_______ _______ _______ _________ __ _______ / _____/ / ___ / / _____/ /___ ___/ / / / _____/ / / / /__/ / / /____ / / / / / /____ / / / ___ / /____ / / / / / / _____/ / /_____ / / / / _____/ / / / / /_____ / /____ /_______/ /_/ /_/ /______/ /_/ /_______/ /______/ _______ _______ _______ _______ __ __ _______ _______ _______ / _____/ / ___ / / ___ / / _____/ / / / / / _____/ / ___ / / _____/ / / / /__/ / / /__/ / / /____ / /__/ / / /____ / /__/ / / /____ / / / __ _/ / ___ / /____ / / ___ / / _____/ / __ _/ /____ / / /_____ / / / /_ / / / / _____/ / / / / / / /____ / / / /_ _____/ / /_______/ /_/ /___/ /_/ /_/ /______/ /_/ /_/ /______/ /_/ /___/ /______/ ============================================================================== CASTLE CRASHERS FAQ Copyright (c)2008-2009 DomZ Ninja ============================================================================== Author: DomZ Ninja E-mail: domzninja[at]hotmail[dot]com Updated: 08/26/09 Version: 1.2 NOTE: This guide does contain spoilers! A walkthrough for this type of game would be ridiculously tedious to write and would serve virtually no purpose. The whole point of the game is to walk forward and kill enemies. There are no puzzles or even intellectually complicated parts in the game, so there is really no need to write it up. If anyone does have any trouble in a section of the game, email me and I'll toss it in to let the viewers know. I might make a Tips & Tricks or a FAQ section on a later update, but for now the game covers all basic information. ______________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS ______________________________________________________________________________ See that series of numbers to the right of each section? If you want to find a specific section in the FAQ, press CTRL + F to open a search box. Type in the series of numbers for the desired section that you're trying to find and press Enter. Whabam! The search function will take you there in an instant. 1] - Version History.................................. [0100] 2] - Controls......................................... [0200] 3] - Characters....................................... [0300] 4] - The Basics....................................... [0400] 5] - Bosses........................................... [0500] 6] - Shops............................................ [0600] 7] - Arenas........................................... [0700] 8] - Items............................................ [0800] 9] - Animal Orbs...................................... [0900] 10] - Weapons......................................... [1000] 11] - Achievements.................................... [1100] 12] - Thanks/Credits.................................. [1200] ______________________________________________________________________________ 1] VERSION HISTORY [0100] ______________________________________________________________________________ FAQ/Walkthrough #34 ------------------- Version 1.0 (09/19/08) - FAQ/Walkthrough complete and submitted. Version 1.1 (01/19/09) - Updated the FAQ to include the King Pack DLC. Version 1.2 (08/26/09) - Updated the FAQ to include the Necromantic Pack DLC. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2] CONTROLS [0200] ______________________________________________________________________________ .-----------------------------.----------------------------------------------. | D-Pad | Move | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Left Analog Stick | Move | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Right Analog Stick | N/A | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Start | Pause | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Back | N/A | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | X Button | Light Attack | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Y Button | Heavy Attack | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | A Button | Jump | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | B Button | Use Item | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Right Trigger | Magic | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Left Trigger | Block | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Right Bumper | Item Select | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Left Bumper | Item Select | '-----------------------------'----------------------------------------------' ______________________________________________________________________________ 3] CHARACTERS [0300] ______________________________________________________________________________ I try to grade the characters in the game; basically my general opinion on them. I stress the word "opinion". As far as the grading goes: + = Good o = Average x = Bad I probably will not rate many characters with an "x", because I know from past experience that despite it being my personal opinion, people feel the need to email me over and over again saying that my opinion sucks and I should instead change it just because they think differently; of course not without padding said emails with rude jestures and obcenities (see: my Mario Superstar Baseball FAQ). .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Red Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Default ------------- Attribute: Lightning Magic Blast: A group of lightning bolts are shot out of the Red Knight's hand. Hold down Y and the Right Trigger to continue using the attack, draining the health of anyone caught in the blast. Magic Projectile: The Red Knight fires a ball lightning out of his hand. Aerial Blast: The Red Knight fires a ball lightning out of his hand. Magic Jump: As the Red Knight jumps, electricity shoots out from under his feet, zapping anything in the vicinity. My Grade: + ----------- The Red Knight has one of the cheapest spells in the game. His Magic Blast can be held down until the Magic Bar is depleted. The target will be greatly damaged until the attack stops. The Magic Blast works wonders against big bosses (well, they are all big) and upgrading your Magic should be your first priority if playing as the Red Knight. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Skeleton | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Red Knight ------------- Attribute: Darkness Magic Blast: The Skeleton blasts a purple wave that travels forward before quickly fading out. Magic Projectile: The Skeleton creates a purple ball and shoots it forward. Aerial Blast: The Skeleton creates a purple ball and shoots it forward. Magic Jump: A pillar of darkness pushes the Skeleton up into the air. My Grade: o ----------- Eh, the Skeleton is a decent character at best. I never found him particularly useful, but playing as a dead guy can be neat/funny. He reminds me too much of the Green Knight since their magic attacks look and act very alike (though the Skeleton doesn't possess HP-draining characteristics). A funny note: the Skeleton shoots bones from his bow instead of traditional arrows. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Bear | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Skeleton ------------- Attribute: Wind Magic Blast: The Bear spins around insanely quick, turning himself into a tornado. You can control the Bear for a few seconds before he reverts back to normal. The length the Bear stays in tornado form depends on your Magic level. Magic Projectile: The Bear shoots out a gust of wind. Aerial Blast: The Bear shoots out a gust of wind. Magic Jump: A burst of wind pushes the Bear up in the air. My Grade: + ----------- The Bear is a pretty gnarly character. I love his Magic Blast attack because you can actually control his movement patterns, increasing the accuracy of your attack (despite not dealing that much damage). He also starts off with one of the most dirty weapons in the game. It takes a lot of effort to unlock him, but I'd say it's well worth it. I find it funny that the Bear shoots fish out of his bow instead of arrows. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Orange Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Default ------------- Attribute: Fire Magic Blast: The Orange Knight shoots a flame that extends outwards and covers a large amount of distance. If anyone is hit with the fire, they will become burned and slowly lose health over a period of time. Magic Projectile: The Orange Knight shoots out a fireball. Aerial Blast: The Orange Knight shoots out a fireball. Magic Jump: As the Orange Knight leaps into the air, fire will boost from under his feet and to his side. My Grade: o ----------- I like the idea of an spell that continues to damage enemies after the initial hit, so I'm a fan of the Orange Knight's spells. Despite the neat addition, his spells overall are not as powerful as the Red Knight. He is an all-around character to use. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Fire Demon | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Orange Knight ------------- Attribute: Fire Magic Blast: Flames rise from the ground in a column shape. The attack grows in length depending on your magic level. If anyone is hit with the fire, they will become burned and slowly lose health over a period of time. Magic Projectile: The Fire Demon throws a fireball. Aerial Blast: The Fire Demon throws a fireball. Magic Jump: As the Fire Demon leaps into the air, fire will boost from under his feet and to his side. My Grade: o ----------- Well he gets a perfect score for coolness factor. The Fire Demon is almost exactly the same as the Orange Knight, which is kind of a downer in my opinion. His Magic Blast is different though; instead of a burst of fire, this attack forms like a wave. I'd stick the Fire Demon right above the Orange Knight just because of his starting weapon. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Ninja | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Fire Demon ------------- Attribute: Darkness Magic Blast: The Ninja blasts a purple wave that travels forward before quickly fading out. Magic Projectile: The Ninja chucks a shuriken in the blink of an eye. Aerial Blast: The Ninja chucks a shuriken in the blink of an eye. Magic Jump: A pillar of darkness pushes the Ninja up into the air. My Grade: o ----------- Unfortunately, the Ninja isn't as cool as the ones fought in the game. You cannot teleport like the ones in the Pirate Ship, but they are still awesome to play as. I mean, they are ninjas! At first, the Ninja is not a powerful character, but he's very fast. His magic attacks mirror those of the Skeleton, so take that for what it's worth. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Blue Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Default ------------- Attribute: Ice Magic Blast: The Blue Knight extends his finger as a row of icicles rain down from the heavens. Anyone hit by the freezing icicle will become encased in a block of ice, unable to move or attack for several seconds. Magic Projectile: The Blue Knight will shoot out a sharp icicle. If you hit a target, they will become frozen for a short time. Aerial Blast: The Blue Knight extends his finger as a row of icicles rain down from the heavens. Anyone hit by the freezing icicle will become encased in a block of ice, unable to move or attack for several seconds. Magic Jump: An ice fist rises from the ground, boosting the Blue Knight up in the air. Good for its intended use (reaching high grounds), but it has virtually no range and isn't that good for attacking. My Grade: o ----------- The Blue Knight seems to be a hit or miss with some people. I like him quite a bit (he was my first character I played with in the game), but I would categorize him as the worst character out of the four main knights. Freezing people is always good, but the spells overall do not deal that much damage and require too much magic. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Industrialist | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Blue Knight ------------- Attribute: Metal Magic Blast: Buzzsaws rise from the ground and spin forward, slicing through anything in its path. The number of buzzsaws increase depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Industrialist will throw a big buzzsaw forward. Aerial Blast: The Industrialist will throw a big buzzsaw forward. Magic Jump: Purple smog erupts from the ground like a geyser and blasts the Industrialist high up into the air. My Grade: + ----------- I think the Industrialist is an interesting character. His starting weapon is very good and his magic is unique. Okay, his projectile is like every other character in the game, but I am a fan of the Industrialist's Magic Blast. When you fully upgrade your Magic, the amount of buzzsaws increase so much that enemies become trapped inside the wave of saws when you use the attack. Plus he looks pretty cool, so the Industrialists gets my vote. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Fencer | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Industrialist ------------- Attribute: Metal Magic Blast: Buzzsaws rise from the ground and spin forward, slicing through anything in its path. The number of buzzsaws increase depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Fencer will throw a big buzzsaw forward. Aerial Blast: The Fencer will throw a big buzzsaw forward. Magic Jump: Purple smog erupts from the ground like a geyser and blasts the Fencer high up into the air. My Grade: + ----------- Normally I don't really like when two characters are identical, but when you use the same formula as someone who is flat-out awesome, then there are no worries. The Fencer is just like the Industrialist aside from his starting weapon (that's a no-brainer), so use whichever one. I think the Industrialist looks cooler, so the hat is tipped in his favor. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Green Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Default ------------- Attribute: Poison Magic Blast: The Green Knight fires a green ball of gas that tumbles forward. Anyone hit will become poisoned and slowly lose health over time. Magic Projectile: The Green Knight fires a small, sizzling ball of poison. Aerial Blast: The Green Knight fires a small, sizzling ball of poison. Magic Jump: Poison gas emits from under the Green Knight as he propels into the air. Kinda looks like he just cut the cheese, but maybe it is because I'm an immature nincompoop. My Grade: o ----------- The Green Knight is very similar to the Orange Knight because their spells have the same effects. While the Green Knight's spells are a tad stronger than the Orange Knight, it has a shorter range. It's basically personal preference at this point: would you rather burn an enemy to a crisp or leech their health with poison? .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Royal Guard | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Green Knight ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Royal Guard outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Royal Guard throw a bomb out of his pocket. Aerial Blast: The Royal Guard throw a bomb out of his pocket. Magic Jump: As the Royal Guard jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: o ----------- Soldiers stationed in the desert realm, the Royal Guards are equipped with bombs and call others to rain down arrows upon their foes. When you fully upgrade your Magic, your Magic Blast becomes incredibly useful. It has a very long range and can hit enemies multiple times. I'm not a big fan of the Royal Guard's Magic Projectile and Aerial Blast, which is why I prefer other non-elemental characters. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Saracen | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Royal Guard ------------- Attribute: Sand Magic Blast: The Saracen spins around insanely quick, turning himself into a tornado. You can control the Saracen for a few seconds before he reverts back to normal. The length the Saracen stays in tornado form depends on your Magic level. Magic Projectile: The Saracen hurls a pile of sand at the enemy. Aerial Blast: The Saracen hurls a pile of sand at the enemy. Magic Jump: The Saracen leaps into the air, surrounding himself with blinding sand. My Grade: + ----------- The Saracen shares all of his characteristics with the Bear: both have identical Magic Projectiles (well, everyone basically has the same projectile) and they both have tornado Magic Blasts. Like the Bear, you can control the Saracen during his Magic Blast. The damage is pitiful, but it's nice to move around and potentially trap enemies with the attack. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Gray Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the Barbarian Boss ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Gray Knight outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Gray Knight throw a bomb out of his pocket. Aerial Blast: The Gray Knight throw a bomb out of his pocket. Magic Jump: As the Gray Knight jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: x ----------- This character is the same as the common infantry found in the game. He isn't really anything special, and has the same spells as the other non-elemental characters unlocked later in the game. The only difference is his Magic Projectile, which isn't that good in my eyes. His starting weapon isn't really that good and his combos overall are lame, so he's a passable character. I'd much rather take a cooler looking non-elemental character. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Black Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Gray Knight ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Black Knight outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Black Knight hurls a sword in the air. Aerial Blast: The Black Knight hurls a sword in the air. Magic Jump: As the Black Knight jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: + ----------- Alright, he's better than the Gray Knight at least. The Black Knight is better off compared to the Thief, since they are almost mirror images. Both have arrow Magic Blasts, both throw swords, etc. There are too many characters in this game with no attribute; if you like them, then it doesn't really matter which one you play as. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Barbarian | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Win at the King's Arena ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Barbarian outstretches his hand, various weapons rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of weapons increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Barbarian chucks an axe in front of him. Aerial Blast: The Barbarian chucks an axe in front of him. Magic Jump: As the Barbarian jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: + ----------- The Barbarian is almost exactly the same as the Gray Knight except for his Magic Projectile attack. Instead of hurling a bomb, the Barbarian throws a single axe that goes great lengths before hitting a target. I prefer it more than the bomb because it is thrown in a straight line as opposed to an arc. Like the Gray Knight, the Magic Blast is decent at best in the beginning of the game, but turns out to be a fantastic asset once you've upped your Magic. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Beekeeper | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Barbarian ------------- Attribute: Darkness Magic Blast: The Beekeeper summons one of his bee pets as it dives into the floor. The number of bees increase depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Beekeeper even uses his bees as lawn darts as he throws them at a target. Aerial Blast: The Beekeeper even uses his bees as lawn darts as he throws them at a target. Magic Jump: A magic aura helps propel the Beekeeper in the air. My Grade: + ----------- I like the Beekeeper. He is (IMO) one of the best characters in the game, and how many video games can let you attack with kamikaze bees? His Magic Blast reminds me of the Thief/Gray Knight/Black Knight/Peasant/... you get the point. It can be used many times in a row and doesn't consume much magic. That valuable piece of magic helps boost the Beekeeper to the top of the character list. Not sure if he holds the top spot, but pretty dang close. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Thief | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Win at the Thieves' Arena ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Thief outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Thief throws a sword in front of him. Aerial Blast: The Thief throws a sword in front of him. Magic Jump: As the Thief jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: + ----------- Now the Thief and Barbarian are identical in terms of spells (okay, the Thief throws a sword instead of an axe, but they are the same in terms of damage). The Magic Blast is decent at best in the beginning of the game, but turns out to be a great asset once you've upped your Magic. The Thief does have a tad higher Agility from his starting weapon, but otherwise it is personal preference between the Thief and Barbarian. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Forest Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Thief ------------- Attribute: Wood Magic Blast: The Forest Knight motions as thorny vines emerge from the ground and slither forward like a serpent. The vines grow in length depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Forest Knight tosses a small dagger at a target. Aerial Blast: The Forest Knight tosses a small dagger at a target. Magic Jump: A long, thorny vine rises out from under the Forest Knight and pushes him upwards. My Grade: o ----------- It can be difficult to start off with the Forest Knight, because his magic is not that good at all. His starting weapon actually boosts his Magic, but the Magic Blast is awful at its default level (it just has no reach). Once you get to up his stats, then he becomes a much better character. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Conehead | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Win at the Volcano Arena ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Conehead outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Conehead throw a bomb out of his pocket. Aerial Blast: The Conehead throw a bomb out of his pocket. Magic Jump: As the Conehead jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: x ----------- The Conehead is a carbon-copy of the Gray Knight; another character that I am not too fond of. He is non-elemental and has an average Magic Blast attack. On top of that, his Magic Projectile leaves much to be desired since it doesn't have a wide radius (though it does catch enemies on fire). On top of all that mediocrity, the Conehead is one of the few characters in the game that does not unlock anyone after beating the game. That's a good enough reason to never use him, like, ever. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Peasant | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Win at the Peasant Arena ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Peasant outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Peasant will toss a dagger across the screen. Aerial Blast: The Peasant will toss a dagger across the screen. Magic Jump: As the Peasant jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: o ----------- The Peasant is exactly like the Thief or Barbarian. He's actually more like the Thief, because he also starts off with a weapon that boosts Agility. If you are a fan of the Thief or Barbarian, then you will like the Peasant. If not, ditch him. I always find it cute to fight as him because peasants are always cool. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Civilian | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Peasant ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Civilian outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Civilian will toss a dagger across the screen. Aerial Blast: The Civilian will toss a dagger across the screen. Magic Jump: As the Civilian jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: o ----------- Uhhh, he's the Peasant without a hood. The Civilian is exactly the same as the Peasant, who happens to be exactly the same as the Thief. Catch my drift? I mean, using the Peasant to unlock another Peasant is kinda silly. Just unlock him for the completion factor. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Eskimo | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Win at the Icy Arena ------------- Attribute: Ice Magic Blast: The Eskimo extends his finger as a row of icicles rain down from the heavens. Anyone hit by the freezing icicle will become encased in a block of ice, unable to move or attack for several seconds. Magic Projectile: The Eskimo chucks a freshly made snowball. Aerial Blast: The Eskimo chucks a freshly made snowball. Magic Jump: The Eskimo hops up as he surrounds himself with chilly fog. My Grade: o ----------- The Eskimo is similar to the Blue Knight; the only real distance is that his Magic Projectile does not freeze your target. Also like the Blue Knight, the Eskimo also has ridiculously high Magic consumption. Ignore the fact that the Eskimo has a good starting weapon, and he's basically a watered down version of the Blue Knight. Boo. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Brute | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Beat the game as the Eskimo ------------- Attribute: Wood Magic Blast: The Brute motions as thorny vines emerge from the ground and slither forward like a serpent. The vines grow in length depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Brute throws what looks to be an acorn forward. Aerial Blast: The Brute throws what looks to be an acorn forward. Magic Jump: A long, thorny vine rises out from under the Brute and pushes him upwards. My Grade: o ----------- A good reason to unlock the Brute is that doing so is the only way to receive his starting weapon. In fact, he is only seen once in the entire game (at the end of the Industrial Castle level). He plays like the Forest Knight, another decent character, so the Brute is a good choice if that's your preference. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Alien Hominid | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Have Alien Hominid HD on your Xbox 360 and earn at least one ------------- Achievement in the game Attribute: Light Magic Blast: Alien Hominid shoots a giant blast from his ray gun that travels slowly. If anyone is hit with the blast, they will become burned and slowly lose health over a period of time. Magic Projectile: Alien Hominid fires a smaller, faster shot from his gun. Aerial Blast: Alien Hominid fires a smaller, faster shot from his gun. Magic Jump: A beam of light adbucts Alien Hominid as he rises in the air. My Grade: x ----------- The only way you can actually get Alien Hominid is if you have the game, so most people who own Castle Crashers have no (cheap) way of getting him. Well, the only other way is a bit complicated and requires the use of online features. Alien Hominid has good magic, but the big thing about him is that he cannot swap out weapons (except for the Pitchfork; most certainly a glitch). For that sole reason, I gotta give him a thumbs down. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | King | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Purchase the King Pack DLC ------------- Attribute: Gold Magic Blast: A magical cloud surrounds the King as it heals him for HALF of his current Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The King throws a golden knife at a target. Aerial Blast: The King throws a golden knife at a target. Magic Jump: A puffy white cloud appears under the King as he jumps. My Grade: + ----------- Yeah, "gold" really isn't an attribute, but the King has a lot of influence on money. First and foremost, defeating enemies as the King increases the chance of them dropping Gold. He even shoots gold arrows and throws gold knives! That is not all, as he wields great magical power. His Magic bar fills up insanely quick; maybe the fastest of all characters! The King is widely described as a "healer", which has its pros and cons. Playing as him by yourself can be tough without a powerful offensive spell, but at least the consumption of items goes down with your healing power. The King is best used as a team healer when playing in groups and is a must when trying to conquer Insane Mode. If other characters stand next to the King when he uses his Magic Blast, they will be healed as well. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Open Faced Gray Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Purchase the King Pack DLC ------------- Attribute: None Magic Blast: As the Open Faced Gray Knight outstretches his hand, arrows rain down from above and land in front of him. The number of arrows increases depending on your Magic Level. Magic Projectile: The Open Faced Gray Knight throws a knife in front of him. Aerial Blast: The Open Faced Gray Knight throws a knife in front of him. Magic Jump: As the Open Faced Gray Knight jumps, smoke emits out from under him. My Grade: x ----------- Ugh, why would Microsoft make us pay money for a character that came with the game? The only difference between the Open Faced Gray Knight and the Gray Knight is... you guessed it: his visor is up. If you even use the Gray Knight in the first place, the only reason you'd want to use this guy is so that you... can see his eyes? Bah, I'm fresh outta ideas on why people would play as the Open Faced Gray Knight. Well, I guess if you REALLY prefer dagger projectiles over bombs, that would be the only reason to use this chump. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Necromancer | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Purchase the Necromantic Pack DLC ------------- Attribute: Undead Magic Blast: Tiny skeleton hands emerge from the earth in front of the Necromancer. Magic Projectile: The Necromancer summons a skeleton, who runs across the screen towards its target. Aerial Blast: The Necromancer summons a skeleton, who moves forward. Magic Jump: The Necromancer is pushed up into the air by bones and smoke. My Grade: + ----------- Probably one of the most anticipated characters in the game, the Necromancer is finally available and luckily, does not disappoint. Of course it's pretty obvious that he can't do nifty stuff that the Necromancer boss did in the game, like fly and summon an undead army, but he's still a lot of fun to use. The Necromancer sets him apart from all the other characters. Aside from his awesome, one of a kind magic, he also starts off with his trusty Obsidian weapon, which is a great starting weapon (normally cannot be used until you reach Level 20). .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Wizard Knight | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' How To Unlock: Purchase the Necromantic Pack DLC ------------- Attribute: Darkness Magic Blast: The Wizard Knight shoots a purple wave that travels forward before dissolving away. Magic Projectile: The Wizard Knight conjures up a purple ball and shoots it forward. Aerial Blast: The Wizard Knight creates a purple ball and shoots it forward. Magic Jump: A pillar of darkness pushes the Wizard Knight up into the air. My Grade: o ----------- The Wizard Knight is very similar to the Skeleton, if not a carbon copy (I haven't played him much). And since I said the Skeleton has certain attributes that bears a likeness to the Green Knight, you can make the obvious connections. Overall, nothing special, just another character to choose from. As a side note, the Wizard Knight also shoots bones from his bow. ______________________________________________________________________________ 4] THE BASICS [0400] ______________________________________________________________________________ .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Combos | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Your Light Attack is performed with X and your Heavy Attack with Y, but stringing the two together in various ways will pull off unique and powerful combos. Leveling up will earn you new combos. X, X, X, X - Fast Attack Y, Y, Y - Heavy Attack A, A - Air Spin (Level 2) X, Y - Uppercut (Level 8) X, Y, X - Spinning Uppercut (Level 8) X, X, Y - Stun Tackle (Level 16) X, X, X, Y - Element Attack (Level 25) X, X, Y, Y - Uppercut Headbutt (Level 32) X, X, X, Y, Y - Ultimate Element Attack (Level 50) * Pressing Y next to an enemy will throw them (use the Left Analog Stick to control the direction of the throw) * Pressing Y next to a downed enemy will cause you to stomp on them. * While in midair, press X or Y repeatedly for a midair juggle. Cheap, yet very effective if you button mash. * While sprinting, press X or Y for a dive attack. (Level 4) .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Magic | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' To use magic, hold down the Right Trigger. Once a colored aura surrounds your body, press one of three buttons for a magic attack. RT + Y - Magic Blast. This is your most basic and most used spell. The spells usually cover a long range and have a special effect on enemies. RT + B - Magic Projectile. A single elemental shot that extends forwards. Usually more powerful than the Magic Blast, but can only target one enemy. (Magic Level 5) RT + Y (Midair) - Aerial Blast. Basically the same as your Magic Projectile, but you can use it in midair. The attack fires downwards diagonally. (Magic Level 10) RT + A - Magic Jump. Primarily used as an assisted boost, but the Magic Jump can damage enemies if they are practically on top of you. Also good for getting away from groups of bad guys. (Magic Level 20) .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Level Up | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Unlike many video games, experience isn't gained by every enemy you defeat. Instead, you earn experience for every hit you land on an enemy. Once the pink bar to the right of your portrait fills up, you will gain a level. In the World Map (or immediately after finishing a level), you'll be taken to your stats page. Here you can increase your four stats. You get two stat points until you reach Level 20. From there on out, you'll only get one stat point for every level. There are 25 bars on each of the four stats, and since you start off with one bar filled in each, you won't be able to max out all your stats until Level 78. Strength (Bicep) - How much damage your physical attacks deal. Magic (Explosion) - How much damage your magic attacks deal and how fast your magic bar refills. Defense (Shield) - Decreases the amount of damage you take and decreases the amount of health you lose for each hit. Agility (Rabbit) - Increases your running speed and your bow damage/speed. ______________________________________________________________________________ 5] BOSSES [0500] ______________________________________________________________________________ .============================================================================. | BOSS: Battering Ram | '============================================================================' Location: Barbarian War Oh yes, pun intended. Mwahahaha. The Battering Ram will start the fight by driving back and forth across the screen, firing cannonballs into the air. The blinking red targets on the ground show where said cannonballs will land, so do yourself a favor and avoid standing on the targets. Doing so is just quite silly, right? When the vehicle manages to stop, it will open up and dispatch two Barbarians before slowly closing again. Ignore the lesser enemies and repeatedly attack the front of the Battering Ram. I found aerial combos to work best, because repeatedly tapping X and Y in various orders while in midair will cause you to juggle enemies (or in this case, stay in the air for a long peroid of time) and pull off nice combos. As the Battering Ram closes, it will resume firing cannonballs in the air. Stop attacking and flee from the targets. Run to the back of the vehicle and slash the backside of it before it speeds away again. By the way, the stupid Barbarians will most end up getting run over or hit with the artillery, which is why you should ignore them for the most part. Well, that's pretty much it for the Battering Ram. It either drives while shooting cannonballs or stops while shooting cannonballs. Just avoid those red crosshairs and you'll be good to go. The Barbarians it drops off do not really get in the way, so just keep slashing away and using your magic to bring the Battering Ram down for good. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Barbarian Boss | '============================================================================' Location: Barbarian Boss While he may be very big, the Barbarian Boss is clunky and very predictable. The battle takes place in a coliseum filled with Barbarians cheering from the sidelines. Sometimes they get too overzealous and jump in the arena to help fight against you. Like the previous boss battle, it is very easy to ignore them, but take note that they usually drop food when defeated. The most basic attack of the Barbarian Boss is his left hook. When you see him wind back, either block or back away before you get socked in the mouth. The lowly Barbarians love to stand behind you, so when you dodge the boss's punch, the lil' guys get knocked halfway across the arena. Fun. The Barbarian Boss carries a large... thing on his back which can be used as a weapon. This strange device is nothing more than a wooden board covered in big spikes. He has two main attacks revolving around this unique weapon. If you see the Barbarian Boss raise it over his head, then sidestep before he slams it on your noggin. If you get caught in the attack, repeatedly wiggle the Left Analog Stick back and forth to free yourself from the dirt. If he turns around with it still on his back, sidestep yet again. The spikes will extend across the arena, skewering anything in its way. The Barbarian Boss occasionally takes a swig of an unknown liquid, resulting in a fiery burp that pushes the boss backwards. Not only do you have to avoid the flame emitting from his mouth, but also his gargantuan body propelling backwards. It is probably best to run away from him entirely when you see the mysterious drink in hand. Since the boss is rather slow with his attacks, attacking him up front is your best bet. Initiate a little combo on his tummy, then block his punches. His other attacks should be dodged entirely before you resume attacking. The Barbarian Boss's biggest asset is his strength, so you will go down hard if you do take a big hit. The boss also has a nice amount of health; the battle will be long and tedious, but rather simple overall. Author's Note An easy way to earn Gold in this game is to repeatedly play the Barbarian Boss level. At the end of the level, you can earn in the ballpark of 150-175 Gold, which is quite a load in the early stages of the game. It becomes a lot easier when you are at a high enough level that you can beat the boss in under 10 seconds. Author's Note I received an email from GreatGuy, which stated that the Barbarian Boss's impaling spike attack can be blocked. Thanks! .============================================================================. | BOSS: Troll Breeder | '============================================================================' Location: Thieves' Forest The Troll Breeder has no form of attacking, but he does constantly spew out Trolls from his scratchy fur. On top of that, the big cheese scampers away every time your weapon comes in contact with his body. He's just one big pansy, I tell ya! The Troll Breeder spawns Trolls one by one, then runs away and let them do the dirty work. The Trolls that tag along can be very annoying, so try to kill the bulk of them before fully focusing on the Troll Breeder. If there are enough of them on the field, the Trolls can surround you and beat you senseless in a flash. If your magic is good enough, use your Magic Blast against the Troll Breeder. Maybe targeting it with a Magic Projectile would work too. Most combos will not be able to work because the Troll Breeder will run away before you can finish. The Troll Breeder is a very simple boss if you limit the number of Trolls. Author's Note You fight a Troll Breeder in the Marsh level. He is just like this one, so the same strategies apply. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Catfish | '============================================================================' Location: Catfish I was never a fan of this boss or the previous level, but that's because I hate swimming. If you find a stray rock or log or crocodile, hop on and use it as a makeshift raft. The Catfish has very high defense, but the king and his ship will help you out during this fight. The Catfish will hiss before punching you with his clawed paw. If you are riding an object, simply block the attack; it's a lot harder to avoid if you are paddling in the rapids. If you ever lose your raft, wait it out until another one appears (it only takes about 10 seconds for another to roll down the rapids). When you see the Catfish cough up a giant-sized hairball, make sure to destroy it before it clogs up the ship's cannon. That way, the ship will launch a cannonball and temporarily stun the Catfish. Not only will the Giant Enemy Catfish stop moving for a few moments, his defense will go down and you will be able to deal... MASSIVE DAMAGE to him! Sorry, I couldn't resist. :) Once the Catfish loses half of its health, he will learn a new attack. He'll sink nose-deep into the water and dash back and forth. Make sure to move out of the way before you get slammed. Sometimes the Catfish will lose control and slam into the ship, resulting in the boss losing some health. This boss battle is all about waiting. Wait until the Catfish spits up a hairball, then destroy it so the king's ship can lend a hand. Don't try to get too cocky by attacking beforehand; you will deal very little damage and end up getting punched as a result. Be patient and take your time, and eventually the Catfish will be sunk. Author's Note Here's a strategy by GreatGuy: "Easily one of the most aggrivating bosses in the game, Catfish made me waste plenty of time trying to kill him - however I learned quickly, and have assembled a guide to killing him in 8 simple steps! Please make sure you are riding one of the many pieces of debris on the rapids, and you will be able to win easily, without losing your footing on the debris! 1) Catfish will start by puking a hairball. Stand in front of the ship, and slice the hairball. Takes one hit. 2) Next, while standing directly in front of the kings ship, hold LT to block. Catfish punches you once, and gets hit by a cannon ball. 3) Move within range and spam your favorite attack on catfish (yay) 4) Catfish will regain his senses then attempt to punch you in the face again, simply block till he goes to puke another hairball. 4.5) Catfish will OCCASIONALLY (frequency increases as you hurt him more) submerge and stick one finger in the air, and he'll try to bean you with the finger, this is blockable, just block, no need to move or anything. 5) Repeat steps 1-3 until Catfish is at roughly 50% health. 6) After Catfish has reached 50% health, he'll change strategies and submerge so that his face is above water, and swim to the left of the screen. This is normal. Position yourself directly in front of the kings ship. 7) Catfish will then swim to the right of the screen back the way he came, and then he'll come swimming directly at you. Simply move up or down and he smashes himself on the kings ship, halting this annoying attack, and giving himself 10 damage. (note: won't work if you're anywhere except in front of the king's ship, he targets your last known location) 8) He'll growl and puke a hairball... Cut the hairball that approaches, block his punch, and school him again... Continue until that disgusting wretch of a boss dies horribly at your hand." .============================================================================. | BOSS: Rain Dancer | '============================================================================' Location: Tall Grass Field First off, the Rain Dancer will ALWAYS be accompanied by three Bears. No matter how many you kill, they will always be replaced seconds later. Aside from enlisting in the help of the Animal Orb Rammy, the Rain Dancer is nothing more than a really strong Bear. He is a beefed-up normal enemy; uses his speed and agility to try and overpower you. His Magic Blast attack is spammed way too much and get somewhat annoying. At least you'll be a pro at dodging it by the time the fight ends. Since there is never a way to get rid of the Bears permanently, try your best to ignore them for the most part. Of course, if one is kicking your butt, try to defend yourself. The Rain Dancer can easily be distinguished by the wooden flag on his back, so try and track him down. Since he is more of a miniboss than anything, aerial combos and magic should be enough to win the fight. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Giant Vampire Bat | '============================================================================' Location: Pipistrello's Cave Not sure if the bat's name is Pipistrello or he just made his home in the cave, but I don't think there is any need for concern. Nevertheless, I will just refer to him as "Giant Vampire Bat". Because that's what he is. >_> The Giant Vampire Bat only has two attacks, which makes your job a heck of a lot easier. He has the strange ability to produce poisonous guano at an astounding rate. If you touch the droppings before they quickly disappear, you will take damage and become poisoned. He only uses this attack when flying. If the bat lands, he will repeatedly try to lick you, which can be blocked. I suggest that you use this method, because the attack can deal a crapload of damage to you. Certainly not fun to get licked to death. Once the fight is halfway over, various vampire bats will emerge from the cave. They swarm you and gnaw on your face, so repeatedly press X if the button prompt appears onscreen. Deal with them first and foremost with a quick Magic Blast or two. As for the Giant Vampire Bat, he alternates between flying and walking. When walking, go for Magic Blasts or combos. When the bat begins fluttering through the air, use your aerial combos. Author's Note I have discovered a very easy, very cheap way of earning EXP by viewing one of ZoopSoul's Youtube videos (not sure if he was the founder of this trick, but it was his video that I initially learned of the concept). All you need is the Boomerang and Giraffey. Once you have both with you, approach the boss. Once the Giant Vampire Bat flies onscreen, quickly rush to the top left-hand corner of the room. Face outwards and charge up your Boomerang. The Giant Vampire Bat will go towards you, in which case you should throw the Boomerang just before he walks in front of you. If all goes well, the Boomerang will try and return to you, only to be blocked by the Giant Vampire Bat's behind. The Giant Vampire Bat will not move and only try to lick you, so hold down the Left Trigger to block the continuous attack. While this is happening, the Boomerang should be slowly damaging the boss, dealing 1HP per hit. Since EXP is earned by the number of hits delivered on an enemy rather by the number of enemies killed, this is, mathematically, the best way to gain experience. So you earn the most EXP possible without taking a single hit. Rinse and repeat, and you'll reach Level 99 in no time. Cheers! Author's Note Unfortunately, a patch was released recently (as of 01/22/09) that negates the cheap EXP-gaining strategy. You can no longer perform the ol' "boomerang trick" against the Giant Vampire Bat or Catfish (though it still works against the Sand Worms in the Desert level). Apparently you can delete the update off of your hard drive, basically reverting the game back to before the update was issued. Keep in mind that I don't condone this method, because it's quite risky and there have been stories of corrupted game data. But hey, just throwin' it out there. Update: I received an email from FightaBunny describing a step-by-step method on how to delete the update off of your hard drive. I myself have not yet tried it myself, so I can not confirm just how safe it is. Despite the sender's claims, I still suggest that you do this at your own risk! "On the Castle Crashers guide on Gamespot you mention that you could delete the patch to do the boomerang glitch, well I have a step by step guide on how: 1. Go to the xbox dashboard. 2. Go to The Section "System Settings / Console Settings" 3. Go To Memory 4. Press Y 5. Then while on this page quickly press X, X, LB, RB, X, X 6. It Will say "do you want to perform maintenance on your xbox console" 7. press yes 8. When this is done load up 'Castle Crashers' 9. Do Not update. 10. This Will Sign you out of xbox live but you can play locally. 11. choose your character. 12. Go to the level 'Pipistrello's Cave' 13. And then watch the easy exp guide on youtube and 'hey presto' you will be level 99 in no time. (better effects on insane mode) P.S. I have tried this and have found that it is extremely effective and also does not corrupt data." - Thanks to FightaBunny for this info. I'll try to test it out to see how reliable this method is. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Conehead Groom | '============================================================================' Location: Wedding Crash Like the Rain Dancer, the Conehead Groom is very similar to a normal Conehead enemy. He is much faster than a normal goon and has a deadly spinning attack. The Conehead Groom will spin around like a crazed draedel and won't stop for several seconds (or if you stop him yourself). He also uses bombs like a madman, so you will definitely have to be on your toes for this fight. After he attacks you for a while (or the other way around), the Conehead Groom will run over to his organ. A force field will rise up, sealing him off at the grand instrument. This is no ordinary organ, because the pipes will fire out cannonballs. Just like in the battle with the Battering Ram, avoid the blinking red targets and you will be fine. Once the field lowers, the groom will resume attacking. Try to keep your distance by standing opposite the organ. When he starts to run towards you, fire your arrow or Magic Projectiles to cut off his health as he pursues you. Before you know it, the Conehead Groom will return to the organ. Keep repeating this strategy like a broken record and you'll come out on top. Oh, and if you are in need of food, break the tables and vases on the sides of the room for some treats. Author's Note Here is some helpful info from PostonTheMad. "Yours was the most informative Castle Crashers walkthrough I read and I like it quite a bit, so I'm going to share with you an exploit/bug/cheap effective trick I discovered on accident during my first playthrough. The conehead groom boss is a dick. I had an easier time with the cyclops the first time through. But I accidentally wiped out the conehead boss with maybe 5 HP left to my name! Which is good cause i'd barely scratched him... Throw him. Get in his face and throw him and throw him and throw him some more. Sure, he doesn't fly far or stay down long... BUT! During on of my attempts to throw him something odd happened, he didn't fling. In fact not only did he not fling? He stayed sort of in my grasp and, me being the button masher I am, I kept throwing him in his suspended state until all of his HP were gone in like 3 seconds flat. I was so thrilled I think I kept it up for 1000 more points of overkill just because the Groom is such a dick to fight. I thought it was a once in a lifetime thing cause I happened to be under the 'cannons' and figured he was just bouncing off of them and coming back down. So the next time I played with my kid I tried my trick again, trying to get him under the cannon... Well, I couldn't get my hooks into him. But I'm persistant and the throwing thing was sort of effective. Until in the middle of the fight, in the middle of the room? It happened again! I moonthrew him to death AGAIN until victory came surprisingly swiftly. SO! I dunno if there really is an actual trick to catching him like that or what, but i'm gonna keep trying until i get my technique perfected because once in a while even I am a shameless exploiter when things get nasty and I find an easy way out of a gawdawful boss fight." - Thanks a lot! .============================================================================. | BOSS: Troll King | '============================================================================' Location: Parade The monster from the Abandoned Mill is back! As you ride on the back of the chariot, the Troll King will chase after you, just like the last time. This time, you can stand up to him. The Troll King only has one attack, but it is very obnoxious. When you see his eyes light up, attack them to halt the attack. Otherwise, the boss'll fire a laser beam that knocks you off the chariot unless blocked. In order to damage the Troll King, you must use projectiles. Your bow and Magic Projectiles are the way to go here. While attacking his eyes, Thieves will jump on board. To kill two birds with one stone, you can throw a Thief at the Troll King. Otherwise, throw the Thief off the other side of the chariot. Keep shooting the Troll King in the eye to finish off this easy boss battle. Author's Note I received an email from Seyasb commenting on the Troll King's laser is in fact blockable (my bad). Thanks! Author's Note Here is a strategy by Casey N: "I wanted to point out that the Troll King boss on the Parade level can easily be defeated by jumping at him and using the air juggling technique. He'll never get a chance to use the eye laser attack and the bandits that show up hardly pose any problems. The only drawback is when he dies, you fall to the ground and lose a small amount of HP. Big whoop huh?" - Thanks! .============================================================================. | BOSS: Cyclops | '============================================================================' Location: Cyclops' Fortress Oh joy, another predictable boss. The Cyclops is abnormally fast for his size, but his attacks are predictable and relatively easy to counter. He will use his two daggers to stab the ground, but not before stopping for some strange reason. This gives you time to sidestep (it can't be blocked). This attack makes it difficult to use combos on him, because you will just end up getting knocked away. After using the dagger attack four times, the Cyclops will run to the right orleft side of the arena and throw five throwing daggers your way. Block all five and you'll be perfectly fine. Afterwards, the Cyclops will use his dagger attack four times. After that... you know. It's a simple cycle to figure out. The one annoying thing about this fight is that the Cyclops doesn't give you a lot of time to attack. Try to avoid using long combos and instead pull off aerial attacks or magic attacks. Don't even bother attacking at all when the Cyclops hurls his throwing daggers at you. If you ever need food, break the candlesticks. Again, this battle may last a bit longer than others because you shouldn't go all-out on the Cyclops; that's just a recipe for disaster. Take things slowly and be safe. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Volcano Man | '============================================================================' Location: Lava World It's a volcano with a smiley face. What more could you want?! Volcano Man will be joined by an unlimited amount of Fire Demons (usually two at a time), who happen to drop Sandwiches upon defeat. This may give you a slight hint on how to defeat this boss. ...nothing? Alright, I'll spill the beans. You must use Sandwiches to damage Volcano Man. Now it makes sense! Eat one to grow big and strong, then unleash all you've got on him. Normally, Volcano Man shoots out molten hot rocks that rain down on you (avoid the red targets). When you attack him in your giant form, he will not be able to attack. So if you attack and use a Sandwich over and over again at a fast pace, he will have literally no time to attack. It's that easy. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Fire Dragon | '============================================================================' Location: Lava World I got a bunch of emails saying that this boss was named "Fire Dragon". I did not even know the bosses had official names. Whatever. You will have to keep track of two main parts in this battle: the Fire Dragon himself and his sock puppet. Yes, a sock puppet. I don't get it either. The Fire Dragon is so big, that you will only be able to target his head. The bad news is that his defense is so high, the only way to deal major damage to the Fire Demon is with a Sandwich. Luckily, Fire Demons will arrive one by one, dropping Sandwiches once defeated. Well that solves that. The Fire Dragon will constantly spew a stream of fire from his mouth. When his head rears back, get ready to run to the right side of the arena. By the way, you are fighting on the base of a mountain. While you're worrying about getting burnt to a crisp, the sock puppet will be dropping boulders down the side of the mountain. It's your job to avoid the boulders; make sure you wait for them to bounce over your head instead of getting crushed. We have fire coming from the left and boulders coming from the right. So what do you do? Well there are two plans. You can either be risky and actually use Sandwiches and attack the Fire Demon up close. That plan is rather dumb because you are leaving yourself open to a hefty dosage of fire. You want to know my plan? Run up the side of the mountain and stand near the right side of the arena. Not totally up against the corner, but on the slope so you are face-to-face with the Fire Dragon. Jump in the air and either fire your bow or use a Magic Projectile. Doing this takes a while, but you will be out of reach from the fire attack. Oh, the boulders? They are a cinch to dodge. You can come out of this fight relatively unhurt with this strategy. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Industrial Machine | '============================================================================' Location: Industrial Castle There are four main parts to the Industrial Machine. You have to destroy them all in order to win the battle. 1. The four main pillars. Each one rises up one by one, shooting balls of electricity on an arc. The projectiles are slow and easy to dodge, giving you enough time to destroy each one on the first try. You should be able to get rid of all four pillars on one full trip. 2. The central pillar. When the pillar rises up, a bar will appear on the front. When it reaches the top and blinks red, you have about one second to jump in the air before the floor gives you a lil' shock. The entire floor will be coated in electricity, but I found myself destroying the pillar before it got to do its thing. 3. The robot hand. It kinds just walks around, flicking its two fingers out in front. The only way it can hurt you if you get hit by one of its fingers. Since you cannot do much damage physicall from the ground, either try aerial combos or magic. I found that Magic Blasts works the best on the robot hand. 4. The gun. The gun will lower from the ceiling and strafe back and forth on the right side of the room. The gun can fire various projectiles. If it comes down with a green bottle on the bottom, it'll shoot out poison balls. If it resembles an AK-47, then watch out for those icicle shots. If the gun has a nozzle on the front, then it will spit out a stream of fire. The best way to attack the gun is to use magic, since you cannot tread close to it on foot. As you may know, the far right and left sides of the arena are heated, so do not step on them for any reason. The best plan of action is to stay in the middle of the arena, strafing back and forth to target any parts of the Industrial Machine. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Alien Spaceship | '============================================================================' Location: Desert I can barely classify these ships as minibosses, but if they have a health bar, they are in my book. I guess. All the Alien Spaceship does is drop down Alien Hominids to attack you. All you really have to do is occasionally kill the aliens (sometimes they die as they hit the ground, lol) and target the spaceship. The best plan of action is to use aerial combos on this pathetic piece of machinery. Once it drops to half health, the Alien Spaceship will grab a large slab of stone and try to drop it on top of you. Fake it out by stopping, then quickly move to the side. By the way, you have to fight two of these in a row. Believe me, that isn't a problem at all. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Corn Boss | '============================================================================' Location: Corn Boss Evil produce. My favorite. The Corn Boss travels by burrowing underground, then reappearing somewhere else on the farm. That alone can hurt you if you are caught from underneath. To solve this minor problem, always keep moving. At first, the Corn Boss takes his time above ground and does not burrow that often. Enjoy it while it lasts. If the Corn Boss appears in the top right-hand corner of the screen, he will begin spinning across the arena to the other side. Avoid him as he zig-zags to the left; pretty simple really. Normally, he just pops out of the ground and stands motionless. It's like he wants you to wail on him! The Corn Boss will occasionally fling around his husks like arms, but that shouldn't be a problem for you and your shield. Every time you damage the Corn Boss, he drops kernels of corn (actually popcorn, but just how do they get popped?) that can be heated to regain 1HP. As time passes and HP is lost, the Corn Boss will begin to move much faster. He will burrow underground a lot and will only stay above ground for one or two seconds before retreating again. Prepare your magic for when he emerges, then unleash quickly before he can hide again. I'll admit that the Corn Boss is probably one of the toughest bosses at this point in the game. Author's Note The peasants in the corner don't willingly help you (those jerks!). To get them to help you, you must have the Corn Boss attack them. In order to do this, stand next to the peasants. When the Corn Boss goes underground and pops back up, he will knock them over. Naturally, this would piss off anyone, so the peasants jump into the action. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Medusa | '============================================================================' Location: Medusa's Lair Well at least she's got a sense of fashion. But we still gotta kill her. Medusa lets her hair do the attacking during the battle. While one of the snakes in her hair spits out poison globs from a distance, another will strike you if you stay too close. Medusa herself can fire a purple beam that moves back and forth. If you are hit, you'll be turned to stone. Wiggle the Left Analog Stick to free yourself and avoid taking any further damage. As you attack Medusa, snakes will fall out of her hair and slither to the left. By the end of the fight, dozens of snakes will be crawling around, which can get very bothersome. Try to use Magic Blasts to not only clear out the serpents, but also hurt Medusa. It is best to not fight up close that much (if at all), because her short- range attack is annoying and far too quick for you. Keep your distance and use other alternatives. I didn't have much trouble with Medusa at all; the biggest problem was the sheer number of snakes that would get in my way. Author's Note A tip from William H: "for the Medusa fight, when she fires that laser to turn you to stone, if you just look AWAY from her then it won't do anything (thank you Greek mythology for actually teaching me something)." .============================================================================. | BOSS: Ice King | '============================================================================' Location: Ice Castle King of the castle, king of the castle! I know, the joke is two years old and clearly not funny anymore. Whatever. Take note that the floor of the arena is still slippery. To be honest, that will be one of your biggest hurdles: just trying to control yourself when battling the Ice King. Aside from the Ice King taking time out to laugh at you (which is a nice opening for an attack), he will attack two ways. If he takes a Ryu stance and charges up an ice ball with his hands, then get ready to jump as icicles line the floor. Sometimes the Ice King will hold the ball in the palm of his hand and charge it up. When you see this happen, look at the ground. Avoid any cracked area, because it will explode with a blast of ice in about two seconds. Once you get used to dodging these attacks, it's all about catching the Ice King as he teleports around the room. When he stops, identify the attack he's about to use and start hacking away. Once you deplete half of the Ice King's HP, he will start to get desperate. He will start a chain of icicles that fall from the ceiling (like in the first room of the level). Now you must be quick on your feet as you avoid the icicles, all while trying to fight the king and dodge his own attacks. Once he's down to a quarter health, the icicles will fall much faster. Your window of opportunity will be very small, so you will have to use quick, small attacks on the Ice King. The very end of the battle can be annoying because it's more running away than attacking. .============================================================================. | BOSS: The Painter | '============================================================================' Location: Wizard Castle Interior The Painter doesn't attack you directly. He will use his magical canvas to turn his paintings to life. The catch is that The Painter disappears offscreen until all his paintings are destroyed. Then he will return in order to make another one. Each painting takes about three or four seconds, giving you enough time to fully deplete your magic bar with a full-out assault of Magic Blasts. These wacky, childlike drawings will hunt you down. If you touch them, they'll explode as you take damage. While this seems like the easy way out, you end up losing HP quickly with this strategy. It is best to keep your distance and deal with them with Magic Blasts. At first, The Painter only sends out one drawing to fight you. After a little while, he will then send out two at a time. Continue to destroy the paintings (how you choose to do so is up to you) and when The Painter returns to his canvas, devote all your attention to him. Once the battle is halfway over, The Painter will stay on the ground and run around, summoning animated paintings repeatedly. The paintings will slowly move around and disappear after a few seconds. It can be hard to target The Painter because he never stops moving at this stage. Dodge the paintings and use combos or magic attacks to put him to end the fight. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Undead Cyclops | '============================================================================' Location: Wizard Castle Interior The Cyclops is back and looking uglier than ever! Surprisingly enough, the Undead Cyclops has a similar attack pattern to your first tango with him. The boss, still mourning the loss of the Conehead Groom, carries around his coffin and uses it as a blunt weapon. The Undead Cyclops will chase you down and try to whack you with the coffin. It looks heavy, but he can swing it around like a baseball bat. After dodging the attack four times, the Undead Cyclops runs to either side of the room and shoots out five fireballs. Sound familiar? Gotta love rehashes. This is where things get a little different. The Undead Cyclops stands the coffin up and jumps on top. The coffin opens, revealing the skeleton of the Conehead Groom (at least I think that's him). It comes to life and begins to chase you around while the boss jump up and around on the coffin. The skeleton cannot be hurt, but it can certainly hurt you. If you are touched by the skeleton, you'll take a LOT of damage. It is easy to avoid him, so make it your best intention to do so. If you get stomped on by the Cyclops in the process, move the Left Analog Stick back and forth to free yourself. Run away from your pursuer for a little while and the Undead Cyclops will drop down and repeat the process. Really, the only time to attack is when the boss swings around the coffin like a bat. Use your Magic Blast two or three times, the block the hit. This is another battle that may take a while, but you just have to be patient. Author's Note A neat lil' tip from GreatGuy: "I'd also care to share a strategy with the Undead Cyclops: Let him smash you into the ground with his coffin, and the weird reanimated skeleton thing with musical notes can't hurt you... is it possible to remain buried till he goes back into his coffin? That would be amusing." (I am confirming that the above strategy is in fact possible. Probably the most unique for avoiding the skeleton, though the price of getting your face smashed into the dirt isn't very good.) "Towards the end of the fight, the skeleton thing gets quicker than you can wiggle free, so if you do get smashed, just wait that few seconds till he jumps back into his coffin." .============================================================================. | BOSS: Necromancer | '============================================================================' Location: Wizard Castle Interior The first stage of the fight is you fighting a bunch of undead warriors. The Necromancer will summon just about every enemy you have fought in the game, big and small. From Thieves to Ninjas to Saracens, you'll have to kill at least one of each enemy. Like any massive group of enemies, use some crowd control with your Magic Blast and aerial combos. After the first wave of six enemies is finished, you will have to deal with a second wave. Take care of them as well to start the real battle. Don't be hesitant to use Potions during the first stage of the fight. The Necromancer will join you in a straight-up swordfight. The Necromancer has his own Magic Blast and Magic Projectile, so you will have to learn to dodge them. His sword is very deadly as well. You are basically fighting against one, super beefed-up enemy. Except that he is faster than normal and blocks a LOT. Like, too much. Most combos don't work as he ends up interrupting them, so don't try to string together too many attacks. A hit-and-run tactic is much more useful for this type of battle. I found it best to run away and then use Magic Projectiles as the Necromancer tries to catch up with you. Also test out Magic Blasts on him if you leveled your magic high enough; some work wonders while others aren't as good. I also found an easy time using sprinting attacks. Sprint, then press X or Y to easily knock the Necromancer down. From there, either use magic or stomp on him. This battle is very unique, and some claim it to be the hardest fight in the game. I wouldn't go so far as to disagree with them. The first stage is probably harder than fighting the Necromancer himself, so come prepared with Potions and try different techniques to see which ones work best. .============================================================================. | BOSS: Evil Wizard | '============================================================================' Location: Final Battle It's the final battle! (as if the level name didn't give it away) The Evil Wizard has several stages, so you will have to change your battle strategy for each and every one. Phase 1: Four red crystals appear in the air and begin to spin. When they stop, they will slam into the ground; make sure you aren't inbetween the two. Once all four are embedded in the ground, you will have a chance to attack before the crystals rise up in the air again. I found it best to stand in a relatively small radius when the crystals land. That way, they all land fairly close to each other. Now you can use a series of Magic Blasts to hit them simultaneously. Repeat this as many times needed until the four crystals are destroyed. Phase 2: The Evil Wizard will appear with a bubble around him. He only attacks with a Magic Blast and Magic Projectiles (identical to that of any darkness- based character). You have to recognize what color the bubble is. If the bubble is blue, it will repel all physical attacks and you will take damage. In that case, spam Magic Blasts and Magic Projectiles. When the bubble turns red, all magic attacks will be repelled. Since the Evil Wizard moves too fast and too much, try to use aerial combos or sprint attacks. Phase 3: The Evil Wizard will inflate into a giant balloon and float around in circles. As he does this, energy balls will shoot out. When they touch the ground, they explode into smaller balls and radiate outwards. Frankly, this is the easiest phase of the entire fight. Keep pulling off aerial combos and he'll be down for the count in 30 seconds. Phase 4: You think it's over? Naw, that hooligan tricked us! Now the boss is in his spider form. I had the most trouble with this form because I couldn't find a clearproof strategy. The Evil Wizard will release Wizard Minions, who should be ignored at all times. He will attack you with his long legs, which is very annoying. The Evil Wizard will constantly poke you over and over, dealing a lot of damage in the process. Unfortunately, he is out of the reach of Magic Blasts. Either use a Magic Jump followed by Aerial Magic or aerial combos. Phase 5: Yep, it's just Phase 3 again. Easy as pie. Phase 6: The Evil Wizard grabs his Firebrand and deals with you in his human form. He will run around, then jump in the air and summon four meteors. Just as he jumps in the air, use a Magic Jump next to him and either use combos or an Aerial Magic. Be quick though, for the meteors will land right on top of you. It is possible to pull off a few quick hits and dodge the meteors. Since the Evil Wizard spends little time on the ground, this is your basic strategy for attacking. Sometimes, he will use a different attack where he spins around and shoots to the other side of the battlefield. It is hard to target him, so wait for the attack to end before you resume slicing away. The key to winning is to take quick, small hits. It's better to drag out the fight than bite off more than you can chew and get killed in the process. Author's Note Here's a tip from Rob S. regarding the fourth phase: "I found that simply jumping through him and striking him once with X, then jumping back through him and striking him once again seemed to work a treat. As long as you kept moving up, jumping through him and attacking, then moving down, jumping through him and attacking him made me dodge his leg attacks. This method also seems to keep the little minions at bay too. So to reiterate: Move up into him. Jump through him. Strike him once with X in the air. Land. Move down. Jump through him. Strike him once with X in the air. Land. REPEAT It isn't a quick method by any means, but it is a safe method!" ______________________________________________________________________________ 6] SHOPS [0600] ______________________________________________________________________________ .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Castle Keep | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Item Gold ---------------------------- Potion 12 Thin Sword 32 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Thieves' Store | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Item Gold ---------------------------- Branch 65 Potion 14 Bomb 15 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Church Store | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Item Gold ---------------------------- Wooden Cane 390 Potion 14 Wizard's Wand 415 Monkeyface 750 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Volcano Store | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Item Gold ---------------------------- Black Paddle 340 Bomb 17 Potion 13 Spiny 680 Sandwich 15 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Swamp Village Store | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Item Gold ---------------------------- Piggy 585 Potion 11 Bomb 19 Barbarian Sword 445 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Snow Store | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Item Gold ---------------------------- Potion 18 Lance 500 Sandwich 20 Cleaver 575 Pazzo 750 ______________________________________________________________________________ 7] ARENAS [0700] ______________________________________________________________________________ .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | King's Arena | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Enemy: Barbarian Reward: Unlocks Barbarian .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Thieves' Arena | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Enemy: Thief Reward: Unlocks Thief .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Volcano Arena | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Enemy: Conehead Reward: Unlocks Conehead .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Peasant Arena | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Enemy: Forest Knight Reward: Unlocks Peasant .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Icy Arena | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Enemy: Eskimo Reward: Unlocks Eskimo ______________________________________________________________________________ 8] ITEMS [0800] ______________________________________________________________________________ .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Potion | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' When used, a Potion will completely restore your health. As you can see, these are incredibly useful and you should always stock up on as many as possible. Can hold up to five at a time. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Bomb | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Press B with the Bomb equipped to throw it up in the air. The splash damage will not hurt you, but can damage enemies. Bombs can also be used to destroy cracked walls (three are needed). Can hold up to nine at a time. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Sandwich | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' When you use a Sandwich, your character will grow to large proportions, increasing his Strength and Defense for ten seconds. Primarily used to break large objects such as doors or boulders, but you can also attack enemies. Can hold up to nine at a time. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Bow and Arrows | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Barbarian War It's impossible to miss this item. When selected, press B to grab an arrow from your endless stash and fire it away. The arrows do not deal that much damage, but can be used from a distance. Increasing your Agility will increase your firing power and speed. Like I said earlier, you have an unlimited amount of arrows at your disposal. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Boomerang | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Thieves' Forest To get the Boomerang, you must have the Cardinal Animal Orb. When you reach the owl doing his business, the Cardinal will retrieve the Boomerang from the nearby bush. To use the Boomerang, press B to fling it. You can charge it up by holding down B. Hitting an enemy will stun them, leaving them defenseless. The Boomerang can also be used for some cheap EXP-gaining tricks, but that's a story for another time. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Shovel | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Desert The Shovel is found at the entrance to the Desert, right after you dock your ship. It is used to uncover various treasures and goodies from "X"'s on the ground. When you see an "X" on the ground, repeatedly press B to dig and retrieve the item. Sometimes it's just Gold, but sometimes you will find a rare weapon or Animal Orb. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Horn | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Corn Boss Found after defeating the Corn Boss. Can be used to stun nearby enemies. If you see a horn sign, blow the horn to alert nearby Animal Orbs. Also needed to open the entrance to the Flooded Temple. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Compass | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Blacksmith Quest Item. Found on the ground between the Animal Ark and the Weapon Frog. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Steering Wheel | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Lava World Quest Item. Found after defeating the Fire Demon. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Telescope | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Industrial Castle Quest Item. Found on the balcony after defeating the Industrial Machine. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Map | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: Sand Castle Roof Quest Item. Found after winning the Volleyball Game. ______________________________________________________________________________ 9] ANIMAL ORBS [0900] ______________________________________________________________________________ .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Mr. Buddy | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Helps you dig faster Found: Home Castle From the start of the level (the opening cutscene), run to the left side of the mess hall and examine the haystack on the ground. Dig on the "X" to uncover Mr. Buddy. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Sherbert | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Helps you jump higher Found: Animal Ark Once you obtain the Magic Jump (reach Magic Level 20), run to the far left side of the Animal Ark and stop at the locked door. See the Animal Orb floating near the ceiling? Use your Magic Jump to reach him. Due to countless numbers of e-mails, I have decided to include an alternate strategy. Instead of waiting until Magic Level 20, a talented air juggler can reach Sherbert without a problem. Jump in the air in front of the door (just below Sherbert) and alternate between X and Y. If done correctly, you'll rise in the air and eventually reach Sherbert. Alternatively, you can eat a Sandwich and use your "windmill" fist attack to reach him. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Beholder | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Gives you a magical boost Found: Animal Ark Beholder is behind the locked door in the Animal Ark. To open the door, you must find the Keyblade. The Keyblade is located in Full Moon. Equip the Cardinal and proceed through the level until you reach a ladder leading up to a balcony. Climb up the balcony and run to the left. The Cardinal should find the Keyblade behind a cabin. Once you have the Keyblade, equip it and return to the Animal Ark. Attack the locked door with your new weapon to open it, giving you access to Beholder. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Owlet | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Retrieves hidden fruit from trees Found: Forest Entrance Owlet is hiding behind the bushes near the entrance to the Thieves' Forest (the very end of the Forest Entrance level). He is singing, so you will be able to see black musical notes emanating from the bushes. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Seahorse | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Allows you to move quick through water Found: Thieves' Forest The Seahorse is right in plain sight, resting on the side of a creek in the level. Impossible to miss. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Troll | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Slowly regenerates your health Found: Thieves' Forest Don't worry, this Troll is on your side. The Troll is hidden behind a rock wall just past where you first encounter the Troll enemies. You should be able to spot his eyes behind a crack in the wall. Bomb the wall three times to free him. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Hawkster | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Attacks fallen enemies Found: Tall Grass Field Blow your Horn near the sign, which is in front of the first batch of huts. Once you do so, Hawkster will approach you from one of the huts. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Rammy | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Knocks down enemies Found: Tall Grass Field Accompanies the Rain Dancer boss near the midpoint of the level. Once you defeat the Rain Dancer, Rammy will be yours. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Burly Bear | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases your Strength Found: Tall Grass Field Near the end of the level (where you climb up the rock wall), inspect the big boulder jutting out of the side. Use a Sandwich and tear away the boulder. Go inside the secret cave. Bomb the cracked wall with three bombs and enter the passage to find Burly Bear. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Bitey Bat | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Chomps enemy heads Found: Pipistrello's Cave Found after defeating the Giant Vampire Bat. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Meowburt | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases your Agility Found: Parade This one was tricky to find, because it's not directly found in the Parade level. Select Cyclops' Cave from the World Map. From the start of the level, turn around and leave the cave. You will find Meowburt floating in the middle of the screen. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Monkeyface | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases your luck finding items Found: Church Store Purchase Monkeyface for 750 Gold. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Snoot | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases your Strength Found: Cyclops' Fortress There is a cracked wall near the beginning of the level: just look for the painting of the Cyclops on the wall; the crack should be to the right. Bomb the cracked wall three times to rescue Snoot. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Spiney | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases your Defense Found: Volcano Store Purchase Spiney for 680 Gold. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Cardinal | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Helps you find secret items Found: Industrial Castle The Cardinal is with the big Brute near the end of the level. After defeating the Brute, the Cardinal will tag along with you. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Giraffey | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Helps you level-up faster Found: Desert This one can be annoying to find, because he's underground in the middle of the Desert. As you patrol through the level, look at the background for a pyramid. If you wait long enough, you'll see a funny scene where an alien ship abducts the top of the pyramid. There are flat stone squares on the side of the area if that helps at all. Once you reach this area, search the ground for any "X"s; Giraffey is located here. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Install Ball | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Shoots enemies with his photons Found: Alien Ship After eliminating the Alien Hominid army and initiating the countdown, pass by the giant Alien Hominid's toilet and dumbbell. Destroy the laser wall with your magic and walk forward. Hug the top of the area for a niche in the wall; it should be right before the trio of Alien Hominids attack you. Go in the secret passage to find Install Ball, but you must be quick with your search before the ship blows up! .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Zebra | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Helps you find food in grass Found: Desert Chase As you continue through the level on your badass camel, you should witness a scene where a Saracen flees the scene with a camel of his own. Either track him down with your camel or on foot (if your Agility is high enough). Once you catch him, kill him to get Zebra. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Scratchpaw | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases your Strength and Agility Found: Sand Castle Interior Scratchpaw is behind a cracked wall in the first (well, only) room of the Sand Castle Interior. Either kill the enemies before or after bombing the wall to capture him. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Frogglet | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Can pick up items with his tongue Found: Marsh Once you reach the first graveyard, eliminate the batch of Skeletons and look around for an "X" on the ground. It should be in the center of the graveyard; between the two groups of tombstones. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Snailburt | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases your Defense but decreases your Agility Found: Marsh Snailburt is hanging around near the end of the level. He is chillin' in front of a shed before the Peasant/Forest Knight scuffle. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Piggy | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Makes food give your more health Found: Swamp Village Store Purchase Piggy for 585 Gold. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Chicken | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Increases Strength, Defense, and Agility Found: Medusa's Lair You will find an "X" in the ground at the very start of the level. For reference, take note of the two fish-shaped rocks in the background. Dig up the "X" to find Chicken. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Yeti | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Protects you from being frozen Found: Snow World Proceed through the level until you reach the end (the hill leading into the Ice Castle). Search behind the huts to the right of the hill's base to find the Yeti hiding back there. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Bipolar Bear | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Mauls enemies (and friends) who are near death Found: Snow World You will find a horn sign on the hill leading up to the Ice Castle. Blow your Horn next to the sign to cause the Bipolar Bear to reveal himself. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Pazzo | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Helps you find buried treasures Found: Snow Store Purchase Pazzo for 750 Gold. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Pelter | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Occasionally shoots ice Found: Purchase the King Pack DLC Purchase the King Pack DLC to obtain Pelter. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Dragonhead | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ability: Occasionally shoots fire Found: Purchase the Necromantic Pack DLC Purchase the Necromantic Pack DLC to obtain Dragonhead. ______________________________________________________________________________ 10] WEAPONS [1000] ______________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: This list is currently incomplete. .============================================================================. | GROUP 1 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Thin Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 1 Agility +1 Found: Castle Keep, buy from the shop for 32 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Thick Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +0 Required Level: 1 Found: Green Knight's starting weapon .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Barbarian Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +2 Required Level: 15 Magic -1 Defense +5 Found: Swamp Village Store, buy for 445 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Double Blade | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +3 Required Level: 10 Magic -2 Defense +2 Found: Desert Chase, dig at the "X" found between the cat head statue and the turkey-shaped rock .============================================================================. | GROUP 2 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Silver Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 15 Magic -1 Defense +3 Critical Found: Full Moon, found lying inside a green shed near the ladder .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Cleaver | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +5 Required Level: 15 Magic -2 Agility +2 Found: Snow Store, buy for 575 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Razor | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic -1 Required Level: 5 Defense +2 Found: Industrial Castle, found behind some bushes at the entrance of the castle .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Carrot | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 5 Magic -2 Defense +3 Found: Home Castle, under an "X" lying near the start of the level, in front of the final hut on the right .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Rusty Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 5 Agility +2 Found: Forest Entrance, have the Cardinal equipped and he will bring it to you when standing next to the first tree. Also dropped by Thieves .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Golden Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +4 Required Level: 15 Defense +1 Found: Marsh, there is a hidden "X" behind two huts where you first fight the Forest Knights. Since it is behind the huts, you cannot physically see the "X". Walk behind the two huts and randomly start pressing B with the Shovel equipped. It should be between the two buildings, but go crazy and you should find it on a stroke of luck .============================================================================. | GROUP 3 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Two-Pronged Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +3 Required Level: 20 Defense +3 Critical Found: Unlock Brute .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Hook Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +3 Required Level: 10 Defense +1 Agility -1 Found: Industrial Castle, dig on the "X" just past the first wave of enemies, on the side of the big machine .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Buster Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +3 Required Level: 15 Defense +3 Agility -1 Found: Dropped by Medusa .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Falchion | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 10 Defense +3 Found: Dropped by Saracen .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Spike | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +1 Required Level: 15 Defense +2 Agility +2 Found: Industrial Castle, have the Cardinal equipped and he'll bring it to you when standing in the hidden room on the balcony (the one the evil prince came out of). Make sure you do this before collecting the Telescope, or else the level will automatically end. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Square Wave | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic -1 Required Level: 15 Defense +4 Agility +2 Found: Medusa's Lair, found under an "X" located between two flights of stairs (more specifically, next to a stone shelf filled with shoes) .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Rapier | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 10 Magic +1 Agility +1 Found: Dropped by Fencing Knights .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Barbarian Axe | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic -1 Required Level: 1 Defense -1 Critical Found: Dropped by Barbarians .============================================================================. | GROUP 4 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Pitchfork | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 1 Agility -1 Found: Home Castle, found on the haystack before the batch of burning huts .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Crescent Blade | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +2 Required Level: 15 Magic +3 Defense -1 Found: Sand Castle Roof, dig on the "X" near the end of the level. Hard to miss since the entire level is just one balcony .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Keyblade | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 15 Magic +3 Agility +3 Found: Full Moon, have the Cardinal equipped and he'll bring it to you when standing next to the second green shed .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Bonesaw | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 10 Magic +1 Defense +3 Found: Wedding Crash, found in an "X" just past the group of tables .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | ??? | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Found: ??? .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Mace | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +0 Required Level: 1 Found: Red Knight's starting weapon .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Club | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +5 Required Level: 20 Defense +5 Agility -5 Critical Found: Dropped by Bears .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Blue Mace | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic -2 Required Level: 20 Defense +6 Found: Dropped by Industrialists .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Spiked Mace | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 10 Defense +1 Agility +1 Found: Flowery Field, dig on the "X" just past the first batch of foes. Can be hard to spot due to the massive amount of flowers .============================================================================. | GROUP 5 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Fish | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +2 Required Level: 5 Magic -1 Found: Tall Grass Field, near the end of the level (where you climb up the rock wall), inspect the big boulder jutting out of the side. Use a Sandwich and tear away the boulder. Go inside the secret cave and open the chest for the weapon .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Wrapped Club | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 1 Magic +1 Defense +1 Found: Thieves' Forest, found directly behind the pillar tipped against the breakable wall .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Black Mace | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -2 Required Level: 20 Defense +3 Agility +6 Found: Dropped by Skeletons .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Black Paddle | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +5 Required Level: 10 Agility -2 Found: Volcano Store, buy for 340 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Green Mace | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +5 Required Level: 20 Defense -2 Agility +3 Found: Dropped by Forest Knights .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Baseball Bat | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +2 Required Level: 10 Defense +1 Found: Dropped by Beekeepers .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Morning Star | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -3 Required Level: 20 Magic +6 Defense +1 Found: Dropped by Fire Demons .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | King's Mace | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +3 Required Level: 20 Magic +2 Defense +3 Found: Purchase the King Pack DLC .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Tenderizer | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +2 Required Level: 1 Agility -1 Found: Thieves' Forest, in a chest right before a Thief ambush .============================================================================. | GROUP 6 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Leaf | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 5 Magic +3 Defense -1 Found: Forest Entrance, under the "X" before the Thief ambush (the ones that shoot and retreat) .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Rod | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +0 Required Level: 1 Found: Blue Knight's starting weapon .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Wizard's Wand | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +1 Required Level: 10 Defense -1 Agility +3 Found: Church Store, buy for 415 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Branch | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 1 Magic +2 Defense -1 Found: Thieves' Store, buy for 65 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Vine | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 1 Defense -1 Agility +2 Found: Thieves' Forest, in a chest near where you first encounter Trolls .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Lightsaber | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Agility +1 Required Level: 10 Lightning Found: Dropped by Coneheads .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Wooden Cane | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +4 Required Level: 10 Defense -1 Found: Church Store, buy for 390 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Spoon | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic -1 Required Level: 1 Agility +2 Found: Unlock Peasant .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Skeleton Leg | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -2 Required Level: 15 Agility +5 Critical Found: Snow Store, use Pazzo to find the "X" in the middle of the store .============================================================================. | GROUP 7 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Alien Ray Gun | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +0 Required Level: 1 Found: Unlock Alien Hominid .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Harpoon | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +5 Required Level: 15 Magic +2 Agility -3 Found: Dropped by Eskimos .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Lance | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +4 Required Level: 15 Defense +2 Agility -2 Found: Snow Shop, buy for 500 Gold .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Sai | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Defense -2 Required Level: 20 Agility +6 Critical Found: Dropped by Ninjas .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Unicorn Horn | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -3 Required Level: 15 Magic +6 Defense +1 Found: Wizard Castle Interior, defeat The Painter while a unicorn is onscreen .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Steak | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +4 Required Level: 20 Magic -2 Agility +4 Found: Ice Castle, on a shelf near the start of the second floor .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Sausage | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 10 Magic +1 Critical Found: Desert Chase, found in an "X" (the first one in the level) during the chase scene .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Lobster | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 5 Agility +1 Critical Found: Tall Grass Field, dig on the "X" on the beach .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Umbrella | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -2 Required Level: 5 Defense +3 Found: Tall Grass Field, dig at the "X" in front of the Rain Dancer's shack .============================================================================. | GROUP 8 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Axe | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +0 Required Level: 1 Found: Orange Knight's starting weapon .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Obsidian | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +2 Required Level: 20 Defense +7 Found: Dropped by Necromancer .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Frostbrand | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Ice Required Level: 20 Found: Ice Castle, use Pazzo to find the "X" in the middle of the area where the Ice King captures the princess .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Candlestick | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 15 Magic +1 Fire Found: Marsh, under the "X" in front of the two huts (in the same spot where you find the Golden Sword, but the "X" is in front of the huts) .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Warhammer | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 15 Critical Found: Marsh, behind one of the tombstones in the cemetery at the start of the level .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Fishing Rod | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -1 Required Level: 1 Magic -1 Defense -1 Found: Marsh, have the Cardinal equipped and he will bring it to you when in the area with the Necromancer .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Wrench | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +1 Required Level: 5 Magic -1 Critical Found: Tall Grass Field, near the catapults in the start of the level .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | NG Lollipop | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Agility +5 Required Level: 1 Found: Purchase the King Pack DLC .============================================================================. | GROUP 9 | '============================================================================' .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | NG Skull Mace | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Critical Required Level: 1 Found: Purchase the Necromantic Pack DLC .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | NG Gold Sword | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +6 Required Level: 1 Magic +1 Defense +1 Found: Purchase the King Pack DLC .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Chainsaw | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Defense +4 Required Level: 1 Critical Found: Purchase the Necromantic Pack DLC .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Spear | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -2 Required Level: 15 Agility +4 Critical Found: Medusa's Lair, inside a Merman statue near the middle of the level .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Red Rod | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength -4 Required Level: 20 Magic +5 Defense +5 Critical Found: Dropped by Wizard Minions .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Chicken | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Magic +2 Required Level: 5 Defense -1 Agility +1 Found: Snow World, dig at the "X" near the first set of houses .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Firebrand | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Strength +2 Required Level: 20 Magic +2 Agility +2 Fire Found: Dropped by Grand Wizard ______________________________________________________________________________ 11] ACHIEVEMENTS [1100] ______________________________________________________________________________ .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Kay Eye Ess Ess (15) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Collect all 4 princesses' kisses in a multiplayer game. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Traditional (20) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Complete the game using any character. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | The Traitor (20) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Defeat any boss by playing one of his own minions. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Deer Trainer (20) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Navigate the Abandoned Mill without hitting any obstacles. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Conscientious Objector (20) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Complete the Home Castle through Barbarian Boss areas without attacking any foes. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Maximum Firepower (10) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Using a catapult, fling a knight with maximum power. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Animal Handler (20) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Collect all the animals. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Arena Master (15) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Win 40 Arena Ranked Matches. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Glork (15) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Win 20 All You Can Quaff Ranked Matches. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Melee Is Best (15) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Defeat any boss without using any magic. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Treasure Hunter (20) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' Find and dig up ten buried treasures. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Medic! (10) | '----------------------------------------------------------------------------' In a 4 player game, resuscitate each of your fallen comrades at least once. ______________________________________________________________________________ 12] THANKS/CREDITS [1200] ______________________________________________________________________________ Of course, this guide couldn't have been made without some extra help. Here is a shoutout to everyone who made this FAQ possible: CJayC: For being an awesome host of an awesome site. Eternal Czar Smapdi: For being the best co-author anyone could have, and for being yourself. The Behemoth: For respectively passing on all the unneeded fluff and pizzazz found in the majority of video games today and simply making games that are a straight-up blast to play. Castle Crashers Weapons: For your list of weapons (also used your names). http://porath.org/cc/ ZoopSoul: For creating some very useful Youtube video walkthroughs (how anyone could find some of the weapons or Animal Orbs without any guidance is beyond me) and for the neat and easy EXP trick. FightaBunny: For step-by-step instructions on how to delete updates off of one's Xbox 360 console. PostonTheMad: For some great tips on how to breeze past the Conehead Groom. GreatGuy: For a nice strategy on defeating the Catfish and a tip during the Undead Cyclops fight. Casey N: For a strategy when dueling with the Troll King. Rob S: For his strategy during the spider phase of the final boss. William H: For a tip on the Medusa fight. Conor M: For a minor correction on how to obtain the Spike. TAZREX: For a small correction on the location of the Double Blade. Steve: For pointing out a small error on Spiney's location. MasterBriggs87: For alerting me of a typo in the character section. FESBians: Because you're cool. You: For reading this FAQ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LEGAL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This document is copyright (c) DomZ Ninja 2008-2009. This document may be found on the following sites: * GameFAQs - http://www.gamefaqs.com * GameSpot - http://www.gamespot.com * IGN - http://faqs.ign.com * Super Cheats - http://www.supercheats.com * Neoseeker - http://www.neoseeker.com * HonestGamers - http://www.honestgamers.com The latest update of this document can always be found on GameFAQs. Other sites may use this document, but only with my permission. If you see this document on a website not listed above, please email me. Do not edit or alter this document in any way. Do not steal anything from this document. Do not host or distribute this document for profit. That is plagiarism, and it is against the law. If you have any questions, comments, or anything that you would like to add to this guide, then feel free to email me. My email address is found at the top of this guide. However, if you do email me, please include the name of the game in the title. Lastly, thanks for reading and using this FAQ. If you like this FAQ, then please recommend it to others by clicking the "recommend" button at the top of the guide. :] http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/52173.html "You are the one that I despise, you are the light I'm the vampire" - People in Planes ______________________________________________________________________________ END OF DOCUMENT