NES Obscurity Quicky!
permalinkMentioning Renegade's horrible door-maze final level in last week's article reminded me just how damn big that thing is. So this week, we're back for more...
Keep in mind that the longest level in the rest of the game consists of 4 screens while you look at the 14 or so completely different inter-linking rooms I've photographed below; plus some doors warp you back to outside the building...or even back to PREVIOUS LEVELS!
But at least each room is festively decorated with a wide variety of furniture, appliances and object d'art!
While you get a new energy meter each time you go through the door, you often have to fight several previous-level-bosses in the same room. In some rooms they come out one after another, but in other rooms you've got to fight two or even three simultaneously!
Honestly, this maze is very confusing -- and this is just the DIFFICULTY 1 version of Level 4. Difficulty 2 and 3 have completely different, bigger, and more sprawling door mazes! I can barely imagine why how I beat it back in the day (lots of mapping and double-tap = run-punching), and am rather glad I decided not to try Difficulty 2 or 3 until much more recently.
Anyway, I gave up trying to diagram it (while each room's doors are consistant each time, they don't make any sense, anyway -- it's a DOOR MAZE, that's what they do), and settled for getting a shot of each different room (and I included some amusing captions!)
Alright, let's do this!
It seems small on the OUTSIDE, but just wait until you go in --
A perfectly normal room: 2 standard enemies, leather couch, poster of a sportscar on the wall.
Two clones of Jack (level 1 boss) beat you up. Perhaps they thought you were after their sweet stereo equipment?
Kim (level 3 boss) is none too thrilled to find you in her boudoir.
Um, should you REALLY be riding that in the house?
After the first few rooms, if you see non-boss enemies, you took a wrong turn. But look on the right -- a plant AND a flower? This room shows a woman's touch in the Feng Shui!
Two Jacks, different room. Same stereo equipment! (But they traded in their TV for a car poster!)
Here's TWO Kim-s at once. Yes, you're doomed. But they TOTALLY got the rare BLUE copy of the car poster!
Don't think they skimped on Joel-s (Level 2's boss), though! He and his rat-tail show up every now and then.
INCLUDING in this snappy den with its bright red furnishings!
Crap. Nice TV, though!
The motorcycle rooms always stand out! (they're the ones you beat with 3 jumpkicks total!)
Hey, a new enemy in a refreshing mint room! I wonder if he'll be my friend?
Oh dear. Your head looks like a big cylander of meatloaf, sir.
So, what have we learned?
Well, if you manage to best Sabu and see the end credits, there's one credit which is terribly important:
...because if you're designing a room, door maze or parlor -- THAT'S the guy you want in your corner!
— carlmarksguy, 2013-08-23
4 Comments:
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2
...yeah, and now that you mention it-- all the doors are ON THE SAME WALL! :O I don't want to think too hard about how it would work if it were real :)
3
Vidente
Am I seeing double? Six Joels?!
That aside, leftmost building then first door from the left takes you back to Stage 3 if you are playing on Level 3. No doors will take you back a stage on level one I hope. I'd like to map the maze.
4
Yeah, the "Lifepier" thing really introduces you to the horrible door-maze that is stage 4: "pick the wrong door in the 1st room? BACK TO STAGE 2 WITH YOU!" I mapped out Difficulty 1's Stage 4 as a kid, I think I beat Dif.2 as an adult (it's completely different, Much longer and has 2 Sabu-s, though only 1 at a time thank gog). Donno if I ever got Dif.3