___ ____ / _ \ _ _ _ / __ \ ____ ________ / / \_)( \ / | / ) / /_/ / / __ \ (___ __) ( ( \ \ / | / / ( ___/_ / /_/ / | | \ \__ \ \/ /||/ / \ \__/ )( ___/_ | | \__ \ \__/ (__/ \____/ \ \__/ ) | | \ \ ___ ___ \____/ (_) ____ _ ) )( ) ( ) ______ ___ ___ / __ \ ( \_/ / | | | | / \ / | / | / /_/ / \___/ | |____| | / \ / _ | / _ | ( ___/_ | ____ | ( / / / / | | / / | | \ \__/ ) | | | | \ / / / | | / / | | \____/ | | | | \_____/ / / | |/ / | | (___) (___) / / (_____) (___) (__) __________________________________________________________________ FAQ/Walkthrough v.1.0 By Deathspork jtw030283@hotmail.com http://www8.50megs.com/nesretreat __________________________________________________________________ ________ Contents ________ -INTRO -History -Storyline -How To Play -General Tips -WALKTHROUGH -Area 1 * Beginning to East Garden -Area 2 * Room of 2 Armors to Yamamura -Area 3 * Yamamura to Mamiya's Bedroom -Area 4 * Collect the Special Items and Defeat Mamiya -EXTRAS -Movie -FAQ -WRAPPING IT UP -About This FAQ -Credits -Legal ********************************* ********************************* ** INTRO ** ********************************* ********************************* _______ History _______ Sweet Home was released to the Japanese market in December of 1989. I have no idea how big of a hit it was (though judging from the games quality I assume it was huge), and the game was never released to foriegn markets. This was understandable, as the game has some horrific scenes that seem risquè even for todays standards. Even if it hasn't been released here, Sweet Homes influence can be seen in other Capcom games such as Biohazard and Resident Evil. In fact you can see many things in Sweet Home which are in Resident Evil, including the now-classic door opening scene, and it's clearly evident that it had a great influence on the RE series. So in effect, Sweet Home invented the survival- horror genre. The would-be classic went unknown to U.S. gamers, except for a few lucky famicom players who could understand kanji well. Then in 1999 a project was started on an english translation patch by Gaijin Productions (http://gaijin.romhacking.com) and it was released on June 15th 2000, instantly sending a surge of Sweet Home mania to NES players trying it for the first time (at least in my corner of the gaming world). _________ Storyline _________ Sweet Home follows the adventure of 5 brave treasure seekers, Akiko, Emi, Asuka, Kazuo and Taro. They are in search of a famous fresco created by the late famous painter, Mamiya Ichirou. What seems like a weak boring plot at first, soon turns into a truely horrifying, blood curdling, spine tingling just plain SCARY plot, brought forth to the player through notes and diary entries left behind by mansion residents and others seeking the paintings. One important note: As much as Akiko and Asuka look like males, they are in fact female. It's true, so keep that in mind in case you rename them. Don't make the same mistake I did :) ___________ How To Play ___________ A = confirm/ menu B = cancel/ status D pad is for movement (obviously) Start = pause Select is not used Seems like your basic RPG controls, but this game is tricky. Each character has thier own unique item, which they keep throughout the game. Kazuo has a lighter, Emi has a key which will open most doors, Akiko has a medical kit, Asuka a vacuum and Taro a camera. In addition, each person can carry only 2 other items in thier inventory, as well as one weapon. I've got a lot of questions about how to get items, so listen up. Simply face the item you want, pull up the menu and go to 'item', then go to 'move', then pick the slot in your inventory to move it to. If you choose an occupied slot, the current item in the slot will be switched and kept laying there. The game lets you split and team your 5 party members as you choose, with up to 3 people in a party at once. To switch characters pull up the menu and choose 'party' and then the person you wish to take control of. To team up with another member go to 'team' on the menu, when facing them. Battles are random, and the view is Dragon Warrior-esque. In battle mode, 'attack', well, attacks, 'run' will give that person about a 50/50 chance of escaping battle, 'pray' will call up the pray meter and can deal more damage, but takes pray points, 'tool' calls up your items and 'call' lets you switch to another party who can help you in battle, it is possible to fight using all 5 characters. The pray meter is much like a punting meter in football games and has many more uses outside of battle. Using the 'look' command on certain objects calls up a shadowgate-type screen where with a few options, including pray. 'Talk' is of course used to talk to the few living beings found in Mamiyas mansion. Like all RPG's, you can build levels. This system is pretty basic, you cannot check your needed experience to get to the next level, and level 20 is the maximum. Although building levels does make your attacks more powerful, there is another aspect, attack power, which is seperate from experience points and builds up as you fight more battles. It is smart to keep your entire entourage fairly close together, because you never know when someone will be poisoned, frozen etc. and need the help of Akiko's med kit. If Akiko herself is affected, you can switch to another member and still use the med kit when touching and facing Akiko. I think that about covers the controls ____________ General Tips ____________ *Frescos provide important clues, though they are not necessary to find. Use the 'look' command when you come across a fresco and then use the camera to snap its picture, if it is covered in dust use the vacuum first. *When you call your team-mates to help with battle, they cannot be attacked on thier way to join you. Use this to your advantage, if one party is far behind and you want them caught up but don't want to deal with all the pesky battles, get party A into a fight it can easily win and call team B, the team that is behind. Be aware, though, that the calls time out after about 30 seconds, but you can use the command as many times as you want (and you shouldn't have your parties 30 seconds apart anyway). *Keep your members close to each other, and use a party of 3 and a party of 2 unless the circumstances call for you to send out a single person, or you are rearranging parties. *When in doubt, pray. It has many uses, often when you find an object requiring the use of the 'look' command. The walkthrough should tell you when to use it, though. *Build levels, this is an important tip in any RPG, and in Sweet Home the strength of the enemies can vary greatly from area to area. Unless you are one of those "hardcore" RPG fans that think of taking time to build levels as cheating, build up your levels. *Remember exactly where you drop each item, as you never know when you're going to need it. Dropping items will become necessary once your inventory is bogged down, and it can be very tough deciding which item to drop when all of them seem important (but the walkthrough should help with that). If you want to be really professional about it, write down where you drop important items. *Save often, and don't think of it as cheating. The game lets you save anywhere you want ANYWAY, so doing so with the emu is no big deal. Most emulators don't let you use the in-game save feature. *If a party member dies, restart from your last save. If for one reason or another a person dies and your game is stuck like that, you can always find replacement items to use in thier stead. Lighter = matches, broom = vacuum, pills = first aid kit, extra camera = camera, and wire = key. *If a wood breaks and a party member falls down the hole, simply use the 'team' function to bring them back out. ********************************* ********************************* ** WALKTHROUGH ** ********************************* ********************************* ================================================================== Area 1 Beginning to East Garden ================================================================== Items in this area: Fruit Knife x2, Wax Candle x2, Tonic x2, Silver Knife x2, Oak Spear x2, Wood x8, Old Sword x2, Firex x2, Broom, Matches, Armor Spear, Gas, Mallet x2, Club, Log Enemies in this area: Evil Doll, Worms, Zombie, Bats, Skull, Hound, Grave --- After the opening bit, you'll find your entire entourage split up in the main room. Choose how you want your parties to be formed, it doesn't matter all that much, but if you want an example, I group Akiko, Taro and Kazuo in one party and Emi and Asuka in the other. Now after you're all ready to venture forth, use Asuka's vacuum to clean the glass out of the way of the door. When you get out, first head into the open door to the left. In here you see a note, written personally by Mamiya Ichirou, as well as a "fruit" knife, wax candle and tonic. Get all of these. I suggest giving the newest weapons to Akiko as she is my main fighter. Also you come across the first fresco. With Taro in your party, look at the fresco and use the camera. You will do this a lot throughout the game. Now after you read the clues, head out of there. Now walk over to the door on the right. You will need to use Emi's key to get inside. Inside, go left and use Kazuos lighter to burn the rope. Past that you will find 3 woods and a silver knife. Get everything, continue on to find another room with a wood in it. Use the wax candle to see in here (don't worry the candle doesn't burn out). Pick up the wood, and if you want to use one of them there is an oak spear a little above. Simply use the wood when touching the chasm, but be careful, the woods only allow a certain number of passes. OK, now that you're all done, head back to the big, main room. Use a wood and cross the chasm, then go to the first open door you see to your left. Use the vacuum again, you can pick up a fruit knife, silver knife and another wood if you so choose. Also there's another fresco, this time use the vacuum to clean it off, then snap its picture to get the clue and head back out. Going left once again, there's no need to bother with the first 2 doors you see. Make it to the last door on the left and use the key. In the inside hallway, use the lighter to burn the rope again, and pick up the oak spear. Now walk out and you're on the other side of the main room. Unlock the second shut door and go inside, to the big room with a red carpet you may want to do some leveling up so you can take on the more powerful enemies inside. In here you should get the second wax candle so 2 parties can have a light source in the dark areas. There's also a rune spear and yet another wood. Use the vacuum and go to the above room, in here you find an old sword, wood and tonic. To the left is a fresco room, use a wood to reach it. In the fresco room is a wood, rune axe, log and rope. Dont worry about getting the log and rope, you wont need them until later and there will be others. You know how to snap the frescos by now. Back out in the original room, face the top right corner of the table and get the mallet from underneath. Now you're ready to head back across the big red- carpeted room. When you're back to the big main room with the wooden floor, go right and unlock the door there, make sure to be packing a wax candle and use it. Now use the mallet to break the boulders blocking your way, and continue onward. Look out for the ghosts flying at you, if they get ahold of a party member they are taken away from the group and dumped in a random place. Now on your way to the right door you see a wood, firex, broom and matches. Get the wood if you want, dont bother with the other stuff. Go inside and make your way to the right side of the room with 3 doors. Unlock the middle one and go inside, there you find another fresco and a shiv (type of knife), go up through a hallway and you find a rune spear and a blue-colored wood, these don't wear out like the normal ones do. Use it just right of where you found it, along with one other wood, and get the flashlight. Now head back out, and backtrack until you see the "shadows" with red wavy energy. use your flashlight here and continue up. Make your way right by using the vacuum, or if Asuka isn't in your party you can use the stairs. I advise you pick up the tonic here. Just south of the second stairway is a hall leading to a door, use the vacuum to clean up the glass and go inside. It is important to keep your entourage together at this point, as you will definately need to join parties in battle. Inside is a dark hallway, on the left side is on un-openable door and 2 rooms with frescos inside. You can read the frescos if you want to risk losing some life, flames cover the room as soon as you cross the seal in the center. On the right is a room with a knights armor on the right blocking the way to the east garden. The fresco clues advise you to find a spear, look just across the hall in the top fresco room, use the firex item to disperse the flames and cross the room to the left side. You see a skeleton, a note written in blood on the wall, and a suit of armor. Look at the armor and then pray (you will have to use at least about 20 pray points), a spear falls out of the armors hands. Now you should know what to do, go across the hall and look at the armor blocking the way, give the armor spear to it, and after that pray. Lightning strikes and an opening appears to the east garden. Use the mallet to destroy the boulders blocking the way. Now, to get inside the first building, you will need either Kazuo or Asuka and Emi (though it is advisable to have your entire entourage in the garden). Inside you find the generator, but it wont start. You need to find some gas, which is in the second building just east of there. You also find a rope and a tonic, make sure to pick up the rope before you leave the area. Now go out and make your way to the second building, in which you find the gas and an extra mallet. You won't need another mallet, so dont worry about that, get the gas and go back and use it on the generator, then switch the generator to 'on'. Now all the lights will be turned on! No more pesky candle light ventures. Backtrack all the way back to the room where you found the first mallet and now you can go in the above door. ================================================================== Area 2 Room of 2 Armors to Yamamura ================================================================== Items in this area: Pick x2, Long Sword, Silver Axe, Diary, Soul Sword x2, Heavy axe x3, Tonic x6, Rune Spear, Log x4, Mallet x2, Boots, Broom, Matches, Pail, Extra Camera, Wire, Pills, Pipe, Gloves, Ax, Low Key, Shovel, Enemies in this area: Armor, MAN!, Wall, Bane, Hound, Mirror, Corpse, Maniac --- Going into the second area, we first come across a blue room with 2 "armors" running around, and if they touch you, you are put into battle. They are tough, try to avoid them if you are not at least at level 8. Go on through the long hallway, ignore the cat, it has no significance whatsoever. You come to a room with a giant hole in the floor, and 2 pegs on the edge of it. In this area, you must watch out for a very terrible threat, a very rambuctious hellion, waiting to pour his unending hellacious wrath upon you at every turn, the vengeful hideous creature known only by those who have survived an encounter with him as..... MAN! Heh heh heh, actually men are a good enemy to build levels on. Unlock and enter the room above the giant hole. Note the sticky stuff on the floor, having any character walk more than 4 spaces in this gunk will trap them, and then you must use another party to rescue them. Inside you find a pick, the locked diary, silver axe and long sword. You wont need the pick for a pretty long time, but I suggest getting the superior weapons. Right about here I like to take about a half hour and just build levels. The men give a good 35 experience points and are not that hard, when you get up to about level 10 you can take on the armors safely with a 3 person party without getting hit. I get everyone to a minimum of level 11 (Akiko up to 14) and then head up and left, use the lighter to burn the rope. You see another pick on your way out, again don't worry about it. Unlock the door and head out. Now you will come to what looks like a balcony overlooking a forest. This is called the 'veranda', remember that. On the ledge is a note that could very well be credited with giving the Resident Evil series its name, as it mentions the "residing evil" within the mansion. From there go down the veranda, use the vacuum to get the glass up, and enter the room at right, next to the four statues. From inside that room, watch out for the flying ghosts once again and head for the above room. In there is a soul sword on the right side, get it. The room is full of armors and sticky floor, both of which you should be familiar with by now. Go on ahead and you find a soul sword and a heavy axe, both of which you should get, but are also in the midst of the sticky floor. Plan it out to where you don't walk over more than 4 spaces. Pass under the small walkway on the right side, unlock the door there and go inside, go through the middle room, there is a tonic if you need it and a rune spear as well, after that head down and unlock another door, just through that you find the ladder. Take the ladder and backtrack to the room with the big hole in it, now use the ladder on the 2 pegs and you can travel down below. From the point that you see four square stones, travel up and to the left. If you go in the first door, you see a rope along with a room full of water. To keep from getting swept away, cross the water and push down the statue along the bottom. Then you can walk around freely, use the mallet to break the large head statues. You wont need to enter this room, but there are rooms similar to this. Past the open door, use the vacuum and enter the first door you see after that. Get the log from inside, it is now time to start collecting all of the logs you can get your hands on. Mirrors are all around, if you get close to them you will have to fight them, and then you can smash them with the mallet. On the lower end of the room is a fresco room with a mallet, tonic and heavy axe, but watch out for the gushing water (also take notice of the note written in blood). There's also a water room with 2 entrances, and a pick inside (the pick will be needed later on in the game). The mirror to break is along the top, last one to the right. This opens up a hidden passage to the fountain room. Make sure to get the log, then look in the above room. In there is another fresco, log, matches and broom, the latter 2 not needed unless someone in your party has died (the broom replaces the vacuum and the matches replace the lighter). After all of that, go back down and look at the fountain, then look twice at it. It will ask you to drink of the fountain, do so and the water turns blood red. Exit that room through the passage just left of the one you entered from. Now you come to a bedroom. Get the pail, log, and tonic if you need it. Go back to the fountain of blood, look at it and use the pail, it will fill it up with the blood. Now go back and use the pail of blood on the green statue blocking the way, and venture forward. In the long hallway you find an extra camera, pills, wire and a pipe. It isn't necessary to get any of them. The mirrors have no significance either, just go until you come out the other side and you find yourself by the lake. When you enter you see the ax through a thick bunch of thorns, but you can't cross them yet. Go down and use a log to get to the bottom part of land, it will let you know exactly where by saying "If only we had a bridge...". Once you cross over, get the gloves, use them and then cross back and get the ax. Now you can hack down the branch that is blocking the top passage, and explore the rest of the lake area. After using the last log, you should have 3 more left, that's how many you'll need here. Go around the lake, using each log when you come to a point where you need to cross, always use them in a place where they will be parallel with a bush. Don't worry about making the crossing on the far left side of the lake, instead make your way to the center where you see 2 paddle boats. The boats only hold 2 party members, get inside and head for the south end, where you should pick up the shovel, then row towards the small island in the middle where the memorial tower is located. Look at the tower, then use the shovel. It won't do anything, but after that pray. The tower comes down and nothing but a hole is left, look at it again and it reveals the low key. Take the key and get out of there. ================================================================== Area 3 Yamamura to Mamiyas Bedroom ================================================================== Items in this area: Bow x2, Long Sword x2, FireX x3, Pipe, Heavy Axe, Rope, Tonic x7, Tool, Wood x3, Mace x2, Pitchfork x2, Gem, Flash Sword x2, Diary Key, Rune Axe, Silver Cutlass, Blue Candle x2, Rope x2, Bow, Pills, Wire, Matches, Extra Camera, Broom, Shiny Spear x2, Ruby Ring, Jade Ring, Pick x2 Enemies in this area: Ghoul, Corpse, Wraith, Madman, Skeleton, Ghoul+ (upside down ghoul), Knight, Wolf --- Travel back through the long hallway to the bedroom. When you get there, a mysterious stranger is waiting for you. He seems stunned that you have the low key, reveals that his name is Yamamura, and asks you to follow him. Whoever is in the head of your party will split from the rest of the group, and you will be unable to team up or pick up items. As you follow Yamamura, he clears a path back through the fountain room and to the room where you first entered from the ladder, all the while dropping off vital bits of the storyline. When you reach the four square stones, Yamamura hints that the opening to the basement is around this area, and then is mysteriously attacked by a ghost. At this point you get complete control back. Team back up and search the area that Yamamura cleared. In the large room just above, you find the bow on the left side, as well as a fresco. On the right side is a long sword and a fireX, but watch out for the Indiana Jones-esque boulder that rolls out at you. Outside, you can unlock 2 more rooms, each housing a fresco. Items found here include a pipe, another bow, long sword, heavy axe, rope and a tonic. When you're all done here go back to the blue statue that Yamamura pushed outside, and push it back inside and into the fountain of blood. This reveals the tool. Take the tool and go back between the 4 square stones and use it. This opens up a staircase leading down to the basement. **IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE** Don't lose the tool. You can drop it off to free up inventory, but make sure you remember exactly where you drop it. Have Emi in your party so you can unlock the doors. Don't bother with the first locked door because it will not open at this point, open the 2 doors accessible to you, use FireX's to banish the flames and read the frescos. If you travel all the way to the top, across a small section of the flames and through a hole in the top right corner, you'll meet a man who says he is looking for a new shovel. Have the shovel you found around the lake in your inventory and answer 'yes' to him. He busts the wall open and water pours out, putting out the fire. Your party is split up amongst the room, and you are free to roam wherever you want. The statue that was blocking a door is gone, as well. Re-align your party and go inside the newly accessible door. Inside, you can find the flash sword by taking the bottom ratrun. Take the top one, use a wood to pass the hole and get the Gem. Now go over to the right side of the room. In the two rooms along the top you can find 2 particularly interesting notes, and a tonic as well. Use your Gem to banish the force that is blocking the right door, and use the low key to open it up. Now you are in a creepy part of the game. Travel right and then down, use the low key to open the door. In this room you see 5 coffins. Look at each one of them, it then asks you if you want to open it. Open them until you find the one with the diary key. Now travel left through a long hallway, unlock the door at the end and head out. Now you can go read the diary if you want to. After that head out to the veranda (remember, the outside area with the "house of residing evil" note?) and go all the way down. You now have the power to push the blue statues, so get those out of the way and use the bow to cross the chasm. Here you can upgrade with a rune axe, silver cutlass and a flash sword. Use the low key again to open the door, watch out for rolling boulders once again. For the first boulder you can split up your team to hide in the seperate small crevaces, but I just sacrifice a hit, its only about 20 HP. When you come to the first fork in the hallways, you can walk down to find a room where you can pick up a tonic. You will have to use the pick to walk on the ice, or the bow to cross though. At the second fork enter the nearest door, inside is another ice room. Use the pick and walk down and get the first blue candle. Continue to the bottom right and a passage leads you to the servants quarters. From here you can go up to come back out at the main hallway or downstairs, where you can find the aptly titled twokeys. You will need Kazuo's lighter and Asuka's vacuum, follow the passage until the end, where you will see a tonic and a shiny spear, and just beyond that the twokeys. Watch out for the spinning blue forces, they will carry one of your party members off. Back out in the main hallway, continue through the lower right door. Go up the steps and stick along the bottom, then enter the first door you see. It's a very small room with rats walking everywhere, so it's difficult to manuever. Make your way to the second blue candle and get it, then go down the stairs and get the ruby ring. Now go back out, just right of there is another door you can open with the twokeys, but you won't get very far because someone is blocking the way. Instead go up, ignore the door on the left because it won't open at this point, open the door in the middle of the room which leads down, through an ice room. Down at the bottom go through another door which leads to Ichirous study. In here you meet up with your old friend Yamamura. After he's done talking, pick up another cut axe and get the Jade Ring. Now go over to the very top right, where you see the 3 blue statues. Use both blue candles, so as to place them in the hands of the statues. Now use Kazuos lighter to light them. MAKE SURE both the Jade Ring and the Ruby Ring are in the same persons inventory, and use them both. Now go down to the lower right to the man who wouldn't let you pass before. Look at him, use both rings, and look at him again. He now disappears. Go up ahead and be prepared for one of the most shocking and disgusting cut-scenes possible on 8-bit. You end up at Mamiyas own bedroom. After a confrontation with the demon herself, you find your party WAY back to the big red-carpeted room near the beginning. From this point on, the game becomes a lot more open-ended and non-linear. ================================================================== Area 4 Collect the Special Items and Defeat Mamiya ================================================================== Items in this area: Gold Key, Slide x3, Cut Axe x2, Tonic x3, Silver Cutlass x2, Iron Key, Rope, Pitchfork, Photo, Blue Candle, Diary, Coffin Enemies in this area: Giant, Ghoul+, Wolf, Mirror, Ghost --- Immediately head left and through the fireplace, right here is the first slide. Now you will more than likely have another party left behind in the area near Mamiyas bedroom, so switch to that party and go back into her room, where you can pick up the gold key. With the gold key, go back to the very first big room, with the wooded floor, and use it to open a door near the beginning, just left of a small overpass. In here is the projector room, you must now find 3 seperate slides and place them each in the projector to progress. The next slide can be found near the entrance to the East Garden, use the gold key again and make it through an ice room, and the slide will be on the other end. The final slide is not far below the entrance to the projector room, a door there leads to a running stream of water with some blue statues blocking the way.Move the statues, cross some briars, and collect the slide, now with all of the slides, travel back to the projector room. Look at the projector and use each slide, putting them in. When that is complete, pray, and a passage is revealed just above. Go up and you eventually find the iron key, you will need the twokeys to open a door on the way. There is a cut axe and silver cutlass on the way as well. From this point on, there are only 5 items you will need to make it to the final showdown with Mamiya Ichirou. These are the tool (which you should already have), coffin, diary, photo, and a third blue candle. Diary: Simply go to the room where you read the diary, and take it this time. It is just above where you had to use the ladder. Tool: You got this much earlier in the game, if you dropped it to pick up another item, you will have to remember where you put it. Coffin: This requires a bit of a quest. Go through the fireplace and use the iron key to open the first gate. Go up until you see a red stream, you need to let only one person go on ahead, so choose the strongest member in your party. Always get as far left on the land as you can, and then cross. The current will move you downstream, but you will be able to make all of the crossings. You come across a bit of moving ground as well. When you make it to the set of spikes at the end, walk through them so you can get to the very left, and cross, go in the door there to find 6 seperate coffins. You can only take the one in the top left corner. After that, you can pick up the mallet there, use it to bust the mirror, and come back out at a familiar place. Photo: Go through the fireplace and head down, use the iron key to unlock the gate there and use the stairs. Open the first door you see with twokeys. You will lose some hit points from the streams of fire. Blue Candle: Found in the same room as the photo. ____________ The Showdown ____________ Get your entire entourage to the area around Mamiyas bedroom, where you see the 3 blue statues. Place the last blue candle in its place, use the lighter to light it, and pray, the wall collapses. Choose 3 members to go on inside, I suggest giving a tonic to them too. Make sure you give them the tool, diary, coffin, and photo. When you are ready, go inside. You are not quite at the final battle yet, you will have to make it through a tough quasi-maze, with numerous blue forces swarming around to take you away. Go in one at a time, send in your toughest fighter first (this is, of course, usually Akiko). The first time through will be the hardest. From the beginning, head straight up and go up the first staircase, there hide under the bridge until the first 2 forces come and are out of the way enough to give you a decent head start. Now book it, and head down the next stairs and take your first right, all the way to the edge of the course, head up a bit and you must fight doppleganger Akiko. This will be the toughest enemy in the game, pray twice to defeat her and hope she doesn't poison you. Now continue left and hide out under the bridge there. Switch characters. The next one to come through doesn't have to fight Akiko, and you can switch back to your first party member to lure the forces away. Get the second member up to the same point as the first, following the exact same path. Send in the last member, and do the same. Now team back up again, the forces by now should be fairly clumped together. Wait until they are out of your way and hurry the rest of the way, fighting doppleganger Taro and Asuka on the way. Finally, you make it to Mamiya. The fight with Mamiya is not really a fight, as much as it is a Shadowgate-esque puzzle to solve. Going into the awesome battle, attack with all characters until Mamiya says "I will kill you all, DIE!". Now you can start using the special items. First use the tool, after that, the photo. You know you have just made the right move when the screen flashes. If the character doesn't have the needed item then attack with that character. After tool and photo have been used, pray. Mamiya transforms, and the music changes. Now attack until the screen flashes, then use the diary, then pray. Attack until the screen flashes again, use the coffin, and finally, free the spirit of Mamiya Ichirou with one last prayer. If you get way too far off in this battle, it starts over and she will say "I will kill you all, DIE!" again. If you want an easy way to remember this, write this down: --- "I will kill you all, DIE!", Tool, Photo, Pray, Attack Until Flashing, Diary, Pray, Attack Until Flashing, Coffin, Pray --- Now marvel at the confusing ending, and give yourself a big pat on the back for beating this ingenious game. ********************************* ********************************* ** EXTRAS ** ********************************* ********************************* _____ Movie _____ The same year that Sweet Home was released, a SH movie was as well. Suito Homu was it's Japanese name, the international version was known as Sweet Home. I think it's important to discuss the movie in the FAQ because the game is most definately a cult hit, and fans will want to know as much as possible. Starring in the movie was Juzo Itami, along with fellow actors and actresses Nuboko Miyamoto, Nokko, and Tsutomu Yamazaki. It is said to pretty much be a Poltergeist knock-off, and is not considered a masterpiece, though not a bad movie either. The most interesting story surrounding Suito Homu is that of Juzo Itami, the star. In 1992 he was attacked by the Yakuza, the Japanese equivalent of the mafia, for acting in "Minbo no Onna", a movie portraying the Yakuza in a bad light. Later that year, a Japanese tabloid alleged that Itami was having an affair. He left a note denying the rumor, and jumped from an eight story building. Interestingly enough, Juzo Itami appears in the credits of Sweet Home, the game, listed as Director. Anyway, if you are truly a SH fiend, you may want to pick up the movie, either find the international version or order from a Japanese video store. I have still yet to see the movie myself. __________________________ Frequently Asked Questions __________________________ This section does not answer questions such as "how do I get past the shadows", every known solution is covered in the walkthrough. Rather, the FAQ will cover details about the Sweet Home movie, Suito Homu, storyline clarities and other things. *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* Q: Was the game based on the movie Suito Homu, or was the movie based on the game? A: It is quite unclear. Both were released in 1989, the game in December, and I could not find what month Suito Homo was released. The obvious answer would be that the game was based on the movie, but Sweet Home is much too good to be a game thrown together to act as merchandise for a movie. However, the Japanese box art from the game does feature real life characters, I'm guessing from the movie, so the best guess is that the game was based on the movie, although its possible they were counterparts. === Q: Was it ever planned for Sweet Home to come to the U.S.? A: Believe it or not, yes it was. In fact, you will find the game in the unreleased/possible prototype section of Mike Etlers NES rarity list (that is where I first heard of this game). It is also mentioned in a report in issue 11 of Nintendo Power, for the 1990 Winter CES. Of course, they most likely would have replaced Mamiya with a no-personality evil-without-a-cause type, and instead of killing children she would have kidnapped a princess ;D This is the most likely reason the translation was never completed, you would have to change the game around considerably to "dumb it down". === Q: What does the skeleton-faced man at the end of the game represent? A: I don't think it represents anything, it is simply there to add cheap shock value. You are free to analyze it as you want though. === Q: Why do the 5 go into the mansion in the first place? A: They are in search of "a famous fresco" painted by Mamiya Ichirou === Q: What drives the spirit of Mamiya Ichirou insane? A: Her child falls in the incinerator in the basement, most likely through the fault of Mamiyas husband. She tries to save the child, and is badly burned. She locks herself away in her room, becomes depressed, and eventually commits suicide, and then her spirit comes back full of spite and incinerates numerous children in the manor. === Q: I had a different understanding of the plot than you did... A: That's good. Part of the genius of Sweet Home is that the game NEVER makes the storyline completely clear, only gives the player faint hints. This gives you room to theorize and use your imagination as to what exactly happened in the Ichirou mansion. === Q: Is Yamamura the husband of Mamiya? A: Yes. Like most things, the game doesn't make this perfectly clear, but in my own mind I am sure. During the ending, the man who was guarding Mamiyas bedroom shows up and explains how Yamamura sacrificed himself to save the group. When your reply "how sad.." he says that Yamamura was guilty and that he felt responsible. You reply "Was Yamamura Ichi-". Of course I believe the end of this question would have been "Was Yamamura Ichirou", making the obvious answer "yes". === Q: When does the death of Mamiya's baby, and Mamiya herself take place? A: Approximately 30 years in the past. Clue #1 is that the photo seen in the slide scene shows Yamamura and Mamiya with thier baby as 20-somethings, though Yamamura is an old man in the game. Clue #2 is that when you are fighting Mamiya, you may sometimes say to her "You've been dead for 30 years", or something to that effect, setting it in stone. === Q: Dude, where do you find that Mamiya's name is Mamiya Ichirou? I thought Ichirou was just the first name of the husband. And how do you get that the party is after Mamiya's famous fresco? A: Quote from gaijin.romhacking.com's SH page; "A group of five investigators infilitrate the estate in search of Mamiya Ichirou's famous fresco. But before their search can begin they find themselves pitted against the supernatural". Being the translators I'd think they know better than anyone else. It is true that Mamiya is never referred to as Mamiya Ichirou in the game, "Ichirou" always refers to the Ichirou husband, and no details of why the investigators are there are given (personally, I'd love to know why the !@$& they are investigating a haunted mansion, prepared with a lighter, camera, med kit, key and VACUUM, the other stuff is almost understandable but a vacuum?). === Q: Did playing this game scare you? A: Yes, and I had played through it before. When I was up to the point where you find the incinerator, it was 3:30 in the morning, I was alone and going out of my mind. You can't easily make a game with that much effect on a person, especially on the good old NES. === Q: What is the pipe used for? A: I have confirmed it, the pipe has no purpose but to bog down your inventory. I asked the lead translator, he replied quote "As I recall there was at least one item that served no purpose other than to burden down your inventory". The pipe would definately be that item. These guys would most definately know about it if the pipe did have a use because they translated the text line for line, including what would have been the effect of the pipe. === Q: A character died, what do I do now? A: I answered this in the 'How To Play' section, but I think if this has happened to you and you are looking to this FAQ for help, you would probably look here for the answer. There is a replacement item for each of the characters items. pills = med kit, wire = key, matches = lighter, extra camera = camera, broom = vacuum. === Q: What do the Attack values represent in the status screen? A: After much research and thinking about it, I think I have the answer. If you look closely, when you enter battle, the enemy can appear from either the left side or the right side of the screen. My theory is that the left number represents your attack power for enemy's attacking from the left, and the right number enemies attacking from the right. It makes since, because the characters can be either right-handed or left-handed. === Q: What is the point of the mine cart in the basement area? A: Yet another unsolved mystery. I think it is there to play with the players imagination, it could possibly explain how the baby "fell" into the incinerator. Ichirou and the baby are playing in the mine cart, and... Of course, then the incinerator would have to be right on the other end, which it's not. I guess they could've moved it :/ === Q: How do I go through the right door in the top right room of the basement area? A: You don't. This used to drive me nuts, but I realized it was not meant to be a door at all, just a large hole made where the stranger busted the wall down to let the water out. === Q: Are there any major shortcuts in the game? A: Yes, but its at the very ending. You can use the gold key to open up a door a bit west of the Mamiya bedroom, which takes you back almost to the beginning. This is good in that you can stop relying on the bow to access that area. === Q: Are there any hidden endings? A: Not exactly hidden, but you can get different endings depending on how many members of your party are left alive, from 5 to 2 (it's practically the same though with 2 or 3). You more than likely have 2 extra characters waiting outside, so before taking on Mamiya you can switch to them and travel to the nearby ice room and kill them off by waiting at the bottom, or you can enter battle with a knight or ghoul+ and keep using your special item (to have no effect) while they pummel you. === Q: How many frescoes are in the mansion? A: I only counted my first time playing through the game, not the second or third. If I remember correctly (and I'm pretty sure I do), I counted 23 frescoes, but don't take that as fact. === Q: Are doppleganger Emi and Kazuo found in the final maze? A: Yes, however they are not found on the correct path to the finish, and therefore not mentioned in the above walkthrough === Q: Are there any hidden areas to the Mansion? A: If there are, I myself cannot find them. === *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*END SPOILERS*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* ********************************* ********************************* ** WRAPPING IT UP ** ********************************* ********************************* ______________ About This FAQ ______________ This document was started way back in june of 2000. After getting about halfway through the game, in a moment of grogginess, I started up the game and accidentally hit F5 (save game) instead of F7 (load game). I asked around for an extra save state I could use, but to no avail. I had played the game for a couple weeks straight, was starting to get burned out on it, and didn't feel like starting over. So there the FAQ sat, on a floppy disk, for 6 1/2 straight months, until January 17th when it was announced that the NES newsletter, the paNESian press, was being started up again after a long hiatus (http://members.home.net/panesian). Also, the game of the month would be Sweet Home, and they needed among other things, someone to do a strategy section, so I mentioned I had this half finished FAQ and from there it was risen from the grave. I have had an incredibly fun time writing the FAQ, and was actually sad when it came to an end. It was a bit of a Sweet Home renaissance for me. The FAQ was started on Notepad, and switched to Text Pad midway through. It was finished on January 20th, 2001. Possible inclusions for future updates include: Enemy Chart: Hit point values for every enemy in the game (this will require some code cracking) Frescoes: Locations for every fresco in the game, what they say, and an analysis on what they are alluding to (if I get REALLY motivated) The Other Party: What exactly happened with the party that came through the mansion before you? I never paid all that much attention to thier notes, but maybe I'll do that sometime, and try to map out what happened Item List: This wouldn't be hard to put together, but if you read the walkthrough it is not needed. Still, I may end up doing it. _______ Credits _______ I have a lot of people to thank for this FAQ. Foremost, everyone at http://gaijin.romhacking.com, for being the original translators and making this game internationally available, and a special thanks to Musashi at Gaijin for offering his assistance with the FAQ, and clearing up the mystery surrounding the pipe item. Another big thanks goes to Shiek, JD Turbeville, and BkdTatrHrt, us 4 guys helped each other through the game on IRC, and I don't think any of us would have made it all the way through without the help of everyone else in the group. An extra thanks to Shiek for trying to get the hit point values for this FAQ. Thanks to Mike Etler and his rarity list for first confusing me with the words "Sweet Home", and yet another thanks to Shiek for explaining to me what the game was. Thanks to Sqwirl for bringing this FAQ, not to mention the paNESian press, back from the grave. Thanks to the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) for info on Suito Homu. Thanks to Linque for bits of info on the game and the movie. Thanks to OSG for just being all-around cool. A HUGE thanks, of course, to Capcom for initially creating the masterpiece, and thanks to Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Barqs, and numerous other caffeine inducive beverages for keeping my brain active enough to write the FAQ. _____ Legal _____ (C in a circle thingy) copyright 2001 by Deathspork, jtw030283@hotmail.com. This is a free document, you are free to upload it anywhere you please, as long as it remains unchanged in its entirety. Originally created for the paNESian press issue 4 (http://members.home.net/panesian). Always check Gamefaqs.com for the most recent version of the FAQ. Sweet Home is copyright 1989 by Capcom. The U.S. Translation patch is copyright 2000 by Gaijin Productions. -END OF DOCUMENT-