Sharp X68000 Overview:
Essentially an upgrade to the MSX original, the X68k version of Undeadline features a slightly lowered camera, tweaked gameplay, and two extra levels. Slowdown rampantly present in the MSX version has been taken out. Also, the graphics received a major overhaul, and bare closer resemblance to the later Mega Drive revision.
Basics:
Control:
“D-Pad” – Movement
Button “A” – Defense
Button “B” – Attack
Note: “Rensha” in the options screen activates auto-fire.
Characters:
Leon (Fighter)
ST: 4
MP: 1
DX: 2
AG: 8
Weapon: Dagger
Defense: Shield (Protects against forward projectiles)
Dino (Wizard)
ST: 1
MP: 4
DX: 2
AG: 7
Weapon: Fireball
Defense: Invisibility (Protects against projectiles, movement is still possible)
Ruika (Ninja)
ST: 2
MP: 1
DX: 4
AG: 10
Weapon: Shurikan
Defense: Jump (Short escape from both projectiles and enemies)
Note: Be careful, as Ruika can actually jump off of bridges to her death.
Weapons:
Dagger/Fireball/Shurikan: The starting weapon. Fires directly ahead from the right hand. Cannot be upgraded.
Fire: Forward firing fireball that eventually upgrades to a forward flamethrower.
Egg/Option: Summons a level-specific creature/elemental to follow in the path of the character providing extra firepower for the default weapon.
Axe: A strong boomerang-type weapon that is fired forward.
Boomerang: A difficult to control weapon that can be fired in any direction.
Ice: A powerful beam of ice is fired directly forward. Hits multiple times and can destroy multiple enemies.
Spread Shot: Throwing daggers are launched forward and at wide angles. Upgraded, this weapon will fire rearward as well.
Sword: A very strong melee weapon that, when upgraded, fires quick bursts straight ahead.
Scythe: A thrown weapon that can be curved by the player to hit lateral enemies.
Items:
Black Potion: Forces the default weapon back on the player.
Blue Potion: Restores a quarter of the energy bar.
Red Potion: Deals half of the energy bar in damage.
Yellow Potion: Grants temporary invincibility.
Dynamite: Destroys all enemies on screen except those underground or hidden. If the player is holding down the fire button, the character will continue to fire without setting off the dynamite. To trigger it, the player only has to release fire and tap it again.
Armor: Allows the player to take three hits but not receive damage. Once three hits have been received, the armor disappears.
Red Boot/Winged Boot: Temporarily increases player speed.
Lead Boot: Temporarily decreases player speed.
“P”: Current weapon achieves maximum power.
Other Items:
Diamonds: Found in chests, diamonds add to overall player score.
Fairies: Fairies are revealed by shooting various parts of the scenery in each stage. In any given stage three fairies can be revealed.
1up: Grants an extra life.
"?": The player is given a random item. This can be either good or bad.
Leveling Up:
At the end of each level, the player is given the chance to add stat points onto Strength, MP, Dexterity, or Agility. The number of points available is determined by how many fairies the player revealed and collected.
Strength (ST): Increases shot power for the Axe, Sword, and Throwing Knives.
Magic (MP): Increases shot power for Magic Blast, Ice, and Options.
Dexterity (DX): Increases shot power for the Flame, Scythe, and Boomerang.
Agility (AG): Increases the player movement speed.
Death:
Upon death, assuming that the player possesses at least one reserve life, the player will restart the current level with the weapon they possessed upon death. Upon rebirth, the power level of that weapon is reset. Fairies that have been found act as if they have not been found, and are reset.
Class Change
After finishing a level, the player is given the option to change class. For instance, if the player is the Magician, and wants to switch classes, he can become either a Magician-Fighter or Magician-Ninja. A change in stats is reflected as well. This can be used to great effect in order to take advantage of strengths a class might have on a particular stage.
Note: Your appearance will change depending on class combination.
Rank
The further you get into the game the harder the levels become. As such, it is recommended that you tackle harder stages first and leave easier stages until the end.
End-Game bonus
After completing the game, you are awarded 100,000 points for each remaining life.
Final Notes:
If playing on "Normal" difficulty you are healed slightly (25%) after each area. As such, barely making it through one starts the player off handicapped for the next. In order to curb this problem, learn where blue potions are stored.
Unlike the Mega Drive revision, Undeadline on the X68k does not allow you to use only one weapon for the entire game. Each level starts you with nothing and, as such, it is best to learn what weapon is more common in any given area.
Learn where the “P” power-up is. This item will instantly max out your current weapon, and make the rest of the level easier…if you have the right weapon.
Fairies are very important. Without them, you will be stunted in the later stages.
Beware of pits. They cause instant death.
Levels
ALL TACTICS ARE FOR THE WIZARD. ITEM BOXES WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR OTHER CHARACTERS.
Forest:
Suggested Weapon: Options.
"P" is at the very beginning on the left. Make sure to get the option box quickly. With the options, finding the fairies is easy. Simply weave back and forth across the screen, hitting as much of the scenery as possible.
Boss: Stone Golem. Stay at the bottom of the screen. The boss will weave up and down across the screen. He will stop at two alternating vertical points. When he's near the bottom, the stones he releases will pass harmlessly around you. When he's at the top, you must dodge straight up and then back down in order to avoid being hit. The idea is that with full options at the beginning of the level you will have almost full health. Using these tactics you should take minimal damage in a war of attrition with the boss.
Cemetary:
Suggested Weapon: Options (Fighter: Anything. "P" is between gravestones on the left side of the stage half-way through.)
As the wizard there is no "P" during the stage. However, the boss is weak against the Option and Ice weapons, enough so that you can point-blank the boss with full health without dying.
Boss: Wizard. If you have built up your speed, you can dodge left or right and avoid the directed laser. If you do get hit, the damage is minimal. Be careful, however, not to dodge toward the bottom of the screen. If you do so, the boss may advance toward the bottom where you will be unable to hit him. If you have the Options equipped, the boss will go down after one attack pattern.
Dungeon:
Suggested Weapon: Options
As the wizard I have not found a "P" in the dungeon. However, there are four option powerups in this level. The first is on the left side of the first branch. After picking that one up, move back to the right branch and keep advancing forward. There are three hidden chests further up the right side which contain options. There are in a vertical row and, with your previous option, are hard to miss.
Boss: Kraken
With full options the Kraken is a pushover. At the start of the fight he will sit for about ten seconds without moving or attacking. Use this time to blow off as many of his arms as possible. When he starts moving he will send out one or more of his arms to directly attack you. They move in a wave-like motion and can be avoided by hugging the top of the bridge and waiting for them to reach their apex. You can then dodge laterally underneath them. After all the arms are blown off the Kraken will send down bursts of water that cannot be blocked by the Fighter's shield nor the Ninja's jump. The Wizard, however, can simply become invisible until the Kraken lets up briefly. Quite simple.
Ruins:
Suggested Weapon: Ice, Options, Blast, Axe
Really, any weapon will do here since you will be getting the "P" relatively quickly and the boss is a cakewalk. There is a catch, however. The "P", which is halfway a quarter of the way through the level, is surrounded by hidden power downs. Above and below it are power downs which take away your weapon. On either side are red potions, which will hurt you. It is best to learn where the "P" is at and only reveal a few of the power downs. This way you can get to the "P" without hurting yourself.
Boss: Cloaked Skeleton
A pushover with any weapon. The boss moves laterally at the top of the screen with only two attack patterns. The first has him sending down waves of energy that damage you directly. The second attack has him opening up his cloak and letting bats swarm out of it. The best way to go about this boss is to move with him and, when he stops, keep moving slightly. There is a window before he attacks where he can be damaged. If he sends out bats, move back in front of him and keep firing. You can destroy the bats for extra points. If he sends out energy, just keep moving out of the way. He is particularly weak against the Ice weapon.
Mucas:
Suggested Weapon: Options, Ice
An X68k exclusive level, Mucas is actually rather interesting in that the entire level is one long corridor. There are also two "P" powerups in this level...something that doesn't seem to happen in any other level. Use the "P" icons to your advantage. Before the first "P", which is about one screen up on the left side, collect the Option powerup. This way, you can put pressure on the entire playing field and also expose those precious fairies (which are hiding in ducts on either side).
Boss: Medusa
Yep, she can turn you to stone. Good thing you're the wizard...right? Anyway, she's not particularly hard if you're fully powered up, no matter what weapon you have. She moves left and right firing bolts out of her eyes that, naturally, turn you to stone. She also rains down bullets on you at the same time. Add snakes, which she drops continuously, to the mix and you have a formidable foe...it would seem. In truth, if you're fully powered up, you can quickly destroy her eyes and turn invisible whenever here stone gaze is released. After that is gone she can only send bullets your way and drop snakes. Simply concentrate fire on here and dodge as necessary. It's a bit slower when using Options, but no harder.
Mold:
Suggested Weapon: Options
Another X68k exclusive. Mold is actually rather generic, though it does have a few interesting quirks. First of all, there is no "P" item that I've found. There is also a shortage of most weapons. However, there are at least three option boxes scattered throughout the level. As such, it is generally best to stick with those.
Boss: Blobs
Basically a mass of small blobs that chases you around the room while firing at you. Here is where the Options come in handy. First off, don't even try this level unless you're the Wizard. Otherwise you will get murdered. When the boss first appears, move to one side at the bottom of the screen and herd his bullets as you jink to the other side. When there is an opening, dash to the corresponding corner and wait for him to follow you. Turn invisible as needed to avoid his shots. If you have the Options you can drag them behind you to hit him while you're at the top. Once there is an opening on the opposite corner, dash there and wait for the boss to follow you. Once he is almost there, dash downward and unload on him. Keep doing this circular motion until they split up and eventually die.
Rock:
Suggested Weapon: Ice
Once again you need to be the Wizard. Right off the bat there is an Ice weapon on the right. Pick it up and stay on that side of the screen. About one screen up is a dynamite box on the far right side. You need to shoot it through a crevace but must run around and pick it up. Keep the dynamite (by not letting up on the shot button) until you come to a long bridge on the right side of the screen. At the end is a box that looks impossible to hit without falling off a cliff. Use the dynamite to open the box and grab the "P". Now, the "P" isn't exactly necessary, but it does help quite a bit. Without it you will have to go toe-to-toe with the boss. With it you can point-blank him and he will die without getting off an attack.
Boss: Fire Crawdad
Yes, he's an odd one. He's also a bastard (if you don't have fully powered Ice). He moves laterally (like so many of the other bosses), and will extend either claw to grab you and swing you about. This attack is almost impossible to avoid with any regularity. Much like the mid-boss of the Cemetary in the Genesis/Mega Drive version, this boss anticipates where you will be before it attacks. As such, the only way of avoiding the claw is to anticipate the attack and move in the opposite direction. In practice, the way to do this is to constantly swerve back and forth and hope to get lucky. Yes, it's that bad. Add in lasers shot out of his mouth and you have the most unbalanced boss in the game. The best bet is to simply stay in front of him and try to point-blank him with the Ice weapon. No other weapon does enough damage. If you can get enough hits in and manage to avoid enough attacks he will go down...assuming you came in with enough life. However, if you have a fully powered up Ice, simply point-blank him until he dies.
Caverns:
Suggested Weapon: Ice (Mostly for boss)
The Caverns level has very few duplicate items, so you will never really get the chance to power up. However, you will need to do just that, else the boss fight will last forever. I recommend picking up the Ice weapon early on and keeping it. It will cut through most enemies, and since you're the Wizard your MP should be through the roof. Now, the kicker. The "P" is hidden behind a wall on the left side of the stage just before the boss. There are actually four walls throughout the level that can be destroyed.
Boss: Three-headed Dragon
Meet the second biggest pain in the ass in X68k Undeadline. As the name suggests, there are three heads. As such, there are three individual targets. The idea is to focus fire on one until it is destroyed then move onto the next one. This is complicated, however, by the fact that the dragon will be constantly advancing toward you. You will need to lure him down to the bottom then back up to the top repeatedly. Now, this is once again a level where being the Wizard is key. During the entire process the Dragon is spitting fireballs that break into eight pieces and scatter in a 360-degree pattern. You need to be constantly switching back and forth between firing and invisible. Good luck.
Final Level - Fortress
Suggested Weapon: Options or Magic Blast
I'm not going to lie to you. Your success in this level is based on luck. Basically, if you don't get the "P" in the very first random chest this level becomes much more of a crap shoot.
In short, there are only three key points in this level.
Choke Point A: The first is the courtyard before you enter the fortress. The best way to tackle this portion is to swipe a weapon from the initial chests and hope that you get a "P" in the random box. After picking up the necessary weaponry, jink through the fire-spitting columns into the center of the level. You can fake out the flames by advancing so that you're almost halfway through and then backtracking. They will fire, allowing you a short time to make it through before they reload. There is also an armor in a hidden chest just before the columns end. You'll need it to make it to the dynamite on the left side as the harpies swarm you.
Choke Point B: You will come across a series of moving platforms. The movement and placement is entirely random, so it is best to wait until you see a clear path before committing. Keep in mind that sometimes there will be no way through. Luck.
Choke Point C: Immediately after the moving platforms is another swarm section. The brains will come at you from all sides and you will be swarmed with harpies. You NEED to expose the hidden armor on the right side of the screen before things get too hectic. All I can say is that it's better to take a few hits than a collision with an enemy. Also, if you're not already powered up there is a "P" on the far right side next to the last column. In short, never stop moving or firing. If you have the options they will stop many bullets from hitting you from the sides while providing covering fire. The Magic blast does much the same thing.
Final Boss: Cyberdemon
Personally, I try to come into this battle equipped with the Options, since the Magic Blast takes far to long to kill the boss and allows you many more opportunities to make a mistake.
The boss only has two attack patterns, but they are active together. After he materializes from the portal there will be a brief pause before he starts attacking. Use this opportunity to point-blank him with your weapon of choice. Next, the boss will begin firing lasers from the top of the screen as his forearms detach and start seeking you out. Basically, you want to move around the level in a large square, staying to the extremeties. The forearms will, if you never stop moving, miss you as they will stay on the outside. While this is going on you will be fired upon by vertical lasers. They materialize at the top of the screen and give a warning before descending. In short, try to stay between the two so that you're never trapped near the edge of the screen. If you do get trapped there you're probably easy prey for the arms.
Suggested Level Progression
Since rank comes into effect during later levels it is best to dispose of harder levels first.
1.) Cemetary - At high rank there is almost no way to make it through the latter half of the stage. The fairies are also relatively simple to find, so you can power up easily.
2.) Rock - The boss is a beast at high rank.
3.) Dungeon - Due to the confined space you will get hit. At higher rank the enemies fire faster and will likely kill you quickly.
4.) Cavern - The level is easy, but the boss gains endurance at high rank.
5.) Mold - Once again, the level isn't overly hard due to non-firing enemies, but the boss becomes tricky.
6.) Ruin - A generally easy level since the "P" is near the beginning and Options allow you to cover the level like a shotgun.
7.) Mucas - The powered up Option can sweep the entire playing field. Without it, this level becomes impossible at this rank. However, with the Options it is relatively easy.
8.) Forest - Leave this one for last. With the "P" at the beginning you can use options to cut a path through everything. The boss becomes a trick, however...
9.) Fortress - Last level. Honestly, it's 70% luck.
Last edited by Damocles on Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:03 am, edited 7 times in total.
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