Part 24: Okay, that's a twist.
stegoceras posted:
W...Would you consider doing more Ham Ham games? Please?I'm just gonna miss this LP is all...
This is the only Hamtaro game I have experience with, and the minigame-centric ones would be best in video format (which I don't have any real experience with yet). The only real possibility would be to pull a Fedule and go back to Ham-Hams Unite!......Or make Quillpaw do it.
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Update 23: Okay, that's a twist.
Hey there, everyone! Last time, we finished helping hamsters out in the Wildwoods... and now, we have the game's final location to explore!
This is the entrance to Spat's very own hideout, which means it's finally time to take the fight to him! And of course, the music for this bit is Spat's theme.
The waist-high blades of grass here blocks the final Ham Boutique off from our heroes, so let's see what we can do about moving onward instead. Let's go down the options in order, starting with Lookie.
...Thank you for clarifying that, game.
Seems Spat doesn't want to chat with us across the moat. Pity, there's some comedy potential there.
I'm not sure why Hamtaro and Bijou thought that plan would work...
Or this one, for that matter.
Of course, this is one of those times where trying all the options...
I wonder if there's a way over there...
...will cause the game to nudge you toward the next part of the plot.
Fortunately for Hamtaro and Bijou, they already have a standing offer to use the Hamapult 2 for stuff like this. If you hadn't gotten it yet, this is when you'd be forced to go Spoon-hunting.
Also, the inventor appears to be working on improving the Ham-O-Matic's design. (Note the II on the headpiece he's tinkering with.) He must have some connection to the staff at Fun Land.
The adjustments on Hamapult 2 are done. You can use it whenever you wish. ...Is that what you're here for?
You bet, buddy! It's time for a field test!
You're going to use it at the tower? I see...
Man, the inventor is psyched for this.
Hmm? Oh, sure. That thing's gotta be heavy.
Alright then!
Roll out!
(Hamtaro repeatedly Tack-Q's the thing to make it move.)
One transition later, and we're all set and ready to go!
With this baby, sailing over this river and into the tower will be as easy as algebra! Hee hee hee!...Heh. It's an old joke, but still a good one.
Adios!See you around, buddy.
As for Hamtaro and Bijou... Well, it's time for our heroes to do something reckless and stupid.
...but also totally sweet.
You'll not find me to be so easily beaten!On the other side of the wall, Spat has already detected our approach.
I'll be unavailable for a while because I got to unpack my secret weapon, pfpth!
That's one nasty sneer Spat's got... and speaking of things he's got, it seems he found a minion somewhere!
I mean, pfpth!...You just can't get good help these days.
If you blow it, your girlfriend will be unseen for a looong time, pfpth!
Ahhh, so it's one of those cases of evil-doing through coercion. Also, Spat checks off another fine villain tradition with kidnapping girlfriends.
After Spat heads inside (and we see his face appear on the map), our heroes drop in for a visit.
Hm? Hamtaro...
You can't pass, fpfht! Lord Spat's orders!
...Well, that could have gone better. Also, since when is he Lord Spat?
The minion is busy doing his duty, so let's have a quick poke around.
.....
It's a slider puzzle. Only a 3x3 one, but still a slider puzzle.
Sign posted:
This puzzle will unlock the door permanently, so it's unsolvable!! Don't even try!! Pfpth!!
Great... I'm going to have to solve this before we're done here, but let's put it off just a little bit longer.
The grey doorway in the north-east corner leads into a very familiar place...
If you didn't recognise it as the sixth and final rock cave, then you haven't been paying enough attention.
Of course, this one's a little different. It's plot relevant!
Uh... That... That sounds bad.
Hey, about that girlfriend of yours... (If you don't have Passchat, guess who gets to go back to the Clubhouse and talk to Harmony!)
...You heard a girl's voice from inside the cave?
...there is my precious sweetheart... Spat has her locked away in there... That's why I have to do whatever Lord Spat says.
I feel for ya, buddy. I'm sure Hamtaro and Bijou will do their best to rescue her.
...It would seem that Bijou's patience has finally reached its limit.
After that little conversation, any attempt to interact with Spat's unwilling minion will bring up a wopping eight options to try on him.
That will open the gate and keep it that way!But before we get into that, I'm just going to go ahead and try the sliding puzzle.
Step on the button to start, then just move Hamtaro around until you get it.
I'll spare you from watching me flail about with this; enjoy this charming picture of Spat instead.
Don't worry about it too much, bud. We'll have you and your girlfriend out of Spat's grubby paws in no time!
Of course, we still need to convince him of that... Let's show all the wrong choices first, top to bottom.
Sesam-E
ChukChuk
That's... unimaginable... Unimaginable!!Blanko
Heh... Okay, I guess those weren't exactly helpful suggestions. We can do better.
Trust-T
Me? I'm just... I'm just...
Okay... Not quite what I was hoping for.
Minglie
Haaa... Try that elsewhere...Twirlie
Huh? ...That looks fun...Fend-D
I just couldn't... I'm such a loser!Well, that's all the wrong choices. Some of them could have worked, but others were just completely inappropriate. Now, the correct answer:
Libert-T
Of course not... That would be cruel!
You have to let us in so we can confront Spat, or we won't be able to do anything!
I'm sure Hamtaro and Bijou will do their very best.
With the way to Spat finally open, it's time to end his villainy once and for all!
...Fancy!
Yo, Spat! What's up?
I have nothing to add to this.
So you've uncovered what WAS my secret base. How unruly of you.
Bring it on, Spat! Whatever you've got, Hamtaro and Bijou can take it!
For my two favorite pals, why don't I unroll a little sneak peak, pfpth!
...Suddenly, I feel like we've made a grave mistake.
By the Nine! What is that?!
Meet my secret weapon. The Haminator 3000!
This is... kind of surreal.
The rest is unnecessary! Victory isn't too far away now, pfpth!Oh boy... Uh...
Take that!
...Well, we're screwed.
This really blows...! I'm not sorry.
Bwaa haa haaa!...Why hello, hubris.
That could have definitely gone better, but at least Spat was kind enough to share something with us.
Come on, Bijou. You're smarter than that.
What? Do you know what it is? Yeah... I'm sure I heard that some hamster named Harmony makes them. I think that's her name.Ah... So, Harmony might finally do something aside from teach our heroes self-made Ham-Chats and tell them to chase Spat.
I could end the update here, but I think we should see this through to the end. We have to take Spat down for good!
Also, note that the drawbridge squashed the grass when it opened, so we have access to the last Ham Boutique now.
Back at the Clubhouse, Snoozer still knows the score. Let's take his advice and head upstairs.
Harmony will still give her usual 'Spat's location' spiel if we talk to her normally, so...
Let's pretend to throw in the towel.
Was Spat really that strong?
This game's dialogue...
Anyway, yes; we need something special to defeat Spat.
We actually need Harmony's help for something. (Gasp!)
Love Shot. Do you know what that is, Harmony?
Let me see your love meter for a sec.
As you can see, this thing is looking pretty full.
Presumably, you need a minimum amount of love in order to create the Love Shot. If I had to guess, I would say the cut-off is most likely fifteen (just enough to make the meter's contents turn red).
...These are the magic words that Harmony created herself. Don't steal them!
Okay, that one I am sorry for.
Now Spat's in trouble!
With Bijou and Harmony's full support...
...and the power of the mystical Love Shot...
<Music: None!>It's time to take Spat down!
The Haminator 3000 is unstoppable, pthfth!Heheheh... Are you sure about that?
Hmmm, I think he's scared.
Oh boy... Here goes nothing!
The final boss fight against Spat is really something else, to be honest. It's harder to beat him than you may expect! (Especially with any sort of recording lag.)
Spat will continually fly back and forth along the far side of the room, pausing only to do his gigantic, psychedelic tell. He will then either fire his eye beams (which stun Hamtaro), use a tornado (which instantly ejects you from the fight)... or make the robot laugh, which is the only opening in which to attack.
What makes this fight difficult comes down to just a couple of things; first and foremost is the fact that hitting A to bring down the command menu for Hamscope has a bit of lag to it. Combined that with how short Spat's vulnerability period happens to be, and you almost end up needing to be in Hamscope mode before he's done flashing.
If you do go into Hamscope mode early and find that Spat chooses to use his gust attack instead, be very careful how you try to escape it. Bijou naturally lags behind Hamtaro's movements, and even if it just clips her, you still get ejected.
In short, most attempts to actually use Hamscope end with being blown away.
...Which Spat gets to gloat over.
Yeah, yeah. We're trying here, bud.
Okay, this is it... Once more, with feeling!
Fortunately, Spat decides to play nice this time, laughing on just his second move. (The first was eye lasers.) You have to be careful even now, though; the shot has to go in its open mouth.
It seems those Love Shots pack a surprising amount of punch! It only takes one good hit to finish the fight.
Now, I wonder how Spat fared amongst all those explosions...
Pfffffft... Mmmm-hmmm-hmmm... Hahahahahaha!
Oh man, this is just too good.
I love this game soooo much.
I...I've turned into... Harmony, p-pf...tee hee!!
He has a point. I mean, who would want to be Harmony?
...Yes, we did just send the main villain crying for his mommy.
Totally pooie, Spat.
And with a fantastic 'waa waa waaaaa'-type noise, our devilish antagonist is gone for good.
Of course, someone else is here now that the job's done.
His costume changed, too! What a shock!
Mmm-hmm! I'm kinda sad to see him go, though. He was a truly great villain.
...Some other hamsters, I might not be so sad to see leave.
You were truly marvelous!
Way to go!
And that's it, dear reader. The main story is done, and it's time to watch the credits roll.
It's been a pleasure, truly.
So your next mission is to find those poor hamsters and give them the greatest gift of all... love! Get out there and do your best!♥
Don't worry, I'll be watching over you!
...Bye-Q, everybody. I hope you'll all join me next time, as we work to bring those last few hamsters love, and indulge in other fun post-game stuff!
Bonus video:
It's been wild... and weird.