PC Engine mini! The Legendary Backstage Technique Challenge! Vol.7] Now you don't have to be afraid of difficult games! Challenge the secret tricks of classic games such as "Starpalogar" and "Splatterhouse"!

Let's try to reproduce and challenge the "backstage tricks" that were the flower of Showa-era games, now that the Showa era has come to an end! This is the series of this project. This time, I will introduce some of the most memorable and shocking tricks from the 58 titles (including overseas versions) included in "PC Engine mini," which was released by KONAMI on March 19, 2020.

New ways to enjoy using secret tricks!

There are various types of subterfuges. There are hidden commands (debug mode) and hidden characters that are programmed in advance. There are also a wide variety of subterfuges, such as those that can be triggered by the player's own techniques.

Knowing these tricks will allow you to enjoy the game in a different way than you normally would!　Try out some of these tricks along with your regular game play.

We have tested the tricks on the PC Engine mini!

The main character becomes invincible! THE KOJU" (1987/KONAMI)

THE KOJU" was released at the time of the PC Engine's launch, and features a giant character that could not be represented on the Famicom (NES). At first glance, this is a simple fighting action game, but when you actually play it, you will find that the path to the boss is just as difficult. ......

Although there were items to recover energy, I struggled with the continuous rocks flying at me and the rush of small foes who suddenly made "Rei" like movements. When we somehow managed to reach the boss, we often found that we had only a few ...... left in our stamina.

So this time, for those of you who just want to see the ending! For those of you who want to see the ending anyway, I will show you a trick that makes the main character completely invincible.

Press the RUN button while holding down the SELECT button on the title screen. This will reset the game, but keep holding down the two buttons until the title screen reappears.

When the title screen reappears, release the RUN button only. Next, hold down the SELECT button and press UP once.

Then release the SELECT button and press the cross key up 3 times, right 6 times, down 2 times, and left 2 times.

This will allow you to enter the so-called "debug mode. The input timing is quite severe, so if you fail, reset and try again.

This is the debug mode screen. You can also "stage select," "invincibility," and "increase the number of remaining planes. To make it invincible, set the "PLAYER" item to "INVINCIBLE". Incidentally, if you set "ENEMY" to "INVINCIBLE," the boss that appears at the end of each stage will be invincible.

Since you don't have to worry about each other's strength, this may be a good time to study the boss enemy's movements.

You can hit the mooks as hard as you want, whether they are stones or not. The stamina gauge in the upper left corner will decrease as you take damage, but don't worry, it will fill up again when it reaches zero.

It may seem a bit unorthodox, but it's nice to be invincible. ...... Let's give back to the bosses who have been tormenting us day in and day out!

The bosses are not afraid of you with the stage select! Splatterhouse" (1990/Namco Bandai Entertainment)

Originally released as an arcade game by Namco in 1988 and ported to the PC Engine in 1990, "Splatterhouse" was a cult favorite among game fans who loved horror movies.

It was a cult favorite among horror movie fans, as it was packed with effects that would make horror movie fans grin, "one of a kind" effects, and homages to famous scenes.

Although the PC Engine version was slightly less difficult, it was still not an easy level to complete. So, I would like to introduce a backstage trick for round select.

Press the RUN button on the title screen to start the demo screen of the Hall in the Storm. During this time, press SELECT three times and press the left and I cross keys at the same time.

You will then be at this stage select screen. After determining the stage by up and down, press the RUN button to go to the designated stage.

You will soon meet the powerful Piggy Man, who appears as the boss of stage 3. The key to conquering this guy is to carry the two guns that have fallen throughout the stage to the Piggy Man without using them. If you fail to carry the guns, attack him by sliding patiently!

You can also face Rasbos Hellkaos in the final stage 7 right away. However, if you are not familiar with the tricks along the way, the final stage often leaves you with almost no energy left when you finally reach the boss.

You can practice only these difficult stages over and over again, so I am very grateful for the stage select backstage!

A slightly naughty (?) A hidden character appears! Star Parojar" (1992/ KONAMI)

This game appeared in 1992 as an original PC Engine CD-ROM2 title. The title "Parojer" means "parody. As a sequel to "Star Soldier," it was a parody of the previous title, with Bomberman and the PC Engine itself appearing as the player's own machines. It seems to be somewhat influenced by KONAMI's "Parodius" series (......?).

In addition to the main game, there is a "BATTLE STAGE" mode in which players compete for scores within a limited time limit of 2 or 5 minutes.

Now, I will tell you how to get to the bonus stage, which is not easy to find in normal play.

The hidden bonus stage is located in Stage 7. First, proceed to the boss (a parody character of the boss in "Super Star Soldier" Stage 5). Up to this point, you must do your best on your own!

There is actually a secret hidden in how to defeat this boss. Normally, you tend to concentrate on the blue part of the boss's body, but you should "destroy both arms first. However, the boss's attacks are so fierce that it is impossible to destroy the arms first without a lot of practice. It is a good idea to use the "save" and "load" functions frequently to deal damage little by little.

Then, when both arms are destroyed, an item marked "BONUS STAGE" will be released from the central part of the boss, so catch it!　After that, you should be able to tome him normally. Then go to ......?

From here, you can see for yourself! Please play in a situation where your wife and children are not behind you.

Let's play with a super character that can walk through walls! Dungeon Explorer" (1989/KONAMI)

This game can be played by 5 players at the same time by using multi-tap. However, I don't think many people have played in that environment. ......

The multi-tap is also available for the PC Engine mini, so please take this opportunity to try it out.

To develop the player character in this game, you need to defeat the boss that appears at the end of the stage. In other words, no matter how many small fry enemies you defeat, your character will not grow. The difficulty level of this game is not low, and that is the best part of the game. However, if you play alone, it is difficult to reach the first boss unless you learn the layout of the enemies, the map structure, and have good skills. ......

So, in this article, we will show you how to play with a super character who is nearly invincible from the start! Exploring the intricate dungeons and seeing the beautifully rendered boss characters is another part of the fun in this title.

First, press the RUN button on the title screen. This will bring you to the character selection screen, where you will select "PASSWORD".

After entering "DEBDE DEBDA," press RUN→I. Then "Error" will be displayed, but no matter, press II and then select a character (any occupation will do). But what is this "I'm fat, I'm fat, I'm fat" .......

Then, the super character you've been waiting for will appear. This character can slip through anything, even obstacles.

As you can see, this super character is also able to attack while sliding into walls. However, be careful not to go through walls, because if you do, the timeline of the story will be messed up. ......

His strength and attack power are almost maxed out, but please note that he is not invincible and will take damage.

How was it?　Games can be played in so many different ways just by changing a few angles. Next time, we will continue to introduce some nostalgic and shocking tricks. Please look forward to it!

(Text by sukesan)

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