Hints and Help for MSX Games

Hints for the hints:

• Key combinations generally must be typed fast, while the proper screen is displayed, or else you will have to restart the sequence. For example, in "Yie Ar Kung-Fu II", you must enter the sequence of letters while the title is on screen. If the demo starts, you will have to reenter the sequence from the beginning. Practice a little before, 'cause some combinations are really long.
• Key combinations, like in "Majou Densetsu - Knightmare", must be hold, that is, they are not key press sequences, but simultaneous key pressing, which must be kept pressed as required (read the explanation carefully before starting).
• After typing a password, generally it is required that you press <Carriage Return> (also called <Enter> in some keyboards). When a password or key combination must NOT be followed by <C.R.>, it is explicitly explained so.
• Though passwords and key combinations are written in capital letters here, they are generally not required to be entered so. Indeed, except when explicitly denoted, they shouldn't be entered in upper case (using <Caps Lock> or <Shift> keys, because they could interfere with the input). Just type the sequences or press the keys as indicated.

Many Spectrum convertions have an annoying code check to prevent someone that has not finished the first part of a game to play the sequels. Some of those codes are also here.

After The War - Part I

After The War - Part II

After The War - Part II (x), action game. The start code is 11423.

Arkanoid (1986 Taito), a more elaborated version of the classical game "Breakout". This game has two different secret combinations. The first gives you a lot of lives: in the title screen, hold the <Up Arrow> and the <Down Arrow>, press four (4) times the <Kana> key (called <Code> or <LGRAPH> in non-japanese machines), then press <Space> and wait till the game starts. The second combination takes you to the last stage: in the title screen, hold the <Left Arrow> and the <Right Arrow>, press four times the <Kana> key, then press <Space>.

Arkos - Part I	Arkos - Part II
Arkos - Part III

Arkos - Part III (1987 Arcadia), (boring) action game. The start code is 35098.

Army Moves - Part I

Army Moves - Part II

Army Moves - Part II (1987 Dynamic), plataform game. The start code is 37215.

Crusader (19xx Compile), a plataform game. You can select the starting stage, holding, in the title screen, the <Select> key and pressing <Insert> to advance or <Delete> to return. Press <Space> to confirm the choice.

F-1 Spirit - The Way to Formula 1 (1987 Konami). This game has five special key-words (enter them in the password screen):

1. ESCON: <F5> key allows you, in any select screen, to return to the main menu. During a race, there is no way, by default, to quit and return to the main menu, that is, you must end the race. Using this password allows you to press <F5> key to quit a race instantly and return to the main menu.
2. ESCOFF: this turns off <F5> key to quit a race, that is, the key has no effect (this is default).
3. HYPEROFF: this password speeds up the mechanicians in the pit-stop boxes.
4. MAXPOINT: allows you to access all circuits (normally, you must win previous races to get access to the next courses).
5. MITAIYOENDDEMO: allows you to see the ending demo of this game (not that reaching it is that hard, but takes some time). The password means "I want to see the ending demo", in Japanese).

Freddy Hardest - Part I

Freddy Hardest - Part II

Freddy Hardest - Part II (1987 Dynamic), plataform game. The start code is 897653.

Game Over - Part I

Game Over - Part II

Game Over - Part II (1988 Dinamic), plataform game. The start code is 65535.

ゴファー の 野望 ー Episode II ("Go-fa- no Yabou, Episode II", 1988 Konami), shoot'em up, the sequel to "Gradius 2" and "Salamander". This game has some secret passwords (press <F1> key and type them):

• GOOD: makes the game easier.
• HARD: makes the game harder.
• EXPAND: extends the resistance of the shield.
• FIND: marks hidden points with a blinking star.

The Goonies (1986 Konami), plataform game. When you finish a stage, a password is given. Pressing <Control> and <K> keys on the title screen will allow you to enter a password and jump to the respective stage:

1. GOONIES
2. MR SLOTH
3. GOON DOCKS
4. DOUBLOON
5. ONE EYED WILLY

Gradius (1986 Konami), the shoot'em up game that revived the MSX soul in the middle of the 1980's. It has lots of secret passwords and four secret stages. Most passwords can be used only once until you clear all stages. Generally, only one weapon password may be used in the same stage. These are the general passwords:

• MISSILE: activates the missiles (level 2).
• DOUBLE: activates the double cannon.
• LASER: activates the laser beams (level 2).
• OPTION: activates the options (2).
• SHIELD: activates the energy shield.
• HYPER: activates the missiles (level 2), the laser (level 2), two options and the shield. This works only once in a game.
• DOWN: speed down.
• AHO or BAKA: finishes the game (game over).

These passwords do the same as "HYPER", but can be used even if that has already been used. They can only be used in the correct normal stage:

1. MOMOKO
2. CHIE
3. AKEMI
4. SYUKO
5. CHIAKI
6. NORIKO
7. SATOE
8. YASUKO

The secret stages are far more difficult to go through than the normal stages. I recommend the use of the double cannon, instead of the laser beam. These are for the secret stage passwords (put your ship in the indicated locations to enter the secret stages):

1. KINUYO: the entrance is in a stone cave near the end of stage 2.
   
2. HISAE: the entrance is between two "moai" heads in the middle of stage 3.
   

3. Stage 1	Stage 4 - First Cave
   Stage 4 - Second Cave

   MIYUKI: the entrance to the third secret stage must be activated before usage. To do so, you must fly through the mountain caves in stage 1 and beginning of stage 4. The entrance is in the second mountain cave of stage 4.
   
4. YOHKO: the entrance is under the top arm of the stage boss. Hint: enter before the boss completely scrolls in, because it is very difficult to avoid its shots to reach the secret entrance.
   

Guardic (1986 Compile), a shoot'em up in a huge maze. The goal is to defeat the boss ships (there are two in the maze, whose rooms disappear after the battle, making the third and last boss' room show up). You can buy power-ups to your Guardic to clear the enemies from a room (the credits are yellow balls that appear in some rooms). There are two secret screens in this game, both activated by the sequence of arrows <Left>, <Right>, <Left>, <Right>, <Left>, <Right>:

• Practice Mode: enter the sequence in the main title screen.
• Music Mode: after a few seconds, the main title screen goes out and the high-score screen appears. Enter the sequence in the high-score screen.

火 の 鳥 ― 鳳凰編 (Hinotori - Houoo Hen, 1987 Konami, Kadokawa Shoten and Tezuka Productions). The function keys activate special commands (to exit, press <Space>):

• <F1>: pause the game. Pressing <Home> key will show a password that allows you to restore the game later. To enter a game or secret password, press <Home> again.
• <F2>: allows you to "purchase" a new weapon (the credits are the feathers you collect).
• <F3>: shows the item inventory.
• <F4>: shows the stage map (you lose one map each time you use this).
• <F5>: shows the world map (you must collect the scroll maps, one in each stage). It also allows you to go to other stages, if you have a compass.

In the password input screen, you can enter these secret passwords (they can be used only once):

• AUTOSHOT: gives you autoshooting.
• DOKODEMOMAP: gives you all world maps (it means "map of everywhere").
• FULLITEMDAYOON: makes you have one of each item (be carefull, you will lose items if you already have more than one of any).
• GAOOOOOOOOOOH: gives you ten more lives (Gao is the name of the main character). There are ten "O" in this password (it's like someone calling Gaoooo...)
• HANEYOKAGAYAKE: when you destroy a golden totem, it releases a feather. Most feathers are common, but some give you ten times more credits (the blinking feathers). This password makes all feathers blink (it means "feathers, shine!").
• HAYAME: this makes you have up to three ladybugs ("Hayame" is the name of a character of the original animation movie, she is the reason for Gao's quest...)
• HOIHOIHOINOHOI: gives you infinite compasses (it means "spin, spin and spin!")
• ILOVEHINOTORI: this will make you invulnerable (though you still can be crushed by the scenario scroll).
• KINOOOIHITODANE: gives you all square stones (it means "yesterday was a good day!").
• KOKOWADOKO: makes you have up to six maps (it means "where is here?")
• METALSLAVE: makes you have two hundred feathers.
• NANDANANDANANDA: when you die, you don't lose a life (it means "what, what, what?")
• SUPERBALL: gives you all round stones.
• TURBO: gives you maximum speed up.
• ULTRABOX: makes you have nine boxes.
• ENDDEMOGAMITAINA: you can see the ending demo of the game by entering this password (it means "I want to see the ending demo").

Description of the items:

• Box: you can continue the game, after you have lost your last life, by pressing <F5> key. If you have a box, you won't lose your items when you continue.
• Compass: allows you to select another stage. Press <F5> key, select with the arrow keys and press <Space> to go to the chosen stage (you lose the compass, except if you have got it using the corresponding secret password).
• Ladybug: each ladybug gives you two more shots (without any one, there may be up to two shots on the screen).
• Map: stage map.
• Scroll Map: world map.
• Slippers: speed up.

Jack Chan, The Protector (?), a fighting game. You can advance one stage pressing <1>, <T> and <O> at the same time.

仔猫の大冒険 ー チビちゃんがいく (Koneko no Daibouken - Tchibitchan ga iku ["kitten's great adventure - Tchibitchan is going"], also known as "Cat Adventure", 1986 Casio), a plataform game, "Super Mario" clone. Your character can become invulnerable (except for abyss falls) if you hold <Up Arrow>, <Left Arrow>, <Right Arrow>, <Select> and <Space> keys, until the game starts.

魔城伝説 (Majou Densetsu - Knightmare ["legend of the supernatural castle"], 1986 Konami), an action/shoot'em up game. It has a lot of secrets, like hidden magical boxes on the ground and secret passages that allow the main character, Popolon, to move through the screen edges. The game can become really hard at some stages. To help you, there are three special key combinations available, which cannot be used at the same time (you may choose only one):

1. Hold <Left Arrow>, <Right Arrow> and <N> key, then press and hold <Select> key until the game starts. This will give you 25 lives in the beginning, instead of 2.
2. Hold <Left Arrow>, <Right Arrow> and <I> key, then press and hold <Select> key until the game starts. Now, when you press the <Select> key in the game, Popolon will become invisible for a while. You can use this only three times.
3. Hold <Left Arrow>, <Right Arrow> and <Y> key, then press and hold <Select> key until the game starts. Just like in the previous key combination, when you press <Select>, Popolon will become invisible for a while, but you can use this trick as many times as you want.

The following is a brief description of some items you may find in the game:

• Power-up Capsule: floating sphere, has a large "P" in the center. When you shoot at this item, it shifts its colours: black (points), blue (speed-up, cumulative), cyan (shield), red (temporary invulnerability, but you cannot fire, just "step on" the enemies), white (temporary invisibility, like that given by the special hints).
• Magical Box: square, found on the ground, has a "?" printed when closed. When you shoot enough at them, they open, revealing their contents: barrier (grey block, cannot be destroyed), chess tower (cyan, points), chess knight (blue horse-head mega bomb, destroys all enemies on the screen), chess queen (red, freezes the screen and enemies for a while), chess king (yellow, gives an extra life).
• Weapon Capsule: gleaming floating sphere. When you shoot at it, the weapon icons shift. Some weapons have two levels (you can take two capsules to make them stronger or more numerous). Only one weapon can be used at a time (when you choose another one, the previous is lost).

Navy Moves - Part I

Navy Moves - Part II

Navy Moves - Part II (1989 Dinamic), action game. The start code is 53817.

Phantis - Part I

Phantis - Part II

Phantis - Part II (1987 Dinamic), plataform game. The start code is 18757.

Salamander (1987 Konami), as already explained, needs the Gradius 2 game cartridge active at cartridge slot 2 to show the true ending.

Scion (?), a shoot'em up with multiplane scenario. Press on the title screen, at the same time, <1>, <5> and <0> keys to start with 80 lives.

Sol Negro - Part I

Sol Negro - Part II

Sol Negro - Part II (Opera Soft), (confusing) action game. The start code is 2414520.

賢者乃石 - The Stone of Wisdom (Kendjya no Ishi ["stone of the wise man"], 1986 Casio), a labyrinth game. Your character can become invulnerable if you hold <Control>, <Y> and <Select> keys on the "Casio" title screen. Press <Space> and wait until the game starts. The objetive of the game is to collect pieces of a tapestry. Hitting the walls with your sword will reveal hidden passages. Collect the crystal balls, which are used to purchase the pieces of the tapestry in a special room without enemies (just step on the piece you want and press <Space> - I'm not sure about this).

Titanic - Part I

Titanic - Part II

Titanic (Part I and II) (1988 Topo Soft), action game. The start code for part II is SUSIE. Both games have a secret key combination that gives infinite lives: press, at the same time, <2>+<3>+<5>+<8> any time in the game (just once is enough to activate the trick).

Twinbee (1986 Konami), a classical shoot'em up. To help the player, there is a bell inside each cloud. When you shoot at a cloud, the bell pops out. Shooting at a bell will make it shift its colours, giving you different things if you can catch them:

• Yellow: score.
• Green: two "options" (they are like shadow copies of your ship, imaterial, following you and shooting with the same weapon you are using).
• Cyan: speed up.
• White: double shooter.
• Red: shield (a protection barrier that absorbs some shots and impacts).
• Black: destroys your ship.

You will start the game with the options and the shield if you hold the <Z> key and press <Tab> to start. This combination only works for one player mode (it automatically selects the mode). In two players mode, if Twinbee (cyan craft) and Winbee (red craft) have the same speed, they can join "hand-to-hand" and fire a super blast. Still in two players mode, if one craft is hit by the other from behind, it will fire four multidirectional shots. Two good players can have a lot of fun from this one.

TZR Grandprix Rider (1986 Japan ASCII), motorcycle race game. On the track screen, press <Esc> and the corresponding password to select the stage:

1. default, no code required
2. RAIN
3. DUNE
4. COLD
5. DUSK
6. DARK
7. BLIN
8. DAWN

Warroid (1984/1985 Yellowhorn, released by Japan ASCII Co.), a robot battle game. You can select the initial stage: enter in the configuration screen, pressing the <Escape> key. Hold <Select> and <Backspace> keys and press <Insert> to advance stages or <Delete> to return stages.

闇 の 竜王 ー ハデス の 紋章 (Yami no Ryuuou - Hadesu no Monshyou ["Dragon King of Darkness - Hades Figures], also known as "Leon"), a "Majou Densetsu - Knightmare" clone, except that the scenario doesn't scroll automatically, it requires you to "push" it along. To make your character invulnerable, in the title screen keep <Tab> and <Caps Lock> keys pressed, then press <Space> or trigger to start the game.

Yie Ar Kung-Fu II - イーガー 皇帝 の 逆襲 (Yie-Gah Koutei no Gyakushyuu = Counterattack of Emperor Yie-Gah, 1985 Konami), a classical fighting game. You can start with 94 lives if, on the title screen, you type the following sequence of keys: E S S C C C F F F F. The game will automatically start for one player.

夢大陸 アドベンチャー (Yume Tairiku Adobentchya ["adventure in the dream continent"], also named "Penguin Adventure", 1986 Konami), one of the best games ever made, has many secrets, all explained in a specially dedicated Page.

Zanac

Zanac Second Release

Zanac (1986 Compile, released by Pony Canyon), a very fast shoot'em up, and hard, too. There are two different releases of this game, each with different maps, and lots of hints that may help you to reach the ending:

• You can start with 99 lives, only in the second release, just holding any arrow key until the game starts, pressing the <Space> key.
• The Zanac fighter (your craft) has two weapons, an energy blaster, with limited durability (except for blaster type zero), and a conventional cannon, with unlimited ammunition. The <Space> key will make Zanac fire both weapons. The <Shift> key will fire only the cannon, saving energy from the blaster. The cannon can be upgraded taking cannon upgrade capsules, which are in some special containers that appear from time to time, ever in groups of three. Shooting at the containers will reveal what is stored in them. If one becomes cyan, then there is a weapon upgrade capsule in it. Red signs that there is a trap inside and yellow, nothing. It's necessary many capsules to upgrade the cannon to the maximum level three.
• You can change your energy blaster taking special numbered capsules (blaster change capsules) that appear when you destroy some carriers and stores on the ground. In the first release of "Zanac", blaster type seven (rapid fire) was very powerful and could destroy anything, even enemy fire. In the second release, that weapon lost that ability (some other weapons still can do it, but they are slower). As a compensation, you can activate any weapon you want, at any time, just pressing the corresponding number on the main key set (from zero to eight). Blaster type two (energy shield) makes you almost invulnerable against frontal attack, but it also brings "bad luck": giant and hard shielded enemies use to appear when you activate that weapon. It happens in both versions of the game.
• Some carriers don't have a blaster capsule inside, but a "Randar", the cyan pet creature of Compile. If you take it, it will give you one extra ship. Scoring also will give you extra ships, so, shoot them up!
• When you take a capsule of any kind, Zanac becomes temporarily invulnerable. This effect can help you to get out of very difficult situations, or even to destroy some annoying enemy (you just have to touch it). But be careful, it last only a breath...
• If you shoot enough at a totem (a statue very hard to destroy, found on the ground), it will release a mega bomb (some can release more than one), an item that will destroy almost everything on the screen, if you touch it. After a while, if you don't use a mega bomb, it generally disappears, but there are some, released ever by the same totems, which don't disappear, they turn to black and become hyperjump points, taking you to some other point in the game, forth or back, so be careful when using one. The totems that release the special mega bombs differ from the common ones (image to the left) for they are "smiling" (* image to the right). Making hyperjumps is a better way to go to the final stage, because the time left to destroy the last boss of the "normal space" is very limited.
  
• Follow these instructions to go to the last stage ("round 0" - this works only with the first release):
  1. Start the game and defeat the first (one eyed) and second bosses (four eyed). Following, there will appear two totems in the center of the scenario. The second is "smiling". Hit it, wait till the mega bomb becomes black and take the hyperjump to round 2. (*)
  2. Defeat the first boss of round 2 (four eyed). There will appear a totem on the right side of a river. Shoot a lot at it (weapons 0, 1 and 7 [the best] makes the task easier). It will release two mega bombs, both special. The first would take you back to round 1. Take the second, which will take you before the beginning of round 2. (*)
  3. In the center of the "pre-round 2" scenario, there will be an invisible totem. If you hit it, it will release a mega bomb. Wait until it becomes black then take it to hyperjump to final round zero. (*)
  4. Round Zero is very difficult. You can "cheat" the game, using a mirror copy of the cartridge modified to give you infinity ships. But if you don't like that kind of help, you can do this: in round 2, take the hyperjump back to round 1. There will be no enemies until you destroy the boss. Repeat the process until you have got "enough" ships and then, go to round 0.

(*) Marked hints was given me by Ricardo Bittencourt and then "fine tuned".

Page last modified on 2002-May-13 Monday.

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