Macross M3 - Strategy Guide (Page 01)
Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Macross M3 - Strategy Guide (Page 01).
MACROSS M3
Import Dreamcast
Episode Guide
Version 1.3
March 4, 2002
(c) 2001, 2002 Edward Ju, All Rights Reserved.
* Introduction
This was a quick and dirty guide I've slapped together for the express purpose
of helping those who are playing the game for the first time and were stuck on
a level they cannot clear. However, over the course of the revisions, this
work-in-progress is becoming more formalized than the quickie guide I have
originally envisioned. I do not have the luxury of taking the time to write a
full-blown FAQ or walkthru, so if you have any specific questions on a
particular level, feel free to e-mail me at gundam@loop.com and I will add the
answer in a revised version of this guide.
I call this guide an Episode Guide because that's how the game refers to groups
of levels, or missions. Sometimes an Episode can contain only 1 mission,
sometimes the game would decide to give you a full-course meal of 3 linked
levels. The game unlocks certain levels within an Episode, based on how fast
you were able to finish the mission prior to the one that is to be unlocked.
The general guideline is that you must complete the level previous to the
hidden level with more than 20% of mission time left on the clock (so if your
mission start with 5 minutes on the clock, you must have at least a minute
remaining when you clear it in order to unlock the next mission). Having a
memory card with sufficient room allows you to access the unlocked missions and
plug-ins in Free Mission mode. However, the tips contained in this guide are
written for players dealing with the level in Story Mode (by beginning a New
Game or Load a saved Game via the VMU). If you are playing the level in Free
Mission mode, the strategy here will work equally well, but you almost always
have better plug-ins and variable mechs available then what I recommended here,
and pilot selection will not be an issue there.
Note that the selection of pilot for each given episode has the effect of
altering the in-flight conversation and the in-between Episode dialog between
the characters in story mode. Your performance, based on the time remaining
and cumulative points you have earned, will determine which Valkyries and
plug-ins get released.
Throughout this guide you will see that I refer to the term "Valkyrie" a lot.
This is technically a misnomer, as I was actually referring to the variable
mech you are piloting, which could be a Variable Graug (this should have been
spelled Glaug, but I am sticking to the game's spelling to avoid confusion) or
anything newer than the VF-1 series. The guide has grown in size
substantially, so I just decided to keep things unchanged instead.
* Revision History
This latest revision, version 1.3, was a cosmetic update when I re-read it and
realized some typos were never corrected because they were spelled right but
they weren't the intended words. Names for the YF-19 and YF-21 were also added
(taken from I have left the
other names as they were from the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine.
Version 1.2 contains minor additional details - names of a couple Valkyries - I
omitted in the previous version. It also includes additional information from
the March 23-30 issue of the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine published by Softbank
Publishing. It contains additional secrets and requirements for unlocking
mechs and plug-ins, and should round out their installments on this game's
strategy guide. This will probably be the last time I update this guide, since
I am spending most of my time with Sakura Wars 3 now, unless significant
information reveals itself later on.
Version 1.1, is the 4th release of this Guide. It Version 1.1 was released on
March 24, 2001. It is the 4th release and includes additional information
regarding Valkyrie and plug-in release conditions, and detailed information
from Episodes 3, 4, and 5 from the March 16, 2001 issue of Dreamcast Magazine
published by Soft Bank Publishing in Japan.
Version 1.0 (released on March 17, 2001) pretty much covers all the known
missions from all 8 Episodes. There are some additional information that I may
decide to throw in later if I have enough time, but this version pretty much
contains everything you need to know to pass each level. This is the third
release of the Episode Guide.
Version 0.6 contains only the first half of the game. It is a revised version
of the first release (Version 0.5), and contains several corrected mistakes,
rewritten passages that aim to make things clear, and the addition of the
Executive Summary section (for the benefit of those who just need to get to the
point immediately).
* Distribution
Feel free to pass this along to fellow gamers, but I reserve the copyright and
other related right to this guide. That means you should not alter the
contents of this document without permission, even if it contains misspelling
and bad grammar.
You are not supposed to profit from distributing this document, be prepared for
the worst if I find out that you do.
* Valkyrie Overview
Model # Plug-in slots Simultaneous missile lock-on (standard #)
VF-1J 3 2
Valkyrie
VF-4 4 3
Lightning
VF-3000 5 3
Crusader
VF-5000 6 4
Star Mirage
VF-9 5 3
Cutlass
VF-14 7 5
Vampire
V. Graug 6 N/A (no lock-on missile available)
Variable Graug
VFX-11 7 7
Thunderbolt
YF-19 8 7
Alpha One
YF-21 7 8
Omega One
The VF-5000 Star Mirage features high mobility and fairly balanced design.
According to the game's official site, the VF-14 was developed with mobility in
outer space in mind. The Max version appears on the game's cover. The VF-9
Cutlass, featuring a forward-swept wing, is a mass-produced Valkyrie with
superior aerodynamics and improved endurance and mobility. It was later
succeeded by the VF-19. A Millia custom of the VF-9 appears on the game's
cover as well, along with the Variable Graug and the Max custom VF-14.
Note that the Variable Graug is not equipped with homing missiles, therefore
even if you install 2 sets of extra missile plug-ins, it will not fire any
homing missiles even though the HUD shows 2 are available. This makes its
offensive ability rather low compared to the other Valkyries availble in the
game.
The YF-19 and YF-21 from Macross Plus are unavailable in Story Mode and only
selectable in Free Mission mode after you have entered the correct passwords
for each Valkyrie in the Internet Mode's Password section. Due to popular
demand, I am enclosing their passwords here. These passwords were also
published in the March 23-30 issue of Dreamcast Magazine:
YF-19 68134581
YF-21 25193621
* Plug-in Overview
The 12 known plug-in modules are listed, from top to bottom, as they appear on
the selection screen going from left to right:
# of slots required Plug-in name and function
1 Booster Upgrade - booster lasts longer
1 Lock-on Speed Upgrade - faster lock-on
1 Terrain Protection - Fighter takes less
damage from hitting terran
1 Mobility Upgrade - more maneuverable
2 Shield Upgrade - shield lasts longer
2 Missile Upgrade - bigger damage
2 Gunpod Upgrade - bigger damage
3 Extra Missiles - get an extra missile
for every 3 available missiles, limited to 10
3 Lock-on Range Upgrade - lock-on further targets
3 ECM - slows down enemy reaction
4 Music - plays the Minmay pop song "Shao Bih Long"
(Little White Dragon) and causes confusion and
reduced morale in the ranks of Zentradi forces,
causing them to send out less combat units and
fight less ferociously
5 Music - plays the Minmay song translated from the
artifact found in the Do You Remember Love movie.
Effect on the Zentradi is more powerful than the
Little White Dragon song, at a cost of an extra
plug-in slot
Note that many of these plug-ins can be made more powerful by multiple
installation, if your Valkyrie has enough empty slots to take them. For
example, installing the Extra Missile plug-in twice will get you even more
missiles than what you get from a single installation.
* How to Unlock the Minmay Songs:
If you get a Bad Ending, the game releases the "Shao Bih Long" song plug-in.
If you get a Good Ending in story mode, the game releases the "Do You Remember
Love" song plug-in. Jump toward the end of this Guide for detailed info on how
to get the Good Ending.
* How to Use This Guide
The Executive Summary section lays out the pilot, Valkyrie, and plug-in
selection that I have found to be useful - it is not a be-all-end-all setup, so
you are free to experiment with different combinations. However, if you are
stuck on a level, I highly recommend you try what's worked for me by going with
the recommended setup. It doesn't really matter which pilot you choose if you
just want to "go to the next level", but the ones I recommend are based on who
I had chosen when I got the good ending. The third pilot, Moa, is a captured
Zentradi who still has issues with fighting against her own kind, therefore it
is best to use Max in Episodes where you will be facing off Zentradi units,
because you will get a bad ending if Moa is not happy. I am also not sure if
you can get a good ending if you do not unlock all levels.
The Executive Summary also sums up the basic strategy you need to use in order
to clear the level without being destroyed or running out of time. I recommend
reading the Detailed Guide section if you are already stuck on a particular
level, since you are more likely to find specific pointers that directly
address your problem.
You can consult with the Valkyrie and Plug-in Overview sections above at the
beginning of each Episode, they should come in rather handy.
* Episode 1 - Destroy All Enemy Squads
Executive Summary:
Pilot: either Max or Millia
Valkyrie: VF-1J (only possible choice)
Plug-ins: booster upgrade x 3
Basic strategy: gun down incoming wave using gunpod (press A quickly and
repeatedly), and use special all-out missile attack to clean up the remaining
few pests (X-Y-X-Y-A action command). Go with Battroid or Gerwalk mode.
Detailed Guide:
Pick either pilot (Max or Millia). VF-1J is the only Valkyrie available. I
believe you only get the booster upgrade and terrain protection (its icon shows
a fighter flying into a mountain) plug-ins here, so just go with boosters all
the way (you'll be skybound, no point in installing terrain protection plug-in
for this mission when there is nothing other than moving targets for you to fly
into).
Use your gunpod (press A repeatedly instead of holding it down) to take out
each wave of enemies that come at you as they are appearing. You can knock out
a good percentage of them that way. Contrary to what you might have learned
from flight simulators, the Valkryie's gunpod here is rather accurate and
powerful. Sometimes they are more effective than missiles, you just need to
figure out which kinds of enemy units are more vulnerable to the gunpod, and
which ones are easier to kill with the missiles.
Alternatively, you can use the multi-missile tactical attack by pressing
X-Y-X-Y-A (you will need five filled segments from the Action Point bar,
located at the lower left side of the screen, in order to execute it) as the
enemy units are entering the area. You will know that you did it correctly if
you see your Valkyrie transform into Battroid (robot) mode and start shooting
out tons of missiles from its back. If your Valkyrie is firing its gunpod
instead, then you've just performed the X-Y-A action, which is sort of useless,
and wasted 3 Action Points.
In order to get enemy units in your line of sight, observe the yellow triangles
that go around the large green circle on your HUD. As you fly around, you will
see them spin around the circle. You want to try to put their triangular
representation on top of the green circle, so you can see them actually inside
the green circle and fire at them.
Once they start to engage you and fly around you, it's time to transform into
either Battroid or Gerwalk form and start to track them. Try to nail them with
the gunpod or missiles. Ammo is unlimited, so just keep firing even though
nothing's inside the green circle yet.
You can fire missiles by holding down the A button for a while and then release
when you acquire a lock-on, which is done by following a target and placing it
within the large circle on your HUD. Once the circle turns from green to red,
it means missile is ready to launch, and if you hear the lock-on tone, you
should release the A button before you lose the lock-on. The longer you can
hold the A button while maintaining a lock-on, the more missiles you can lock
onto the target (subject to the number of missiles your Valkyrie can
simultaneously lock-on). The VF-1J, unfortunately, can only lock-on to a
maximum of 2 missiles at a time unless you install the extra missiles plug-in,
which is not available for this episode.
A good strategy for this episode is to spray enemy units with gunfire as they
are entering the combat zone. When you have successfully trimmed them down and
it becomes a dogfight, use the X-Y-X-Y-A special missile attack to hit the
remaining units which are hard to lock-on. Engage in dogfight if the all-out
missile attack doesn't kill off the remaining units of the wave and wait for
your Action Point bar to refill, then repeat the special missile attack. You
should be able to defeat all waves within the time limit using this pattern.
* Episode 2 - Destroy Enemy Fighter
Executive Summary:
Pilot, Valkryie, and plug-ins are carried over from Episode 1.
Basic Strategy: use a combination of gunfire and X-Y-X-Y-A all-out missile
attack to finish off the only enemy unit.
Detailed Guide:
Technically, this should be Episode 1-2, because you are not returned to the
ship for new briefing. You are basically given a new mission objective to
destroy the escape plane of a spy. This is a hidden level and does not always
get unlocked, so you may not get to play this level at all.
There are no waves of enemy units, just 1 unit that you must destroy. It will
not sit there and take your abuse, instead it will fire homing missiles at you.
In fact, that is the first thing it does as you are entering the combat zone,
so you will need to either dodge them or just take a few hits so you can get
down to business sooner.
A few all-out special missile attacks (X-Y-X-Y-A action command) will take care
of it, unless you want to practice your gunnery skills. Just make sure you
don't run out of time. Change into battroid or gerwalk if you have a hard time
tracking of your enemy in Fighter mode.
* Episode 2-1 - Fly Through the Canyon
Executive Summary:
Pilot: either Max or Millia (I used Max to get the good ending)
Valkyrie: VF-4
Plug-ins (in order of preference/importance): booster upgrade, shield upgrade
(if available), terrain protection, gunpod upgrade (if available)
Basic strategy: stay in Fighter mode, use booster when there aren't mines
nearby and use the X-X-A chaff/flare escape when you are being locked-on by
homing missiles. Try to get to the end of the canyon as soon as you can and
avoid wasting time engaging targets.
Detailed Guide:
Like all married couples, Max and Millia were spending some quality time at yet
another session of domestic dispute. Suddenly, duty calls in the form of a
scramble siren. Pick either pilot. I usually go with Max, since he will be
facing off against a Zentradi pilot later (more on this topic later). You
should also have the VF-4 unlocked by now, I usually go with it, although you
can go with VF-1J if you are used to how it handles (the VF-4 behaves a bit
different than the VF-1J, but the extra missile and plug-in slot helps).
By now, a few plug-ins should have been unlocked. You can pick these if they
are available:
- booster upgrade (take at least 1)
- shield (icon shows the fighter in center of a sphere, generally not
available, but if you see it, take it)
- protection from terrain (if you have enough slots, take 1)
- gunpod upgrade (icon shows a bigger gunpod over a smaller one, highly
recommended)
- missile upgrade (icon shows a larger missile over a smaller one, not
necessary)
- extra missiles (icon shows a bunch of missiles, not necessary)
I usually go with a booster upgrade, a terrain protection, and either the
gunpod upgrade or the shield upgrade, depending on which one is available. The
most important plug-ins are the booster and the shield, if available. If you
don't see the shield plug-in, get a terrain protection. A gunpod upgrade
should also be used, if available.
This level requires you to fly through a canyon. Time is your greatest enemy.
Your other headache is the barrage of homing missiles on your tail (you'll hear
the siren and see the word "WARNING!" on the HUD, warning you of approaching
missiles). Here you must master the other important tactical action command:
X-X-A. It drops chaff and flare to bail you out of homing missiles, and will
come in very handy here. This action depletes only two segments from the
Action Points bar, so you can do it again immediately or relatively soon. Just
make sure that your Valkyrie is not heading to the ground or a cliffwall when
you perform this action, because you do not have control of the Valkyrie when
the action is being performed. When you regain control of your Valkyrie, you
don't want it on the brink of hitting the ground or cliffwall, causing the
shield to deplete or destroy your Valkyrie, if the shield is gone.
Stay in Fighter mode as much as you can - it may be a bit disorienting at
first, but if you have played Air Combat (aka Ace Combat for Japanese original
version) on the PlayStation, then this level should be a total piece of cake.
In fact, it is possible to finish this level entirely in Fighter mode. Use
your booster whenever possible to make your trip proceed faster.
In this level, you will encounter 2 kinds of obstacles (besides the cliff walls
and the ground, which are hurtful if your fighter flies into them): mines and
turrets. The mines just float in the air, waiting for you to fly into them so
they can detonate and drain your shield. You can use the gunpod to shoot them,
but be warned that you need to get them to blow up twice before they are
rendered harmless. Best to avoid getting close to them at all, because most of
the time they are already in your face by the time you get one to blow up for
the first time.
The turrets fire homing missiles at you. You can lock some missiles on them to
take them out, but a few well-timed chaff/flare action (X-Y-A) works
beautifully to bail you out of the hot zone. Remember, your goal is to fly to
the other end of the canyon, and spending time blowing stuff up is not on top
of your priority. When you fly, make sure that you don't fly too high - there
is an invisible ceiling. If you get too close you will see a warning on screen
that says you are about to leave the combat area, and the game will forcibly
transform your fighter to Battroid mode so you'd drop to the ground. Not a
good thing to happen if you are flying through a buttload of turrets and/or
mines.
In short, avoid collision, stay in Fighter mode and fire up that booster often,
avoid flying too close to the mines, and chaff/flare whenever you hear a lot of
WARNING! beeps.
* Episode 2-2 - Destroy Enemy Intelligence Facility
Executive Summary:
Your pilot/Valkyrie/plug-ins carry over from the previous level. Here's where
your shield, booster, and gunpod upgrade plug-ins really shine.
Basic strategy: primary goal is to destroy all red-flagged Targets, shaped like
a giant antenna. Enter the complex in Fighter mode, transform to Gerwalk when
engaging the opposition. Pick off the guarding turrets and Destroids by
hopping/jumping (using the booster) while moving left and right unpredictably,
then destroy the nearest Target before rushing (Fighter mode and a bit of
booster) to the next Target area. Act as fast as you can, do not waste too
much time using lock-on or special missile attacks - for the time they cost
you, the gunpod is much more efficient.
Detailed Guide:
This is an unlocked level, you may or may not get it. Be happy if the game
sends you to Episode 2-3 after you complete 2-1, because this is one of the
toughest levels, and takes a lot of practice. However, I believe you need to
unlock and beat this level in order to get a good ending. So grin and bear it
if you do end up here. I spent a whole night here before I figured out a
working strategy to clear it. Don't get frustrated if you run out of time
often - play through this level a few times so you can get a mental picture of
the structure's layout and where the Targets are. Once you know where they
are, it will help you complete your task faster.
You start outside a building complex. Your goal is to destroy the enemy's
intelligence facility, namely the antenna-like radar dishes located inside the
complex. They are marked red on your HUD as TARGET, and you cannot lock onto
them using the missile. That's where your gunpod upgrade comes in handy.
Without the plug-in, you will be spending more time on destroying these targets
(I think there were 5 in all) and time is once again your greatest enemy here.
Missiles, even special full-out attacks, aren't terribly effective here. You
need to fire your vulcan like mad at moving targets (Destroids) and turrets
that are protecting each antenna, and keep moving wildly so they cannot hit
you. The Destroids can get you with their guns if your movement is limited to
hoving left and right in Gerwalk mode, so use the booster often and make
yourself hard to track or lock-on. Don't even try this level in Battroid mode,
it is too slow for the pace of this level, not to mention the lead salad your
Battroid would be getting is no good for your health.
Start by transforming into Fighter mode and fly into the complex. Pick a red
Target, fly there (position the red triangle on top of the green circle and fly
in a straight line), and visually confirm the posted guards so you can pick a
spot to land without being surrounded. Transform to Gerwalk mode and start
firing your gun at the guards - these include at least 1 turret and a couple of
Destroids. They are tough customers and if you want to lock missiles onto
them, it'd take a long time. Quick-firing gunpod takes less time to blow them
up. Try to take out the turret first if you can, so there will be no homing
missiles after you. When you are attacking the Destroids, try to move around a
lot - swing left and right while jump up and down using the booster. This
makes you hard to target so your shield will last longer. Hop around and fire
like mad, once you take out the guards you can fire at the red Target
unmolested. As it is blowing up, transform to Fighter mode and rush to the
next Target area, repeat the process of picking off Turret and Destroids until
you blow up all the red Targets.
If you have enough shield left (indicated on the bar on the lower right side of
the screen) when you only have 1 Target remaining to be destroyed and time is
running tight, you can just shoot the Target instead of trying to clear the
area of guards. As long as you keep moving and jumping around while shooting
at the Target, you can do it without being shot to a piece of Swiss cheese.
Just make sure the Target stays inside the big green circle while you are
moving around and firing.
In short: hop a lot while swinging left and right constantly as you attack the
guards, and move as fast as you can between Targets!
* Episode 2-3 - Disable Unidentified Zentradi Fighter
Executive Summary:
Pilot/Valkyrie/plug-ins are once again carried over from 2-1 and 2-2. If you
have missile upgrade or extra missile plug-in, they will make this level
easier, but you don't need them to win this level.
Basic strategy: show no mercy, X-Y-X-Y-A all-out special missile attack
whenever you have 5 or more Action Points on the AP bar. Fire your gunpod like
mad while the Action Points are regenerating, and keep moving so you're not a
still target.
Detailed Guide:
After the tough levels of 2-1 and 2-2, you are rewarded with a one-on-one with
a Zentradi Variable Graug, which flies and attacks like a freak on speed. By
the time you got a lock-on and are ready to fire, the bastard is already behind
you pumping lead into your back.
Not to worry! Use your X-Y-X-Y-A all-out special missile attack. Fire your
gun blindly while your Action Point bar refills, because the Graud flies around
so fast and crazy you are bound to get some licking in as it gets in front of
you and try to shoot you at point blank range. After a few all-out missile
attacks, victory should be yours as you carry out your order to disable the
enemy and capture it along with the pilot.
The pilot turned out to be a Zentradi female named Moa. Max and Millia decide
to make her a micron (human-size her) and adopt her as their own daughter.
This family is where the game gets its name "M3" from (Max, Millia, and Moa).
As a side note... whatever happened to Mylene, their baby daughter seen in the
original Macross TV series?!
* Episode 3-1 - Clear All Enemy Squads
Executive Summary:
Pilot: Max (after all, it's the guy's duty to protect females)
Valkyrie: VF-3000
Plug-ins: shield, missile upgrade/extra missiles/gun upgrade, lock-on speed
upgrade/mobility upgrade.
Basic strategy: all-out missile attack action command (X-Y-X-Y-A) and
gunfire/missile lock-ons while you recharge the Action Points.
Detailed Guide:
Your mission is to escort the newly developed VF-5000. I picked Max for this
mission to get the good ending, and flew the VF-3000 (which usually is unlocked
by now, the VF-9 is sometimes unlocked at this point as well), which has 5
plug-in slots. Play around with the available plug-ins you find suitable to
your style,
Since this is a space mission, don't waste your valuable plug-in slots on
terrain protection. I think a shield upgrade (if available) and missile
upgrade are very helpful here, you can put either the mobility upgrade or
lock-on speed upgrade for the remaining slot, depending on your playing style.
If you don't feel like bothering with trying to lock-on enemies, then get the
mobility upgrade.
If the Minmay plug-ins are available, you might want to consider them - their
icons appear as musical notes. One of them takes up 4 slots, and the other one
takes up 5 slots. The Minmay plug-in plays one of her songs and sends
protoculture shock across Zentradi enemy ranks, causing them to lose their
morale and will to fight, thus sending out less attack units. The later waves
of this mission contained Zentradi units, so a Minmay plug-in would help.
This Episode plays very much like Episode 1, just use the same strategy and
rely on a combination of special all-out missile attack and the gunpod firing
or locking-on missiles, and you will do fine. Stay in Battroid mode or Gerwalk
mode if you need to track your opposition for gunfire or lock-on missiles.
* Episode 3-2 - Defeat Enemy Reinforcement
Executive Summary:
Pilot/Valkyrie/plug-ins are carried over from previous level.
Basic strategy: same as the previous level.
Detailed Guide:
This is one of the hidden, unlocked level, whose release depends on whether you
clear Episode 3-1 with more or less than 48 seconds remaining on the clock.
The one time I have been able to get a good ending, this level, like all other
hidden levels, was unlocked
The opposition has sent reinforcement, and these are tougher customers than the
lame-o units you just dealt with in the previous level. Do the same thing you
did in Episode 3-1 while being careful not to stay a still target, as the
enemies are more active and aggressive now.
The VF-5000 Star Mirage should become unlocked after you clear this Episode,
and you will also unlock the Lock-on Speed Upgrade if you earn more than
110,000 points in Episode 3.
* Episode 4-1 - Fly Through the Canyon
Executive Summary:
Pilot: Moa
Valkyrie: VF-5000 (if available, otherwise pick VF-9 or VF-3000)
Plug-ins: booster upgrade, shield upgrade, missile upgrade, lock-on speed
upgrade or terrain protection
Basic strategy: same as Episode 2-1, but you must transform to Gerwalk mode
when you come upon a beam gate and destroy at least the lowest row of beam
activators before you can hover under the other rows of beam barricade. X-X-A
when homing missiles are on your tail and there are no obstacles in front of
you.
Detailed Guide:
This one is very similar to Episode 2-1, but tougher. While Episode 2-1 can be
finished without any attacks or transformation, that's not the case here.
There are no Zentradi units in this Episode, so it's a perfect one to send Moa
out for some action. I think the best unit unlocked at this point would be the
VF-5000. Take that even if Moa's Variable Graug is available - the Variable
Graug cannot be equipped with homing missiles, therefore you'd be denied the
special all-out missile attack and lock-on missile attacks if you pick the
Variable Graug.
As for plug-ins, you will definitely need shield, booster, missile upgrades,
these take up 5 slots in the VF-5000 and leaves you with only 1 slot, so choose
between lock-on speed upgrade, terrain protection, or mobility upgrade
depending on your playing style. Don't waste slots on the Minmay song plug-ins
for this Episode, since there are no Zentradi opposition here.
As you start this mission, you are once again flying through a canyon. Same
rules from Episode 2-1 apply here. Don't fly too high. Avoid collision.
X-X-A chaff and flare if the Warning! beep gets too scary, and try to avoid the
mines.
Here's what's new about this level: forked paths and beam gates.
Instead of a linear canyon like Episode 2-1, you will come upon forked paths as
you fly through the canyon here. You will need to check them out for yourself
to see which side you want to fly through the next time (trust me, you'll die
plenty and get to practice here). If you pick the wrong path, you'll have to
deal with a ton of mines, enough to make sure you take the other path next
time.
The beam gates are easy to deactivate, just lock-on to both sides, blow out the
beam activators and boom, the blue beam disappears. You only need to blow out
the lowest row of beam in order to go under the other beams in Gerwalk mode.
Once you get through the gate, change to Fighter mode and try to make up for
loss time. Look out for homing missiles and mines too.
Once again, your goal is to get to the end of the canyon, not to blow
everything up, so strategize accordingly. The only thing you really need to
deal with here are beam gates, more specifically each gate's lowest row of
beam.
* Episode 4-2 - Destroy Disguised Turrets
Executive Summary:
Pilot/Valkyrie/plug-in are carried over from the last level.
Basic strategy: enter the hot zone in Fighter mode, lock-on to each missile
turrets (yellow triangles) and fire off 3 or 4 homing missiles on them. Change
to Gerwalk mode after destroying all missile turrets and deal with the Cannon
Turrets (red-flagged Targets) by jumping around while gunning them and avoiding
firing from bugs hiding under the sand.
Detailed Guide:
This level is a pain just like Episode 2-2. Once again, you need to spend a
lot of time hopping around like a grasshopper in Gerwalk mode and keep moving
to avoid becoming a still target, and the booster upgrade installed earlier now
comes in very handy.
You start from a safe area. Approach the enemy's camp in Fighter mode and stay
in Fighter mode while you fly around the center of the facility and try to take
out all the turrets that can fire homing missiles at you. Use missiles,
lock-on and fire.
Once you've taken out all the homing missile turrets, transform to Gerwalk
mode and approach the Sphinx-like structures one by one. They are actually
disguised turrets and fire huge shells at you in fixed intervals. Hop and jump
while swinging left and right, just keep the head of the Sphinx (the disguised
turret) inside the big green circle so you can pump more lead into it. After
one blows up, get to the next one quickly. I believe there were 5 total.
While working on the disguised turrets, you may be shot by mobile bugs that
seem to be firing at you from under the sand. You can choose to deal with them
or not, just make sure you are doing well with time.
The Japanese Dreamcast Magazine recommends staying as far as you can from the
hot zone and fire you guns at the head of each Sphinx. I have not tried this
strategy yet, but feel free to experiment if my own strategy hasn't worked well
for you.
* Episode 4-3 - Destroy the Mother Bug
Executive Summary:
Pilot/Valkyrie/plug-ins are carried over from 4-1 and 4-2.
Basic strategy: use the all-out missile attack special Action command as much
as you can, lock-on as many homing missiles as you can while the Action Points
replenish. Repeat until you exterminate the big bug (Target).
Detailed Guide:
You discover that those bugs that were firing at you while moving under the
sand were no accident. Apparently, giant insects were bred for bio weapon
applications. Well, one of them has gotten so huge and it sends out little
bugs like it was the SDF-1 sending out little Valkyries! Your mission is to
squash that ugly bug carrier and maintain mankind's superiority over insects,
of course.
I believe this is not a hidden/unlocked level, although the Japanese Dreamcast
Magazine claims that it is a hidden level that only gets unlocked if you clear
Episode 4-2 with 1 minute 24 seconds or more remaining on the clock. This boss
level is fairly easy, just make sure you don't allow the mother bug overwhelm
you with its minions. The mother bug sends out a squad of new bugs at fixed
intervals, so no matter how good you are at taking them out, there's always
more where that came from. Therefore, you should concentrate your attack on
the mother bug (red-flagged Target) and not waste your time with the little
bugs.
For this episode, I recommend staying in Fighter mode and never transform. The
little insects come at you fast, if you are in Battroid or Gerwalk mode you
will get gangbanged. Fighter mode gives you the speed and agility to outrun
them.
Use your special all-out missile attack as soon as you get enough Action
Points. You will need to do it a lot in order to destroy the mother bug before
time is called. While the AP bar is being filled, charge the giant bug and
lock-on as many missiles as you possibly can. Release the missiles as they all
lock-on and once you fly past the mother bug, hit the booster to gain some
distance before you do a 360 degree turn to reacquire it in your sight for
another round of locking-on. Repeat until you get 5 Action Points for another
all-out missile special attack.
The gunfire is useful against the little bugs that constantly spew forth from
the giant bug, but I really think it's a waste of time to knock these
good-for-nothings out. Concentrate your firepower on the giant bug and keep
moving in Fighter mode, and you will clear this boss stage without much
trouble.
You will earn the VF-9 Cutlass if your cumulative points are 450,000 or more,
and if your points earned in Episode 4 is more than 90,000 then you will unlock
the Missile Upgrade plug-in as well.
Episode 5-1 - Eliminate Enemy Ground Troops
Executive Summary:
Pilot: Max
Valkyrie: VF-5000 (or the unlocked Valkyrie with the most plug-in slots)
Plug-ins: missile upgrade, extra missiles, shield, lock-on speed upgrade,
mobility upgrade
Basic strategy: stay in Gerwalk mode for the entire level, use lock-on missiles
for every target and never stay still (keep hovering and moving towards the
current target).
Detailed Guide:
One of the good guy's facilities is under attack, it is surrounded by ground
units and an aerial bombardment fleet. Your first mission is to eliminate all
enemy group troops surrounding the installation.
Due to the presence of Zentradi units, I recommend sending out Max. However,
the screenshot from the Japanese Dreamcast Magazine shows Millia's portrait in
the setup screen, so you can go with her if you feel like experimenting. Pick
the available Valkyrie that has the most number of plug-in slots. For this
mission the VF-5000 is most likely the best one you can pick, unless the game
also unlocks the VF-14 for you for this Episode. You'll have either 6 of 5
plug-in slots available, and I'd recommend missile upgrade (2 slots), extra
missile (3 slots), and either a lock-on speed upgrade (1 slot) mobility upgrade
(1 slot) if you still have room. You can also substitute the missile upgrade
or extra missiles with the shield upgrade if you get shot down a lot in this
and the next level.
You start near the base that you need to protect, and already homing missiles
are after you. Change into Gerwalk mode and start hovering towards the nearest
target. Your goal for this mission is to eliminate all Destroids surrounding
the base. There is a bomber in the sky that is constantly firing homing
missiles at you, but you cannot hit it - if you try to fly up and lock missiles
on it, soon you will hit the invisible ceiling and the game transform you to
Battroid and drops you to the ground, so don't bother with it. If you keep
moving in Gerwalk mode, you can shake off enough of these homing missiles for
you to clear this level.
You can use either homing missiles or just fire your guns at the Destroids - I
usually go missiles all the way, although sometimes they need a second round of
missiles to finish off. The good thing about using missiles instead of gunpod
is that you can start swinging sideways after the missiles are fired, thus
getting you out of the current target's line of fire, if it is firing its gun
at you. If you decide to go with guns blazing, make sure you hop with the
booster occasionally because some of the Destroids will fire back aggressively,
taking away valuable shield. Also install gunpod upgrade instead of missile
upgrade if you decide to play this level with just guns. Losing the missile
upgrade for next level is not a big deal, you just need to fire more missiles
there instead.
| Next Page » |
