___ ____
/ _ \ _ _ _ / __ \ ____ ________
/ / \_)( \ / | / ) / /_/ / / __ \ (___ __)
( ( \ \ / | / / ( ___/_ / /_/ / | |
\ \__ \ \/ /||/ / \ \__/ )( ___/_ | |
\__ \ \__/ (__/ \____/ \ \__/ ) | |
\ \ ___ ___ \____/ (_) ____
_ ) )( ) ( ) ______ ___ ___ / __ \
( \_/ / | | | | / \ / | / | / /_/ /
\___/ | |____| | / \ / _ | / _ | ( ___/_
| ____ | ( / / / / | | / / | | \ \__/ )
| | | | \ / / / | | / / | | \____/
| | | | \_____/ / / | |/ / | |
(___) (___) / / (_____) (___)
(__)
__________________________________________________________________
FAQ/Walkthrough v.1.0
By Deathspork
jtw030283@hotmail.com
http://www8.50megs.com/nesretreat
__________________________________________________________________
________
Contents
________
-INTRO
-History
-Storyline
-How To Play
-General Tips
-WALKTHROUGH
-Area 1 * Beginning to East Garden
-Area 2 * Room of 2 Armors to Yamamura
-Area 3 * Yamamura to Mamiya's Bedroom
-Area 4 * Collect the Special Items and Defeat Mamiya
-EXTRAS
-Movie
-FAQ
-WRAPPING IT UP
-About This FAQ
-Credits
-Legal
*********************************
*********************************
** INTRO **
*********************************
*********************************
_______
History
_______
Sweet Home was released to the Japanese market in December of
1989. I have no idea how big of a hit it was (though judging from
the games quality I assume it was huge), and the game was never
released to foriegn markets. This was understandable, as the game
has some horrific scenes that seem risquè even for todays
standards. Even if it hasn't been released here, Sweet Homes
influence can be seen in other Capcom games such as Biohazard and
Resident Evil. In fact you can see many things in Sweet Home which
are in Resident Evil, including the now-classic door opening
scene, and it's clearly evident that it had a great influence on
the RE series. So in effect, Sweet Home invented the survival-
horror genre. The would-be classic went unknown to U.S. gamers,
except for a few lucky famicom players who could understand kanji
well. Then in 1999 a project was started on an english translation
patch by Gaijin Productions (http://gaijin.romhacking.com) and it
was released on June 15th 2000, instantly sending a surge of
Sweet Home mania to NES players trying it for the first time (at
least in my corner of the gaming world).
_________
Storyline
_________
Sweet Home follows the adventure of 5 brave treasure seekers,
Akiko, Emi, Asuka, Kazuo and Taro. They are in search of a famous
fresco created by the late famous painter, Mamiya Ichirou. What
seems like a weak boring plot at first, soon turns into a truely
horrifying, blood curdling, spine tingling just plain SCARY plot,
brought forth to the player through notes and diary entries left
behind by mansion residents and others seeking the paintings.
One important note: As much as Akiko and Asuka look like males,
they are in fact female. It's true, so keep that in mind in case
you rename them. Don't make the same mistake I did :)
___________
How To Play
___________
A = confirm/ menu
B = cancel/ status
D pad is for movement (obviously)
Start = pause
Select is not used
Seems like your basic RPG controls, but this game is tricky. Each
character has thier own unique item, which they keep throughout
the game. Kazuo has a lighter, Emi has a key which will open most
doors, Akiko has a medical kit, Asuka a vacuum and Taro a camera.
In addition, each person can carry only 2 other items in thier
inventory, as well as one weapon.
I've got a lot of questions about how to get items, so listen up.
Simply face the item you want, pull up the menu and go to 'item',
then go to 'move', then pick the slot in your inventory to move it
to. If you choose an occupied slot, the current item in the slot
will be switched and kept laying there.
The game lets you split and team your 5 party members as you
choose, with up to 3 people in a party at once. To switch
characters pull up the menu and choose 'party' and then the person
you wish to take control of. To team up with another member go to
'team' on the menu, when facing them.
Battles are random, and the view is Dragon Warrior-esque. In
battle mode, 'attack', well, attacks, 'run' will give that person
about a 50/50 chance of escaping battle, 'pray' will call up the
pray meter and can deal more damage, but takes pray points, 'tool'
calls up your items and 'call' lets you switch to another party
who can help you in battle, it is possible to fight using all 5
characters.
The pray meter is much like a punting meter in football games and
has many more uses outside of battle. Using the 'look' command on
certain objects calls up a shadowgate-type screen where with a
few options, including pray. 'Talk' is of course used to talk to
the few living beings found in Mamiyas mansion.
Like all RPG's, you can build levels. This system is pretty basic,
you cannot check your needed experience to get to the next level,
and level 20 is the maximum. Although building levels does make
your attacks more powerful, there is another aspect, attack power,
which is seperate from experience points and builds up as you
fight more battles.
It is smart to keep your entire entourage fairly close together,
because you never know when someone will be poisoned, frozen etc.
and need the help of Akiko's med kit. If Akiko herself is
affected, you can switch to another member and still use the med
kit when touching and facing Akiko.
I think that about covers the controls
____________
General Tips
____________
*Frescos provide important clues, though they are not necessary to
find. Use the 'look' command when you come across a fresco and
then use the camera to snap its picture, if it is covered in dust
use the vacuum first.
*When you call your team-mates to help with battle, they cannot be
attacked on thier way to join you. Use this to your advantage, if
one party is far behind and you want them caught up but don't want
to deal with all the pesky battles, get party A into a fight it
can easily win and call team B, the team that is behind. Be aware,
though, that the calls time out after about 30 seconds, but you
can use the command as many times as you want (and you shouldn't
have your parties 30 seconds apart anyway).
*Keep your members close to each other, and use a party of 3 and a
party of 2 unless the circumstances call for you to send out a
single person, or you are rearranging parties.
*When in doubt, pray. It has many uses, often when you find an
object requiring the use of the 'look' command. The walkthrough
should tell you when to use it, though.
*Build levels, this is an important tip in any RPG, and in Sweet
Home the strength of the enemies can vary greatly from area to
area. Unless you are one of those "hardcore" RPG fans that think
of taking time to build levels as cheating, build up your levels.
*Remember exactly where you drop each item, as you never know when
you're going to need it. Dropping items will become necessary once
your inventory is bogged down, and it can be very tough deciding
which item to drop when all of them seem important (but the
walkthrough should help with that). If you want to be really
professional about it, write down where you drop important items.
*Save often, and don't think of it as cheating. The game lets you
save anywhere you want ANYWAY, so doing so with the emu is no big
deal. Most emulators don't let you use the in-game save feature.
*If a party member dies, restart from your last save. If for one
reason or another a person dies and your game is stuck like that,
you can always find replacement items to use in thier stead.
Lighter = matches, broom = vacuum, pills = first aid kit, extra
camera = camera, and wire = key.
*If a wood breaks and a party member falls down the hole, simply
use the 'team' function to bring them back out.
*********************************
*********************************
** WALKTHROUGH **
*********************************
*********************************
==================================================================
Area 1
Beginning to East Garden
==================================================================
Items in this area: Fruit Knife x2, Wax Candle x2, Tonic x2,
Silver Knife x2, Oak Spear x2, Wood x8, Old Sword x2, Firex x2,
Broom, Matches, Armor Spear, Gas, Mallet x2, Club, Log
Enemies in this area: Evil Doll, Worms, Zombie, Bats, Skull,
Hound, Grave
---
After the opening bit, you'll find your entire entourage split up
in the main room. Choose how you want your parties to be formed,
it doesn't matter all that much, but if you want an example, I
group Akiko, Taro and Kazuo in one party and Emi and Asuka in the
other. Now after you're all ready to venture forth, use Asuka's
vacuum to clean the glass out of the way of the door.
When you get out, first head into the open door to the left. In
here you see a note, written personally by Mamiya Ichirou, as well
as a "fruit" knife, wax candle and tonic. Get all of these. I
suggest giving the newest weapons to Akiko as she is my main
fighter. Also you come across the first fresco. With Taro in your
party, look at the fresco and use the camera. You will do this a
lot throughout the game. Now after you read the clues, head out of
there.
Now walk over to the door on the right. You will need to use Emi's
key to get inside. Inside, go left and use Kazuos lighter to burn
the rope. Past that you will find 3 woods and a silver knife. Get
everything, continue on to find another room with a wood in it.
Use the wax candle to see in here (don't worry the candle doesn't
burn out). Pick up the wood, and if you want to use one of them
there is an oak spear a little above. Simply use the wood when
touching the chasm, but be careful, the woods only allow a certain
number of passes. OK, now that you're all done, head back to the
big, main room.
Use a wood and cross the chasm, then go to the first open door you
see to your left. Use the vacuum again, you can pick up a fruit
knife, silver knife and another wood if you so choose. Also
there's another fresco, this time use the vacuum to clean it off,
then snap its picture to get the clue and head back out. Going
left once again, there's no need to bother with the first 2 doors
you see. Make it to the last door on the left and use the key. In
the inside hallway, use the lighter to burn the rope again, and
pick up the oak spear. Now walk out and you're on the other side
of the main room. Unlock the second shut door and go inside, to
the big room with a red carpet you may want to do some leveling up
so you can take on the more powerful enemies inside.
In here you should get the second wax candle so 2 parties can have
a light source in the dark areas. There's also a rune spear and
yet another wood. Use the vacuum and go to the above room, in here
you find an old sword, wood and tonic. To the left is a fresco
room, use a wood to reach it. In the fresco room is a wood, rune
axe, log and rope. Dont worry about getting the log and rope, you
wont need them until later and there will be others. You know how
to snap the frescos by now. Back out in the original room, face
the top right corner of the table and get the mallet from
underneath. Now you're ready to head back across the big red-
carpeted room.
When you're back to the big main room with the wooden floor, go
right and unlock the door there, make sure to be packing a wax
candle and use it. Now use the mallet to break the boulders
blocking your way, and continue onward. Look out for the ghosts
flying at you, if they get ahold of a party member they are taken
away from the group and dumped in a random place. Now on your way
to the right door you see a wood, firex, broom and matches. Get
the wood if you want, dont bother with the other stuff. Go inside
and make your way to the right side of the room with 3 doors.
Unlock the middle one and go inside, there you find another fresco
and a shiv (type of knife), go up through a hallway and you find a
rune spear and a blue-colored wood, these don't wear out like the
normal ones do. Use it just right of where you found it, along
with one other wood, and get the flashlight. Now head back out,
and backtrack until you see the "shadows" with red wavy energy.
use your flashlight here and continue up. Make your way right by
using the vacuum, or if Asuka isn't in your party you can use the
stairs. I advise you pick up the tonic here. Just south of the
second stairway is a hall leading to a door, use the vacuum to
clean up the glass and go inside.
It is important to keep your entourage together at this point, as
you will definately need to join parties in battle. Inside is a
dark hallway, on the left side is on un-openable door and 2 rooms
with frescos inside. You can read the frescos if you want to risk
losing some life, flames cover the room as soon as you cross the
seal in the center. On the right is a room with a knights armor
on the right blocking the way to the east garden. The fresco clues
advise you to find a spear, look just across the hall in the top
fresco room, use the firex item to disperse the flames and cross
the room to the left side. You see a skeleton, a note written in
blood on the wall, and a suit of armor. Look at the armor and then
pray (you will have to use at least about 20 pray points), a spear
falls out of the armors hands. Now you should know what to do, go
across the hall and look at the armor blocking the way, give the
armor spear to it, and after that pray. Lightning strikes and an
opening appears to the east garden.
Use the mallet to destroy the boulders blocking the way. Now, to
get inside the first building, you will need either Kazuo or Asuka
and Emi (though it is advisable to have your entire entourage in
the garden). Inside you find the generator, but it wont start. You
need to find some gas, which is in the second building just east
of there. You also find a rope and a tonic, make sure to pick up
the rope before you leave the area. Now go out and make your
way to the second building, in which you find the gas and an extra
mallet. You won't need another mallet, so dont worry about that,
get the gas and go back and use it on the generator, then switch
the generator to 'on'. Now all the lights will be turned on! No
more pesky candle light ventures. Backtrack all the way back to
the room where you found the first mallet and now you can go in
the above door.
==================================================================
Area 2
Room of 2 Armors to Yamamura
==================================================================
Items in this area: Pick x2, Long Sword, Silver Axe, Diary, Soul
Sword x2, Heavy axe x3, Tonic x6, Rune Spear, Log x4, Mallet x2,
Boots, Broom, Matches, Pail, Extra Camera, Wire, Pills, Pipe,
Gloves, Ax, Low Key, Shovel,
Enemies in this area: Armor, MAN!, Wall, Bane, Hound, Mirror,
Corpse, Maniac
---
Going into the second area, we first come across a blue room with
2 "armors" running around, and if they touch you, you are put into
battle. They are tough, try to avoid them if you are not at least
at level 8. Go on through the long hallway, ignore the cat, it has
no significance whatsoever. You come to a room with a giant hole
in the floor, and 2 pegs on the edge of it.
In this area, you must watch out for a very terrible threat, a
very rambuctious hellion, waiting to pour his unending hellacious
wrath upon you at every turn, the vengeful hideous creature known
only by those who have survived an encounter with him as..... MAN!
Heh heh heh, actually men are a good enemy to build levels on.
Unlock and enter the room above the giant hole. Note the sticky
stuff on the floor, having any character walk more than 4 spaces
in this gunk will trap them, and then you must use another party
to rescue them. Inside you find a pick, the locked diary, silver
axe and long sword. You wont need the pick for a pretty long time,
but I suggest getting the superior weapons.
Right about here I like to take about a half hour and just build
levels. The men give a good 35 experience points and are not that
hard, when you get up to about level 10 you can take on the armors
safely with a 3 person party without getting hit. I get everyone
to a minimum of level 11 (Akiko up to 14) and then head up and
left, use the lighter to burn the rope. You see another pick on
your way out, again don't worry about it. Unlock the door and head
out. Now you will come to what looks like a balcony overlooking
a forest. This is called the 'veranda', remember that. On the
ledge is a note that could very well be credited with giving the
Resident Evil series its name, as it mentions the "residing evil"
within the mansion.
From there go down the veranda, use the vacuum to get the glass
up, and enter the room at right, next to the four statues. From
inside that room, watch out for the flying ghosts once again and
head for the above room. In there is a soul sword on the right
side, get it. The room is full of armors and sticky floor, both of
which you should be familiar with by now. Go on ahead and you find
a soul sword and a heavy axe, both of which you should get, but
are also in the midst of the sticky floor. Plan it out to where
you don't walk over more than 4 spaces. Pass under the small
walkway on the right side, unlock the door there and go inside,
go through the middle room, there is a tonic if you need it and a
rune spear as well, after that head down and unlock another door,
just through that you find the ladder. Take the ladder and
backtrack to the room with the big hole in it, now use the ladder
on the 2 pegs and you can travel down below.
From the point that you see four square stones, travel up and to
the left. If you go in the first door, you see a rope along with
a room full of water. To keep from getting swept away, cross the
water and push down the statue along the bottom. Then you can
walk around freely, use the mallet to break the large head
statues. You wont need to enter this room, but there are rooms
similar to this.
Past the open door, use the vacuum and enter the first door you
see after that. Get the log from inside, it is now time to start
collecting all of the logs you can get your hands on. Mirrors are
all around, if you get close to them you will have to fight them,
and then you can smash them with the mallet. On the lower end of
the room is a fresco room with a mallet, tonic and heavy axe, but
watch out for the gushing water (also take notice of the note
written in blood). There's also a water room with 2 entrances,
and a pick inside (the pick will be needed later on in the game).
The mirror to break is along the top, last one to the right. This
opens up a hidden passage to the fountain room. Make sure to get
the log, then look in the above room. In there is another fresco,
log, matches and broom, the latter 2 not needed unless someone in
your party has died (the broom replaces the vacuum and the
matches replace the lighter). After all of that, go back down and
look at the fountain, then look twice at it. It will ask you to
drink of the fountain, do so and the water turns blood red. Exit
that room through the passage just left of the one you entered
from.
Now you come to a bedroom. Get the pail, log, and tonic if you
need it. Go back to the fountain of blood, look at it and use the
pail, it will fill it up with the blood. Now go back and use the
pail of blood on the green statue blocking the way, and venture
forward. In the long hallway you find an extra camera, pills, wire
and a pipe. It isn't necessary to get any of them. The mirrors
have no significance either, just go until you come out the other
side and you find yourself by the lake.
When you enter you see the ax through a thick bunch of thorns, but
you can't cross them yet. Go down and use a log to get to the
bottom part of land, it will let you know exactly where by saying
"If only we had a bridge...". Once you cross over, get the gloves,
use them and then cross back and get the ax. Now you can hack down
the branch that is blocking the top passage, and explore the rest
of the lake area. After using the last log, you should have 3 more
left, that's how many you'll need here.
Go around the lake, using each log when you come to a point where
you need to cross, always use them in a place where they will be
parallel with a bush. Don't worry about making the crossing on the
far left side of the lake, instead make your way to the center
where you see 2 paddle boats. The boats only hold 2 party members,
get inside and head for the south end, where you should pick up
the shovel, then row towards the small island in the middle where
the memorial tower is located. Look at the tower, then use the
shovel. It won't do anything, but after that pray. The tower comes
down and nothing but a hole is left, look at it again and it
reveals the low key. Take the key and get out of there.
==================================================================
Area 3
Yamamura to Mamiyas Bedroom
==================================================================
Items in this area: Bow x2, Long Sword x2, FireX x3, Pipe, Heavy
Axe, Rope, Tonic x7, Tool, Wood x3, Mace x2, Pitchfork x2, Gem,
Flash Sword x2, Diary Key, Rune Axe, Silver Cutlass, Blue Candle
x2, Rope x2, Bow, Pills, Wire, Matches, Extra Camera, Broom, Shiny
Spear x2, Ruby Ring, Jade Ring, Pick x2
Enemies in this area: Ghoul, Corpse, Wraith, Madman, Skeleton,
Ghoul+ (upside down ghoul), Knight, Wolf
---
Travel back through the long hallway to the bedroom. When you get
there, a mysterious stranger is waiting for you. He seems stunned
that you have the low key, reveals that his name is Yamamura, and
asks you to follow him. Whoever is in the head of your party will
split from the rest of the group, and you will be unable to team
up or pick up items. As you follow Yamamura, he clears a path back
through the fountain room and to the room where you first entered
from the ladder, all the while dropping off vital bits of the
storyline. When you reach the four square stones, Yamamura hints
that the opening to the basement is around this area, and then is
mysteriously attacked by a ghost. At this point you get complete
control back.
Team back up and search the area that Yamamura cleared. In the
large room just above, you find the bow on the left side, as well
as a fresco. On the right side is a long sword and a fireX, but
watch out for the Indiana Jones-esque boulder that rolls out at
you. Outside, you can unlock 2 more rooms, each housing a fresco.
Items found here include a pipe, another bow, long sword, heavy
axe, rope and a tonic. When you're all done here go back to the
blue statue that Yamamura pushed outside, and push it back inside
and into the fountain of blood. This reveals the tool. Take the
tool and go back between the 4 square stones and use it. This
opens up a staircase leading down to the basement.
**IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE**
Don't lose the tool. You can drop it off to free up inventory,
but make sure you remember exactly where you drop it.
Have Emi in your party so you can unlock the doors. Don't bother
with the first locked door because it will not open at this point,
open the 2 doors accessible to you, use FireX's to banish the
flames and read the frescos. If you travel all the way to the top,
across a small section of the flames and through a hole in the top
right corner, you'll meet a man who says he is looking for a new
shovel. Have the shovel you found around the lake in your
inventory and answer 'yes' to him. He busts the wall open and
water pours out, putting out the fire. Your party is split up
amongst the room, and you are free to roam wherever you want. The
statue that was blocking a door is gone, as well. Re-align your
party and go inside the newly accessible door. Inside, you can
find the flash sword by taking the bottom ratrun. Take the top
one, use a wood to pass the hole and get the Gem.
Now go over to the right side of the room. In the two rooms along
the top you can find 2 particularly interesting notes, and a tonic
as well. Use your Gem to banish the force that is blocking the
right door, and use the low key to open it up. Now you are in a
creepy part of the game. Travel right and then down, use the low
key to open the door. In this room you see 5 coffins. Look at each
one of them, it then asks you if you want to open it. Open them
until you find the one with the diary key. Now travel left through
a long hallway, unlock the door at the end and head out.
Now you can go read the diary if you want to. After that head out
to the veranda (remember, the outside area with the "house of
residing evil" note?) and go all the way down. You now have the
power to push the blue statues, so get those out of the way and
use the bow to cross the chasm. Here you can upgrade with a rune
axe, silver cutlass and a flash sword. Use the low key again to
open the door, watch out for rolling boulders once again. For
the first boulder you can split up your team to hide in the
seperate small crevaces, but I just sacrifice a hit, its only
about 20 HP. When you come to the first fork in the hallways, you
can walk down to find a room where you can pick up a tonic. You
will have to use the pick to walk on the ice, or the bow to cross
though. At the second fork enter the nearest door, inside is
another ice room. Use the pick and walk down and get the first
blue candle.
Continue to the bottom right and a passage leads you to the
servants quarters. From here you can go up to come back out at the
main hallway or downstairs, where you can find the aptly titled
twokeys. You will need Kazuo's lighter and Asuka's vacuum, follow
the passage until the end, where you will see a tonic and a shiny
spear, and just beyond that the twokeys. Watch out for the
spinning blue forces, they will carry one of your party members
off. Back out in the main hallway, continue through the lower
right door. Go up the steps and stick along the bottom, then enter
the first door you see. It's a very small room with rats walking
everywhere, so it's difficult to manuever. Make your way to the
second blue candle and get it, then go down the stairs and get
the ruby ring. Now go back out, just right of there is another
door you can open with the twokeys, but you won't get very far
because someone is blocking the way. Instead go up, ignore the
door on the left because it won't open at this point, open the
door in the middle of the room which leads down, through an ice
room. Down at the bottom go through another door which leads to
Ichirous study. In here you meet up with your old friend Yamamura.
After he's done talking, pick up another cut axe and get the Jade
Ring.
Now go over to the very top right, where you see the 3 blue
statues. Use both blue candles, so as to place them in the hands
of the statues. Now use Kazuos lighter to light them. MAKE SURE
both the Jade Ring and the Ruby Ring are in the same persons
inventory, and use them both. Now go down to the lower right to
the man who wouldn't let you pass before. Look at him, use both
rings, and look at him again. He now disappears. Go up ahead and
be prepared for one of the most shocking and disgusting cut-scenes
possible on 8-bit. You end up at Mamiyas own bedroom. After a
confrontation with the demon herself, you find your party WAY back
to the big red-carpeted room near the beginning. From this point
on, the game becomes a lot more open-ended and non-linear.
==================================================================
Area 4
Collect the Special Items and Defeat Mamiya
==================================================================
Items in this area: Gold Key, Slide x3, Cut Axe x2, Tonic x3,
Silver Cutlass x2, Iron Key, Rope, Pitchfork, Photo, Blue Candle,
Diary, Coffin
Enemies in this area: Giant, Ghoul+, Wolf, Mirror, Ghost
---
Immediately head left and through the fireplace, right here is the
first slide. Now you will more than likely have another party left
behind in the area near Mamiyas bedroom, so switch to that party
and go back into her room, where you can pick up the gold key. With
the gold key, go back to the very first big room, with the wooded
floor, and use it to open a door near the beginning, just left of
a small overpass. In here is the projector room, you must now find
3 seperate slides and place them each in the projector to
progress.
The next slide can be found near the entrance to the East Garden,
use the gold key again and make it through an ice room, and the
slide will be on the other end. The final slide is not far below
the entrance to the projector room, a door there leads to a running
stream of water with some blue statues blocking the way.Move the
statues, cross some briars, and collect the slide, now with all of
the slides, travel back to the projector room. Look at the
projector and use each slide, putting them in. When that is
complete, pray, and a passage is revealed just above. Go up and
you eventually find the iron key, you will need the twokeys to
open a door on the way. There is a cut axe and silver cutlass on
the way as well. From this point on, there are only 5 items you
will need to make it to the final showdown with Mamiya Ichirou.
These are the tool (which you should already have), coffin, diary,
photo, and a third blue candle.
Diary: Simply go to the room where you read the diary, and take it
this time. It is just above where you had to use the ladder.
Tool: You got this much earlier in the game, if you dropped it to
pick up another item, you will have to remember where you put it.
Coffin: This requires a bit of a quest. Go through the fireplace
and use the iron key to open the first gate. Go up until you see
a red stream, you need to let only one person go on ahead, so
choose the strongest member in your party. Always get as far left
on the land as you can, and then cross. The current will move you
downstream, but you will be able to make all of the crossings. You
come across a bit of moving ground as well. When you make it to
the set of spikes at the end, walk through them so you can get to
the very left, and cross, go in the door there to find 6 seperate
coffins. You can only take the one in the top left corner. After
that, you can pick up the mallet there, use it to bust the mirror,
and come back out at a familiar place.
Photo: Go through the fireplace and head down, use the iron key
to unlock the gate there and use the stairs. Open the first door
you see with twokeys. You will lose some hit points from the
streams of fire.
Blue Candle: Found in the same room as the photo.
____________
The Showdown
____________
Get your entire entourage to the area around Mamiyas bedroom,
where you see the 3 blue statues. Place the last blue candle in
its place, use the lighter to light it, and pray, the wall
collapses. Choose 3 members to go on inside, I suggest giving a
tonic to them too. Make sure you give them the tool, diary,
coffin, and photo. When you are ready, go inside.
You are not quite at the final battle yet, you will have to make
it through a tough quasi-maze, with numerous blue forces swarming
around to take you away. Go in one at a time, send in your
toughest fighter first (this is, of course, usually Akiko). The
first time through will be the hardest. From the beginning, head
straight up and go up the first staircase, there hide under the
bridge until the first 2 forces come and are out of the way
enough to give you a decent head start. Now book it, and head
down the next stairs and take your first right, all the way to
the edge of the course, head up a bit and you must fight
doppleganger Akiko. This will be the toughest enemy in the game,
pray twice to defeat her and hope she doesn't poison you. Now
continue left and hide out under the bridge there. Switch
characters. The next one to come through doesn't have to fight
Akiko, and you can switch back to your first party member to lure
the forces away. Get the second member up to the same point as the
first, following the exact same path. Send in the last member, and
do the same. Now team back up again, the forces by now should be
fairly clumped together. Wait until they are out of your way and
hurry the rest of the way, fighting doppleganger Taro and Asuka on
the way. Finally, you make it to Mamiya. The fight with Mamiya is
not really a fight, as much as it is a Shadowgate-esque puzzle to
solve.
Going into the awesome battle, attack with all characters until
Mamiya says "I will kill you all, DIE!". Now you can start using
the special items. First use the tool, after that, the photo. You
know you have just made the right move when the screen flashes. If
the character doesn't have the needed item then attack with that
character. After tool and photo have been used, pray. Mamiya
transforms, and the music changes. Now attack until the screen
flashes, then use the diary, then pray. Attack until the screen
flashes again, use the coffin, and finally, free the spirit of
Mamiya Ichirou with one last prayer. If you get way too far off in
this battle, it starts over and she will say "I will kill you all,
DIE!" again. If you want an easy way to remember this, write this
down:
---
"I will kill you all, DIE!", Tool, Photo, Pray, Attack Until
Flashing, Diary, Pray, Attack Until Flashing, Coffin, Pray
---
Now marvel at the confusing ending, and give yourself a big pat
on the back for beating this ingenious game.
*********************************
*********************************
** EXTRAS **
*********************************
*********************************
_____
Movie
_____
The same year that Sweet Home was released, a SH movie was as
well. Suito Homu was it's Japanese name, the international version
was known as Sweet Home. I think it's important to discuss the
movie in the FAQ because the game is most definately a cult hit,
and fans will want to know as much as possible.
Starring in the movie was Juzo Itami, along with fellow actors and
actresses Nuboko Miyamoto, Nokko, and Tsutomu Yamazaki. It is said
to pretty much be a Poltergeist knock-off, and is not considered
a masterpiece, though not a bad movie either. The most interesting
story surrounding Suito Homu is that of Juzo Itami, the star. In
1992 he was attacked by the Yakuza, the Japanese equivalent of the
mafia, for acting in "Minbo no Onna", a movie portraying the
Yakuza in a bad light. Later that year, a Japanese tabloid alleged
that Itami was having an affair. He left a note denying the rumor,
and jumped from an eight story building. Interestingly enough,
Juzo Itami appears in the credits of Sweet Home, the game, listed
as Director.
Anyway, if you are truly a SH fiend, you may want to pick up the
movie, either find the international version or order from a
Japanese video store. I have still yet to see the movie myself.
__________________________
Frequently Asked Questions
__________________________
This section does not answer questions such as "how do I get past
the shadows", every known solution is covered in the walkthrough.
Rather, the FAQ will cover details about the Sweet Home movie,
Suito Homu, storyline clarities and other things.
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Q: Was the game based on the movie Suito Homu, or was the movie
based on the game?
A: It is quite unclear. Both were released in 1989, the game in
December, and I could not find what month Suito Homo was released.
The obvious answer would be that the game was based on the movie,
but Sweet Home is much too good to be a game thrown together to
act as merchandise for a movie. However, the Japanese box art from
the game does feature real life characters, I'm guessing from the
movie, so the best guess is that the game was based on the movie,
although its possible they were counterparts.
===
Q: Was it ever planned for Sweet Home to come to the U.S.?
A: Believe it or not, yes it was. In fact, you will find the game
in the unreleased/possible prototype section of Mike Etlers NES
rarity list (that is where I first heard of this game). It is also
mentioned in a report in issue 11 of Nintendo Power, for the 1990
Winter CES. Of course, they most likely would have replaced Mamiya
with a no-personality evil-without-a-cause type, and instead of
killing children she would have kidnapped a princess ;D This is
the most likely reason the translation was never completed, you
would have to change the game around considerably to "dumb it
down".
===
Q: What does the skeleton-faced man at the end of the game
represent?
A: I don't think it represents anything, it is simply there to add
cheap shock value. You are free to analyze it as you want though.
===
Q: Why do the 5 go into the mansion in the first place?
A: They are in search of "a famous fresco" painted by Mamiya
Ichirou
===
Q: What drives the spirit of Mamiya Ichirou insane?
A: Her child falls in the incinerator in the basement, most likely
through the fault of Mamiyas husband. She tries to save the child,
and is badly burned. She locks herself away in her room, becomes
depressed, and eventually commits suicide, and then her spirit
comes back full of spite and incinerates numerous children in the
manor.
===
Q: I had a different understanding of the plot than you did...
A: That's good. Part of the genius of Sweet Home is that the game
NEVER makes the storyline completely clear, only gives the player
faint hints. This gives you room to theorize and use your
imagination as to what exactly happened in the Ichirou mansion.
===
Q: Is Yamamura the husband of Mamiya?
A: Yes. Like most things, the game doesn't make this perfectly
clear, but in my own mind I am sure. During the ending, the man
who was guarding Mamiyas bedroom shows up and explains how
Yamamura sacrificed himself to save the group. When your reply
"how sad.." he says that Yamamura was guilty and that he felt
responsible. You reply "Was Yamamura Ichi-". Of course I believe
the end of this question would have been "Was Yamamura Ichirou",
making the obvious answer "yes".
===
Q: When does the death of Mamiya's baby, and Mamiya herself take
place?
A: Approximately 30 years in the past. Clue #1 is that the photo
seen in the slide scene shows Yamamura and Mamiya with thier baby
as 20-somethings, though Yamamura is an old man in the game. Clue
#2 is that when you are fighting Mamiya, you may sometimes say to
her "You've been dead for 30 years", or something to that effect,
setting it in stone.
===
Q: Dude, where do you find that Mamiya's name is Mamiya Ichirou?
I thought Ichirou was just the first name of the husband. And how
do you get that the party is after Mamiya's famous fresco?
A: Quote from gaijin.romhacking.com's SH page; "A group of five
investigators infilitrate the estate in search of Mamiya Ichirou's
famous fresco. But before their search can begin they find
themselves pitted against the supernatural". Being the translators
I'd think they know better than anyone else. It is true that
Mamiya is never referred to as Mamiya Ichirou in the game,
"Ichirou" always refers to the Ichirou husband, and no details of
why the investigators are there are given (personally, I'd love to
know why the !@$& they are investigating a haunted mansion,
prepared with a lighter, camera, med kit, key and VACUUM, the
other stuff is almost understandable but a vacuum?).
===
Q: Did playing this game scare you?
A: Yes, and I had played through it before. When I was up to the
point where you find the incinerator, it was 3:30 in the morning,
I was alone and going out of my mind. You can't easily make a game
with that much effect on a person, especially on the good old NES.
===
Q: What is the pipe used for?
A: I have confirmed it, the pipe has no purpose but to bog down
your inventory. I asked the lead translator, he replied quote "As
I recall there was at least one item that served no purpose other
than to burden down your inventory". The pipe would definately be
that item. These guys would most definately know about it if the
pipe did have a use because they translated the text line for
line, including what would have been the effect of the pipe.
===
Q: A character died, what do I do now?
A: I answered this in the 'How To Play' section, but I think if
this has happened to you and you are looking to this FAQ for help,
you would probably look here for the answer. There is a
replacement item for each of the characters items. pills = med
kit, wire = key, matches = lighter, extra camera = camera, broom =
vacuum.
===
Q: What do the Attack values represent in the status screen?
A: After much research and thinking about it, I think I have the
answer. If you look closely, when you enter battle, the enemy can
appear from either the left side or the right side of the screen.
My theory is that the left number represents your attack power for
enemy's attacking from the left, and the right number enemies
attacking from the right. It makes since, because the characters
can be either right-handed or left-handed.
===
Q: What is the point of the mine cart in the basement area?
A: Yet another unsolved mystery. I think it is there to play with
the players imagination, it could possibly explain how the baby
"fell" into the incinerator. Ichirou and the baby are playing in
the mine cart, and... Of course, then the incinerator would have
to be right on the other end, which it's not. I guess they
could've moved it :/
===
Q: How do I go through the right door in the top right room of the
basement area?
A: You don't. This used to drive me nuts, but I realized it was
not meant to be a door at all, just a large hole made where the
stranger busted the wall down to let the water out.
===
Q: Are there any major shortcuts in the game?
A: Yes, but its at the very ending. You can use the gold key to
open up a door a bit west of the Mamiya bedroom, which takes you
back almost to the beginning. This is good in that you can stop
relying on the bow to access that area.
===
Q: Are there any hidden endings?
A: Not exactly hidden, but you can get different endings depending
on how many members of your party are left alive, from 5 to 2
(it's practically the same though with 2 or 3). You more than
likely have 2 extra characters waiting outside, so before taking
on Mamiya you can switch to them and travel to the nearby ice room
and kill them off by waiting at the bottom, or you can enter
battle with a knight or ghoul+ and keep using your special item
(to have no effect) while they pummel you.
===
Q: How many frescoes are in the mansion?
A: I only counted my first time playing through the game, not the
second or third. If I remember correctly (and I'm pretty sure I
do), I counted 23 frescoes, but don't take that as fact.
===
Q: Are doppleganger Emi and Kazuo found in the final maze?
A: Yes, however they are not found on the correct path to the
finish, and therefore not mentioned in the above walkthrough
===
Q: Are there any hidden areas to the Mansion?
A: If there are, I myself cannot find them.
===
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*END SPOILERS*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
*********************************
*********************************
** WRAPPING IT UP **
*********************************
*********************************
______________
About This FAQ
______________
This document was started way back in june of 2000. After getting
about halfway through the game, in a moment of grogginess, I
started up the game and accidentally hit F5 (save game) instead
of F7 (load game). I asked around for an extra save state I could
use, but to no avail. I had played the game for a couple weeks
straight, was starting to get burned out on it, and didn't feel
like starting over. So there the FAQ sat, on a floppy disk, for
6 1/2 straight months, until January 17th when it was announced
that the NES newsletter, the paNESian press, was being started up
again after a long hiatus (http://members.home.net/panesian).
Also, the game of the month would be Sweet Home, and they needed
among other things, someone to do a strategy section, so I
mentioned I had this half finished FAQ and from there it was
risen from the grave. I have had an incredibly fun time writing
the FAQ, and was actually sad when it came to an end. It was a
bit of a Sweet Home renaissance for me.
The FAQ was started on Notepad, and switched to Text Pad midway
through. It was finished on January 20th, 2001. Possible
inclusions for future updates include:
Enemy Chart: Hit point values for every enemy in the game (this
will require some code cracking)
Frescoes: Locations for every fresco in the game, what they say,
and an analysis on what they are alluding to (if I get REALLY
motivated)
The Other Party: What exactly happened with the party that came
through the mansion before you? I never paid all that much
attention to thier notes, but maybe I'll do that sometime, and
try to map out what happened
Item List: This wouldn't be hard to put together, but if you read
the walkthrough it is not needed. Still, I may end up doing it.
_______
Credits
_______
I have a lot of people to thank for this FAQ. Foremost, everyone
at http://gaijin.romhacking.com, for being the original
translators and making this game internationally available, and a
special thanks to Musashi at Gaijin for offering his assistance
with the FAQ, and clearing up the mystery surrounding the pipe
item. Another big thanks goes to Shiek, JD Turbeville, and
BkdTatrHrt, us 4 guys helped each other through the game on IRC,
and I don't think any of us would have made it all the way through
without the help of everyone else in the group. An extra thanks to
Shiek for trying to get the hit point values for this FAQ. Thanks
to Mike Etler and his rarity list for first confusing me with the
words "Sweet Home", and yet another thanks to Shiek for explaining
to me what the game was. Thanks to Sqwirl for bringing this FAQ,
not to mention the paNESian press, back from the grave. Thanks to
the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) for info on Suito Homu.
Thanks to Linque for bits of info on the game and the movie.
Thanks to OSG for just being all-around cool. A HUGE thanks, of
course, to Capcom for initially creating the masterpiece, and
thanks to Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Barqs, and numerous other caffeine
inducive beverages for keeping my brain active enough to write the
FAQ.
_____
Legal
_____
(C in a circle thingy) copyright 2001 by Deathspork,
jtw030283@hotmail.com. This is a free document, you are free to
upload it anywhere you please, as long as it remains unchanged in
its entirety. Originally created for the paNESian press issue 4
(http://members.home.net/panesian). Always check Gamefaqs.com for
the most recent version of the FAQ. Sweet Home is copyright 1989
by Capcom. The U.S. Translation patch is copyright 2000 by Gaijin
Productions.
-END OF DOCUMENT-