Any% Guide

Don't ask why I did this.

Basics:
The goal of this game is to beat all 30 levels, 9 of which are bosses, and the rest are rooms that play similar to bomber man in a lot of ways. In each of the 21 rooms, you must find a key that is either just out in the open, or hidden inside of a rock you must explode. This will then open up an exit in the top right corner of the map (in all 29 levels except 8-5, in which case it's in the top left). Similar to the key, there are various power ups and upgrades that are both out in the open and hidden inside of rocks. This route will cover where the key is, as well as what power ups are needed to be obtained, and used in each level. 

The 5 main power ups needed to complete the game efficiently are;
Arrow Bombs, which blow up in a straight line based on the direction you're facing when you place them. Extremely useful and borderline necessary for some boss fights. Each pickup gives 5 of them. 
Nukes, which have a massive explosion radius and help clear large portions of rock to get keys / additional power ups.
Buoys, which are required to cross water that isn't less than 5 or so blocks across.
Lamps, which are not necessary, but I didn't want to bother with memorizing / mapping out the dark rooms, so I made my life easier by just using them and including them in the route.
Boots, which are only required in a few levels, but are required to not die while crossing large swathes of spikes.

Some other helpful tips before starting the guide on each level:
While shooting enemies with the blaster (A button), they sort of freeze and allow you to walk through them without hurting you / pushing you back sometimes. Very helpful against the enemies that block an entrance and patrol back and forth and take 2 bombs to kill.
You can preserve a bit of the Buoys by holding off on using it until you're close to sinking in the water. You don't actually need to use it on land at all, and can pause right before you would normally die (you can do a similar thing with Lamps if you know the remaining portion of the level). 
While picking up the upgrades to your suit that normally help you take hits better, in the animation you have 0 defense so all attacks do a full damage. Just be careful picking them up (especially in 8-3).

Each Individual Level:

1-1: 
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 2 arrows, 3 lamps, 2 buoys
In this level there are 4 star formations. In order to get the required power ups you need to break the middle, as well as the far left bit of the top left star. You also need the bottom right of the top right star, the middle of the bottom right star, as well as the 2 rocks that are just to the right of the stars. 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773570494292557834/unknown.png 
(the two rocks to the right of the star).
The Key in this level is just before the exit, and is in the last rock formation in the top right.
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773570800636526623/unknown.png?width=690&height=658

1-2: Blobby! 
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
This level has the second easiest boss in the game. While his hit box is large, he's very slow and can't pose a significant threat. If you just keep circling around the level placing bombs while you go, he should go down relatively fast. Key spawns on his body after he dies.

2-1:
Power ups to use: 4 arrows
Power ups to grab: 1 arrow, 1 nuke, 2 lamps, 2 buoys
This level starts off by going to a secret room. After crossing the first water patch, two blocks to the right of the water, when block up, will reveal a secret room. In this secret room you need to blow up all of the statues at the top for tons of power ups needed later. In the bottom right of the rock patch below the secret room, you also need to grab a lamp. Both of these locations are shown in this image: 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773572716099928084/unknown.png
After this you follow the rest of the level like normal, but using the arrow bombs to clear paths through the 4 big clusters of rocks. Make sure you do this in the most straight forward way however, or you'll miss a buoy. 
The key is located in the rock closest to the top right of the level: 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773573367109517322/unknown.png

2-2:
Power ups to use: 2 buoys
Power ups to grab: 2 lamps, 5 buoys, 1 nuke
Go directly upwards from the start and grab the nuke. Head back down and to the right and you'll need to grab the secret room here + the lamp that's directly to the right of it.
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773575421961830420/unknown.png 
After this, go as far south as you can and grab the two power ups in the open there. Then, equip a buoy and traverse the water to the right. You can skip the first land mass, but the second has a defense upgrade in the rocks that I highly recommend you grab, as it helps greatly on bosses. Continue to the right and the key is in the rocks right before the exit. 

2-3: Snake!
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
This boss is pretty simple. He only has 3 patterns, and you can basically just beat him by placing bombs in a circle similar to 1-2 boss. Pretty hard to lose.

3-1:
Power ups to use: 2 arrow, 1 nuke
Power ups to grab: 1 buoy
Go up and right through the first few rock formations, and use an arrow bomb to get through the rock wall you hit. 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773576608954187816/unknown.png
Continue to the top or bottom of the next rock formation and blow through the thinnest part. Then, use both an arrow bomb and a nuke in order to break into the middle of the massive rock formation at the end. This will get you to the key. After that bomb to the top right, and a buoy should be in a rock right next to the exit. 

3-2:
Power ups to use: 1 buoy
Power ups to grab: 0
This level is extremely straight forward. Right from the start walk to the right and equip a buoy. Grab the key and exit the level.

3-3:
Power ups to use: 1 arrow, 4/5 buoys
Power ups to grab: 1 arrow, 2 nukes
To start this level, immediately enter the water and traverse to the bottom right. Keep going in the water until you can no longer. Go to the right and make sure to blow up the left most line with an arrow bomb, as it has the power ups needed 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773578110289182770/unknown.png 
Grab the key and finish the level.

3-4: Chameleon!
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
Easiest boss in the game by far. all you need to do is place a bomb, move out of the way so his tongue hits the bomb, then walk back to where you placed the bomb and repeat. Super simple. The closer you get to him the quicker it is, but the better your timing has to be (I like being 3 blocks above the bottom wall).

4-1:
Power ups to use: 1 arrow
Power ups to grab: 3 lamps
Super straight forward. Just use normal bombs to blow through the first small bit, then go to the right and use an arrow bomb on the long line of rocks. Grab the key that's in a rock in the nook and finish.

4-2: Dark
Power ups to use: 4/5 lamps
Power ups to grab: 1 arrow, 1 lamp
These dark levels are going to be extremely hard to describe, so It'll probably have to be down to trial and error to get these down for you. The power ups you need to grab should be on the way to the end. The key is directly below the exit in the open. 

4-3: Snake 2.0!
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
This boss sucks. He moves way faster than you in the final segments and it's very easy to lose to him. You basically have to predict his patterns and place bombs where he will be. You can't circle / stay close to him because he's way faster. Third hardest level in the game

5-1:
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 1 nuke, 2 lamps
Just walk through this level until you get to the x formation of blocks. Use normal bombs to get to the middle of this. Make sure to get break all of the rocks in the middle for the nuke + a speed upgrade. You need to get to both the top right of the X for the exit, and the bottom right for the key. In the bottom right, there is a staircase right in front of the key which you need to enter in order to get it. Just hold left after you enter to exit the dark room. 

5-2: Dark
Power ups to use: 2 buoys, 3 lamps
Power ups to grab: 1 buoy, 1 lamp
Another dark level. Traverse to the end and the key is below the exit similar to 4-2.

5-3:
Power ups to use: 2 arrow, 2 nukes
Power ups to grab: 1 lamp, 2 buoys
Traverse this level normally. At the end there are two large rock formations. Use an arrow on both to "drill" to the center, then use a nuke to blow the entire thing up. This should give you the key, some power ups, and the exit.

5-4: Spike!
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
This boss is very hard to understand how to beat at first. The fastest way I found was to try and stay as close to him as possible, while placing a bomb every 3 steps, and timing out your movement with his spike chains, which do change speeds. It's very easy on this boss to get hit once, and get spiraled into taking 50-70% of your health. Just be careful. Pretty hard boss, probably second hardest level in the game. 
Another thing to beware. After you get the final hit, there is a weird glitch where you can still get hit by his chains as if they never unloaded. Try and get as far away from him as possible after you kill him. 

6-1:
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 1 arrow
This level is extremely straightforward. Head straight right after loading in. Even though there are spikes on the ground there aren't enough in the level to kill you. You can grab a defense upgrade in the second section of rocks in the spike section, which I highly recommend 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773584110832320533/unknown.png 
Keep following the bottom right until you are just about to hit the right most wall.
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773584283499102238/unknown.png 
break these rocks to grab an arrow. After this, break the only remaining rocks in the level to get the key and finish. 

6-2: Ball Man!
Power ups to use: 12+ Arrows
Power ups to grab: 0
I honestly don't know how you're supposed to beat this boss without cheesing him. If you wanna try to brave the storm that is the moving block, go for it. Instead, I recommend just using arrow bombs to snipe him from the corner you start in. It takes 12 hits to kill him, but missing can cost extra arrows. He moves in a counter-clockwise pattern, and is pretty easy to hit. 

7-1: Dark
Power ups to use: 3 lamps
Power ups to grab: 0
Just a dark level. Nothing needed to grab here so grab the key and get out. Key is the last way to go north before the exit. 

7-2:
Power ups to use: 1 boot
Power ups to grab: 1 boot, 1 buoy
Grab the boot directly to the right of where you start, and use it to go directly right from the starting platform. Keep going until you hit a L shaped rock formation. Break the rocks here to grab a buoy and the key
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773585932212371548/unknown.png 
Then, go straight up and exit the level.

7-3: Smiley!
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
Hardest level in the game, no questions. Easily a run killer 22-28 minutes into the run. My only advice is to try and not be too close to him while he's in the small form, as he can expand very quickly. Shooting him with the blaster doesn't seem to do any substantial damage, so bombs are your best bet. Use normal ones as you need to keep the rest of the special ones for other levels. One good strategy is to try and "trap" him into multiple bombs. Making a cage of bombs around him can be tricky to do, but guarantees a hit or two. Good luck.

8-1:
Power ups to use: 2 arrow
Power ups to grab: 5 lamps, 2 boots
Go straight up from the start until you hit a triangular rock section. Use a nuke right in the middle of this to both blow up the triangle as well as unlock the secret room 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773587287639326730/unknown.png 
Grab both of the Boots that show up and head into the secret room for lamps. Continue right and use an arrow to get through the big rock chunk. Use another arrow and a normal bomb to get both the key and lamp in the bottom section, then finish the level 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773587571895828490/unknown.png .

8-2: Dark
Power ups to use: 3 lamps
Power ups to grab: 1 lamp
Another dark level. The lamp should be on the way to get to the end. Key is to the left of where the exit is.

8-3:
Power ups to use: 1/2 buoys
Power ups to grab: 1 lamp, 1 buoy
Very straightforward level. Follow it to the bottom right until you hit a ground of rocks at the exit.
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773589006222884864/unknown.png 
Blow all of these up and then take the water path to another ground rocks, which is where the key is. Don't bother grabbing the defense upgrade as you will probably die trying. After grabbing the key, go back to the top right and exit the level. 

8-4: Dark
Power ups to use: 3 buoys, 5 lamps
Power ups to grab: 1 lamp, 1 boot
Funny dark level again. Go through normally until you hit the second group of the back and forth enemies, and go south to grab a needed power up 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773589677202210821/unknown.png 
Once you hit the water section make sure to cross and grab the key, then come back and go on the upper section. 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773589913987579924/unknown.png 
If you follow the top right path there should be a lamp close to the exit of the level to grab out in the open. 

8-5:
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
Follow the path of this level around the entire thing. Once you cross the water, take the top path in the next cross roads. 
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773590407913275433/unknown.png 
Keep following this path to get to the small group of rocks at the end where the key is and a defense upgrade
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773590609549590578/unknown.png 
Go back to where the crossroads was after the water and the exit should be open. 

8-6: Army!
Power ups to use: 0
Power ups to grab: 0
This boss fight is very boring, and quite repetitive. Be careful not to die however as you can lose a lot of time. The strategy for this one is to use the pods to your advantage by trapping the clones with yours + their own bombs. you can kill many of them at once like this and is relatively fast. Example:
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773591231578112000/unknown.png

9-1:
Power ups to use: 2 boots
Power ups to grab: 1 arrow
Immediately cross the spikes to start the level and head to the right. Go above the section and break the rocks on the right. Enter and immediately leave the stair case and keep heading right. Use the boots to get to the key and back. Continue up and to the right until you get to this spot, and blow up the circled rocks
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/773569858231206001/773592148934262784/unknown.png
Continue to the upper right and go through the exit. 

9-2: Dark
Power ups to use: 5/6 lamps, 0/1 boots
Power ups to grab: 2 arrows
Final non boss level, and of course it's a dark room. Honestly just watch my run to figure out where to go if you need, as there's just too much to try and explain (around 35 minutes into the run). Make sure to grab the arrows on the way as they're necessary for the final boss.

9-3: Big Boy!
Power ups to use: 20+ arrows
Power ups to grab:0
The final boss of the game. Surprisingly one of the easiest as well. The first phase is extremely simple. Wait for him to "charge" you and place a few bombs while getting out of the way. If you can space them out properly you can get up to 3 hits in on him in one cycle. After a bit of this, he'll start to speed up. At this point, switch to using arrow bombs, and using 2-3 at a time in one charge. Make sure to space them out to avoid hitting him while he's invincible though.
The only threat in this boss fight is the giant bomb he places. If it hits you it's an instant death. It takes a while to explode however, so just be careful around it. 



Why did I write so much.

Emulators

http://www.gbrunners.com/game-boy-speedrunning-explained

Basically follow those basic rules. Visual boy is banned, but Bizhawk/Gambatte/BGB is allowed.

Nome	Autor
Any% Guide	Bebo 4 years ago
Emulators	ShiningDragoon 5 years ago