*************************************************************************** * Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Walkthrough/FAQ * * Version 2.0 - Last Updated 6 January 1999 * * By: Zach Keene (zjkeene@bellsouth.net) * *************************************************************************** Table of Contents . . . . . . 7 1) Introduction . . . . . . 45 2) What's New? . . . . . . . 86 3) Credits . . . . . . . 116 4) Legal Crap . . . . . . . 194 Part I: Alucard . . . . . . 214 5) Introduction to Alucard . . . . . 216 6) Alucard's Special Weapons . . . . . 261 7) Alucard's Special Moves . . . . . 232 8) Alucard's Familiars . . . . . . 310 9) Walkthrough - First Castle . . . . . 355 10) Walkthrough - Second Castle . . . . . 1351 11) Why Don't I Have 200.6%? . . . . . 1964 12) Miscellaneous Alucard Tips . . . . . 2041 Part II: Richter Belmont . . . . . 2266 12) Introduction to Richter Belmont . . . . 2268 13) Richter's Special Weapons . . . . . 2289 14) Richter's Special Moves . . . . . 2351 15) Richter Tips . . . . . . 2397 Part III: Equipment Lists . . . . . 2500 16) Equipment - Hands . . . . . . 2502 17) Equipment - Head . . . . . . 3757 18) Equipment - Body . . . . . . 3896 19) Equipment - Cloak . . . . . . 4078 20) Equipment - Accessories . . . . . 4136 21) Equipment - Relics . . . . . . 4366 Part IV: Enemy Lists . . . . . . 4545 22) Enemy List . . . . . . . 4547 23) Enemy Index . . . . . . . 5619 Part V: Miscellaneous 24) Audio Info . . . . . . . 5701 25) The End . . . . . . . 5865 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Introduction :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Oh bloody hell, Konami's screwed up again!" Or so I thought, as I first read about the new Castlevania game. It was supposed to be more Metroid-ish than Castlevania-ish. Now, Metroid is pretty cool and all, but I remembered what happened _last_ time Konami brought one of its classic series to the Playstation, and screwed with its formula. The result can easily be found in the used bins at any EB or Software, Etc. However, the reviews were overwhelmingly positive, so I figured, "what the hell?" I got my copy for Christmas last year, and my previous skepticism proved to be completely unfounded. Far from being another Legacy of Bore, this was, and is, probably the best Playstation game ever made. This FAQ covers the North American PSX version. I am not aware of any major gameplay differences between this and the Japanese or any other PSX version. The few minor differences between the Japanese and Western versions that I do know about have been covered. This FAQ does not cover the Japanese Saturn version. However, I am working on making a Saturn-specific version of this FAQ, so keep a lookout for that. This FAQ was written using the world's most powerful typewriter, that blue-screened wonder, the MS-DOS Edit. For best results view with a monospace font, 75 characters a line, 8 characters a tab. Send any comments, corrections, additions, subtractions, suggestions, bribes, etc. to zjkeene@bellsouth.net Where to get the latest version of this FAQ ------------------------------------------- ftp://members.aol.com/fnlfanatic/arcanelore/csotnfaq.txt [This version is always current] GameFaqs - http://www.gamefaqs.com/ Playstation Haven - http://www.geocities.com/timessquare/chasm/7380/ The Castlevania Dungeon - http://classicgaming.com/castlvania/dungeon.htm =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: What's New? ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Version 2.0 (6 January 1999) - A little more coverage of the Japanese PSX version. - Eliminated the "I've Beaten The Game, Now What" section and moved all the tips in that section to the "Misc. Alucard Tips" section. - A ton of other new tips in the "Misc. Alucard Tips" section. - Lotsa new Richter tips, including a special move I neglected in earlier editions, and how to navigate those Catacomb spike rooms, and live to save about it. - New insight on how to affect Alucard's inital stats. Check out section of the walkthrough right after the Richter vs. Dracula tactics. - A few items were missing the "Find:" line. That's been fixed. - New Iron shield ability added. - New stuff about the Medusa Shield. It both attacks using and defends against stone. - The usual correction (and addition, more than likely :) of numerous goof-ups. - Shrunk the "Revision History" down to a "What's New" section in order to shorten the non-gameplay material in this FAQ. - Two new sections: "Alucard's Familiars", and "Audio Info" - From now on, this FAQ will have a static filename on my FTP site. That means linking to ftp://members.aol.com/fnlfanatic/arcanelore/csotnfaq.txt will always link to the latest version, without worrying about what the latest version number is. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Credits ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Thanks to (in alphabetical order): Amuro2nd@aol.com - Info about the Yasatsuna oddity and other weapon abilities. Azusa - Corrected a name mix-up. Robert Braddock - Told me about the Alucart equipment luck bonus, and gave me a few teleporting weapon tips. The Castlevania Dungeon [http://classicgaming.com/castlevania/dungeon.htm] - Where I found out what the Runesword "says." John Chambers - Pointed out a section that was not written clearly. Mike Chenoweth - Sent me info about the possible fifth ending. diehard@euronet.nl - Told me about the trick to go over 200.6% Fett1099@aol.com - Info about the Heaven Sword special move. gargoyle sox - Lots of tips and corrections, including the infinite peanuts trick. General MX - Told me how to get the large fireballs with Alucard's Hellfire. the guy - Pointed out some spelling errors, straightened out my left from my right, and many other tips. Nolan Irving - The Library Card Invisibility trick and some other tips. Stephen Judkins - Gave me a working version of the trick to keep Alucard's inital equipment, and some info on how to get higher stats. Joshua Kaufman - Reminded me months ago that you needed a Lv. 99 Sword Familiar to escape the castle. Lord Genji - Pointed out that my walkthrough still said that the Alucart stuff is useless. Nightman - A few tips, such as cancelling the Hellfire's fireball and Medusa Shield abilities. P-Chan - Insight on how to affect Alucard's beginning stats. rec.games.video.sony - Where do you think I learned most of the stuff in the first place? Rimage - Also helped to straighten out my left and right. Sanosuke21@aol.com - Pointed out that I was missing the Sword of Dawn. TorgVega Q - How not to get the Fifth Alucard ending. Toto - Told me how to get the Grape juice in the Royal Chapel. Toykeeper - Some tips on how to take Richter through the Catacomb Spike Rooms. Nick Zitzmann - Lots of various info. Thanks to the five billion people who wrote in to tell me I had neglected to add Richter's Brandish Whip move: Rainard Belmont, Lurk, and Robby Stone. (I think there were a few more, but that's all I could find at the moment.) Thanks also go to Pijaibros' Castlevania Page and Darkhugh's Den. I used neither directly in the making of this FAQ, but some of the stuff here I originally learned from either source. (Yes, I really did hunt down every blasted enemy and drop item myself, which is what added an extra week on to the production of this FAQ.) There have been a lot of contributions since I last updated, and I hope I named everybody here. If not, let me know and I'll correct it. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Legal Crap :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This Castlevania: Symphony of the Night FAQ is (C) 1998, 1999 Zach Keene. As Grand Poo-bah of Copyrightedness, I grant upon thee the following rights: 1) Thou mayst give this FAQ to whomever you so choose. The key word here is "give". If anybody gets paid for this, it darn well better be me. :) 2) Thou mayst put this FAQ up on thine website, so long as it remains completely intact. And I do mean completely. Castlevania (R), Symphony of the Night (TM) are registered trademarks of Konami Co., Ltd. (C) 1997 Konami Co., Ltd. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to sue myself for copying from my Einhander FAQ. :) -----------------------------Part I: Alucard------------------------------- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Introduction to Alucard ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Unlike previous Castlevania games, where you played as a member of clan Belmont, you now play as Dracula's half-human, half-vampire son Alucard. Alucard was previously seen fighting alongside Trever Belmont in Castlevania III. Instead of relying on a whip for the whole game, Alucard can use many different kinds of weapons and armor that can be found or bought during the course of the game. Also, Alucard has all sorts of special moves he can pull off, and he can shapeshift into a mist, bat, or wolf form. Also, Alucard gains experience as he fights enemies, which makes him stronger as the game progresses. [If you want to play the game as Richter Belmont, see the Richter part of the FAQ below.] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Alucard's Special Weapons ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Like the Belmonts, Alucard can make use of the traditional Castlevania special weapons. These special weapons are powered by Hearts, which can be collected from defeated enemies or Candles. The maximum number of Hearts Alucard can be increased by gaining levels or collecting Heart Max Up items. 1) Knife: Throws knife straight ahead. Travels quickly, but weak. (1 Heart) 2) Axe: Hurls axe in an arc. Strong, but low range and hard to aim. (4 Hearts.) 3) Holy Water: Lobs in a small arc, which creates a small flame on impact. Good power, but very low range. (3 Hearts) 4) Clock: Freezes on screen enemies for a short period of time. Does not work on bosses and some enemies. (20 Hearts) 5) Cross: Large crosses rotate around a beam of light, which expands to envelop the whole screen. Does massive damage to all on-screen enemies. (100 hearts) 6) Holy Book: Holy Book revolves around Alucard and does damage to all enemies it contacts. (5 Hearts) 7) Rebound Stone: Alucard throws the stone at an angle and it bounces off everything it hits. (3 Hearts) 8) Agunea: Throws lightning. If it connects, hold U + Attack to continue the attack. The longer you hold it, the more hearts it uses. (5 Hearts) 9) Bibuti: Throws ashes directly ahead. (3 Hearts) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Alucard's Special Moves ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Alucard also has a number of special moves at his disposal. First, there are the eight "spells" that can be viewed on the "Spells" menu on the status screen. The Master Librarian will sell items that will put these spells on the spell list, but this is not necessary. They will be added as you do them. Also, various weapons or Relics may allow additional special moves. These will be discussed in the Items lists. Key: U = Up D = Down F = Foward B = Back Charge x = Hold button X for two seconds, then do whatever. 1) Dark Metamorphosis: B, UB, U, UF, F + Attack Whenever Alucard attacks an enemy that bleeds and touches the blood, Alucard heals some HP. (10 MP) 2) Hellfire: U, D, DF, F + Attack Just like Dracula. After you teleport out, press left or right to determine where you teleport in. Then, you'll do Dracula's 3-Fireball attack. Or, hold U as you teleport in to do Dracula's large fireball attack. Hold D to cancel the fireball period and just have a teleport. (15 MP) 3) Summon Spirit: B, F, U, D + Attack Summons spirit which homes in on one enemy. (5 MP) 4) Tetra Spirit: Charge U, UF, F, DF, D + Attack Like above, but summons four spirits at once. (20 MP) 5) Soul Steal: B, F, DF, D, BF, B, F + Attack Steals life from enemies and Candles. (50 MP) 6) Wolf Charge: D, DF, F + Attack Swift charge attack. (Must be in wolf form. Requires Skill of Wolf and Soul of Wolf Relics. 10 MP) 7) Wing Smash: Hold X (U, UB, B, DB, D, DF, F) Release X Swift charging attack. (Must be in Bat form. Requires Soul of Bat Relic. 8 MP) 8) Sword Brothers: D, DF, F, UF, Charge U, D + Attack Sword Familiar does an attack which damages all on screen enemies. (Requires Sword Card relic. Sword Familiar must be active as a Familiar. 30 MP) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Alucard's Familiars ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As you progress through the game, you will pick up various relics that will summon Familiars. As you fight enemies, Familiars will gain experience independently of Alucard. (Most enemies are only worth 1 point of Familiar experience, but some are worth more.) For every 100 points a familiar gets, it will gain a level. Note that a Familiar has to be active to gain experience. 1) Faerie Familiar: When she's active, she will administer potions and medicine to Alucard as needed. For example, if you get cursed and have an Uncurse in your inventory, the Faerie will instantly use it. She is the only one who can use the Hammer and Life Apple items. She will also point out breakable walls ("There's something funny about this wall") and give out other tips. 1a) Sprite Familiar (Japanese version only): I'm not sure what, if anything, is different about the Sprite. 2) Demon Familiar: The demon's most practical use is to press the switches in the Abandoned Mine and the Cave. Otherwise it will use different elemental attacks, depending on its level. 2a) Nose Demon Familiar (Japanese version only): Just a funky looking version of the Demon that will not press switches. 3) Bat Familiar: Occasionally swoops on enemies. At its level rises, so does the damage it causes. Also, if Alucard morphs into a Bat, the familiar will summon other bats to fly alongside Alucard. These extra bats function like Options in Gradius: if you fire, so will they. The number of "Options" you get depends on the level of the Bat Familiar. 4) Ghost Familiar: It homes in on enemies and does a weak attack. When it gets to a high enough level, it will Soul Steal enemies. 5) Sword Familiar: Probably the most powerful Familiar. It will do various swooping and slashing attacks which increase in both frequency and power as the Familiar gains levels. It also allows you to do the Sword Brothers spell. When it gets to level 50, you will have the option of using it as either a sword or a Familiar. The higher the level of the Familiar, the more powerful the sword will be. However, you can not raise the Familiar's levels if you are using it as a sword. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Walkthrough - First Castle :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= And now, the part you've all been waiting for: the complete Alucard game walkthrough. First off, I make no claims that the walkthrough below is the fastest, easiest, best, or the only possible way through the game. But, it will get you through the game, so want more do you want? :) If you've already played through the game once and don't have 200.6%, but would like to get there without starting a new game, see the "Why Don't I Have 200.6%?" section for some hints. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Final Stage: Bloodlines Music Track: Prologue Enemies Found: None Bosses Found: Dracula Items Found: Badelaire, Dark Shield, Firebrand, Heart Refresh, Moon Rod, Shield Rod, Sunglasses, Power of Sire --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journey back to 1792 and the Transylvanian countryside of Romania... The game begins with a flashback to the last battle between Dracula and a Belmont. You play this level as Richter Belmont. Richter has a variety of cool special moves, but the only ones you need to know right now are the Super Jump (D, U + Jump) and the Air Dash (U, D, DF, F + Attack). Why are these necessary? Really, they're not. But, how powerful you are when you start the "real" game depends on your performance here. If you can beat Dracula without getting hit or even touching a Special Weapon, Alucard will start with higher stats and HP. If you get hit or use a Special Weapon, Alucard will start with lower stats and HP. If you totally suck and "get killed" (ie, Maria comes and casts her invincibility spell on you; you can't lose this level), then Alucard will start with crappy stats and HP. [NOTE: The stuff about the special weapons may not be true. See the part after the Dracula Tactics for more details.] So, if you want to be cool and get the good stuff, do not learn but master the above special moves. When you reach the top of the stairs, whip the entranceway to hit a switch. This switch will lower another stairway that you can go up. This leads to an area where you can pick up various weapons from the "real" game. I'm not sure what effect this has on anything, since they don't carry over into the Alucard game. Continue to the left to encounter Dracula. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dracula Tactics Boss Music Track: Dance of Illusions --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The wussy way to beat Dracula is simple. Grab the Holy Water in the leftmost candle and push Triangle to Hydro Storm repeatedly. However, this gets you a relatively average Alucard. If you want the relatively good Alucard, you're gonna have to fight. Remember the Air Dash I told you to learn earlier? Here's what you do. Dracula fights using his standard teleport and fireball attack. When he starts to teleport in, get within a few steps of him. When he solidifies, jump up and Air Dash him. After you land, try to whip him before he teleports out. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. However, if he teleports to either edge of the screen, don't try to do this, or you'll get hit. Instead, avoid his attack. How? Just Super Jump repeatedly and stay at the top of the screen until the fireball attack passes. 6 or 7 Air Dash hits will kill his first form. And if you're really smooth, you can Air Dash him twice before he vanishes. Be careful with this, because if Dracula does the meteor attack, a second Air Dash will most likely hurt you. First form? Yep, after you kill his first form, Dracula transforms into a large bluish-green demon. Get just close enough to whip it, and do so repeatedly until you see it's mouth glow, which means it's about to spew fire. When you see the glow, Super Jump repeatedly until it stops. Drop back and whip it a few more times. Better yet, Air Dash it, and attack it from behind while it continues to spew fireballs to the wrong side of the screen. When it jumps, Air Dash (on the ground) to get out of it's way. You'll get a few free licks in as it turns around to face you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I mentioned above that if you touched a special weapon or whatnot it would reduce Alucard's intial stats. However, that does not seem to be quite true. I need to look into this matter further, but it would appear that Alucard's inital HP is based on Richter's remaining life: Richter's Life Alucard's HP Full 80 Normal 75 You "died" 70 While the rest of the stats seem to be based on how quickly you killed Dracula. If you've already beaten the game, you can skip all the dialogue and whatnot. If you skip the dialogue, gather 45 hearts and the Holy Water, you can Hydro Storm Dracula into submission in under a minute. Doing this, I was able to get all of Alucard's stats in the lower teens, higher than any of the stats I listed here previously. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Intermission Music Track: Moonlight Nocturne --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read the words and enjoy the music. If you've already beaten the game, push start to get on with it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Entrance Music Track: Dracula's Castle Enemies Found: Bat, Blade, Bloody Zombie, Bone Scimitar, Gurkha, Merman, Owl, Owl Knight, Warg, Zombie Bosses Found: Gaibon and Slogra (Optional) Items Found: Cube of Zoe, Heart Max Up x2, Holy Mail, Jewel Sword, Life Apple, Life Max Up x3, Pot Roast, Power of Wolf, Shield Potion, Turkey --------------------------------------------------------------------------- You start out the game pretty well equipped, but you'll soon lose your cool stuff, so enjoy it while it lasts. Your sword comes with a teleport move. Push D, DF, F + Attack to try it out. There is not much you can do outside the castle, so head to the right to enter the castle itself. You'll make short work of the Wargs and Zombies that oppose you. The second room you enter contains a hole in the ceiling and a huge rock formation. You can destroy part of the rock to make a tunnel through it, and find a Pot Roast in the process. You can't do much else with it just yet, though. If you want, you can drop to the lower floor of this room and fight the Merman for a while to gain a few levels. If you get hurt too badly, try out the Dark Metamorphosis spell. Push B, UB, U, UF, F + Attack. If done correctly, you'll hear Alucard shout "Dark Metamorphosis!" and he'll glow red. For a limited time, any enemy you kill that bleeds will give you 8 HP, if you touch the blood. Also, you'll learn one of the basic facts about CSOTN: The higher your level, the less experience points the enemies will give you. After you gain a few levels, the Mermen will only give you about 1 point apiece. When you are ready to move on, climb back up and continue to the right. The third room contains a few more Wargs. Before you leave, though, slash the bottom of the staircase to collect a Turkey. You'll meet Death in the next room. He'll steal your cool equipment and leave. Now what do you do? All you have is a Turkey and a Pot Roast, and they're not going to help you at all. You need to find some weapons, and fast! Continue to the right, and climb up the stairs, and exit left. Notice the crack in the ground here. If you jump down this crack and hold Left, you'll land on a ledge that leads to a Heart Max Up. Once you get it, drop off this ledge back to where you met Death, exit right, climb the stairs again, and continue left this time. You'll soon enter a room with Bone Scimitars. Punch them out and they'll gladly donate a Red Rust and a Short Sword to your cause. Equip the Short Sword. The bottom left exit from this room leads to a wooden barrier with a Heart Max Up behind it. You can't get it now. The middle left exit is a Save Point. Walk in front of the rotating thing and push Up to save. Head to the top, and collect the Cube of Zoe. Now, slashing Candles will earn you minor items such as Hearts or Money Bags. Take the door to the left, which leads to the Alchemy Laboratory. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Optional Bosses: Gaibon and Slogra --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After you enter the Alchemy Lab, immediately turn around. The room you were in should now be inhabited by Bloody Zombies. Save your game, and backtrack to the room where you met Death. You'll find Gaibon and Slogra waiting for you. Ignore Gaibon, duck and slash Slogra like crazy. When you knock away Slogra's spear, Gaibon will swoop down, pick up Slogra, and fly off. You'll meet them again later, whether or not you fought them here. Return to the Alchemy Lab. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Alchemy Laboratory Music Track: Dance of Gold Enemies Found: Axe Knight, Blood Skeleton, Bloody Zombie, Bone Scimitar, Skeleton, Spittle Bone Bosses Found: Gaibon and Slogra (Not optional, this time) Items Found: Basilard, Bat Card, Cloth Cape, Heart Max Up, Hide Cuirass, Leather Shield, Life Max Up, Potion, Resist Thunder, Skill of Wolf, Sunglasses --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Head to the far left of the room, jump up on the far left pillar, and jump on the switch on the pillar to the right. This lowers the spikes in front of the globe on the far left wall. Slash it for a Hide Cuirass. Continue right on the pillars and jump through the hole in the ceiling. Again, head left, and jump the spikes. The switch will lower them. The burning thingy on the table can be slashed for a Leather Shield. At this point you can either climb up the ledges or backtrack. Backtracking will allow you to map out the room and find a Save Point, but either way you'll end up at the top left door. (If you backtrack, ignore the elevator. You can't do anything with it now.) That door leads to a long vertical corridor. Head for the very bottom and slash out the floor. This leads to a secret passage that contains a Life Max Up at the very bottom. Grab it and return to the first corridor. Then, head to the far left wall and slash it out. Another secret passage! The globe here contains a Heart Max Up. Grab it and return. Climb up the corridor and head to the left. You find yourself in another corridor. Take out the skeleton and grab the Resist Thunder. Climb up and exit stage left. In this room, you can use the two switches on the floor to lower the spikes on either side of a block. Lower both sets, and push the block to the right where the spikes used to be. Then, switch the right set of spikes back on, lifting up the block. You can use this to jump up to the ledge where the Spittle Bone is, and climb up to the right exit. This exit eventually leads to a Cloth Cape. Return to the room with the block and spikes, head to the bottom left of this room and climb up, taking out the Axe Knights on the way up. Exit left. You're now in yet _another_ vertical corridor! Head down, then back up. Take care not to get hit by the Spittle Bones, since they can poison you, and at this point the only way to cure poison is to wait it out. The first exit on the left is a Save Point. Save and continue up. Grab the Axe at the top. Don't bother dropping down to take the top left exit; you won't get far. Take the top right exit instead. And a stone block just closed you in. That's not a good sign. Head right to meet once again with... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gaibon and Slogra Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you hit Slogra, Gaibon will lift him into the air and try to drop him on you. This is a good time to use that Axe you just picked up. Also, it'll keep Gaibon from blasting fire at you. If he does start blasting fire at you, use the Hellfire spell (U, D, DF, F + Attack) to teleport out of the path of the fireballs. They're not very hard to take out at all, so have fun. After their defeat, grab the Life Max Up they leave behind. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue on to the right until you reach a vertical corridor. Ignore the bottom right exit for now, and climb up and take the middle right exit for a Save Point. Drop down and take the bottom right exit. Continue to the right until you reach the elevator shaft. Step on the switch and take the elevator down. It's first stop takes you to a small room where you find some Sunglasses. Continue the trip down. The next stop leads to a giant cannon and a wooden barrier. Slash the switch to fire the cannon and take out the barrier. Pick up the Basilard on the way out. Equip it; it's slightly less powerful than your Short Sword, but a lot quicker. Continuing left takes you back to the room where you found the Leather Shield and a Save Point. However, there's no point in continuing here, so turn around, go back up the elevator, and return to the vertical corridor you reached after you fought Gaibon and Slogra. Save again if you like, and take the top right exit. Continue right through a hallway with Bloody Zombies. When you get to a large room, chose to go up or down. It doesn't really matter, but be sure to explore the entire room. The globe at the bottom left contains a Potion. When you're done here, exit to the right. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Marble Gallery Music Track: Marble Gallery Enemies Found: Axe Knight, Ctulhu, Diplocephalus, Flea Man, Marionette, Ouija Table, Plate Lord, Slinger, Skelerang, Skeleton, Stone Rose Bosses Found: None Items Found: Alucart Mail, Alucart Shield, Alucart Sword, Attack Potion, Hammer, Heart Max Up x2, Holy Glasses, Library Card, Life Apple, Life Max Up x2, Potion, Spirit Orb --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heading to the right past the Axe Knights, you'll soon find a giant gap. Dive down, and on the next screen you'll find stairs that lead back up, an exit to the right, and stairs leading down. Take the right exit for a Save Point, then head down. On the next screen, exit left. In this room, head down past the Slingers and Marionettes. There will be items on high ledges that you can't reach... yet. Ignore them for now. The bottom left corner of this room contains the Spirit Orb. Now you'll be able to see how much damage you're doing to enemies. Exit to the right, jump down to the bottom of the next screen, and exit left. Continue left past the Plate Lord, down past the Skelerangs, right past the Ghosts, down again, and left past Ctulhu and take the door. You're now back in the Entrance. Step on the switch to lower the barrier, and collect the Shield Potion. Now, head back to the crossroads area in the Marble Gallery (where you went right for a Save Point, down to the Spirit Orb, or up to the big gap.) This time, head up the stairs to the right. Continue right until you reach the room with the large clock. You'll meet Maria here. After the conversation, continue right. The path onward is pretty straightfoward until you reach an area that splits into four directions. You've come from the upper left; the lower left is a dead end. The upper right path leads to a locked door that you can't open yet. So take the lower right path. That path exits to a long corridor. Head right past the Diplocephaluses and Stone Roses. The Roses can petrify you. If they do, simply wiggle the controller to break free. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts about: Outer Wall Music Track: Tower of Mist Enemies Found: Armor Lord, Axe Knight, Bone Archer, Bone Musket, Medusa Head, Skeleton, Skeleton Ape, Spear Guard, Sword Lord Bosses Found: Doppleganger10 Items Found: Garnet, Heart Max Up, Jewel Knuckles, Life Max Up, Mirror Cuirass, Pot Roast, Soul of Wolf, Zircon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you first enter the Outer Wall, slash the trophy directly to your right for a Zircon. Then head down, then left to the Armor Lord (big guy with big sword.) Don't bother trying to fight him; Hellfire your way past him and enter the small room on the left. Break the left wall for a Pot Roast. Then, stand in the gap you made by slashing the wall and wait for about 30 seconds. You'll suddenly drop through the floor to the room below. Pick up the Jewel Knuckles and the Mirror Cuirass here. Equip both, then hop back on the elevator and push Up (exiting right will only lead to a grate you cannot yet pass.) Hellfire past the Armor Lord again and head down. Explore the entire room, and exit down. The lower room contains a telescope. You can look through it if you wish, but there's really no point in it. If you leave and come back a few times, you can watch a bird lay eggs and have babies. No point in that either. When you're done here, head up past the door that lead to the Outer Wall in the first place, and continue. The next screen up contains an out of reach trophy. Ignore it for now and head left past the Axe Knights. Continue past a vertical corridor for a Save Point. Then, head up the vertical corridor, exit right, and prepare for a boss battle. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Doppleganger10 Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prepare for battle with... yourself? Yep. The fake Alucard will toss daggers at you, then jump in the air and slash or toss more daggers. Wait until he jumps, then jump up yourself and punch him with your Jewel Knuckles. This will knock him back, so try to land as close as you can to where he lands, duck and punch him again. This knocks him back some more, so quickly jump, land, duck and punch. Repeat until dead. Collect Life Max Up. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Moving on to the right, the next small room contains a Gladius, your first real sword. It has a relatively long range, but your Knuckles are more powerful. Choose your weapon wisely, then continue right. Jump the gap, slash the Trophy to collect another Life Max Up. Continue upwards, ignoring the elevator (for now) and the exit doors on the left. You'll eventually reach a weird contraption with a switch. Slash or punch the switch to activate the elevator. Ignore the trophy for now. Continue upwards, ignoring the exit door, until you reach the very top. Exit left for a Save Point. Return to the exit door just below the Sword Lord. This leads to a Portal room, which teleports you to other Portal rooms located throughout the castle. Trick is, you have to find the Portal rooms before you can teleport there. However, this one will take you to the Portal room in the Entrance. Try it out, and exit left. Remember the room with the wooden barrier and the Heart Max Up? Well, collect the Heart Max Up, step on the switch, and take the Portal back to the Outer Wall. Now, enter the elevator shaft and collect the Soul of Wolf. You can now turn into a wolf by pushing R2. Take the elevator down. It will leave you right in front of the exit door to the Long Library. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Long Library Music Track: Wood Carving Partita Enemies Found: Corpseweed, Dhuron, Ectoplasm, Flea Armor, Flea Man, Magic Tome, Mudman, Spellbook, Thornweed Bosses Found: Lesser Demon Items Found: Antivenom, Bronze Cuirass, Faerie Card, Faerie Scroll, Frankfurter, Holy Rod, Jewel of Open, Onyx, Potion, Soul of Bat, Stone Mask, Takemitsu, Topaz Circlet, Uncurse --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fight your way past the Dhurons to the left. Continue left past the stairway to battle Flea Men and more Dhurons. Go as far left as you can to pick up a Bronze Cuirass. It's no better than the Mirror Cuirass you already have, however. Just notice the hole in the ceiling and remember this room, since there's a trick you can do here later. For now, return to that staircase and head up. Continue right, past the Ectoplasma, then up and to the left. Then you can choose to go either left or up/right. Go up and right. At the end of this section some Magic Tomes are guarding the Faerie Scroll. Collect it, and you'll now see the names of the enemies as you smack them around. Return to the crossroads and head left again. You'll pass some ledges that you can't jump to. Ignore them for now. Exit left to talk to the Master Librarian. After a little chitchat, you can talk to the Librarian to get a menu: 1) Buy Item: You can buy various weapons and items from the Librarian. Before you even look at anything, buy the Jewel of Open for $500, and if you need it, the Castle Map for $103. If this is your first time through the game, the Map is a pretty good buy. [Note: Joesph's Cloak and the Reversible Cloak open up two options on the System menu, but those options only change the color of the cloak you're wearing, and only if your wearing one of the above.] 2) Sell Gem: You can sell various gems (like the Zircon you got earlier) for some cash. 3) Tactics: For a fee, you can watch demonstrations of how to beat each boss. Thing is, you have to have already faced the boss before you can view its movie. 4) Enemy List: Shows a list of all enemies and their stats. I've reproduced this list in the Enemy List section at the end of ths FAQ. 5) Sound Test: If you've beaten the game, this option will appear, and let you listen to all the songs in the game. 6) Exit: Lets you move on. After you get the Jewel of Open and anything else you want (try to pick up an Elven Cloak, if you've got enough money), there's nothing to do here. Exit the Library, take the Elevator back up to the Portal, and return to the Entrance. From there, return to the Alchemy Lab, and head to the vertical corridor that lead to the battle with Gaibon and Slogra. Instead of taking the top right exit, take the top left one instead. (Don't forget to save on your way up!) You can now open the blue door, so do so and continue left. Say hi to Maria again, and continue on to the Royal Chapel. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Royal Chapel Music Track: Requiem for the Gods Enemies Found: Bat, Black Crow, Blue Raven, Bone Halberd, Bone Pillar, Corner Guard, Hunting Girl, Skelerang, Spectral Sword, Winged Guard Bosses Found: Hippogryph Items Found: Ankh of Life, Aquamarine, Boomerang, Cutlass, Goggles, Grape Juice, Life Max Up, Magic Missile, Morningstar, Mystic Pendant, Potion, Shuriken, Silver Plate, Silver Ring, Str. Potion, TNT, Zircon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first exit to the left as you enter the Royal Chapel is a Save Point. Save your game and go up. On the next screen, heading left will net you an Aquamarine. Collect it and head right. As you climb the stairs, you'll notices several ledges you can't reach. Make note of them and move on. Continue on until you find the room with the Spectral Sword. Climb the steps on the left wall, and exit left. Jump up on the ledge, and jump to collect the Goggles. Equip them and return to the Spectral Sword room. Take the lower right exit. This leads to the Colosseum, but you won't get far due to a wooden barrier. Collect the Knight Shield here and return to the chapel. Finally, take the upper right exit. Continue right until you reach the Confession Room. You can sit in the chair, and a ghostly figure will hear your confession. If you get the blue-robed figure, it'll sometimes drop some Grape juice when it disappears. If you get the greyish-robed figure that draws the curtains, watch out! It'll send a few spears your way. When you're done there, continue up the bell tower. Be sure to whack the Skelerangs on both sides of the tower, for this will help fill in your map. The first right exit is blocked by a large statue that you can't move from this end, so ignore it for now. Keep climbing until you reach the top left exit. This leads to a room full of spikes. Note its location, and return to climbing. Ignore the top right exit until you've reached the top of the tower and collected the Life Max Up, Str. Potion, and Silver Plate. Equip the plate, then head right, through a narrow corridor. This leads to another bell tower. Climb to the top, grab the Zircon, then exit right. Another narrow corridor, but when you exit this one, you face.. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hippogryph Tactics Boss Music Track: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Switch to your Jewel Knuckles, if you're not wearing them, and wait for it to land. When it does, beat the snot out of it. If you hear an electric sound, jump back before it starts spewing flames. Jump over it if it rushes at you, and you can punch it out of the air when it flies. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After you fight the Hippogryph, you'll talk to Maria again. After the conversation, continue on your way. Go right until you reach the save point, then climb up the third and final bell tower. Grab the Cutlass and Potion at the top, then exit right. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Castle Keep Music Track: Heavenly Doorway Enemies Found: Axe Knight, Flea Rider Bosses Found: Richter Belmont, Shaft Items Found: Falchion, Fire Mail, Frankfurter, Ghost Card, Heart Max Up x2, Leap Stone, Life Max Up x2, Pot Roast, Power of Mist, Resist Dark, Resist Holy, Resist Stone, Sirloin, Turkey, Turquoise, Tyrfing --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue to the right, past the Axe Knights. You'll see the Leap Stone above you, and you'll get it in just a minute. Head right until you get to the elevators and the exit door. Ignore the door, and head up the elevators. Take the right exit to get the Tyrfing, a sword that really sucks. Take the left exit and walk over to the Leap Stone. Now that you can double jump (Jump, then Jump again in mid-air), use your new ability to collect the Turquoise right above the Leap Stone. Once there, break the wall to the left to grab the Turkey. Head back to the large clock in the Marble Gallery where you first met Maria. Now, you'll notice two large statues in the upper corners of the room. Every other minute, the one on the left will slide out, allowing you access to the corner. Double jump to the corner and exit up. This will lead to a Life Max Up and an exit door. It leads to Olrox's Quarters, but don't go there just yet. What about the right statue? It only slides out if you have a Clock. Head to the right of the clock room until you find one in the Candles, then return and use it. Exit up, and you'll find a Heart Max Up and some counterfeit "Alucart" equipment. At first glance all the pieces of Alucart equipment appear to suck, but when you equip them all together, you get a LCK +30 bonus. Not bad at all when you want to hunt for rare items. Now head for Olrox's Quarters. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Olrox's Quarters Music Track: Dance of Pales Enemies Found: Blade, Hammer, Skelerang, Spectral Sword Bosses Found: Olrox (Who were you expecting? Akmodan II?) Items Found: Broadsword, Cheese, Echo of Bat, Estoc, Garnet (NA/EU only), Heart Max Up, Iron Ball, Luck Potion, Manna Prism, Resist Fire, Sprite Card (JP only), Sword Card --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Head up the corridors until you enter the large room with the Spectral Sword. This room has many exits: 1) Lower Right: Dead end? Nope, slash the wall. Enter the room behind it for some Cheese, an Onyx, and a Broadsword. Equip the Broadsword and return to the large room. 2) Upper Right: Heads right past Blade and Hammer, to a Portal. Note the hole in the ceiling just before the Portal, since this leads to Olrox himself. You can't get there now, though. 3) Left: Leads to the Colosseum, your next destination. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Colosseum Music Track: Wandering Ghosts Enemies Found: Armor Lord, Blade Soldier, Blade Master, Bone Musket, Bone Scimitar, Hunting Girl, Owl, Owl Knight, Paranthropus, Plate Lord, Valhalla Knight Bosses Found: Minotaurus and Werewolf Items Found: Blood Cloak, Form of Mist, Green Tea, Heart Max Up, Holy Sword (NA/EU only), Knight Shield, Library Card, Nose Demon Card (JP only), Shield Rod --------------------------------------------------------------------------- As you enter the Colosseum, take the first pit down, and take the first right exit. This leads to a Save Point. Continue down, and take the next right exit. This room contains a Heart Max Up. Head left. You'll soon encounter a Paranthropus. "So what?" I hear you asking. Well, I'll tell you what. These buggers sometimes drop a Ring of Varda when defeated. The Ring of Varda gives massive bonuses to all of your stats, and the only thing in this game sicker than one Ring of Varda is two. However, this probably isn't the best place to pick one up, since later on in the game is an area with more of them in a smaller room, allowing you to kill more of them quickly. The room on the far left contains a Blood Cloak. Pick it up and equip it if you didn't buy the Elven Cloak (or something better) at the Library. Head back to the rightmost corridor and take the passageway to the left of the save point. Pass the elevator, and head left. Get past the next room, which is full of Axe and Valhalla Knights. Don't bother fighting, just jump over them as best you can. Head left, past a vertical corridor and an Armor Lord, until you reach the other Save Point. Then, drop down and take the bottom left exit. Use your stomp attack (Double Jump, then press Down+Jump) to get over the hordes here and make your way to the Shield Rod. Equip it, and a shield if you don't have one equipped, and use it to beat the hell out of those Armor Lords and such that are strong against swords but don't take a good clubbing very well. Also, if you press both attack buttons at once, you'll do a Shield Rod Combo, the effects of which depend on what shield is equipped. (See the Shield list, later in the FAQ, for more details). Save again, if you wish, then head down and all the way to the right, where you'll find some Green Tea. Then, head back to the leftmost vertical corridor, and head all the way up. If you head to the left after the corridor, you can step on a switch that removes the barrier to the Royal Chapel. Do that, then head to the right. When the path splits, take the upper route. When you get to the room with the Blade Masters, you can find a secret passageway in the ceiling. Smash or Soul Steal the ceiling after the second pillar (from the left). However, you can't yet get up there, so move on. If you drop down after this room, you'll see a Relic behind a grate. How do you get it? First, you save your game. Then return to where the path split and take the lower route. You'll find a library card, and then go to the next room to find Richter Belmont. After the conversation, you'll fight... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minotaurus and Werewolf Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When the two of them are alive, watch out for their nasty combo attacks. When the Minotaurus tosses his axe, watch out, since both of them are about to rush you. Jump between them before the Minotaur does his upper cut. Also, watch out for the Werewolf's spinning attacks, and the Minotaurus' jumping Axe attack. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Head right after the battle, and step on the switch to open the floor. Jump down to the elevator, and bring it back up to get the Form of Mist. Use it to pass the grate. Head back towards Olrox's Quarters, and save the game on your way, if you wish. Head back to the Long Library. On your way, slash the large trophy you couldn't reach earlier for a Garnet. Head towards the Master Librarian, but instead double jump onto the lower of the two ledges you couldn't reach before. Continue left past a Save Point, a room full of Dhurons and Flea Armors, and when you get to the large room, head all the way down, and left to do battle with... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lesser Demon Tactics Boss Music Track: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Lesser Demon's tricks include launching a blue energy ball at you, and flying up into the air and summoning enemies. If you want a full Enemy List, you'll have to wait until it summons a Mudman before you kill it. No special tactics are required here; just jump up and smack it if it's in the air and kill whatever it summons. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After you defeat the Lesser Demon, continue to the left, head down and back to the right. Collect the Takemitsu, Onyx, and Frankfurter. Then use your newfound Mist ability to pass through the grate and continue to the right. Collect the Soul of Bat. Then return to the entrance of the large room. However, instead of leaving, double jump to the ledge above. Then, transform into a Bat and fly to either of the ledges above that. The left ledge leads nowhere, while the right ledge leads to a small room. Slash the candle on the table for a Stone Mask. Then push on the bookshelf to find another small room which contains the Topaz Circlet and the Holy Rod. Head back to the main part of the Library (the "yellow" area, if you will.) Transform into a Bat, and fly to the top left hand corner of the Library. You'll find an Antivenom, a Potion, and the Faerie Card. Activate your Faerie Familiar, and leave the Library. Take the nearby Portal to the Olrox's Quarters and head for the Giant Clock (again.) Once there, transform into the Bat and fly straight up the middle of the ceiling. The long hallway you'll reach contains a Potion, Hammer, and Life Apple to the left. To the right you'll find the Gravity boots, which give you the ability to Super Jump (D, U + Jump). Return to Olrox's and head to the Colosseum. Remember the hidden passage in the ceiling you couldn't reach before? Either fly or Super Jump there now to collect a Holy Sword, which is slightly less powerful than the Shield Rod, but is quicker. If you are playing the Japanese version, you'll find the Nose Demon here instead. Now to fill in some other holes. Head back to the Portal in Olrox's and return to the Entrance. Now, head to the Alchemy Lab, and fly up the hole in the top left celing of the first large room. Head to the right to receive the Skill of Wolf. Then, return to the room where you battled Gaibon and Slogra. Fly up to the top right exit to receive the Bat Card. Return now to the Royal Chapel, and fly up to the Trophies you couldn't reach before. You'll obtain a Mystic Pendant, a Magic Missile, a Shuriken, an Ankh of Life, some TNT, a Boomerang, and a Morningstar. For maximum percentage, be sure to fly into every corner of the room, even if it doesn't have a Trophy. Now head back to the very beginning of the game. Yep, all the way back. However, on your way, stop to pick up a few items. Before you leave the Bloody Zombie room, fly up the right wall to find a room with a Life Max Up. In the area where you met Death, fly up the left wall to find a room with a Heart Max Up if you didn't get it earlier. When you reach the Merman room with the giant rock, run through the rock one way as the Wolf, and fly through it the other way as the Bat. This will open the bottom left wall, revealing a room containing a Life Apple and a Jewel Sword. Before you leave the room with the rock, fly through the hole in the ceiling. Head left past Gurkha and Blade, to a vertical stairway. The first exit on the left is a Save Point, and the next is a small room with the Holy Mail. Once you finally make it back to where you first started your journey, fly up to find a small area containing a Life Max Up and the Power of Wolf. Now that you've done all that, let's serve Olrox with an eviction notice, shall we? Portal back to Olrox's Quarters. This time, Super Jump up the gap in the ceiling outside the Portal, stopping to collect the Manna Prism, Resist Fire, and Luck Potion in the Trophies on the way up. After the corridor, head left, collect the Estoc in the Trophy, and drop down into the main area of Olrox's Quarters. This main area is very large and has several exits. Stay out of the top left exit for now, since that leads to Olrox himself. Instead, drop to the very bottom, take the lower left exit, and continue left. Grab the Heart Max Up. When you get to a "bridge" of sorts made up of light-colored bricks, slash the ceiling before towards the end of said "bridge". This passage leads up to the Sword Card in the NA/EU versions or the Sprite Card in the Japanese version. Return to the "bridge" and continue left. The door leads back to the large statue in the Royal Chapel. Destroy the little statue to open the way, and return to the main area of Olrox's Quarters. The right wall has two exits. The lower one leads to a Garnet (NA/EU) or the Sword Card (Japanese). The upper is a save point. Before you save, though, transform into a Bat and fly around the center of the area to fill in your map. OK, head for that top left exit. Pick up the Iron Ball on your way to the left, and transform into a Bat to fly through the narrow section of the hallway. The door here leads to... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Olrox Tactics Boss Music Track: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Olrox will teleport around the room, summoning Bats and Skulls to attack you. These can be easily defeated. Attack Olrox directly. He'll easily fall. Except he'll then turn into a huge green monster that will shoot lasers from its mouth and spew fire. Get out of the path of the laser and swipe the fireballs. Aim for its head, since that's its weakest point. After you finally kill it, notice the Super Metroid-ish way in which it dies: It's skeleton will still lunge for you, although it won't do any damage. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now that you've done Olrox in, take the top left exit from his room to find the Echo of Bat. Our next destination is the Underground Caverns. To get there, head back to the four-way crossing in the Marble Gallery right before the loooong hallway that leads to the Outer Wall. Remember the upper right path that was blocked by a blue door? Go back there now and go past the blue door to find a switch. Step on it, and then take the lower right path. You'll notice a new hole in the floor. Dive in to collect an Attack Potion and a Library Card. Now, take the upper left route until you find a similar hole in the floor. Drop down, and exit right, drop down again, and exit left. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Underground Caverns Music Track: Crystal Teardrop Enemies Found: Bone Archer, Fishhead, Frog, Frozen Shade, Killer Fish, Scylla Wyrm, Skeleton Ape, Spear Guard, Toad Bosses Found: Scylla, Succubus Items Found: $2000, Antivenom, Bandanna, Claymore, Crystal Cloak, Elixir, Gold Ring, Heart Max Up x2, Herald Shield, Holy Symbol, Knuckle Duster, Life Max Up x5, Meal Ticket x4, Merman Statue, Moonstone, Nunchaku, Onyx, Pentagram, Pot Roast, Resist Ice, Scimitar, Secret Boots, Shiitake x4, Toadstool x2, Zircon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Right off the bat, break the Trophy for a Zircon. Then drop down. You'll soon find exits to the right and left. Take the right for a Save Point. The left exit leads to a Heart Max Up. After you collect it, break the left wall to find another room with a Bandanna. Right before the exit to the Heart Max Up is a gap in the floor. Drop down it, exit right, and continue downward through a different vertical corridor parallel to the one you were just in. Take the left exit, and climb up the stairs to find a Life Max Up. Head back to the corridor you were in and continue down, picking up the Shiitake. Drop down the gap in the floor, collect the Toadstool, and exit right. Continue right for a Save Point. Leaving the Save Point, you can choose to go up or down. Head back up, which is the original vertical corridor you were in before you went for the Heart Max Up. Take the first exit to the right you come upon. Head right, pick up the Claymore in the Trophy, and head down. Exit right, then down again, picking up the Meal Tickets and the Moonstone which are in the Trophies. Finally, at the bottom of this corridor, are exits to the left and right. The left exit is a Save Point. The right exit is... a pink save point? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Succubus Tactics Boss Music Track: Enchanted Banquet --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jump up and smack her. If she duplicates herself, just slash at the duplicates until you find the real one. When she closes her wings, she is about to send some sort of projections out at you, so watch out. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you break free of the Nightmare, the Gold Ring will appear in the Fake Save Point room. Grab it and return to the vertical corridor, and drop all the way down. When you get outside of the Save Point at the bottom of the corridor, drop down further and take the right exit. You'll fight a quick battle with a Scylla Wyrm, which is easily taken out by slashing its head. Then continue right. Hop across the pillars here quickly, before the water rises. Exit up, then head right to pick up a Pot Roast. Head left to face Scylla. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scylla Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hang back a bit and take out the three Scylla Wyrms. Then leap on the left most pillar and slash at Scylla itself. An easy victory shall be yours. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The room behind Scylla contains a Crystal Cloak. Grab it then return to the room where the water was rising. It's gone now, so head right to find a Scimitar, and on your way out collect the Resist Ice. Exit the room where you fought the first Scylla Wyrm, and note that the floor in the main corridor can be broken. No need to do so just yet, though. Head back up to the Save Point, save if you wish, then head left. Push the block you find over to the left to stop the waterfall and kill a few Spear Guards. Collect the Shiitake up and to the right, then continue left. Stay out of the water for now. Ignore the Life and Heart Max Ups under the wooden bridge, since there's nothing you can do about them yet. Continue left. Eventually you'll get to a giant waterfall. There are four exits out of this area, and you just came from the top right. Fly over to the top left to find a switch. A Skeleton Ape will drop down and destroy the wooden bridge with a barrel. That was a clue, folks. Also, you'll receive the message that "something has appeared near to the wooden bridge." Collect the Herald Shield, then return to the waterfall room and take the bottom left exit, collecting the Shiitake and Toadstool on the way down. Head to the left until you can head either up or left. Go up, collect the Shiitake, and continue left. Take the door back to the Entrance, collect the Life Max Up, step on the switch to open the way back to the Merman room, and return to where the path split. Head left, and talk to the Ferryman. On your boat trip, a Candle up high contains a $2000 money bag. There is another place in the game with a $2000 bag, so don't bother trying to get this one. When the Ferryman stops, head left to get the Merman Statue. Now return to the place where I said you could break the floor (just outside the room where you fought the Scylla Wyrm.) On your way, jump through the large waterfall for the lower right exit, which leads to a Life Max Up. Also, on your way back up, look out for the Secret Boots on the right wall. Note also the Skeleton Ape that appeared in the room with the wooden bridge. When you finally get to the breakable floor, break it, then drop down and take the Ferry. (If you came here before you found the Merman Statue, the Ferryman wouldn't be here.) When he docks, head right to find the Holy Snorkel... er, Symbol. You can now safely walk in water, so take a swim. Altogther, your scuba expiditions should net you an Elixir, two more Life Max Ups, a Knuckle Duster, Nunchaku, an Antivenom, and a Pentagram. When you're done swimming, enter the room with the wooden bridge from the right side. Walk slowly to the left until you see the Skeleton Ape. Keep as far away from the ape as possible, walk slowly back to the bridge. When you are standing on the bridge, let the Ape close in on you and wait for him to toss his barrel, destroying the bridge. Collect the Heart and Life Max Ups, then drop down. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Abandoned Mine Music Track: Abandoned Pit Enemies Found: Corpseweed, Gremlin, Salem Witch, Thornweed, Venus Weed Bosses Found: Cerberos Items Found: Combat Knife, Demon Card, Karma Coin, Peanuts x4, Power of Sire, Ring of Ares, Shiitake x2, Turkey --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you first enter the Mine, drop all the way to the bottom and exit right for a Save Point. Then, take the upper exit and prepare to do battle with the dog from hell. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cerberos Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- No tactics are really necessary, just walk up to it and slash it. Its attacks include jumping you, shooting rapid-fire fireballs (just jump up onto the pillars to avoid this) and spewing flame in a diagonal direction, which is easily avoided. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue to the right. Note the switch in the upper right corner of the next screen, and continue downward. When you get to the four-way crossroads, go left for the Demon Card. Go back up to the switch and activate the Devil Familiar to push it. After the block slides out, head right, pass the various Weeds, and drop down to find the Ring of Ares. It gives a massive strength boost, but also gives an equal defense penalty, so be careful when you use it. Slash the left wall for a Turkey and a passageway to a small room with four Peanuts, some Barley Tea and a Power of Sire. Back at the four-way crossroad, the right route leads to a Portal. Ignore it for the time being and continue down. Collect the Shiitakes on your way. At the bottom, there are two exits, to the left and right. Take the left for a Combat Knife and a Karma Coin. Take the right to find... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Catacombs Music Track: Rainbow Cemetary Enemies Found: Bloody Skeleton, Bone Ark, Discus Lord, Grave Keeper, Hellfire Beast, Large Slime, Lossoth, Slime, Thornweed, Wereskeleton Bosses Found: Granfaloon Items Found: Ballroom Mask, Bloodstone, Cat-eye Circlet, Cross Shuriken x2, Heart Max Up x2, Icebrand, Karma Coin x2, Library Card, Life Max Up, Monster Vial 3 x3, Mormegil, Spike Breaker, Walk Armor ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Head down, then take the left exit for a Save Point, and head left to find the Bloodstone, then slash the wall for the Cat-eye Circlet. Then head right to the first large room, then take the lower right exit. The second large room (with the slimes) has an upper right exit to a dark room. Watch out! This dark room is full of spikes. How do you get past? Transform into a Bat, and use your radar (push Triangle) to see the spikes. Once you've made it, continue right. Slash the Trophies for two Cross Shurikens and two Karma Coins. Drop down, and head left to find the Spike Breaker armour. Slash the wall behind it for a Library Card. Don the Spike Breaker, and head back to the slime room. Head left until you reach a room full of coffins. Some contain Bloody Skeletons; others contain Monster Vials. Collect them and move on left to find a Heart and Life Max Up. Grab them and continue left until you meet the Discus Lord. Fight him if you want, but fly up the hole in the ceiling, slash the Trophies on the right for a Ballroom Mask and another Heart Max Up. Then, head left, slash the wall to find a small room with the Icebrand. Head back down where the Discus Lord is and continue to the left. Your path soon splits again: up or left. Continue left. The room there contains nothing, but it adds to your percentage. Go up now, and you can choose left or right. Go right for a Save Point, and continue right for the Walk Armor. It's not so hot right now, but will become the most powerful armor in the game, so keep checking on it as you progress. Head left and continue on to fight... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Granfaloon Tactics Boss Music Track: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Swarms of bodies continually fall of the Granfaloon, so take them out quickly before they overwhelm you. Destroy enough of its shell so you can attack its nucleus. Watch out for the lasers its arms will fire after you have uncovered them. Using the Axe or the Cross will help you out. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After that's done, take the left exit out of Granfaloon's chamber to find the dark sword Mormegil. ========================================================================== Optional: Ending #1 There are four endings to the Alucard game, and now is as good as time as any to see the first one. First, save your game NOW so you don't lose any of your progress after you "beat" the game. Then, take the Portal in the Abandoned Mine to the Castle Keep. Once there, take the elevators up, then fly through the hole in the ceiling. Then, either fly or take the elevator up to the colored carpet. Head left. Look familiar? You've been here before as Richter Belmont. The switch to the secret stairwell is still there, so switch it and head up to grab some items if you wish, but it isn't necessary. Continue left to find Richter Belmont. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Richter Belmont Tactics Boss Music Track: Blood Relations --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Before the battle, equip yourself with the Holy Mail and the Mormegil. The Ring of Ares will allow you to pound Richter harder, but you'll take more damage yourself. Still, it just might be worth it. Richter fights, well, like a Belmont. He'll whip you, and use the various Special Weapons. You can't avoid his Cross Item Crash, which is why you should equip the Holy Mail. After you do enough damage, he'll start to fight harder and use more Item Crashes. However, with the Mormegil and Ring of Ares, you should make short work of him. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- However, this isn't how the game is supposed to end, so reset back to the Catacombs after viewing the ending. =========================================================================== Head back to the Portal in the Abandoned Mines and teleport back to Olrox's. Make your way back to the spike room in the first bell tower of the Royal Chapel. Once there, make sure you have your Spike Breaker equipped and head to the left. After a chitchat with Maria, continue left to find the Silver Ring. Now, head back to the Giant Clock in the Marble Gallery (for the 1000th time.) Once there, equip both the Gold and Silver Rings to open the floor. Ignore the elevator for now, and take the right exit for a Heart and Life Max Up. Then, take the Left for a Save Point. Now, the elevator down and explore the large room. You'll meet Maria again, and she'll give you the Holy Glasses. Now, head for the top of the Outer Wall. You can Portal there if you wish, or just walk from the Marble Gallery. At any rate, head for the left exit below the Save Point. If you haven't already gotten the Heart Max Up in the Trophy next to the elevator switch, do so now on the way. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Clock Tower Music Track: The Tragic Prince Enemies Found: Cloaked Knight, Flail Lord, Flea Armor, Harpy, Medusa Head, Phantom Skull, Skull Lord Bosses Found: Karasuman Items Found: Bekatowa, Bwaka Knife, Gold Plate, Fire of Bat, Healing Mail, Heart Max Up, Ice Mail, Life Max Up, Magic Missile, Pentagram, Pot Roast, Shaman Shield, Shuriken, Star Flail, Steel Helm, TNT --------------------------------------------------------------------------- You're immediately given the choice: top left or bottom left. Doesn't matter, since both lead to a huge room that you need to explore completely to fill in your map. In this room, you'll find the Bekatowa, Ice mail, and the Shaman Shield. You'll also find a Pentagram and a Magic Missile. Fly up to the top right exit to find the Fire of Bat. Fly around all the empty space in the huge room to fill in the map, then take the lower left exit. Climb up the corridor and take the left exit (if you completely explored the previous room, you shouldn't need to take the right exit.) Take it and head back down. See those gears in the wall? Smack them and listen to the sounds they make. If they make a deeper clicking sound instead of their normal ka-chink sound, stop smacking them. There's two in this room. After you're done with the gears, take the left exit. There's two more gears in this corridor too, so do the same to them. If you've correctly done all four gears, a lower left exit should open up. Enter it to find a Steel Helm, Gold Plate, and a Star Flail. Climb up the third corridor and slash at the top right wall to open a secret passageway. Completely explore the area for a Heart and Life Max Up. After you're done here, return to the third corridor and head left. In this long hallway, keep on the bottom and head left. When you get to the end (and the Statue pointing to the right), slash the wall to find a room with the Healing Mail. Also, one of the walls in the hallway can be broken to find a Pot Roast. Take the top left exit. In this room, many of the walls can be broken for items. You can collect some TNT, a Bwaka Knife, and a Shuriken. Continue left to fight Karasuman. I'm not going to bother with a tactics section. Just equip anything but the Mormegil and smack him to death. The music track is Festival of Servants. Beat him and move on. Welcome back to the Castle Keep. When you exit the Clock Tower, take the elevator or fly up. Take the right exit for a Save Point, then fly through the hole in the ceiling to find the Falchion. Then head back and take the left exit. You end up in the main area of the Keep. Fly straight up, and take the upper right exit. You'll find two Heart Max Ups and two Life Max Ups, and the Ghost Card in the bottom right corner. For max percentage, be sure to fly up to the ceiling of this room. The carpeted path leads to where you fought Dracula as Richter, but ignore that for now. Instead, fly around the rest of the area to fill in your map. You'll obtain the Power of Mist in the top left corner, and break the wall behind it for a Fire Mail. Once you're done with that, head back up the carpeted path. The switch to the bonus area is still here. Hit it, and go up the stairway to collect the Frankfurter, Pot Roast, Turkey, Sirloin, Resist Stone, Resist Dark, Resist Holy, and the Platinum Mail. Return to the main hall and head left. The Trophy contains a Heart Max Up. =========================================================================== Optional: Ending #2 Save your game. After getting the Holy Glasses from Maria, do not equip them and kill Richter Belmont as described in the Ending #1 section. This still isn't how the game is supposed to end. =========================================================================== When you enter the chamber where Dracula was, Richter Belmont will attack you. Equip the Holy Glasses; you should see a green orb floating around. Equip the Holy Sword (so if you accidentally hit Richter you won't hurt him) and attack the green orb. Destroy it to break Richter free of Shaft's control. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Intermission Music Track: Metamorphosis 2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After the FMV and conversation between Alucard, Richter, and Maria, you'll find yourself in the second castle. The second castle is structurally identical to the first, except for the fact that it's upside down. You can return to the first castle via the Library Card, or returning to where you're standing now and pushing up. The first castle is worth an even 100%, not counting the one little area you get just for having been in the second castle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Walkthrough - Second Castle ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Once you've made it here, you're free to roam the castle as you see fit. You can follow the below or not, since it doesn't really matter. Your goals here are to collect the five Vlad relics (the Eye, Heart, Ring, Rib, and Tooth) and take them to the Giant Clock in the Black Marble Gallery. Once there, you'll be able to face Shaft and Dracula to beat the game. Beating it with a percentage of less than 200% will get you the third ending, and having a percentage over 200% will get you the fourth. You'll notice that I have apparently misspelled "reverse" several times for the rest of the FAQ. I've done so intentionally because the game does as well. To see what I mean, go save a game at the "Reverce" Caverns, Keep, or Colosseum, then reset, and check your save game. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Reverce Keep Music Track: Heavenly Doorway Enemies Found: Skull Lord, Tombstone, Yorick Bosses Found: None Items Found: Bastard Sword, Heart Max Up x3, Garnet, High Potion, Iron Ball, Library Card, Life Max Up x3, Lightning Mail, Resist Fire, Resist Ice, Resist Stone, Resist Thunder, Royal Cloak, Sword of Dawn, Zircon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Make your way to the left, slashing the Trophy for another Zircon. Drop down the gap in the floor past the staircase to collect a bunch of Life and Heart Max Ups, the Royal Cloak, and the Bastard Sword. Return to the carpeted stairway (which is now a carpeted ceiling of sorts) and drop down. Take the lower left exit to find a variety of medicines. Explore the main room of the Reverce Keep. The bottom right wall can be broken for an Iron Ball, and a Garnet can be found where the Leap Stone was in the first castle. Just below that, you can break the wall to find the Sword of Dawn, an odd two-handed sword that can summon all sorts of odd troops. When you're done there, take the upper left exit. Then, take the left exit for the Lightning Mail. Then, fly up and take the upper left exit door to find a Portal. You can't Portal anywhere yet, so return to the Keep. Drop down, ignore the left exit door and continue down for a Library Card. Then, take the lower left exit for a Save Point. At this point you have two choices. You can either head for the Anti-Chapel or the Clock Towers. The Chapel probably the easier route, but the Clock Tower leads quickly to the inverted Outer Wall and Library, were you can pick up some really sick equipment if you're patient enough. So, for the sake of the walkthrough, let's head for the Clock Tower. First though, take the exit to the right of the Portal for the sake of completing your map. If you want to go for the Anti-Chapel, continue on this way. Otherwise, turn around and take the exit door above the Save Point. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Reverse Clock Tower Music Track: Finale Toccata Enemies Found: Bomb Knight, Cloaked Knight, Medusa Head, Valhalla Knight Bosses Found: Darkwing Bat Items Found: Bwaka Knife, Diamond, Dragon Helm, Heart Max Up, Karma Coin, Magic Missile, Life Apple, Life Max Up, Luminus, Moon Rod, Pot Roast, Ring of Vlad, Shuriken, Smart Potion, Str. Potion, Sunstone, TNT --------------------------------------------------------------------------- As you enter the Reverse Clock Tower, the first thing you'll find is the Darkwing Bat. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darkwing Bat Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- All it does is fly around, so jump and smack it. It's wing attack will knock you against the edge of the screen if you jump, but it won't do much damage anyway. You'll win the Ring of Vlad after this battle. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue left. In the next room, just like it's right-side-up counterpart, many of the walls can be broken for items. Grab them and go. As you enter the long hallway with the Bomb Knights, take out the upper right wall for a secret room with a Moon Rod. As you make your way to the left, one of the walls can be broken for a Pot Roast. As you enter the first vertical corridor, break the lower left wall. This leads to a secret area containing a Heart and Life Max Up. The Cloaked Knights in this area drop Heaven Swords, which are pretty neat throwing swords, if you want to take the time to get them. Make your way through the vertical corridors just like in the normal Clock Tower. The gears in the walls are still here, and they work just like they do in the first castle. The hidden room here contains a Diamond, a Life Apple and a Sunstone. When you make your way back to the main area of the Clock Tower, take the lower left exit to find the Dragon Helm that Death stole from you back at the beginning of the game. Fly around the main area to find the Luminus, Smart Potion, Str. Potion, Magic Missile and Karma Coin. When you're done, head left to exit to the Reverse Outer Wall. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Reverse Outer Wall Music Track: Finale Toccata Enemies Found: Jack O' Bones, Nova Skeleton, Paranthropus, Stone Skull Bosses Found: The Creature Items Found: Dim Sum Set, Garnet, Hammer, Heart Max Up, High Potion, Life Max Up, Luck Potion, Shield Potion, Shotel, Tooth of Vlad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Immediately drop down to find a Save Point, then head back up, collecting items. After the exit to the Reverse Clock Tower, the first right exit is a Portal. Go there and return. Continue up. The elevator here doesn't work, so you're going to have to go up manually. The next right exit leads to the Forbidden Library, so ignore it for now. Ignore the next two left exits after that and continue up. Collect the High Potion in the Trophy, and the Luck Potion in the Trophy in the above room. Continue upwards. Collect the Life Max Up, and ignore the right exit to the Black Marble Gallery. Now, head up again, then take the lower right exit to find a small room. Break the wall to find a Dim Sum Set. There's no magic elevator here like there was in the first castle, so return to the larger room and mist through the grate to find a Hammer and a Shotel. The Shotel has a neat throwing special move (D, DF, F + Attack). Continue upward to find a Heart Max Up. Head to the room above for a few extra percentage points. Depending on your current level, the Nova Skeletons in here may be worth 1000 exp or more, so hang around and gain a few levels if you wish. Then head back down again, ignoring the Black Marble Gallery exit but taking the one after that. This leads to a chamber with three Paranthropuses. A Paranthropus, if you'll recall from the Colosseum section, sometimes drops a Ring of Varda. This chamber is the best place to get one, but it may take a while. Having a Ring of Arcana and/or a Lapus Lazuli helps, but you likely don't have one either just yet. (WARNING: Using one (or two) Rings of Varda is somewhat akin to cheating, especially if used in conjunction with the Crissaegrim. If you want to retain any challenge in this game whatsoever, you may want to leave the Paranthropi alone.) Continue left for a Save Point, then drop down the corridor, exit left, and prepare for a boss battle. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Creature Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most of the time all the Creature does is roll around the room, where he is easily jumped over. Do so and slash him from behind. When he stops, he'll try to bop you with his hammer, which is also easily avoided. You'll acquire the Tooth of Vlad for your troubles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now, take the left exit, collect the Shield Potion, and continue on to the Forbidden Library. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Forbidden Library Music Track: Lost Painting Enemies Found: Lion, Scarecrow, Schmoo, Tin Man Bosses Found: None Items Found: Badelaire, Library Card, Neutron Bomb, Opal, Resist Fire, Resist Ice, Resist Stone, Staurolite, Turquoise --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue straight to the right as you enter. When you get to the far right room, drop down, collect the items, and continue to the left, and drop down. Head right for a Save Point. Continue right to the large room. Take the lower right exit for a Neutron Bomb, then continue right for a a Badelaire. Go back to the main room, and explore the rest of the room, making sure to grab the Staurolite. Once done, head back to the Save Point and exit left. Continue left until you can drop down, do so, then head right to collect some Resist potions. Head left until you can take a high or low route. Go low for some percentage points, then take the high road. You should end up near the beginning. Now, before you leave, you might want to take the time to hunt down the Schmoos here. Why? Because they rarely drop what is most likely the most powerful sword in the game, the Crissaegrim. Swords with higher attack power than the Crissaegrim can be found, but 'Grim smacks enemies several times with one slash, and it has a long range to boot. However, this weapon falls under the sick category along with the Ring of Varda, since it effectively removes all challenge from the game. At any rate, once you're done here, head into the Black Marble Gallery. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Black Marble Gallery Music Track: Finale Toccata Enemies Found: Blade, Corpseweed, Guardian, Jack O'Bones, Thornweed Bosses Found: Dracula, Shaft Items Found: Antivenom, Heart Max Up, Heart Refresh, Iron Ball, Library Card, Life Max Up, Meal Ticket, Potion, Resist Dark, Resist Fire, Resist Holy, Resist Thunder --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, it's that loooong hallway again. Head right. When you finally get past the hallway, fly up into a hole in the ceiling to get an Iron Ball. Then, continue right. You're now in the reverse version of the four-way crossroads. The top right and lower left directions are dead-ends, but are worth percentage points and a Meal Ticket. When you're done, exit to the lower right. Ignore the hole in the ceiling for now, and continue right. The path to the clock hall is straightfoward, and when you get there, look out for the Guardians. These guys are extremely powerful, have a lot of HP, strong against practically everything. For now, you may just want to Mist by them. Later, you'll want to fight them, because they give a lot of experience points. Yep, it's the Giant Clock again. Drop down the center, head left for a Heart Max Up, and right for a Life Max Up. Use a Clock to slide the left statue, then drop down and collect the Resist potions. Wait for the right clock to slide, then head for Death Wing's Lair. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Death Wing's Lair Music Track: Finale Tocatta (again) Enemies Found: Azaghal, Ctulhu, Flying Zombie, Ghost Dancer, Karasuman, Malachi, Medusa Head Bosses Found: Akmodan II Items Found: Alucard Mail, Aquamarine, Heart Max Up, Heart Refresh, High Potion, Life Max Up, Luck Potion, Manna Prism, Opal, Rib of Vlad, Shield Potion, Shuriken, Sword of Hador --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drop down, then exit right and drop down again for the first large room. Take the upper left route, then smash the wall for a secret area containing a High Potion, Opal and the Sword of Hador. Take the lower left exit, head right until you reach the Portal. Then, drop down the gap, taking the time to collect the Luck and Shield Potions and the Manna Prism. Head to the right, either flying over the spikes or using the Spike Breaker to walk through them. The Trophy to the far right has an Aquamarine. Grab it, then fly through the hole in the ceiling to enter the main chamber of Death Wing's Lair. The Karasumen are no more difficult now than when they were the boss of the Clock Tower. Stay out of the lower right exit for now. The lower left exit is a Save Point. The upper left exit contains the Alucard Mail. The upper right exit leads to a hallway that contains a Life Max Up and eventually leads to the Anti-Chapel. Remember the ceiling you broke in Olrox's Quarters to get the Sword Card? Well, the floor can be broken in the same spot, and it leads to a Heart Refresh. Now, save your game if you wish, and go take the lower right exit of the main chamber. On your way to the right, grab the Shuriken. Enter the door to find the lair of Akmodan II. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Akmodan II Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equip the Holy Sword and the Topaz Circlet before the battle, and you can practically ignore anything Akmodan does. You'll recieve the Rib of Vlad after his defeat. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Head right to find a Heart Max Up, then head for the Anti-Chapel. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Anti-Chapel Music Track: Lost Painting Enemies Found: Archer, Balloon Pod, Black Panther, Imp, Sniper of Goth Bosses Found: Medusa Items Found: Boomerang, Diamond, Fire Boomerang, Heart of Vlad, Heart Max Up x2, Javelin, Life Max Up, Manna Prism, Shuriken, Talwar, TNT, Twilight Cloak, Zircon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The exit from Death Wing's takes you midway through the first bell tower of the Anti-Chapel. For now, let's head back toward the Reverce Keep. Go down. Before you take the right exit, make sure you're wearing the Spike Breaker armor. Collect the Twilight Cloak, then drop down to the bottom of the bell tower to collect a Smart Potion, a Life Max Up, and a Manna Prism. Take the left exit, and continue through the hallway. When you get to the second bell tower, drop down to collect the Talwar, then continue left. You'll soon run into Medusa. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medusa Tactics Boss Music Track: Enchanted Banquet --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stay close, duck, and slash. If you're close enough, her petrifing gaze won't touch you, but her slash might. It doesn't really matter, since you will be doing more damage than she will. You'll win the Heart of Vlad. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue left. The upper left exit of the third bell tower is a Save Point. Drop down to collect a Magic Missile and a Bwaka Knife. Take the lower left exit back to the Reverce Keep. Then, continue heading left and Portal back to Death Wing's Lair. Head back to the reverse Giant Clock and head left. Continue on your way until you reach the hole in the ceiling. Fly up, and exit left. Head upwards, then exit right to reach the Reverce Caverns. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Reverce Caverns Music Track: Lost Painting Enemies Found: Balloon Pod, Blue Venus Weed, Cave Troll, Dark Octopus, Killer Fish, Imp, Jack O'Bones, Nova Skeleton, Rock Knight Bosses Found: Doppleganger40 Items Found: $2000, Alucard Shield, Bat Pentagram, Dark Blade, Diamond, Elixir, Force of Echo, Garnet, Heart Max Up x2, Life Max Up x2, Manna Prism, Meal Ticket x5, Opal, Osafune Katana, Peanuts xInfinity, Potion, Pot Roast, Shiitake x4, Toadstool, Zircon x2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you first enter the Reverce Caverns, break the Trophy for a Zircon. Then climb up. Take the first left exit for a Save Point (ignore the right exits.) Continue up. Take the next left exit. Continue left until you reach the Trophy with the Heart Max Up. Grab it, then climb up and exit left. The Trophies in the next room all contain Meal Tickets. The top right exit is a Save Point and the top left exit is empty save for a Peanut. If you grab it, leave this room, and come back, the Peanut will return. Return to the vertical corridor and fly up. The first left exit is another Save Point. Take it, because the next left exit is a boss... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Doppleganger40 Tactics Boss Music Track: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equip the Topaz Circlet beforehand, because this fake's slash causes poison damage. And the D40 loves to slash. He jumps around the room slashing, so jump and slash him out of the air. He also throws Rebound Stones 3 at a time, but they cause little damage. He also likes to change into a bat and charge across the room. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Head left. You'll find another Zircon. Pass the hole in the floor and go all the way to the left. There's nothing there, but it's worth some percentage. Head down, and then left for a Pot Roast. Head right to find a small room with the Dark Blade. Remember the breakable floor in the Underground Caverns? Well, now it's a breakable ceiling, so break it and go up. Head right. For maximum percentage, you're going to have to swim with the wolf. Jump into the water, transform into the wolf, and hold Up and Triangle, and stick to the ceiling. On your way to the right, be sure to pick up the Manna Prism, Elixir, and the Force of Echo. Now, head back to the Save Point below the Doppleganger battle room, and go to the right. Collect the Shiitake, and drop down the hole in the floor. Continue down, take the right exit, and go down some more to find an Opal. Return to the vertical corridor and continue down and take the right exit. Drop down, and go right. Pick up the Life Max Up, then take down the right wall to find a Diamond. Now head left back to the very first vertical corridor of this area, climb back up to the Save Point, and head right again, this time skipping the hole in the floor. Head right, collecting the Shiitake on the way. Jump up into the first water area you see, and head left to find a Heart Max Up. Continue right. The second water area contains nothing but percentage points. The third contains a Potion and a Life Max Up. The hole in the ceiling of the next screen leads to the Cave, but let's continue exploring the Caverns for now. Continue right, collecting the Bat Pentagram on the way (use the wolf to swim against the current). At the waterfall, walk on right to find a Garnet. Then, fly up, collect the Shiitake and the Toadstool, and take the top left exit. Grab the Osafune Katana, then head right. Take the first hole in the floor, then continue right (grabbing the Shiitake). Take the door to the Reverse Entrance. You'll wind up in the room with the large rock. Open the secret passage by flying through the rock as a bat one way and running through it as a wolf the other way (collecting a Pot Roast in the process.) Take the newly opened top right exit for an Opal, a Zircon, and the Beryl Circlet. Then, return to the Reverce Caverns. From the hole in the floor that lead to the Reverse Entrance, head right. Be sure to use the wolf in all the water areas for maximum percentage. The room at the far right contains the Alucard Shield. Remember the $2000 bag Candle in the Underground Caverns that was a pain to get? Well, over here, it's just off the ground where it can easily be slashed. Leave the room, and it's back again. If you need money, this is the place. Head back to the waterfall, take the lower left exit, and head left until you see the hole in the ceiling. Fly up to reach the Cave. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Cave Music Track: Abandoned Pit Enemies Found: Bat, Corpseweed, Gaibon, Slogra, Thornweed Bosses Found: Death Items Found: Alucard Sword, Eye of Vlad, Green Tea, Life Apple, Power of Sire x2, Shiitake x2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take the topmost exit for a Save Point, then take the middle exit. Head left, and you'll soon run up against... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Death Tactics Boss Music Track: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equip the Holy Sword and you'll probably beat his first form before he does any damage to you. Aim for the head of his second form and you'll probably beat him before he does any damage to you. How's that for tactics? :) You now have the Eye of Vlad. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- =========================================================================== Optional: Ending #3 Save your game here so you can return later. Head back to the Giant Clock in the Black Marble Gallery with the five treasures of Vlad. The ceiling will open, allowing you access to a Save Point, a Heart Refresh and an elevator that leads to the final confrontation with both Shaft and Dracula. I'll write a tactics for them later on, but if you get in trouble just equip the Shield Rod and Alucard Shield, do the Shield Rod Combo and you'll make short work of them. Or, if you got the Crissaegrim and Ring of Varda earlier, you'll not get in trouble in the first place. :) Finally, you'll get a good ending, but there's still one more ending you can receive if you have a percentage greater than 200%, so play on. =========================================================================== After you beat Death, continue left. Activate your Demon familiar to push the switch, and continue left. Head up the corridor, slash the right wall for some Green Tea, and head right to collect a Power of Sire and a Life Apple. Returm to the corridor with the switch and head up. At the four-way crossroad, head right to collect the Alucard Sword. Head left for a Portal, and go up to continue on. On your climb up, pick the Shiitakes. At the top, head right for a Power of Sire and head left to move on to the... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Floating Catacombs Music Track: Curse Zone Enemies Found: Bat, Blood Skeleton, Frozen Half, Salome, Skeleton Bosses Found: Galamoth Items Found: Attack Potion, Buffalo Star, Diamond, Elixir, Gas Cloud, Heart Max Up x2, Karma Coin x2, Library Card, Life Max Up x2, Magic Missile, Necklace of J, Red Bean Bun, Resist Fire, Resist Thunder, Shield Potion --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Head up, then right for a Save Point, then continue right for a Magic Missile. Slash the wall behind it for a Buffalo Star. Head back to the left. The Salome enemies are very annoying. They create magic shields which prevent damage, so what can you do? Use a long range weapon and hit them before they see you is one option. The other is to equip the Cat-Eye Circlet and fight it out. When they throw cats at you, touch one for a large HP boost. When you defeat a Salome and it turns into a cat, touch it for a large HP boost. Continue left until you reach the first large room, then take the upper left exit. This leads into another large room with only one exit. Take it to find a spike room. Don your Spike Breaker and plow on through. Continue to the left to find two Karma Coins, and two Resist potions. Head up, collect the Red Bean Bun to the left, and head right. You'll discover an Elixir, and the wall behind it conceals a Library Card. Return to the second large room and head right. Continue past the Heart and Life Max Ups until you find the hole in the floor. Drop down to collect Attack and Shield Potions, then head right, slash the wall, and continue to collect the Necklace of J. Go back up through the gap and continue right. The far right room has nothing but a fraction of a percent, so double back and drop down the vertical corridor. Take the lower left exit for a Save Point and continue left for a Diamond. Take the lower right exit to fight Galamoth. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Galamoth Tactics Boss Battle Music: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fighting Galamoth with the Beryl Circlet equipped just wouldn't be fair, now would it? Whether you use it or not, those black spheres he sends out still damage, so avoid them as best as possible. Slashing his legs just doesn't have the effect of slashing his head, but that's easier said than done. Unless you do something really drastic (Crissaegrim, Shield Rod), Galamoth will still put up quite a fight even if you've got the Beryl Circlet equipped, so it's not totally cheating. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After that, take the upper right exit from Galamoth's chamber to find a Heart and Life Max Up. Continue right to find a Ruby Circlet and the Gas Cloud. Now, head back to the Reverse Entrance via the Reverce Caverns. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Reverse Entrance Music Track: Finale Toccata (the official theme song of the second castle, apparently) Enemies Found: Blue Venus Weed, Dodo Bird, Dragon Rider, Fire Warg, Jack O'Bones, Nova Skeleton, Orobourous, Warg Rider Bosses Found: None Items Found: Antivenom, Beryl Circlet, Fire Boomerang, Hammer, Heart Max Up, High Potion, Life Max Up, Opal, Pot Roast, Talisman, Zircon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- You'll exit the Reverce Caverns to the room with the large rock. You've been here before to collect the Beryl Circlet and such. Now head right and take the hole in the floor. Continue far to the right for a Save Point, then drop down the vertical corridor and take the bottom right exit for a Fire Boomerang. Return to the rock room and head right. The Orobourouses in this room rarely drop the Lapus Lazuli, an Accessory that gives a +20 LCK bonus. Having higher luck means that monsters drop rare items more often. For more Orobourous fun, knock the rider off their back and they'll follow you around the rest of this room, and will damage any enemy they touch. The large room at the far right contains a Hammer and an Antivenom. Once you collect these, head back to the left. The room past the Rock room contains a Dodo Bird. They rarely drop the Runesword, which is a really neat throwing weapon. Also, slash the staircase suspended in the air at the far left of the room for a High Potion. At the vertical corridor, drop down and take the middle right exit to find a Life Max Up. Then, continue down, take the left exit, climb back up, exit right, drop down again, and take the lower right exit. When you reach this large room, take the middle left exit for a Talisman, and take the top right exit for a Portal. The middle right exit is a Save Point. Grab the Heart Max Up at the bottom, and take the lower left exit back to the Black Marble Gallery. The route back to the Giant Clock is pretty straightfoward, and be sure to pick up the Library Card along the way. Be sure to explore the first large room for a Potion and an Antivenom. Exit to the left, drop down one screen, then take the left exit of the next for a save point. Drop down one more screen, then take the left exit for back towards the Giant Clock. There's no need just yet to actually go back to the Giant Clock itself, so once you've explored the hallway, turn around and head right, all the way to the Necromancy Laboratory. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Necromancy Laboratory Music Track: Finale Toccata (did the music people go on strike during the development of this game?) Enemies Found: Bitterfly, Ctulhu, Fire Demon, Gremlin, Imp, Lesser Demon, Salem Witch Bosses Found: Beezelbub, Lord of the Flies Items Found: Goddess Shield, Heart Max Up, High Potion, Katana, Life Max Up, Manna Prism, Resist Dark, Ring of Arcana, Turquoise --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Circle around the first room you find, collect the Turquoise, and exit left. Continue left until you reach the vertical corridor. The first left exit is a Save Point. Take the top left exit, then fly up and take the middle right exit to find the Goddess Shield. Then, continue up and exit right. Explore the large room you end up in. The top left exit is a Save Point. Take the hole in the bottom right floor, then continue right for a High Potion. Collect the Manna Prism in the top right, then take the hole in the ceiling in the top left corner. Head right to find a Resist Dark, then go to the left. You'll end up back at the Reverce Entrance. Save if you wish, then head back to the first large room. This time, take the bottom right entrance. When you get to the vertical corridor, take out the ceiling for a Katana, and the top right wall for a Heart Max Up. Continue on to the second large room. The bottom left exit leads to a Life Max Up. Grab it, then take the bottom right exit. It leads to another vertical corridor. Take the top right exit for a Save Point, then take the lower left exit to battle Beezelbub. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beezelbub Boss Music Track: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beezelbub doesn't attack directly, but some very large insects will be bugging you the whole time. Also, some maggots will be swarming the floors, so equip a Topaz Circlet and you won't have to worry about them. Just keep hacking off Beezelbub's various limbs until dead. You can use an Axe or the Cross to make this a little easier. You won't win the Conch Shell of Vlad, however. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take the lower left exit to find the Ring of Arcana, which makes enemies drop rare items more often. The top left exit leads back to where you've already been, so head back to the last vertical corridor and take the bottom right exit to head back to the Anti-Chapel. Grab the Heart Max Up on your way to the Save Point, then drop down. Head right for a Zircon, then continue left. On your way, you can collect a Heart Max Up, a Shuriken, some TNT, a Diamond, a Boomerang, a Javelin, and finally, a Fire Boomerang. In the next room, drop down to the bottom for mapping purposes, then take either exit. Then take the lower left exit of the Spectral Sword room. That leads back to the first bell tower. Take the upper left exit for an extra percentage point, then explore whatever part of the bell tower that wasn't explored when you fought Medusa. That done, return to the Spectral Sword room and take the top left exit, which leads to the Reverce Colosseum. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facts About: Reverce Colosseum Music Track: Door of Holy Spirits Enemies Found: Azaghal, Minotaur, Stone Skull, Werewolf, White Dragon Bosses Found: Fake Grant, Fake Sypha, and Fake Trevor Items Found: Aquamarine, Buffalo Star, Fury Plate, Gram, Heart Max Up x2, Life Max Up, Zircon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, there's only about 6 percent of the castle left to go. At your first opportunity, go up and take the first right exit for a save point, then the top right exit for a Zircon. Climb to the top, then head all the way to the left for a Buffalo Star. Walk back to the vertical corridor, drop down a level, then head back towards the Save Point to add to your map. Then, turn around and go all the way left, collecting the Heart and Life Max Ups on the way to the other Save Point. Then, climb up to the top, and exit left to find an Aquamarine. Head to the right to find Gram. Drop down the elevator shaft, then head left past the grate, and drop down again. On your way to the right, slash the floor near the first pillar to find a secret passage that leads to the Fury Plate. Continue to the right, head up, then take the top left route to encounter... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fake Trevor, Grant, and Sypha Tactics Music: Festival of Servants --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grant crawls on the ceiling tossing daggers downward at you, Trevor tosses Crosses at you Belmont-style, and Sypha casts elemental storms at you. If you hit Grant, he'll fall down, allowing you to hit him a few free times. Watch out also for Trevor's whip. Slash them all to death and move on. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- =========================================================================== Ending #4 Exit left, and continue left straight on to Death Wing's Lair. Head back to the Giant Clock. The ceiling will open, so fly upwards. Head left for a Heart Refresh, then right for a Save Point, then take the elevator up. Head upwards, then drop into the center room to face... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaft Tactics Boss Music Track: Death Ballad --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Avoid the orbs that Shaft sends flying all over the place. If when you see an elemental attack coming, quickly equip the appropriate Circlet to absorb it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dracula Tactics Boss Music Track: Black Banquet --------------------------------------------------------------------------- When you first meet Dracula, hit him once or twice, then use the Library Card to escape the battle. Why? This allows you to save the last .1% of the game, and to put Dracula in the Master Librarian's Enemy List. Do that, then come back and face Dracula again. Dracula's two giant claws will grab for you from either side, but you should be doing tons more damage to him than he is to you. From time to time, he'll fly off the screen, and cast some sort of spell at you that is easily avoided. Dracula's three heads will also pop out at you. When you see all three pop out, transform into a Mist to avoid the spell they will cast. After Dracula's defeat, you'll see the best ending of the game. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- =========================================================================== =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Why Don't I Have 200.6%? :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= So you've played through the game and don't have 200.6%, and you don't really want to read through that long walkthrough that I just wrote to find out what you're missing? I don't blame you; so here are a few tips that may help you ferret out those last remaining percentage points. Want to know just how much you're missing? If you hit Start and look in the bottom right corner of the screen, you'll see the "Rooms" counter. It counts the number of little blue sqaures you have on your map. (Each blue square is roughly equivalent to one screen.) The highest number you can achieve (without the Sword Familiar glitch above) is 1890. An obvious source of missing points are "gaps", or areas of larger rooms that you have been in, but failed to explore each and every corner. These are generally pretty easy to pick out. Also, notice that the entire map should be outlined in white. If you see an area not outlined in white, that an indication of a gap. Still don't have 200.6%? Here is a list of some of the less obvious secret areas. Remember that any secret area that exists in one castle exists in the other as well. Abandoned Mine/Cave 1) Use the Devil Familiar to push the switch in the wall. 2) In the corridor after the switch, the wall at the bottom left (top right) can be broken for another secret room. Castle Keep/Reverce Keep 1) At the end of the carpeted stairway but before you enter the hallway that leads to Richter, slash the top of the entranceway to uncover the switch that lowers a secret staircase. If you hit the switch in the first castle, the staircase will also be raised in the second castle. Colosseum/Reverce Colosseum 1) The topmost (bottommost) room with the Blade Masters (Azaghals) has a part of the ceiling (floor) that can be destroyed. Clock Tower/Reverse Clock Tower 1) In the vertical towers, there are four gears in the walls which can be hit. Listen carefully to the sound they make when you hit them. If they make a clicking sound, stop hitting it and move on to another one. If done correctly, another secret room will open up. 2) At the bottom left (top right) of the long hallway after the gear towers, slash the wall for another secret room. Entrance/Reverse Entrance 1) Tunnel through the large rock, then fly through it one way as a Bat and run through it the other way as a Wolf. This will open up a secret room at the bottom left (top right) corner of the room. Long Library/Forbidden Library 1) When you enter a room with a bookcase that is apparently blocking your path, keep walking against it to push it out of your way. Marble Gallery/Black Marble Gallery 1) At the Giant Clock, one of the stone statues can only be moved by using a Clock in the room. 2) The switch beyond the Blue Door opens two holes: one leads to the Abandoned Mine, the other leads to a small room. 3) When you get to the fight with Dracula, don't fight him but use a Library Card. This will allow you to save the small room you fight him in. Olrox's Quarters/Death Wing's Lair 1) When you first enter the first large chamber with the Spectral Sword (Azaghal), take out the lower right (upper left) wall to find a secret area. 2) Take the hallway that leads to the Royal Chapel (Anti-Chapel). When you come to an area that's a different color than the rest of the hallway, there's a portion of the ceiling (floor) that can be destroyed. Underground Caverns/Reverce Caverns 1) Go to the left (right) of the room where you fought the Scylla Wyrm (Doppleganger40). Drop down (head up) and take out the floor (ceiling). 2) In the Reverce Caverns, be sure to use the Wolf and stick to the ceiling of the water areas. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ::: Miscellaneous Alucard Tips :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * OK, I've beaten the game. Now what? * If you beat the game with a high enough percentage (180? 200? I've heard both, but I don't know for sure), you'll be able to do all sorts of things. First, the Master Librarian will add the Sound Test to his menu. Also, he'll start selling the Duplicator for the low, low price of $500000. The Time Attack option should show up on your System menu, detailing how long it took you to reach various points in the game. Any new game you start will have all of the above from the start, as long as your memory card has the beaten game still saved on it. Speaking of starting new games, try using the following names: 1) RICHTER - Play the game as Richter Belmont. (see Part II) 2) AXEARMOR - You start the Alucard game with the Axe Lord Armor. 3) X-X!V''Q - Alucard starts with 99 Luck and a Lapus Lazuli, but his other stats are extremely low. * Master Librarian Trick * Another trick you can do is the Master Librarian trick. You can do this before you beat the game, but you do need a lot of MP. A Mystic Pendant may not hurt, either. Go to the Long Library, and go to the room just under the Master Librarian (where you found the Bronze Cuirass). Now, Super Jump repeatedly up the narrow gap in the ceiling. The idea is to jump high enough that you take the Librarian for a ride without knocking him into the ceiling, then dropping him back to the ground without you falling back to the ground. If done correctly, you'll get a Life Max Up, a Ring of Arcana, the Dracula Tunic, and the Axe Lord Armor. You'll want to save first until you get the hang of it, because you only have one chance. * Keep Your Alucard Equipment * Well, I finally got this to work. Start a game with the 99 Luck code (see above). Then, when you get to the room with the 3 Wargs (before the room with Death), kill them all. Then, unequip everything but the Alucard Sword, the Necklace of J, and the Twilight Cloak, leaving you with a DEF rating of 12. Turn around, exit left, and return to this room. Kill the first Warg, then jump over the second. If you got hit (and you most likely will), use either a Pot Roast or a Turkey to heal so this next part won't kill you. After you jump the second Warg, stand there and let it lunge at you. It should send you flying out of the room and past Death. You will be unable to go to the Menu screen until you save the game, so head to the nearest Save Point and save. Also, if you ever enter the room with Death again, he'll steal your equipment anyway unless you undertake the optional battle with Gaibon and Slogra (see the walkthrough for more details.) * Sword Familiar Glitch * Want more than 200.6%? Head back to the Royal Chapel. At the very bottom of the first bell tower, walk up to the left exit (but don't enter.) Activate the Sword Familiar, and cast the Sword Brothers spell. As it is being cast, transform into a Bat and fly to the left. If you switched screens (like you should) you flew left too early. Otherwise, you'll fly behind the wall. Continue left as far as you can, then head up. You'll be outside the castle! Any area you explore like this will be marked in blue on your map. I've been told that this trick works at the same place in the Anti-Chapel, as well. However, your Sword Familiar must be at Level 99 for this trick to work. * Rare Items * Most of the enemies in CSOTN can drop two "rare" items, i.e., items other than Hearts or Money Bags. This happens rarely though, so if an enemy drops an item you've really got to have, here are a few ways to make that happen. First, find and equip the Ring of Arcana and/or a Lapus Lazuli. The former increases the apperance of rare items, and the latter increases luck (which has the same effect, in addition to increasing critical hits.) For an extra luck bonus, equip all of the Alucart equipment. This gives you an extra +30 Luck boost. Second, if possible, try to find a place where the target enemy is near a doorway, so you can kill it, leave, come back, kill it again, etc. * 200 Luck * For best results in rare item hunting, you need a large Luck rating. The highest you can theoretically get without a GameShark is 199. Here's how. Start a game with the 99 Luck code. That gives you 99 Luck (duh) and a Lapus Lazuli (Luck +20 = 119). Now collect and use/equip the following: Alucart Mail, Alucart Shield, Alucart Sword (Luck +30 = 149) A extra Lapus Lazuli (Luck +20 = 169) Eye of Vlad (Luck +10 = 179) To get the last 20 points, use a Luck Potion. * Possible Rare Item Bug? * I got an E-mail not too long ago from LordHeresy@aol.com, who had claimed to have gotten a Cat-Eye Circlet from a Salem Witch. At first I didn't believe it, until the save game I was playing refused to give me a single Ring of Varda. I was fighting Paranthropuses, and they were giving me Gauntlets by the boatload. They weren't, however, giving me Rings of Varda. Weirder still, they were dropping Turquoises. I didn't have the Jewel Sword equipped, and I have never seen a Paranthropus drop a Turquoise. I tried one of my earlier saves, and I couldn't get the Paranthropuses there to drop a Turquoise (but I got a number of Rings of Varda.) So, I would guess that there's a bug that makes enemies drop things they shouldn't, and only affects random save games (kinda like the FF7 bug that makes random save games refuse to let the characters learn their final Limit Break.) If it happens, I guess all you can do is start another game and hope it doesn't happen again. I've received E-mails from people who have managed to get Rings of Varda despite having the Turquoise bug kick in. I have not been able to reproduce this, however. Also, there was a theory that the Alucart equipment triggered this bug, but that does not seem to be the case. * Invisibility * Go to one of the Portals, and use a Library Card. After Alucard does his animation, but before the pillar of light appears, press Up to teleport. When you come out of the teleport, you'll be invisible. After a while, you'll be able to control Alucard, but only his sword and shield will be visible. This will last until you leave the CD hallway adjacent to the Portal. * Infinite Peanuts * Remember the room in the Underground Caverns with the fake Save Point and the battle with the Succubus? Make your way to the same room in the second castle, and there is a Peanut on the ground, hidden by the floor. However, if you leave and come back, the Peanut will return. You can collect as many as you like! * Healing Tips * Are you running low on HP and there's no Save Point nearby? Don't want to waste those Elixirs? Eaten all your food and still low? Well, if you happen to have some of the various Circlets handy, you can heal up easily. If you have the Topaz Circlet, you can walk into the little thingies that the Balloon Pods release, collecting some HP in the process. Have a Ruby Circlet? Then let some Gremlins fill up the room with flame, then absorb them for 24 HP each. Also, since Stone Skulls are indestructible, you can Soul Steal from them until you run out of MP. * Fight Evasion * Turning into a Mist is a very good defensive strategy, especially if you have the Power of Mist relic. Don't want to fight something? Turn into the Mist and fly by. Need to avoid some boss attack? Turn into a Mist. * Teleport Attacks * Some of Alucard's weapons come with a Teleporting special ability. So what, you might ask? Well, since you're invincible during the teleport, and you can teleport again before you've finished teleporting the first time, this can be quite useful. * Hidden Audio Track * Well, this one's pretty obvious actually, but Justin Sison thought I should mention it in the FAQ. Place your CSOTN CD in a regular CD player, and select track 2. You'll hear Alucard give a little speech, then a neat remix of Castle Dracula will play. * Fifth Ending? * I received an E-mail from Mike Chenoweth, who had found some utility to rip sound files from Playstation CD's, and found this: " Then, while listening to the various texts for the battle with Richter, I heard these lines. [See attached file] Later, during the texts for game endings, I heard the bit at the end that Alucard is saying [also see file.] I put all the lines into a single MP3 file, and for the sake of size, there isn't much space between the lines--but apparently they detail in different parts: 1. Maria showing up to save Richter 2. Maria transforming into a demon 3. The demon defeating Alucard ["Such power..."] 4. The demon being defeated by Alucard ["It won't end like this..."] 5. Alucard mourning Richter and Maria's passing. I have no idea how to trigger this ending--but I assume it IS in there, since Konami wouldn't bother to have the English voice actors do these parts unless they had a purpose for them! " The attached file that Mike speaks of was an MP3 file of the above five lines, which I will attempt to transcribe here: 1. Maria: "Wait! Don't hurt Richter any more!" Richter: "Ma.. Maria?" Maria: "Richter!" Richter: "You saved me!" 2. (Male voice, perhaps Shaft?): "If not for you, I would have lost to this fool" Female Demon (Maria?): "EEYAAAHH! Uh! Hahaha! Four Demons I hold you to your oath. Defend your master who commands you!" 3. Female Demon: "Oh! Such power in such a little girl. Hahahaha!" 4. Female Demon: "EEYAAAHHH! It won't end like this! You should be destroyed along with this castle. Hahaha!" 5. Alucard: "It's over, but the sacrifice was great. Maria, Richter... I did not wish for you to die. Such is the fate of mortals. I'm certain that some dark force was behind Maria's transformation, but it doesn't matter now." Kurt Kalata has posted Mike's MP3 at the Castlevania Dungeon, if anyone is interested. See the Credits or Introduction sections for the Dungeon's URL. Now, the question remains: how do you get it? Assuming you can get it, that is. Here's a list of what doesn't work, provided by TorgVega Q: " Long Fight, Going to Belmont as soon as possible. (long as in using the Tyrfing Sword) Long Fight, Completing as much of the map as possible, without triggering optional events. Long Fight, Talking to Maria about Richter going bad Normal Fight, Talking to Maria about