Part 3: The Treasure of Tootinschleiman.
Update 03: The Treasure of Tootinschleiman.Whos ready for sand, sand and more sand? The music here is the same as the Forewood Forest; the soundtrack Im using was a bit misleading in that regard, so I changed the track name.
Not much to see on the first screen, but the second is much more promising. Because really, who doesnt like mucking around with cannons?
Easy as pompom pie. And we can see the sandcastle in the background there, so we cant have far to go. (Not pictured: Idiots trying to burn it down.)
Youre looking for the Schleiman Tomb? Then you should climb the stairs and go north.
I dont think climb is quite the word you were looking for, Namby. Still, theyre pretty well spoken for what I assume is a baby Healslime. (Or maybe Namby just likes wearing that sort of thing.)
The next screen introduces the Picksy, who well, picks things up and throws them at you. They have 3 HP and drop 13 Gold. If there isnt anything around to throw, theyre kind of helpless.
These fancy slime-styled obelisks are a bit fragile as a result of being Elasto Blasted, so you have to catch them before they hit the ground. So basically Rockbombs, but without the dangerous explosion.
Somewhere during the ensuing Picksy torture, I finally get around to reading Nambys letter.
I got you a present. I hope you like it!
A pretty decent joke, and something Ill be wanting to collect for reasons that will soon become apparent.
Just north of the river is another of these Platypunk dunes, as well as a Jailcat too busy getting high on catnip to bother us.
Gday, Perry! Howre ya doin, mate?
Shell be right. (Perry sends us another rockbomb.)
Maybe the Tootin part has somethin to do with tootin on that Warrior Flute.
I just wanna ask one tiny thing, thats all. See that cannon over there? I want you to use it to blast me out of this dumb dune.
The cannons just east of where we are, but theres another dune in the way.
Make sure you dont get lost, huh? Dont go forgettin about me or nothin!
Well, since you went and blocked the doorway, I suppose we have to help you no matter what. Just sit tight, Platiosi.
Oh, and dont forget to look around the other side of the tomb. Theres another slime chest tucked away back there!
Holding the button down as you jump is the best way. I told you that cos were best buds!
Yes, Rocket does have the ability to glide about a bit. Its not important just yet, but its good to know its there.
No one can stop you now, right? Dont forget Im your best friend, okay?
Wooden you believe it?
Alright, lets see about saving that Platiosi fellow.
The next screen just has some items and enemies to collect, though it looks like we can open up a shortcut here later.
Ah, this rotund little fellow is the Hammerhood! 3 HP and 13 Gold just like the Picksy, but these guys are only found in this area. Their lucky bags have a 1/16 chance of dropping an item we dont have yet, but there are much better places to get them later. (3/16 * 1/16 = about 1.17%, for the curious.)
Hammerhoods have never been very good with their signature weapon, either dealing lousy damage or having a good chance of missing outright. In this case, being hit once will make them lose their hammer entirely.
However, main-series hoods always had a chance to deal a devastating critical attack. Likewise, the flailing attack that these guys do after losing their hammers can actually be incredibly effective in some circumstances.
Im not quite sure why they exist, but this screen features destructible sand-carts.
Over the rapidly rushing waters, we have another slime to save.
Just, like, hang around in the same place for a while until another one, like, appears.
Gootrude is quite right; bombshells will respawn in a matter of seconds after being fired, but if you toss them on the railway carts, youll have to leave the screen for a while just like with anything else.
The next screen is a simple introduction to movable cannons, just requiring us to break some blocks and clear the path to get it into position.
It does provide a certain satisfaction though.
Ah, a chance to send Gootrude back home to Boingburg.
Any longer in that box, and Id have totally gone back to being blue! So, like, thanks!
So apparently slimes can get sunburnt?
Oh.
The southern half of this screen has a whole bunch of Hammerhoods tucked away, ready to flail and bust their way through those bricks if you get close enough to set them off.
As seen here.
Guess where Id recommend coming to farm up 30 Hammerhoods? And since Dr. Fetus asked, my plan is just to go for thirty of each monster. Getting more is almost entirely pointless, unless it has some super secret benefit for getting 100 of everything or something. (It doesnt. I think.)
Now, let me just collect that bombshell and that chest, and well be on our w-
Pffft, yeah no. So, this is a Mimic, a true classic. It has 4 HP, drops 14 gold and the ones in Tootinschleimans Tomb have a 87.5% chance that their lucky bags will contain a chest. They will cough up better stuff later, but surprisingly enough Mimics are not especially good loot pinatas.
Their startled sprite is pretty great though.
Oh, were already at the cannon we need to free that guy from the dune.
This next scene is available in video.
Im Ducktor Cid, the best platypunk mechanic there is! I gotta thank ya for savin me. We platypunks take that kinda thing real serious.
It may not be Final Fantasy, but its still a Square Enix game. So why not have a Ducktor Cid?
Its broken, aint it? I know! Ill fix it for ya.
Well, time to test that hypothesis of his!
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE
As Rocket and Ducktor Cid head up to the scenic vista from earlier, theres a hell of a lot of shaking going on. And then
You big, fat feather-brain! The Plob dont need cowards like you! An you even helped that slimeball unearth the Schleiman Tank, you putz! Well, Im clippin your wings now, schmo. Youre fired! Sincerely yours
Man, poor guy. Hes had a rough day.
...On the upside, we got a sweet Monster Tank! Also, somebody please make a Rocket-with-Warrior-Flute version of . I can call it tootin.
Im sure you can find something else to do, Cid. Now if youll excuse me, I have a tank to inspect.
Just like in [Insert sci-fi reference here]! () Also, the music cuts out here.
Sure, you decided to quit.
Hmm Let me guess, its-
Yep, its a But Thou Must situation! (The original Dragon Warrior is the trope namer on that one, you know.) But Ducktor Cid is a cool dude, so thats fine by me.
Hmm ?
...You look confused. Ah, its my accent, ja? I vos pretending to be vun of ze Plob all along. Zis is how I really talk!
And now the fantasy German begins. Surprise surprise, Ducktor Cid is the best character.
Anyvay, come viz me!
Alright, time to head upstairs and see how this thing handles.
Oops, there goes the fourth wall again. This game really doesnt care much for that thing, does it?
Ze enormous rock in front of us vill stop us getting back to town. Ive been considering vays ve can eliminate it. Vy dont ve try using ze cannons?
Is there ever a time where the answer to that question is anything other than hell yes?
Well, I cant fault this tutorial so far. See the thing done, do it yourself. A solid method of instruction.
In ya go!
Vots wrong? Vy isnt any ammo coming out? Go and looking around ze tank for somesing ve can use.
So, the Schleiman Tank spits out ammo randomly from the two dispensers either side of the big door blocking that room the map shows as containing a heart, the two just by the chapel there, and the two upstairs by the cannons. Bare this in mind, as you may have to go looking for the good stuff.
Smash ze rock into smizereens! Zen ve can go back to town.
Hey, guess what?
Its time to stretch, spring and shoot into action!
Of course, the cliff is hardly a fierce opponent. Well have to see about testing it out of something that will shoot back.
EDIT:
Dr. Fetus posted:
Oh and Ducktor Cid actually has a comment for shooting yourself out of the cannon in the tutorial.
Bit of a touchy subject, methinks. Thanks, Dr. Fetus! (Rocket does one damage to the rock wall.)
Anyway, eventually
Hoorah! Lets head on back to Boingburg in our fancy new ride!
------
Well, looks like the good Ducktor has already got himself settled in.
Ah, yes. Perhaps well leave out the part about how we got the Warriors Flute
Hmph? Whats that? Youve resurrected the Schleiman Tank? Thats wonderful news!
Anyvay, Ive decided I vould like to live here now. Your, er Royal Vobbliness.
Hmph. Well, any friend of Rockets is welcome in Slimenia, I suppose. You may stay.
You probably should have got planning permission before you built a house, dude.
Hmph. The Schleiman Tank only appears when its needed. When youre up on a podium before a tank battle, you should blow the Warrior Flute. Ive no doubt the Schleiman Tank will appear for you then, primed and ready for battle.
I see. Most interesting. Vell, Rocket, I vill be leaving now.
Slimenia is relying on you, Rocket! Hmph hmph!
Well, it looks like everythings going well so far! Lets take a quick jaunt around town.
Ive never been quite sure why they made the Hammerhoods speak this way.
Now you can get to that seed of life. dont forget it, itll rock your world!
Stony will tell us whenever theres another iron ball thats been removed; this one lets us get to a whopping seven hearts already!
Its, like, so cool! They have Yggdrasil leaves and Yggdrasil dew, too! Check it out!
These items arent actually available yet, but Gootrudes tip does suggest that the tree inside the church is indeed Yggdrasil, which appears quite often in the Dragon Quest series.
Oh, hey there Namby. Sure, why not.
Alright, lets see I believe theres two more people we need to see today.
Im still getting sings ready at ze moment. But you vill come back later, ja?
Oh, ja. And the good Ducktor will be smoking that pipe a lot from now on, so you know.
While Im on the wrong side of the country to see the actual Gold Coast, Perry here still has a little minigame for us. To summarise, you have 60 seconds to gather as much gold as you can. Beat the high score, get a prize.
Oh, and you can let anyone with a DS download this minigame to try out. For some reason.
Ahem Anyway, have a video of the Gold Coast Surfari.
Some surfing later
Im gonna give ya a lump of orichalcum! Careful how you use it, eh.
This is an awesome prize, though sadly we cant use it just yet. Weve accomplished quite a bit today, so next time Uh What are we doing next time?
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE
Rocket! Its time for ze Schleiman Tank! Go to ze church and record your progress in ze adventure log, zen come outside.
Pfffft, nah. Weve got this.
Ze Flute Warrior, Rocket, vill vipe ze floor viz you!
Hell yeah! Time for our first true Tank Battle!
Holy smoke, you got yerselves some hardware! Where did that tank come from?
Zis is no ordinary tank. Zis is ze Schleiman Tank! Ze tank of a true hero!
Yeah, sure! That dont impress me, Cid! My tanks gonna blow ya away!
And here we are, ready to face off against Websy and his Platypanzer! Lets show them whos the hero of this story!
Zis vill be your very first battle in ze Schleiman Tank. Give ze Plob a good pasting, ja! I never liked zem anyway.
Ze guns on zat baby are über. Keep shooting at ze enemy until you get ze HP down to zero. Ah, ja! I must varn you. Zere is ein problem.
You must use both ze cannons visely to ensure victory.
Now, this is something extremely important. Ammo that collides in midair will cancel each other out. This means you can use lesser pieces of ammo to block shots, allowing your more potent ones to connect and actually deal damage.
So, get ready! Ze battle is about to begin!
Being the first proper opponent, Websys Platypanzer is pretty laughable. It has half of the Schleimans health, and he only uses the top cannon.
The Schleiman has only bombshells and boulders for ammo right now, so use the latter to block shots while the bombshells go in the bottom cannon.
However, there is one added wrinkle
Schnell! Hurry! Get over zere and give it a good pummeling.
Once the enemy tank runs out of health, its door opens and we can head through to its engine room. There, we can put it out of commission once and for all Of course, we have left our tank undefended, but thats not a big deal with a lead like ours.
Ze engine room is right at ze back, Rocket!
There it is, the final goal of every tank battle! Just Elasto Blast the engine, and youve won. Hell, even if your own tank is out of health, it doesnt matter so long as enemies dont get to the engine.
Victory! (It wasnt S(ub)lime because we didnt end the fight with the Schleiman at full health.)
Vunderbar! Ve vin, ve vin!
RIP Websy.
Ah, excellent! All enemy tanks contain slime chests, so well always get more goodies and rescued slimehabitants by destroying them.
I picked up Hooly on my radar before. Hes in the Tomb of Tootinschleiman somewhere.
Luckily for you, I am an expert mechanic. I vill assist you.
Anything to do viz ze Schleiman Tank, you can leave to good old Ducktor Cid, ja! I vill help you load and unload ze ammo you vill need for battle. All ze items you are bringing back to town vill make good ammo. But some do more damage zan others, so you must experiment to vork out vich are best.
So, we finally have a use for all those items weve collected. Were going to shoot them out of cannons!
You can use my tree radar for DS Wireless Communications. Do you want to try DS Multi-Card Play or DS Download Play now?
Since we can actually outfit the Schleiman Tank ourselves now, this is when we get to go into multiplayer and fight other peoples tanks. I imagine this would have been pretty cool.
I can transmit special waves from my head, you know. That means I can help you set up DS Wireless Communications with your friends. Just come and find me when you want to give it a try!
Cor blimey indeed. Yangus trusty oaken club is a fantastic reward, which well get into in the brief ammo rundown right after this.
Anyway, Ill see you next time when we scour the sands in search of more slimes.