Palamedes 2(NES) FAQ
copyright 2007 by Andrew Schultz schultz.andrew@sbcglobal.net
Please do not reproduce for profit without my consent. You won't be getting
much profit anyway, but that's not the point. This took time and effort, and
I just wanted to save a memory of an old game and the odd solutions any way I
could. Please send me an email referring to me and this guide by name if
you'd like to post it on your site.
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OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BASICS
2-1. CONTROLS
2-2. TRICKY MOVES
2-3. COMBINATIONS
2-4. POINT SCORING
3. STRATEGIES
4. LEVEL OUTLINES(SINGLE MODE)
5. QUEST MODE
6. VERSIONS
7. CREDITS
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1. INTRODUCTION
Palamedes 2 is Tetris with dice(to dumb it down.) While it's not particularly
difficult, it's a pleasant game with lots of interesting possibilities and
depressingly little margin for error. You have a die at the top of the screen
and a line of up to four dice below. You can throw a die in there and it will
stick if it is 1) 1 and the top die 6, or vice versa or 2) within 1 of the
current die. Once you have certain combinations, you can cash in to reduce
the rising tide of dice. The game starts out slow and gets fast in waves. The
die changes to the last one you threw to the top, if it fits. If not, the die
bounces and you can't grab anything from the column you used.
You get an interlude on completing level 49, and you get the winning sequence
on completing level 99.
You can have a 6x4 well occupied before you lose.
The key thing to realize is that the dumb move sometimes is the best one.
2. BASICS
2-1. CONTROLS
Pushing up gives you an extra row. This is not as bad as it sounds. It is
useful in some cases:
1. when you are playing against an enemy and need a certain die, but the line
isn't rising fast enough
2. when you have a combo that will take out 4 lines, but only 2 are present.
This may reduce your final score, but given that levels advance with X lines
pushed up, you can make sure you get full credit for each line knocked down.
Pushing down tests to see if you have a good match. If so, the computer
registers the best one. The corresponding number of lines directly below you
disappears.
Also, if you push down before a die reaches the top, you may not get full
credit for it. For instance, if you have 1-2-3 and then you drop a 4 in but
hit down as it's flying up, you'll get credit for the 1-2-3 and not the 1-2-
3-4.
However, this works the other way, you can let a bad die fly before "cashing
in" by pushing down, as this wil cause it to disappear along with the rest.
If you have an imbalanced board, then you will want to right it a bit this
way.
Left or right moves your guy left or right. It's a bit slow, though. So don't
use it too liberally on the fast levels.
B=scrolls everything in a row up one, bringing the top to the bottom. Seems
to take less time than a move.
A=throws a block to the top. It sticks if it is within one of the top die,
but it falls back down if it is not. If you guess wrong, then you are unable
to use or rotate that column until the block floats back where it was.
Pausing actually keeps the whole board intact, but that's not really as
useful as you might think, because once you un-pause, you are slow to move.
Use it only when you have NO clue what to do and 2-3 rows have filled up. You
won't need it on the slow levels, and it can be harmful on the tough ones.
2-2. TRICKY MOVES
As mentioned above, firing a dud off before you push down can bring some
relief. Firing two or more may cause the whole structure to bounce down
anyway, so it is not worth it.
Moving up before you drop something also has the added benefit of making
things slow down in the future, since speed increases with time and is bumped
down at a level flip.
2-3. COMBINATIONS
For most of this, simple is good. Look for many of one type of die lumped
together. Once you get good it's useful to look for a 3-4-5-6 combination or
such.
Random 4 together = 1 line, i.e. something like 5-4-4-3.
1-6 or 3-4=1 line, but only with 2 dice up there to start. This is a good
bailout if you see nothing else, but actually two in a row is a bad idea
since you can just got 1-1-6-6 and get an extra row in there.
x-x-y-y = 2 lines, except
3-3-4-4/1-1-6-6 = 3 lines
x-x-x = 2 lines(1-2-2-2 gets 3)
x-x-x-x = 3 lines
1-2-3-4/3-4-5-6
6-5-4-3/4-3-2-1 = 3 lines
2-3-4-5/5-4-3-2 = 4 lines
2-4. POINT SCORING
This one is straightforward. On level a0-a9, you get (a+1)*10 for one die
dropped in the top, plus (a+1)*20 for each line cleared.
3. STRATEGIES
Use the color coding to remember what's where. 3,6=blue, 2,5=red, 4=yellow
and 1=white.
It's always good to drop the same number die as what is at the top just after
you've cleared something. It doesn't stop any streaks, and it helps clear
things out.
If you have 4 dice, and your man is at the center, go to the edge and sweep
them out.
Similarly, if you leave one row AFTER you push down, you can push pause(if
you are very devious) and see what is next. Basically, if you know you are
about to cash in, you have time to think, and you might as well use it.
Getting a quick 2-liner is always better than waiting for a long 3. So for
instance if you have a 6-die and 2 6's, look for another 6, and if it is not
there, for whatever pair is near and match that.
Look to see if there are a lot of similar dice lumped together. If so, try
for 3 of a kind. If not, try for a straight.
You should never go more than 5 dice in a row without cashing out unless you
are really able to chuck them(i.e. about several of the same color in one
place,) or the rows are really unbalanced.
Unbalanced rows are bad so try to flush the tallest one before pushing down
and leaving a block in midair.
An extra row is worth 1 more flip up. So if you have 6-5-4-3 and a 2 is
clearly available without too much column flipping, go for it. Similarly for
other combo extensions.
If you have a 2 and a choice between 1-1 and 3-3, look for 4-4 or 6-6 to get
an extra row.
When faced with going after a die to the side and one you need to flip a
column for, flip the column.
If you have a choice between 2 ways to go after clearing out, wait for the
next row to come up. I.e.
2
----
1 3
Now if you put the 1 up, and a 4-5 shows next, you might feel silly. The next
row gives you evidence of what to do. Similarly if you have a lot of 1 # and
no way to get there yet, it's worth waiting to do so.
Note that it is almost impossible, or highly improbable, to get a combination
of dice that would lose for you as long as you keep things balanced.
Right after the speed kicks down to the baseline, make an effort to get in
extra up-ticks where you force the line up and not the computer. It means
less time at 99 speed before the next bump down.
On the higher levels it is more important to make good moves than a fast one.
While it's fun to pitch something, an error on the later levels can prove
fatal. Plan ahead, and if you miss something, take whatever you can get, even
if it is just a 1-liner.
Heterogeneous dice below, go for straights. Homogeneous, go for 4 of a kind.
If you have 5-4-3 and enough time, it is worth waiting/pushing for 2. You
have a 1-(5/6)^4=52% chance of getting it, with no downside.
If you are really close to the top and have a 2/3-liner, don't try to leg it
out to a 3/4. The main way the game catches you is with a quick run of stuff
you can't deal with. Don't give it any help.
Of course, if you make a mistake, don't kick yourself for it, and if you push
a button and something doesn't work, don't keep doing so.
On that note, also, you need to make sure you don't push B too quickly after
A if you intend to do so. That can flip up the top block instead of the one
just below that you want to. This needs timing you develop with practice.
4. LEVEL OUTLINES(SINGLE MODE)
Basically from level 1 up to 50, you increase by 10 speed or more(increasing
as you go up with level 75 getting to 99, then you drop, at level 5x, to 5x.
The speed appears to increase by 1 for each time you let a level go up. It
increases more quickly as you go through the levels.
Winning level 49 makes you bounce a single die against a devil and it bounces
quickly until it turns into a teddy bear and the devil, a die.
Winning level 99 gets you to a scene where two girls pick your guy up and
throw him in the air.
5. QUEST MODE
You can continue here but as the matches aren't a one-off, you can't just sit
around hoping for coincidences.
It's best to go with best 2 of 3 as the other options can be exhausting, and
if you are still getting the hang of the game and are an underdog, 2/3 gives
you a better chance of winning. If you're too good at the game it will seem
trivial. Again since quick knockouts are what floored you, they're what will
floor your opponent. Take 2-liners when you can get them. Eventually you will
see your way to a straight--especially after you have made the enemy miss.
Repeat the formula, but getting better. You have to keep an eye on the die
and what number it's changed to, so it is probably not a good idea to rotate
stuff to get to it. If you can see what the enemy is throwing out, then that
helps too.
Remember that whatever lines you drop, he gains. And vice versa. That is the
key to the competitive bit. The computer seems to get discouraged by a wrong
move, but you should be able to adjust ok to one the same as in the other
game.
Also remember to push up quickly at the start so you will have some blocks to
fire away, although if you've just made a match and he's about to, don't
bother.
Also remember that straights are more valuable than 4 of a kind as if the
enemy reverses you, you are in trouble, though a straight of the same value
of die that is up there is good and may defend against a possible straight.
It's more important now to ID dice of the same number as what's on top, not
just near.
You can also look at what your opponent is over and deflect him from that. He
seems to have poor lateral vision. On the later levels there is no real way
to outdo them with straights so you have to develop your own lateral vision.
You may also wish not to do something quickly after a guy throws up a bad
block, but wait to see where he takes it and then be in place to flip the
dice away from what he wants again.
One of the best times to throw an opponent off guard is after he's taken his
pile down some. He can't really move around, and if you can link two in a row
quickly, he might not be able to recover if he's gone in for a one-off.
First opponent: teddy bear
Second: bearded fighter/shepherd
You may need to do more build up work as he seems to make a better start.
The enemies don't seem to get tougher after the initial first push.
Third: princess
Fourth: pegasus
Fifth: fighter
Sixth: star girl
Seventh: Zeus
If you win, you appear smiling above the stars.
It was a struggle for me the first time through using save states. I just
kept trying to wipe stuff out quickly and that didn't work--the computer
copied.
End of FAQ proper
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6. VERSIONS
1.0.0 sent to GameFAQs 3/23/2007, complete but a bit unsure of quest mode
7. CREDITS
Thanks to the usual GameFAQs gang, current and emeritus. They know who they
are, and you should, too, because they get/got some SERIOUS writing done.
Good people too--bloomer, falsehead, Sashanan, Masters, Retro, Snow
Dragon/Brui5ed Ego, ZoopSoul, War Doc, Brian Sulpher, AdamL, odino, JDog and
others I forgot. OK, even Hydrophant in his current not-yet-banned message
board incarnation. I am not part of his gang, but I want him to be part of
mine.
Thanks to the NES Completion Project folks for keeping it going.
Special thanks to odino for notifying me about this game.
