage;
no more than 2 HP. Also, he enjoys raining water from above. While this
targets both characters, it, again, causes negligible damage. Simply don't
break your formula of Power Bounces/Multibounces/Whatever Koops has (and blast
this mechanical menace with Earth Tremor if your FP runs dry); Magnus von
Grapple will become Magnus von Dead in no time (that was terrible, I know).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And with that, the second Crystal Star finds a happy little home in... our
pockets. Rejoice! Mario's new ability? A cute little "freeze the foes" type
move by the name of Clock Out.
END OF CHAPTER!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Back in who-knows-where, wander around a bit as Princess Peach. The eastern
door will soon slide open; head through. TEC wants to dance, so humor him.
Simply tap whatever buttons appear on-screen to dance like a maniac. Sequence
over. In Bowser's sequence, you'll get to play through a (painfully short)
Super Mario World-esque level. Spray flames with B, jump with A, eat chunks
of meat to grow larger--basic, basic, basic. Have fun!
== WHERE TO? ====================================
Mario and crew are done with the Boggly Woods now and forever, so travel
several screens westward to the Rogueport Sewers pipe. Here, you'll want to
head west through the wall tunnel before exiting to the south. Since our first
order of business is, of course, to visit the Thousand-Year Door, we've been
dropped off in exactly the right place. As you head for the stairs to the
east, you may notice that the wall is peeling off. Blow it away with Flurrie
to reveal a treasure chest containing... the Happy Heart P badge! Very nice!
Continue upstairs, paper airplane yourself onto the big yellow block, and visit
the good ol' Thousand-Year Door. With the aid of Professor Frankly, we'll
determine our new itinerary: Glitzville.
However. Seems like there's always some sort of problem, right? Glitzville,
as it happens, is a floating city. To get there, we must take a blimp
(accessible from northwest Rogueport). Sadly, blimp tickets don't grow on
trees, leaving us with a single way to score one: through the shady Pianta
syndicate. Word on the street is that the Piantas run the west side of town,
but how are we supposed to get a meeting with their leader, Don Pianta?
Simple--head to east Rogueport. Go past the Prof's place (you'll need to
defeat Gus if you have not done so yet--don't worry, he's a pushover at this
point). Notice that crack between the two buildings? Slip through.
A single doorway is accessible from this back alley. Step inside to encounter
the leader of the infamous Robbos. Sweet talk the guy and he'll eventually
agree to tell you where to find Don Pianta, but for a price! Cough over the
prerequisite 64 coins if you like, but keep in mind that I'm about to tell you
*exactly* what he says, so I wouldn't waste the coinage. Either way, he'll
provide the following direction:
- Go to West Rogueport and look for the shop nearby the parlor. Its the
building furthest to the left.
- Purchase a Dried Shroom and a Dizzy Dial, in that order. The two items
cost a combined 14 coins, so come prepared.
- The result is that the shopkeeper will ask what your favorite color is.
Reply "yellow." Not green, not blue, not burnt neon fuchsia magenta,
yellow. Simple concept.
- You're in!
Follow the steps *exactly* as listed and you'll be fine. A note: after buying
the required items, the shopkeeper will ask what color Mario's mustache is.
Not the same question as "what is your favorite color", so tell her whatever
you want. The follow up question is what you want.
* Note: If you've yet to replace Zess T.'s contact (that angry Toad chick
who's contact you stomped earlier on), you'll need to take care of that
before progressing. Check out the item shop--they've got the contact in
stock.
Proceed into Don Pianta's lovely office. Here's the deal: Don Pianta is no
philanthropist, so we'll have to scratch his back and we want him to scratch
ours... or something. It seems the Don's daughter has run off with one of his
associates. Our job? To find them and persuade them to return to the Don.
As soon as you get the chance, head down to the dock, where you'll find the two
lovebirds. They're reluctant to return home, and nothing you say can change
that. Back to the Don's place with you (no you don't have to buy the items
again). The game turns into a soap opera, but nevertheless a shiny Blimp
Ticket manages to find its way into your pocket!
Back outside, head through the northern alley and take a right. Flash that way
cool Blimp Ticket of yours to get past security, then board the blimp. Chapter
3: upcoming.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
d. Of Glitz and Glory
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
A floating city, a dangerous yet thrilling battle coliseum, and the third
Crystal Star... Mario's greatest problem: scrambled eggs or hot dogs?
ITEMS: Charge P, Dubious Paper, Gradual Syrup, HP Plus P, Inn Coupon, Power
Plus P, Slow Shroom, Soft Stomp, Storage Key x2, Super Hammer
ENEMIES: Bandit, Big Bandit, Bob-omb, Boomerang Bro, Bowser (boss),
Bristle, Dark Craw, Dark Puff, Dull Bones, D. Koopatrol, Fire Bro, Flower
Fuzzy, Fuzzy, Goomba, Green Fuzzy, Hammer Bro, H. Bald Cleft, Iron Cleft,
KP Koopa, KP Paratroopa, Lakitu, Macho Grubba (boss), Pale Piranha, Pider,
Pokey, Rawk Hawk (boss), R.S. Buzzy, Shady Koopa, S. Paratroopa, Spiny
SUGGESTED LEVEL: 7-10
As exciting as the giant glass building ahead may appear, staying outside for a
few shall yield some nifty items. For instance, there's an Inn Coupon hiding
behind the red-orange banner in front of the juice bar (east). Additionally,
should you slam the blue "!" block to the south with Mario's blubber, a
staircase will become visible. Climb to the top to find a Power Plus P badge
sleeping in a chest, as well as a currently-useless plane tile.
That's all there is for now, so let's mosey on over to that glass building.
Inside, step through the double doors ahead to witness a grade-A butt-whuppin'.
Crystal Star 3: located! Sadly, since the star is welded to the belt of a
fighting champion, we've got no choice but to fight our way to the top.
Because simply stealing it while he's asleep would apparently require too much
effort and would be quite dangerous. Anyway... to become an "official
fighter", you'll need to speak with one of the security guards located on
either side of the lobby.
In the back, we need to find Grubba's room, which is the only room we can get
into at this point. Following a tour of the stadium, an ever-so slight change
to Mario's name (say hello to "The Great Gonzales"), and some basic battle
information as explained by Jolene, the stadium's manager, it's time to get
rockin'! There are two leagues in the Glitz Pit: minor and major. As an
up-and-comer, you'll obviously be starting in the minor league. To reach the
majors, you'll need to defeat every opponent in the minor league, as well as
the lowest-ranking major leaguer. Good luck (not that you'll need it with my
masterful advice)!
There is one basic difference between battles in the Glitz Pit and battles in
the outside world. For every match, there is a random condition, ranging from
easily surmounted things such as appealing once during the course of the battle
or using at least one Special move. Of course, more challenging conditions
exist, but don't be too worried--they are rarely difficult enough to turn a
easy battle into a tough one. Either way, inspect the terminal as instructed
to reserve your very first match.
-- RANK 19: The Goomba Bros. --
Despite the foul play by your adversaries, this first battle is painfully
easy. Five Goombas serve as the enemy: a single well-executed Multibounce
can end the battle in one round (just don't forget to fulfill Grubba's
condition, otherwise you'll have to redo the match).
After the battle, you'll return to the... well, utterly disgusting minor league
locker room. A bit of motivation to make it to the major league in a hurry,
no? Once you've met the gang, you'll be turned loose. Note that the bed in
the corner can be used to recover HP and FP (but not SP). For now, there isn't
much to do elsewhere, so check out the terminal to commence the next match.
== MOVIN' ON UP =================================
Let's rock.
-- RANK 18: The KP Koopas --
This fight may pit you against your boy King K., but that's no excuse to show
any remorse. KP Koopas have the exact same stats are normal Koopas, so
there's nothing new here. Take down the Paratroopa first, then knock the
trio onto their backs; they won't have a chance.
Back in the locker room, you may notice that Bandy Andy (the Shy Guy) has
disappeared. Check the hall outside to find him. Speak with him to learn
some interesting rumors about the Glitz Pit. Move onto the next match when
you're ready.
-- RANK 17: The Pokey Triplets --
Your foes are dangerous to the touch, so leave Goombella and Flurrie on the
sideline. Hit the Pokey Triplets hard with Mario's hammer and Koops's shell
(a properly-executed Power Smash can eliminate a Pokey in a one go). The
Earth Tremor skill also works wonders, so bust that out if necessary.
Next!
-- RANK 16: The Dead Bones --
A trio of Dull Bones provide the challenge in this match. Each baddie has a
measly 1 HP each, meaning you should end this battle quick. A couple hammer
blows will do the trick. If that isn't an option, Koops's Power Shell can
defeat all three at once. Jumping is another feasible possibility.
Next!
-- RANK 15: Spike Storm --
First order of business: defeat that pesky Lakitu! Leave him around too
long and he'll populate the stage with Spinies galore. Once he's out of the
way, you're free to go all-out on the Spinies. Be sure not to attack while
they're curled up, however, as doing so will have absolutely no effect. When
they revert to normal form, assault the Spinies with Power Smashes and the
like.
Following the battle, King K. suggests checking out the local Hot Dog stand.
If that strikes your fancy, head outside and visit the stall to the left. As
it turns out, the vendor is having a spot of trouble with his rare egg. Chase
after the bouncy thing for a bit--it'll soon find a safe spot atop the vendor's
cart. How are we gonna get up there? Remember that plane tile atop the juice
bar? Get there (and smack the blue "!" block to the south if you haven't
already). Glide to the top of the stand, where you'll snatch the egg. As
appetizing as egg-flavored Hot Dogs may sound, its important that you keep this
egg safe, as you'll soon see. Back to the stadium. Next battle.
-- RANK 14: The Hand-it-Overs --
These thieves seem to get a lot of enjoyment out of lifting your prized
items, so be sure to quickly defeat anyone who steals something. The Big
Bandits sport 8 HP, so target them first. Power Bounces, Power Smashes,
Earth Tremor--use whatever it takes!
King Kizzle mentions something about a hot babe chilling at the juice bar. You
can go ogle her if you like, though there's nothing to be gained from it.
Next!
-- RANK 13: The Mind-Bogglers --
Target the Dark Puff first, otherwise he'll electrify himself and become
temporarily invulnerable. After that, smack the Pale Piranha with Mario's
hammer while Goombella bonks the Pider. Easy easy.
Next!
-- RANK 12: The Punk Rocks --
Jumping is ineffective against these rockers, so you'll need to rely on
Mario's hammer and Koops's shell. Beware that each H. Bald Cleft can
drastically increase their attacking power. If they do this, eliminate that
Cleft as soon as possible. Earth Tremor is a beaut in this battle.
Next!
-- RANK 11: The Bob-omb Squad --
A single jump attack causes a Bob-omb to light its fuse and self-destruct on
its next turn. May sound cool, but the resultant explosion causes a whopping
5 points of damage. A simple technique: Multibounce the foes, then follow
up with Koops's Power Shell. Works like a charm. If FP is banned for the
battle, use Earth Tremor.
Next!
-- RANK 10: The Armored Harriers --
So here we are: win this battle and you make it to the major league! Don't
get scared now. Unfortunately, as of now, this battle is impossible to win.
The harriers are tough. So tough, in fact, that there is absolutely no way
to damage them... yet. Run away.
Well hey, our little egg pal hatched! Into a Yoshi! Good deal. As far as I
know, he has no "official" name, so go ahead and name him something explicit if
you like (I *know* you've got something dirty in mind). For simplicity's sake,
I'll refer to him as "Yoshi." Anyhoo, small stature aside, Yoshi can kick some
serious tail. Slap him into your team and reserve another match with the
dreaded Armored Harriers.
-- RANK 10: The Armored Harries --
Step one: swap in Yoshi. Step two: Gulp. Step three: Laugh. Rinse and
repeat.
== WELCOME TO THE MAJORS ========================
Goodbye dingy, nasty, smell, grungy, damp, dank minor league locker room, hello
pretty major league locker room! Although you'll receive a mysterious e-mail
from someone named "X", there's nothing you can do about it just yet. Next
battle!
-- RANK 9: The Tiny Spinies --
Yoshi's Gulp ability works perfectly against these foes, as does Mario's
Earth Tremor. Whichever you prefer.
Next!
-- RANK 8: The Poker Faces --
Going anywhere near these spiky foes results in pain, so that rules out most
of your attacks. You'll have to rely on the Earth Tremor or some well-timed
counterattacks.
Hmm... another message from Deepthroat, err, "X" pops up. The watering hole
s/he mentions refers, of course, to the juice bar. Head there to find that X
is... long gone. However, speak with the bartender to receive an awesome new
weapon, the Super Hammer! Nice! With this in tow, a powerful new technique is
available. Another sudden e-mail, another new itinerary. Head to the minor
league locker room (speak to the security guard; he'll let you in).
Now to apply this brand new technique of ours. See that giant yellow block to
the left? Bash it up with your Super Hammer. In the back room, use the desk
to climb atop the shelf to the north. From there, ride Yoshi across the gap to
access the Dubious Paper. Before long, Jolene shows up to confiscate said
paper. Something stinks... but it's probably just this dingy old locker room.
Next!
-- RANK 7: The Shellshockers --
As per usual, Earth Tremor works amazingly well in this bout. If using it is
against the rules, have Mario and Goombella dole out a double beating with
their Power Bounce/Multibonk skills.
An interesting change takes place after this bout: the Armored Harriers return
with a vengeance. Defeat them exactly as you did last time; swap in Yoshi and
start gulpin'! Now that you're done with them once and for all, you'll return
to the locker room, where a threatening e-mail from an anonymous person pops
up. Our only clue: the guy knows how to spell, and he's making it obvious
that we know. Next!
-- RANK 6: The Fuzz --
Alrighty, you've got three types of Fuzzies here: normal, green, and flower.
The Green Fuzzy can multiply without the aid of a female, so take him down
first and foremost. After that, the Flower Fuzzy is an utter pain, since it
absorbs your FP to cast nasty magic. Earth Tremor and Gulp work wonders, as
you may guess. The normal Fuzzy is the least of your worries, so save him
for last.
Afterward, you'll find a succulent chunk of cake lying in wait for you. A gift
from a fan, it seems. Go ahead and munch on it, thus restoring all of your
stats. Yum! Next battle (you may want to save before this one, just in case).
-- RANK 5: Craw-Daddy --
If you remember the battle with Gus in Rogueport, this battle will seem a bit
familiar. Jumping attacks are still useless, so hammer, hammer, hammer away!
Koops (Power Shell) and Yoshi (Gulp) are the optimum partners.
When the battle ends, an all-too familiar foe rushes the stage: Bowser! He
doesn't look too happy...
BOSS: Bowser 30 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 15 Star Points
Start kicking Bowser's butt immediately--if you're good at Power Bouncing, use
that. Otherwise, the Power Smash is your best bet. Yoshi and Goombella are
the two most effective partners (use Gulp and Multibonk, respectively), so
pick either one and go to town on the Koopa King. He's got some nasty attacks
(spitting fire your way, chomping on your head [poison!]), but only one attack
that is really worth fretting over. If Bowser sits on you, you'll lose an
important ability, such as being able to jump. Watch out for that. If Yoshi
is your partner, keep a close eye on his HP, since his max at this point is a
mere 10. Use Sweet Treat or items to keep your FP up, and continue blasting
Bowser with everything you've got to "murdalize" him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back in the locker room, there is... not anything new to do. Next!
-- RANK 4: The Magikoopa Masters --
Yoshi's Gulp ability is huge in this battle, so be sure to bring him along.
Your enemy consists of three Magikoopas; the red dude casts Attack and
Defense-boosting spells like crazy, the white feller likes to heal his
buddies, and the green guy can electrify himself (or his allies), as well as
clone himself. First things first: we need to eradicate the green guy. If
you're good, one Power Bounce can do the trick, otherwise you'll have to
follow up with Yoshi's Gulp. With the major threat out of the picture, the
two remaining baddies are a piece of cake.
X is up to something. S/he wants you to go visit the telephone booth located
in the southwest corner of the pavilion--get there. As usual, X is long gone,
but s/he left a Storage Key behind. The resultant e-mail says to visit the
storage room near Grubba's office. Its the room with the huge padlock on the
front. Pop that baby open and head inside. According to X, we need to find
the attic. Command Flurrie to blow the boxes away, thus revealing yellow
blocks that are just screaming: "Smash me with your hammer, please!" Grant
their command to locate a Charge P to the east, as well as a switch to the
west. Smack it--bam! There's your staircase.
Upstairs, you'll find another locked door, as well as a series of boxes
blocking the western path. Climb atop the nearby boxes and float across the
gap on Yoshi. Smash open the huge block, use Yoshi to nab the HP Plus P badge,
then drop through the grate. Move to the far right, where faint voices can be
heard. When the conversation comes to an end, slip through the vent toward the
left in paper-thin mode. There's nothing else to do at this point.
Next!
-- RANK 3: Hamma, Bamma, and Flare --
Each foe has 7 HP. My advice: have Mario pound one foe with Power Bounce
while Yoshi Gulps the other two. Next round, a single Multibounce may just
finish the battle. Just watch out for the Fire Bro's flame pellets; if they
connect, your character will catch fire and gradually lose HP.
Another threatening e-mail... what's with all the hate? Sign up for the next
match prompts Jolene to enter with another slice o' delicious cake. However!
Do not even think about munching on it! Doing so will cripple your partner,
forcing you to enter the next match alone.
-- RANK 2: Chomp Country --
Blast them with Earth Tremor, maul them with Power Smash, bust them up with
Power Shell, or gulp them down with Gulp. Simple solutions.
As it turns out, that piece of cake was poison. Good thing you listened to me
and didn't gobble it down... right!? Either way, proceed to the next battle.
-- RANK 1: The Koopinator --
As with every other spiked foe you've ever encountered, jump attacks are
worthless against the might Koopinator. As a result, you'll need to rely on
Earth Tremor and Power Smashes to carry you through. Yoshi's Gulp also works
great, as I'm sure you've come to expect. Just be sure to eliminate him
before he boosts his power in preparation for a devastating attack.
Afterwards, yet another message from X appears. Following his/her directions,
head to the lobby and have Flurrie blow off all the posters (including the two
upstairs). When the last poster peels off, a Storage Key will pop out.
Beautiful! Like X's next mail says, you should go to the second floor of the
storage room. There, use your key to unlock the door. Ride Yoshi to the far
side of the boxes, then smash the giant block to find... King K. and Bandy
Andy! Nothing you can do to help the pair, so return to the locker room.
Reserve a match and wait for the security as per usual. However, the bum leads
you to a nasty old locker room and locks you in! What's the deal!? Whatever's
going on here, we gotta bust out. Blow off the poster in the bottom-right
corner to divulge a secret hallway. Continue east through the major league
locker room and into the bathroom. Flush yourself down the toilet (gross but
necessary) to wash up in a familiar locale. Head for the arena.
BOSS: Rawk Hawk 40 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 12 Star Points
Time to rawk! Given Rawk Hawk's high attack power and Yoshi's low HP total,
I'd suggest leaving the little guy on the sidelines. My preferred character
is Goombella--combine her Multibonk with Mario's Power Bounce and this battle
can be over in a few rounds. However, you definitely want to be careful when
on the defensive, as Rawk Hawk can raise some serious havoc. His basic jump
attack deals out 4 HP damage to each character, and he sports a crazy torpedo-
like move that causes even more. Make sure you come equipped with a few Super
Shrooms.
Once you've caused enough damage, Rawk Hawk will hang from the girder above.
While in this state, normal jump attacks do not work at all. The solution?
Flurrie. Her body slam may not be particularly powerful (especially if you're
like me and don't power her up between chapters), but it works nevertheless.
Rawk Hawk's attack capabilities are limited, thankfully, when he's hanging
from above. Of course, he's still a threat; the best way to minimize damage
from his "anvil rain" move is to continuously mash A. During this time, use
Mario's Clock Out special to completely freeze the Hawk for a few turns,
giving you plenty of free hits. How's that for the rawk!?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mario may be champion of the Glitz Pit, but all is not well in Glitzville.
According to X, there's a ghost somewhere in the champ's room--let's find it!
Climb atop the stacked boxes to the left, then move to the top of the door and
finally to the shelf (with Yoshi's aid, of course). Super Hammer your way
through the vent. At the end of the air duct, you'll spot Grubba making evilly
evil plans. Not cool.
When Grubba's done talking to himself, Super Hammer through the vent ahead to
wind up in his office. Check the desk drawer to find an... interesting paper.
Pursue Grubba into the Glitz Pit, where...
BOSS: Macho Grubba 60 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 31 Star Points
That HP total is scary. Grubba, as a whole, might actually be the toughest
opponent you've encountered so far. Don't worry, though--he can be easily
surmounted. One thing: having Yoshi on your team won't work. The poor li'l
dude has next to no HP; he'll be dead before you can blink. Use Goombella
instead, as her Multibonk is invaluable. Begin the battle by going crazy with
Power Bounce and Multibonk. Grubba will soon give himself the capability to
attack twice in one round, which can be a royal pain in the butt. Hope you
brought along some good healing items.
When he boosts his defense, your best bet is to smack him with Power Smashes
and the like. Luckily, Grubba seems afraid to attack unless he's way powered
up, so that buys you an extra round to accumulate damage. Reduce Macho Grubba
to about half HP and he'll grow even larger, thus becoming even more potent.
He also has the tendency to make himself significantly more difficult to hit.
At this point, a solid blast of Earth Tremor will prove just what you need.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And with that, yet another happy ending wraps up this chapter. X reveals
herself and Mario gains a sweet new special move (known as the Power Lift) from
the Gold Crystal Star. Cue lame Princess Peach scene.
END OF CHAPTER!
-----------------------------------------------------------
This time around, Princess Peach gets a chance to play Solid Snake. Following
TEC's directions, take the elevator in the previous hallway. When the patrol
passes by, head to the right, entering the first door you come across (it has
a green lamp). There's an X-Naut uniform in one of the lockers--snatch it and
change behind the curtain (no, perverts, you don't get to watch). Back in the
hallway, head east through the door. You'll emerge in Grodus's room. Talk to
the dude for a bit before changing again in the dressing room. Mission
accomplished.
As Bowser, all you get to do is inspect a few clumps of grass in the Great
Boggly Tree. Not much fun. Where's all the destruction!?
== THE FOURTH CRYSTAL STAR? =====================
First things first, ride the blimp back to Rogueport. As usual, we'll need to
hit up the Thousand-Year Door to learn about the next Crystal Star. Head there
as you would normally. In the room directly before the door's chamber, Super
Hammer the massive yellow block to reveal a trampoline. Cool! No more paper
airplane antics! After visiting the door, you'll return to the Prof's place as
always. He'll drop the lowdown on your next location, a place called Twilight
Town. We can get there via a pipe in the sewers. Let's go!
Go to West Rogueport. In the center of the area, you'll notice a grate. Bust
out flat-mode to slip through the cracks. Ride Yoshi across the chasm on the
left and enter the door ahead. There's the pipe to Twilight Town! Slide
through and... hey, what's the deal? It spit us out! Hmm... let's head back
to Frankly's to see what's up. Apparently, there's a resident of Twilight Town
here in Rogueport. He might know what's going on.
Just west of Frankly's place and the powerup shop is a secret back alley--try
to walk through the brick wall to locate it. The dark looking fellow in the
back, Darkly, hails from Twilight Town. He spills the beans about the pipe,
allowing us to go through. Get back there and slide through.
== RANDOM STUFF (optional) ======================
With Mario's new abilities, you can now explore Rogueport (and the sewers) more
fully. There's some cool stuff to be found!
- Slip through the grate in West Rogueport. Leap eastward across the
platforms and enter the doorway. There's a *nice* item shop down here
where you can pick up some rarities. Also, raid the treasure chest to the
south for a Soft Stomp badge.
- Again, fall through the grate in western Rogueport. This time, ride
Yoshi across the gap to the west. Snatch the Shine Sprite, then head
through the nearby pipe to attain a Star Piece.
- Fall through the grate one last time. Now, drop onto the floor below and
dive into the pipe (the one that doesn't lead upward). A couple of boxes
in the lower area contain a Slow Shroom and a Gradual Syrup, respectively.
Also, use Flurrie to blow off the peeling portion of the wall. Doing so
reveals two things: (1) a pipe and (2) a secret passageway leading to a
currently-useless boat dock. The pipe leads to the Pit of 100 Trials,
which you probably don't wanna bother with just yet.
- Enter the sewers via the pipe in front of Professor Frankly's place.
Proceed toward the Thousand-Year Door as usual, but head left through a
doorway instead of down a pipe when you get the chance. Use the Super
Hammer to smash a huge yellow block, revealing an elevator. Smack the two
"!" blocks in this chamber to create shortcuts to Petal Meadows and the
Boggly Woods. There's also a Shine Sprite to nab.
- Go to East Rogueport. Past the professor's house, there is a small gap
between two houses. Squeeze through in paper-thin mode. Get on Yoshi's
back and float across the river on the left. Another Shine Sprite!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
e. For Pigs the Bell Tolls
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Bacon, ham, pork... In a chapter centered on pigs, there's no doubt you'll
be craving something plump, roasted, and artery-clogging by the time you're
done.
ITEMS: Black Key, Boo's Sheet, Cookbook, Defend Plus, Earth Quake, Flower
Saver, Hammer Throw, Ice Smash, Jammin' Jelly, Letter "P", Life Shroom, Mr.
Softener, Old Letter, Peachy Peach, Power Plus, Shooting Star, Shop Key,
Steeple Key x2, Superbombomb, Super Shroom, Tornado Jump, Ultra Shroom
ENEMIES: ????? (boss), Amazy Dayzee, Buzzy Beetle, Crazee Dayzee, Doopliss
(boss), Hyper Cleft, Hyper Goomba, H. Paragoomba, H.S. Goomba, Spike Top,
Swooper
SUGGESTED LEVEL: 10-12
The pipe spits you out in the middle of Twilight Town, which seems strangely
populated with pigs. As it turns out, some *evil* guy is transforming the
villagers into piggies one by one. Not cool. So it becomes our job to venture
to Creepy Steeple, the source of the evil, and put an end to this curly-tailed
catastrophe. The path to Creepy Steeple can be located in the eastern part of
town, so head there now.
Before speaking with the gatekeeper, check inside the first house in this area.
The mother apparently does not see all the pigs (ham! Bacon! Pork!) roaming
about outside and claims that her kiddies need some food. Be a nice chap and
fork over something (even a next-to-useless Dried Shroom will do the trick).
In thanks, the lady forks over a Shooting Star. Cool beans! Next, stop in at
the item shop, which just happens to be closed. Speak with the sales lady
anyway to learn... a lot of useless nonsense. However, she also mentions that
everything in the store room is yours for the taking... all we need to do is
find the key somewhere in the woods.
Now then, go chat it up with the gatekeeper (to the far right). Apparently, we
can't get past without the mayor's permission, so let's return to his place,
shall we? ... Would you look at that! The mayor's been piggified! Back to the
gate to find that the gatekeeper has also turned into a pig. Lucky for us,
bad for him. Oh well. Through the gate we go!
== THE TRIALS OF TWILIGHT TRAIL =================
Check inside the rickety shed to find a Black Key before progressing ahead.
Several swarms of Hyper Goombas (and their relatives) are on patrol in the
following area. Beat them down as you move past, extracting the contents of
the blocks along the way to obtain some coins (as well as a hidden Super Shroom
above one of the coin blocks). On the subsequent screen, a toppled tree
impedes your progress. Nab the Shop Key on the other side with Koops's aid,
then return to town.
Thanks to our newfound unlocking tool, the back room of the item shop is all
ours. Bust in to find several items, as well as a large, menacing black chest.
Gather the items first; a Boo's Sheet, some Jammin' Jelly, a Life Shroom, and
the Defend Plus badge. What a haul! Now, check out the black chest for a
rather "nasty" surprise. Yes, its another "curse." This time, the ability
to roll into a tube is forced onto you. Such a terrible fate! Err, right...
Anyhoo, return to the toppled tree in the middle of the trail. With your tube-
skills now available, roll underneath and continue onward. Call in Flurrie to
blow away the tree ahead, revealing a pipe. Slide through and proceed into the
woods. Here, walk past the break in the grass for a moment to grab some coins
from the brick. After that, squeeze through the grass and, once you've nabbed
the Earth Quake to the right, progress westward.
It's a straight shot to the next screen, with only a single baddie in the way.
Continue past another Crazee Dayzee (and a sweet new badge called the Hammer
Throw) to find a giant tree trunk precluding our path further into the forest.
Blow a chunk of it away with Flurrie, then head inside. Next, stand in front
of the circular shadow on the ground and start blowing again. This will
reveal a weak area that can be smashed with Mario's Spin Jump. Head through
the hole and you'll wind up in the background.
Though the large rock to the east appears to block our path, you can push it
by continually moving toward it. This, in turn, moves the stone in the
foreground, divulging another hole. Drop through this one to move beneath the
rock. Smash up the angry Hyper Cleft ahead, then proceed forward to reach
Creepy Steeple.
== *OINK* SCARY! ================================
So here we are... Creepy Steeple. The gate may be locked, but (as always)
there are ways to get past. Check the bottom-right corner of the screen to
find a well (which we'll check out later), and a hole in the wall. Roll
through in that totally tubular (haha) way, pop the doors open, and step
inside... Scary. As soon as you enter, tube yourself up and roll through the
small gap to the north. Inside this semi-secret chamber, you'll find a wealth
of goodies: Shine Sprites, Cookbooks, Ice Smashes, and Star Pieces.
Return to the foyer. There are a pair of doors on either side of the room, but
a sad and lonely (or rather, miserable and pathetic) ghost won't let you in.
Ignore them for now, and instead check out the star-shaped statue at the end of
the hall. Notice the scratch marks behind it? Start pushin'... Voila! A
dark, creepy tunnel that likely leads to a claustrophobia-inducing room filled
with millions upon millions of hairy, saliva-spewing spiders. Jump in!
Hey, no spiders after all! Peel off the northern wall with Flurrie's breath,
then head right to find the Flower Saver badge. Now return and look behind the
western door. There are a couple of things in this corridor: a door (which is
useless, being that it's locked) and a shiny treasure box. Snapping it open
will... not yield any treasure. Instead, you'll release a gaggle of ghosts.
The final specter decides to issue a challenge of sorts; answer his question
correctly to score a sweet prize. The correct response? 200. Your prize?
An Ultra Shroom (you nerd!).
Now, return to the foyer and speak with the obnoxiously weepy ghost. Tell him
"no", thus gaining access to the two previously inaccessible doors. Take the
bottom one first. Fight your way past a couple of Swoopers (who can be
difficult to hit, so hopefully you've got Yoshi's Mini-Egg or Mario's Hammer
Throw). Before ducking inside the door on the far side of the passage, smack
the red "!" switch once. You'll hear a strange sound--is the world blowing up?
Not quite.
Head through the door and climb the staircase (which should lead to the closest
of three doors). Proceed west along the balcony until the key at the end
becomes visible. Use Koops's shell to snag it (the "Steeple Key"), then
regress to the stairway chamber. Exit via the top doorway on the ground floor.
To the right is a second "!" block--pound on it twice before returning to the
previous room. The staircase has now moved, allowing access to the
northernmost door. Go on through.
Like last time, continue across the balcony. When you reach the end, utilize
the save point before unlocking the door with your shiny Steeple Key. If you
are running a bit low on either HP or FP (or both), I recommend using the
Recovery Block. Either way, ascend the spiral staircase. At the top, Mario
and the gang encounter a most fearsome *cough* opponent...
BOSS: ????? 40 HP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DROPPINGS: 20 Star Points
Although enemies with no name are almost *always* way tougher and scarier than
foes that do have names, ????? is an exception. Truth be told, he sucks.
Hard. Go crazy on him with Power Bounce, and either Multibonk (Goombella) or
Gulp (Yoshi). Don't bother using Koops or Flurrie--they suck. Once you've
reduced his HP to a fraction of it's max, he'll use his utterly amazing (read:
nothing special) magic powers to take the form of Mario. With this, ?????
gains all of Mario's abilities and such. HOWEVER! Assuming you know how to
time Mario's jump and hammer attacks, you'll have absolutely no trouble
guarding the guy's strikes. Ho ho ho! Don't let up your offense. Wham, bam,
thank you ma'am, uh... sir.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of chapter? Not quite. Y'see, following the splat of our enigmatic enemy,
Mario decided to take a bath in black paint... or something. In any event,
some creepy Mario clone is masquerading as the real thing, and we're left alone
like a bag of day-old bagels. Err... So there's only one thing left to do!
No, not throw out the bagels! We've got to get our identity back!
== IDENTITY CRISIS ==============================
Head back to Twilight Town (but be careful along the way; the baddies are way
tougher without a partner). Just outside of town, our identity-stealing foe
shows his rotten face. He decides to let you live if you can guess his name.
But! The guy's a freakin' cheater; he's hidden the letter "P", making it
impossible to correctly guess his moniker, even if you