********************************** *CHU CHU ROCKET (GBA VERSION) FAQ* ********************************** ©2001-present Rusty Jones (jolt0135@aol.com) Version 2.02 Started 2001/12/24 Last Update 2003/04/05 Version History: 1.0-2001/12/25: Whoa, I thought this would take 3-4 days to write. Instead, it took just one. Got all 25 Stage Challenge walkthroughs done, and carved the guidelines for possible improvements in the future. Merry Christmas. 1.0f-2002/01/01: For some strange reason, the underlines used to show certain walls got deleted from the original version. Hopefully it should be fixed now. If not, simply e-mail me, and I'll send you a copy of what it SHOULD look like. 1.4-2002/01/05: I have been informed that underlines will not translate under any circumstances, so I have completely revamped the format of the maps. Also improved a few stage times, and added another site to the "permissible" list. 2.02-2002/08/30: Long time, no update. Still no new modes, but an important victory in the quest to be the official authority for Stage Challenges. The total time is now under 5 minutes--that's an average of less than 12 seconds per puzzle. With that all-important barrier cracked, I think it's time to let everyone share the wealth. 2.5-2003/04/05: After over a year, there's finally been some correspondence. A reader who goes by the name of Dark King has taken up the challenge of improving on 4:59, and all there is left to say is MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Our combined assault has taken 23 seconds off the overall time, and the next major barrier (4:35, or 11 seconds per level) is coming ever closer. DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is written by me. I am allowing you, the reader, to use this document free of charge by reading it off GameFAQs.com or Neoseeker.com. However, if I catch this document at any other website, expect harsh legal action. E-mail me if you see it anywhere else, so that I can make life miserable for the perpetrator. WELCOME TO THE CHUCHU ROCKET RESORT! THOUSANDS OF CATS, MICE, AND GAMING FANATICS TRAVEL HERE EACH YEAR TO RELAX AND PLAY THEIR FAVORITE GAME, CHUCHU ROCKET! ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU STAY AWAY FROM THE KAPUKAPUS, BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IF THEY EAT YOU ALIVE! Let me introduce you to this FAQ. Right now it is strictly a Stage Challenge guide, helping you navigate the Stage Challenge stages as fast as possible. In the future, I might add other features, but for now it is an in-depth FAQ on one mode only. CONTROLS D-Pad = Move cursor The controls for placing arrows can be selected at the Options menu: Rotate A/B = If you're new to the game, and you're more worried about precision than speed, try Rotate A/B. Pressing A repeatedly will change the arrow from U-R-D-L, and B will do D-L-U-R. Try to rid yourself from this control scheme as soon as possible if you want to succeed in 4- Player mode. A and + = Ugh. This method is just horrible. In order to place an arrow, you must hold A, then move the D-Pad the direction you want an arrow. That means there's no on-the-move arrow placement when you use this mode. Stay away. Pro = Definitely the most efficient method, Pro can also be confusing in the hands of a beginner. A places up arrows and B places down arrows, just like Rotate A/B, but left arrows must be placed with L and right arrows with R. This one wins the votes of advanced players because you can place any arrow with just one button press, and you can even place arrows while moving. All of my Stage Challenge times were achieved with Pro mode. MAP KEY | or _ = Wall (Other symbols removed due to formatting issues. I will now list where everything is below each map.) Each map is a 12 x 9 grid. This document will label it as follows: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 2 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 3 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 4 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 5 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 6 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 7 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 8 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| 9 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_| with an invisible space off-screen between, say, L1 and A1, or E1 and E9 (a quirk about these spaces is that a cat and a mouse that enter an off- screen space at the same time will pass through each other unharmed, which is used in some Puzzle Mode puzzles). STAGE CHALLENGE The Stage Challenge mode is just one feature of this very expansive game. While it has only 25 puzzles to Puzzle Mode's 2600, those 25 puzzles are timed so you'll be playing again and again trying to get the best times possible. There are 6 different kinds of Stage Challenges: A - Get mice! The object is to lead all the mice into the rockets in under 30 seconds. Easy enough. B - Run away! The same as A, but now there are cats in the arena. If any cat eats a mouse or enters a rocket, you must start over. C - Lunch time! By far the most unorthodox challenge, in this puzzle you WANT the cat to eat all the mice. As usual, you have 30 seconds. Failure results from the death of a cat or mouse. D - 100 mice! In this mode, there are no cats or mice on the board to start. Instead, you have hatches that unleash huge quantities of mice, as well as the occasional (you guessed it) RAMPAGING KITTY! (Only one cat may be in the arena at a time.) You must get 100 mice into your rocket to clear the objective, and any cat that enters will reduce your total by 1/3! Oh yeah, there's also the 30-second time limit. E - Cat soccer! Again, there are hatches, but these hatches ONLY release cats--4 at a time. The object here is to dump the cats into your OPPONENT'S rockets (the red ones). You win if you're in the lead after 30 seconds, or if you can navigate 20 cats into the red rockets before time runs out. Fin - Final battle! There is only one Final Battle stage. It plays much like a 4-Player Battle, but with only 2 players. Cats and mice come out of the hatches, and both players try to get the mice into their rockets and cats into the opponent's rockets. You win this mode if you lead after 30 seconds or if you can amass a 100-point lead before then. STAGE CHALLENGE STRATEGIES In this section I will give hints on how to achieve fast times in the Stage Challenges. Some general tips for all stages: 1. Be fast on the buttons. In order to get some of these times, you need to make FAST adjustments with the D-Pad and buttons. 2. Keep trying. Probably the most useful tip in ANY puzzle game. You aren't going to get too many records without spending a lot of time adjusting your plans. After setting a time, let 3. Luck can play a factor. In the D and Final puzzles, you'll need to get lucky with the timing/position of cats and mice coming out of the hatches. 4. Try and find your own solutions. Obviously I wouldn't write this FAQ if I didn't think my times were good, but I'm not guaranteeing that it's impossible to go lower. In fact, if you find a better solution to any puzzle, e-mail me at the address listed up top and I'll add your name to this FAQ! 5. Remember, arrows disappear once a cat has trampled on them twice (contrary to Puzzle Mode, it doesn't matter what direction the cat approaches it from). Also, only three arrows can be in play at a time (per player). If some of my solutions look redundant at first, it's because of this fact. 6. No, I do not take solicitations. And I do not have Yuji Naka's phone number, so don't try that either. On to the actual levels! A1 My time: 06.08 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | _ | | 2 | _ _ | | 3 | | | | 4 | _| |_ _ _ _| 5 | | |_ _ _ _ _ _| 6 | |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| 7 | | | | | | 8 | | 9 |_ _|_ _ _|_ _|_ _ _|_ _| Rockets: D4, E4 Mice: All of the C7:E9 cell except D8, and all of the H7:J9 cell except I8 Strategy: At the start, move the cursor down-right, landing a Left arrow on H8 as soon as possible. (You'll have to get good at this on-the-spot arrow placing if you want great times.) As soon as that arrow is placed, go left and drop another Left on E8, then start moving up and left. Once all mice from the H7:J9 cell have been directed by the H8 arrow, put a Right on A2 and a Down on D2. Your time should be under 7 easily, but if it's not quite 6.08, keep practicing to get the H8 arrow placed in as few iterations as possible. B1 My time: 03.91 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | _| 2 |_ _ _ _ _ _| 3 |_ _ | | _ | _ | | | 4 |_ _| | | | | | | | | | | 5 | _ _| | | | | | | | | | 6 | |_ _ | |_| | |_| | | | 7 |_ _ _ | _| _| |_| 8 | | 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| Rockets: L1, L9 Cats: A3, L3 Mice: Entire block from E3:J7 except F4, F5, F6, I4, I5, I6 Strategy: From the time I first set 4.13 on B1, the time seemed unbeatable. A year and a half without challenge further boosted the idea. But in the race for times, every stage can potentially be the next .1-second lead. So B1 further strengthened its grasp on "second-fastest stage of all". And the new solution isn't even difficult to pull off: Go right/right-up/right, dropping Up arrows on G4 and I3 as soon as your cursor passes over them. Then go back to G3 and place your third and final Up, and watch the rocket blast off to a clock of 0:27. C1 My time: 05.78 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 |_ _| 2 |_ _| 3 |_ _| 4 | _ _ _ | 5 | | _ _ _ | | 6 |_ _ _| 7 |_ _| 8 |_ _| 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| Cats: H6, K6 Mice: Entire block from A1:F3, plus entire block from F7:L9 Strategy: Start by moving the cursor up-right, and put Down arrows on G3, I2, and I1 so you can direct all those mice without having to wait for a rebound. Move to the bottom and land 3 Up arrows: G7, G8, and G9. To speed up the feeding process, follow with an Up at K6 and Left at K4 to save the mice another two squares. D1 My time: 06.91 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | 2 |_ _| 3 | | 4 | _|_ _ | 5 | | _ | 6 | | 7 |_ _| 8 | | 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| Hatches: L1, L2, A8, A9 Rockets: B4, B5, G4, G5, G6, K4, K5, L4, L5, L6 Strategy: In this and all other "100 mice" puzzles, your first objective should be to find the first cat. That said, find it, then place arrows in three of K1 (Down), K2 (Down), B8 (Up), and B9 (Up), skipping whichever arrow the cat would hit next. When the cat rebounds and heads for an arrow that would lead it into a rocket, place an arrow in its original row, then (if necessary) refresh the arrows on the other side of the board. Once the cat whiffs again, just leave the arrows intact, as you should hit 100 before the cat comes around again. (For the ideal time, the cat should emerge from A8.) E1 My time: 12.38 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | 3 | | | | 4 | | | | 5 | | | | 6 | | | | 7 | | | | 8 | | | | | | 9 |_ _|_ _|_ _ _ _|_ _|_ _| Rockets: Red E1, H1; Blue E9, H9 Hatches: E5, F5, G5, H5 Pits: Entire block from A1:B2, plus entire block from K1:L9 Strategy: A logical opening plan would be to guard your rocket from G8 and H8, or if you're fast, G7 and H7. DON'T DO IT! The better plan is to simply zip up-right, covering G7 as usual with Up...but the next stop is the straight path to H6 (also Up)! Go ahead and sacrifice the H-column cat...by blocking the CPU's Down arrow that would otherwise land at H6, you prevent an unnecessary rundown from taking seconds off the clock. With H6 down, put another Up at G6, as well as one at H2. Now it's time to be nimble on the D-Pad and quick with the eye: As soon as one of your panels disappears, rush to replenish it, then get in position for the next one! Keep it up until your rockets blast. A2 My time: 13.66 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | | 2 | | | 3 |_ _|_ _ _|_ _|_ _| 4 | | | | | 5 | | | | 6 |_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _| 7 | | | | | 8 | | | | 9 |_ _ _|_ _ _|_ _ _|_ _ _| Rocket: B2 Mice: Entire board except B2, B5, B8, E2, E5, E8, H2, H5, H8, K2, K5, and K8 Strategy: 96 mice sounds daunting, but this stage flows rather smoothly. First things first, free a top cell with Right F2. From there it's a smooth down/right to K7. Place an Up arrow there, then move to K6 and H7 for two more. Once all the mice in those cells have been directed, put a Left at J2, followed immediately by a Down at I2. Place a Down at H3 as soon as the J2 arrow has done its job, then immediately land Lefts at G5 and H5. Put a Down at E6 to free that cell, then put Left at D8, followed by Up arrows at B7, B6, then B3 to finish. The hardest part is making sure you don't place arrows so fast that some mice are left stranded in their cells. Just learn how long it takes to empty a cell, and you'll be fine. B2 My time: 12.10 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | _ _ _ | 2 | | | | | 3 | | _ | 4 | | _ | 5 | _ | 6 | _ | _ | | 7 | | | 8 | | _| _ | _ | 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| Rocket: F5 Cats: E2, G2, D4, H4, D6, H6, E8, G8 Mice: A1, B1, C1, L1, B2, D2, I2, K2, L2, B3, D3, L3, I4, K4, I6, K6, A7, B7, D7, A8, B8, D8, I8, K8, A9, J9, K9, L9 Strategy: Start by freeing the four cells of mice by placing an Up at J4, then move to I6 with a Down, get another Down at C7, then an Up at D3. Move down-right and place Right arrows at G6 and H6 until all 8 cats are trapped in the I6:J8 cell. Move around quickly as you put Down at F1, Right at A5, and Up at F9. This will hasten the mice' journey to the rocket. C2 My time: 04.50 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 |_ _ _ _ | 2 | | |_ _ _ | | 3 | | |_ _ _ | | 4 | | |_ _ | | 5 | |_ _| | 6 | |_ _| | 7 | |_ _| | 8 | |_ _| | 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| Cat: F5 Mice: A1, B1, A2, B2, C2, D2, A3, B3, C3, D3, E3, C4, D4, E4, F4, D5 Strategy: Quickly go down-right so you can place a Down at G5 without waiting for the cat to rebound. Continue with Downs at G6, G7, and G8 so all mice and the cat are on the outer path. Now you can put a Right at C9 to speed up the process. When done properly, this stage can be completed in under 5 seconds! D2 My time: 09.40 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | 2 | | _ _ | | 3 | | _ _ | | 4 | | |_ _| | | 5 | | _ _ | | 6 |_ _|_ _|_ _| 7 | | | | 8 | | 9 |_ _ _|_ _ _ _ _ _|_ _ _| Pits: B4, J4 Hatches: E1, F1, G1, H1 Rockets: A1, B1, A2, B2, K1, L1, K2, L2 Strategy: In this stage, you'll take advantage of the fact that only one cat appears at a time. Start with Downs at E6 and H6 (for the best time, you'll want it to approach E6 and emerge as quickly as possible). Once the cat nears one of those arrows, place a Left at F8 if the cat comes from the left, or G8 if the cat comes from the right. The cat is now stuck in the A7:C9 cell, so all the mice are safe! To erase the arrow and limit the number of mice that end up in the cat's cell, place Rights at F6 and G6, a Down at H6, a Right at H8, then an Up at K8. Then you simply watch the counter increase. E2 My time: 18.70 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | _ _ | 2 | | | | 3 | | 4 | | 5 | | 6 | | 7 | | 8 | |_ _| | 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| Rockets: Red F5, G5; Blue F4, G6 Pits: A1, L1, C3, J3, C7, J7, A9, L9 Hatches: C2, B7, J8, K3 Strategy: And in this stage you'll take advantage of the AI. "Start by placing Down arrows on G4 and G2. The G4 arrow is only for stopping the red player to put an arrow there. After putting your arrow there he´ll never touch it. Then as fast as you can put an Left at K5 and a Right a I8. Then keep refreshing the arrows until it´s over." - Dark King. For 18.70, you'll actually end up letting a cat pass right by G2 (don't worry, you can get it with the K5 arrow), then placing Down as soon as it passes to snare the two cats that follow behind it (this way you can freely move to refresh the other arrows). A3 My time: 05.00 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | _ _ _ | | 2 | _ | |_ | | | 3 | | _ | 4 |_ | | | _ _| 5 | | | _ | 6 | _ | | 7 | | _ _ | 8 | |_ _ | _ _ _ | 9 |_ _ _ _ _|_ _ _ _ _ _ _| Rockets: I3, C7 Mice: Entire block from D3:H7, except F5 Pits: H2, I2, J2, K2, J3, C4,I5, K6, I8, J8, K8 Strategy: EASY PLAN (5.65): Set a Right at F4, Up at F5, and Up at I4. Then wait. HARD PLAN (5.00): You must place the arrows in the order F5 (Up), F4 (Right), I4 (Up). Then, QUICKLY run over to D5, put a Right, reverse the cursor's movement while you're pressing the button, and THEN replace your first three arrows in the same order. This might take you 100 tries to complete, but it has been done. B3 My time: 07.60 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | _ _ _| | 2 | _ _ _ _ _| 3 | _ _ _| | 4 | _ _ _ _ _| 5 | _ _ _| | 6 | _ _ _ _ _| 7 | _ _ _| | 8 | _ _ _ _ _| 9 |_ _|_|_ _| _ _ _ _ _| Rockets: K1, K3, K5, K7 Pits: L1, L3, L5, L7, L9 Cats: G2, G6, F7, G7, F8 Mice: C1, C2, A3, C3, D3, A4, B4, D4, E4, A5, B5, D5, E5, B6, E6, C7, C8, C9 Strategy: Start with Right arrows at G4 and F4 to lead four cats into the pit, then claim the fifth at G6. Immediately head up-left to place Rights at A4, B4, and C4. After the cats pass K4, but before the mice do, go ahead and place Up there, then finish the job at D4 and E4. C3 My time: 09.28 KNOWN RECORD: 09.11 (Dark King) Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | _ _ _| | | | | | | 2 | | | |_ _| | | | | 3 | |_ _ _| _ | |_ _| | 4 |_ _ _|_| |_|_ _ _| 5 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _| 6 | _ _ _| | | | | | | 7 | | | | _| | | | | 8 | |_ _ _| _ _ | | _| | 9 |_ _ _ _|_|_ _|_|_ _ _ _| Cat: A5 Mice: A1, B1, C1, D1, E1, H1, I1, L1, A2, E2, H2, I2, L2, A3, E3, F3, G3, H3, I3, L3, A4, B4, C4, D4, E4, H4, I4, J4, K4, L4, A6, B6, C6, D6, E6, H6, I6, L6, A7, E7, H7, I7, L7, A8, E8, F8, G8, H8, I8, L8, A9, B9, C9, D9, E9, H9, I9, J9, K9, L9 Strategy: This puzzle requires a lot of precision if you want a good time. Begin by setting up a Right on E3, Down at G3, and Left at H3. The top H is now free. Go right for a Down at K4 and Up at J9 to free both U's. The bottom H is tricky, as if you move too fast, some mice will be stuck there or in the bottom U, wasting time. Approach it just like the top one; that is, H8 (Left), F8 (Up), E8 (Right). Then, place Lefts at F5 and G5 so the mice formerly in the "H's" will run into the cat quickly. To finish off the "C's", put Ups at B4, B5, and B6, and put Left at C4 once the bottom C is liberated. Then wait. IF you've pulled everything else off, that is. D3 My time: 19.23 KNOWN RECORD: 18.83 (Dark King) Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 2 3 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Rocket: A9 Pits: A1, B2, C3 Hatches: A2, B3, C4 Strategy: This one can get very frustrating. Find the first cat as usual, and place Downs at two of K1, K2, and K3 (excluding, of course, the one in the path of the cat). After the cat passes column K, fill in the third arrow. Once the next cat comes, put a Down at J4 to erase one of your arrows. If the cat is headed for one of the arrows that didn't get erased, place arrows where they DID get erased, until there is no arrow in the cat's path. Just like in D2, your cue is when the hatches stop spurting mice. Place Downs at J4, I5, and G6. Once all the mice have hit the J4 arrow, place two more Downs (at I7 and H8) and all 100 mice will make it. Getting a low time depends on luck, as usual (preferably, the cat should come down the same path both times). E3 My time: 30.00 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | | 2 | | 3 |_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _| 4 | | | | | 5 | | 6 |_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _| 7 | | | | | 8 | | 9 |_ _ _|_ _ _|_ _ _|_ _ _| Rockets: Red F1, A6; Blue I4, L7 Hatches: A1, A9, L1, L9 Strategy: You'll need to play defense here. Put Up arrows at B7 and Lefts at B6 (alond with Down B3) so you can score, but be sure to divert the L9 hatch (perhaps with a Left at J8) so you don't get your L7 rocket torn to shreds. Usually the match comes down to four cats stuck in the J1:L3 cell, and it's far too risky to let them out. I haven't yet found a way to score 20 goals within the time limit, but if anyone does, e-mail me about it (my address is at the top of the document). A4 My time: 07.81 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | _ _ | 2 | | | | | 3 | |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ | | 4 | | | | 5 | |_ | _ _ _| | 6 | | | | | 7 | |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ |_ | 8 | | | | 9 |_ _|_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _|_ _| Rockets: C8, D8, C9, D9 Mice: D1, F1, H1, J1, L1, L3, L5, L7 Pits: A9, B9, G5, G7, G8 Strategy: Your mice are headed for a pit. What to do? Rush up and save them! If you're fast, you can put an Up arrow at A2 without losing mice. Next, tap R like mad while moving right across row 1 to speed things up. You must now (quickly, of course) place a Down at I1 and Right at I2. Head down to J4 and place a Left, then a Down at F4 and Right at F6 and the mice (or "mouse", since all the mice will be on the same space if you've done it right) will get there easily. B4 My time: 11.28 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | | | | 2 | _| _| _| _| _| _| 3 | _ _ | 4 | | _ |_ |_ | 5 | | | _ | _ | 6 | | | _ | _ | _| 7 |_| _ _ _ _ _ | 8 | | | | | | | 9 |_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _| Cat: L7 Rocket: L3 Mice: A1, C1, E1, G1, I1, K1, B2, D2, F2, H2, J2, L2, E4, I4, C5, F5, G5, J5, K5, D6, H6, L6, A8, C8, E8, G8, I8, K8, B9, D9, F9, H9, J9, L9 Strategy: At first glance, this looks hard because there's no stowaway spot for the cat, but once you know what to do, it's actually easy. Head down after placing an Up arrow at F4. Set another Up at E7, then when the cat passes between H7 and G7, it's time to stick it in an isolated cell! Continue on to B8, D8, F8, H8, J8, and L8, placing Up arrows at each one, and the D8 arrow will cause F4 to disappear and prevent the cat's escape from the E4:F5 cell. On to the middle row of cells. Place more Ups at L5, J5, H5 (after all the bottom-row mice have hit L8, of course), and then D5. The top row is tricky, and if you don't pace yourself, you'll end up with trapped mice that will waste time. Set up a Down arrow on A2, then hurry to A3 (Right) to free that cell. Perform the same maneuver in columns C, E, G, I, and K for the win. C4 My time: 06.68 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | 2 |_ _| | 3 | _ _| 4 | | | 5 | | 6 |_ _ _ _ _ _|_ _| 7 | | | | | 8 | | 9 |_ _ _|_ _ _|_ _ _|_ _ _| Cat: A2 Pits: Entire block from J1:L3, plus B3, F3, H3, I3, A4, E4, G5, H5, A6, C6, F6, and I6 Mice: Entire block from A7:L9 except B8, E8, H8, and K8, plus entire block from J4:L6 except K5 Strategy: If you're fast, you can intercept the cat's path with a Down arrow as early as C2, but don't. The stage is a lot less strenuous if you wait for D2. You must then put a Right at D5 and Down at E5 so the cat can reach its treasure unharmed. Put Right arrows at E8, C8, and D8 in that order. When the E8 arrow has completed its job, move an arrow to G8, then finish things off with Ups at K8 and K7, and a quick Down at K6. Reload the arrows as soon as they disappear. D4 My time: 11.73 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 |_ _ _|_ _ _ _|_ _ _ _| 5 _ _ _|_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 | | | | 7 | | | 8 | | | 9 |_ _ _ _|_ _ _ _|_ _ _ _| Rockets: J7, K7, J8, K8 Pits: B2, C3, F2, G3, B7, C8, F7, G8 Hatches: J2, K2, J3, K3 Strategy: Treat this stage much like you did D2. Start with an Up arrow at H2, then set a Left at I2. As soon as the cat walks across these arrows (getting itself stuck in the E1:H4 cell), head left, placing Left arrows at G4, F4, and E4 for the sole purpose of making the other arrows disappear. Next, set an Up at A3, and move the cursor all the way across the screen. There should be almost 100 mice in the I1:L4 cell at this point, and any that aren't there will get there by the time you're done, so place a Right at L3 (guiding them into the Up at A3). Put a Left at C5, and after all 100 mice have run over to the other side of the screen and been directed by the A3 arrow, put a Down at C4. Zip over to the other side yet again, and put a Down at K5 to score all the mice. You might have to wait for some mice to hit the D5/E5 wall and come back (though the best time is achieved when this doesn't happen), but you've done it! E4 My time: 19.33 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L 1 _|_ _|_ 2 | _|_ | 3 _|_ | _|_ 4 | | _|_ 5 _|_ _|_ | 6 | _|_ | 7 | _|_ 8 _|_ _|_ | 9 | | Rockets: Red E7, K5; Blue F3, A9 Hatches: G2, L4, F6, B8 Strategy: There are no outer walls here, so at first you might think this is just a random, hectic stage. But you can get to 20 goals before time expires, and it's actually quite orderly. "Begin with an Up at E8 before the first cat passes. Then a Right at D7 and finally a Down at G6. Don´t let any cat away, so keep on refreshing those arrows." - Dark King A5 My time: 16.26 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | |_ | | 2 | | | | | | | 3 | | | | _| | | 4 | | | | | | _| 5 | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | 7 |_ | |_ | |_ | | 8 | | | | | | | 9 |_ _ _ _|_ _ _ _|_ _ _ _| Rocket: B1 Mice: K1, K2, K3, K4, L1, L2, L3, L4, I8, J8, I9, J9 Pits: A3, B6, C5, D8, E2, F4, F5, F6, G8, H5, I3, J5, K8, L5 Strategy: In this stage, being quick is more than just the key to a fast time...it's necessary to complete the stage regardless of time. Quickly set up a Down at K4 and Right at K6, then while you're waiting, put a Left at J7. Once exactly 6 of the 8 mice have entered the I8:J9 cell, put an Up at J9, then a Right at I4. AS SOON AS the last mouse hits the J7 arrow, set an Up arrow on J4, then move to H1 and lay a Down arrow. Next, put a Down at G3 and Right at G6, and prepare for an even LONGER stretch of quick motion. Before the mice enter the E8:F9 cell, put a Left at F7 to set up. Go with an Up at F9, then quickly send arrows to E3 (Right), F3 (Up), D1 (Down), D6 (Left), and C6 (Down). Now you COULD relax for a few seconds, but there's a record at stake! No breaks until the puzzle's over! Put Up at B9, Left at B7, Right at A5, and Up at B5. Now, and only now, you've completed this very tedious puzzle. Are you happy yet? B5 My time: 06.30 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 |_ _ | 2 | _ _ _| | 3 | _ | | 4 | | | 5 | | 6 | | _ | 7 | _| _ _ _ | 8 | |_ _| 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| Rockets: F4, G6 Cats: C3, D3, G3, F7, I7, J7 Mice: B8, C8, D8, E8, F8, H9, I9, J9, K9, L9 Strategy: Noooooooo! It's the dreaded B5 stage, easily the hardest Stage Challenge to figure out! You'd think that if a stage was this hard, I wouldn't be able to get anywhere NEAR 6.3 seconds on it...and yet that is indeed the case. Start by placing Down arrows at C5 FIRST, then C4. Move down-right and put more Downs at H6 and I6 (the C4 panel would have otherwise disappeared at this point, which is why it's important to get C5 down first). To finish off, put a Left at H4, then Downs at H2 and H1. You now have my permission to slap Sonic Team for making this stage. C5 My time: 11.45 KNOWN RECORD: 10.93 (Dark King) Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | _ _| 2 |_ _ |_ _| _ _| 3 | | | |_ | 4 | _| _ | | _ | 5 | | | |_ | 6 | _ | | | | 7 |_ _|_ _| _|_ _| 8 | | | | | 9 |_ _ _|_ _ _ _ _ _|_ _ _| Cat: L9 Mice: Entire block from A8:F9, plus A1, B1, C1, A2, B2, C2, G1, H1, I1, G2, H2, and I2 Pits: B4, C4, A6, B6, D1, E2, F2, E3, E4, E6, D7, G4, H5, G6, I8 Strategy: If you're thinking about bringing the cat to the mice, don't. Remember that mice move 50% faster than cats, so bring the mice to the cat instead! Begin with Up arrows at B8 and B3, then when the first mouse reaches B3, place a Right on B2. Get ahead of the mice and put Down D2 and Right D5. Move to E7, but don't put a Down arrow there until all the mice have hit the arrow at B2. Next, set a Right at F9, then go ahead and immediately put Up at F9. You now have to hurry in placing a Right at H7 and an Up at H3 so you don't lose any mice. Once that's done, you can move to the final cell. Put a final Up at H2 and a Down arrow at K1. NOW you can finally bring the cat into the action, so place Up at either K8 or K9, followed by Right at K7 and watch the cat finish its lunch. (Dark King's 10.93 manages to catch the cat at K8; my 11.45 represents a K9 Up arrow.) D5 My time: 18.61 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | | | | 2 |_ | _| _| _| _| 3 | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | 6 | _|_| |_| |_| |_| | 7 _ ¯ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Rockets: B1, C1, B2, C2 Hatches: F1, H1, J1, L1 Pits: E1, G1, I1, K1, B3, C3, C8, D8, H8, K8, F9 Strategy: This one is pretty tough. Begin with Down arrows on E2, G2, and I2 (in that order). Don't worry about a cat coming--there's only one of it, and three collection chambers. After about 5.5 seconds, you'll want to empty them, so land Right arrows on two of E3, G3, and I3 (working left-to-right), obviously skipping whichever column the cat is in. Then make the mouse rescue official with Up at C7 and Right at C6. Immediately refresh the Down arrow at E2, and once the other two arrows have done their job, replace G2 and I2 as well. Your first collection should bring in 45-55 mice. After 12-15 seconds have elapsed, depending on how good you want your time to be (although the less you wait, the more you risk coming up short), it's time to cash in the collection chambers once again. If you're lucky, you now have 100 mice. If not, there's still time for a quick third round of mouse collection, in case you just want to complete the level. Fin My time: 03.13 Map: A B C D E F G H I J K L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 | | | 2 | | 3 | R B | 4 |_ H H | 5 | _| 6 | H H | 7 | R B | 8 | | 9 |_ _ _ _ _ _|_ _ _ _ _ _| Rockets: Red D3, D7; Blue I3, I7 Hatches: F4, G4, F6, G6 Strategy: Your time here is almost completely a matter of luck. Place a Down on I6, Right at F7, and Right at G3, then wait. It took almost 500 tries to achieve 3.13, and here's the ideal setup: Start with the Right at G3, and hope for the Mystery Mouse right away. As soon as you can, go for the I6 and F7 arrows, so that when Mouse Mania begins, you have a 3-to-1 hatch advantage. Get a Gold Mouse or two, and blast off. CURRENT OVERALL STAGE TIME: 4'36"07 AVERAGE PER STAGE: 11.0428 seconds YOU'RE DONE WITH ALL THE STAGES! VISIT OUR SOUVENIR SHOP SOMETIME! If you have any questions that I have not addressed, or Stage Challenge times that are faster than mine, e-mail me. My address is . Got that? CREDITS: Me: For playing ChuChu Rocket, completing each stage several hundred times to try and find the best solution, writing down how I did so, and making the results public. Now in less than five minutes. Dark King: For being the first player with meaningful feedback. You: For giving me a reason to write this. Yuji Naka: For agreeing not to quit Sega way back in 1990, resulting in the creation of Sonic Team, the developers of ChuChu Rocket All the ChuChus and KapuKapus out there: For keeping me busy ever since June 8, 2001 CJayC: For...oh, wait, don't you already know what goes here? So he hosts a website that has about half a million guides for this and other games...what's the big deal? Sega: For failing miserably in the console wars, enabling them to port their hit games to other systems that I own (hopefully they won't flop at that) Any of the 7,000,000 or so people that have helped create anything I've used in the making of this guide: For doing whatever you did THIS IS THE END OF YOUR STAY AT THE CHUCHU ROCKET RESORT. FORM A SINGLE-FILE LINE, AND EXIT ON YOUR RIGHT. COME AGAIN SOME DAY!