Popolocrois Strategy Guide

How to start:
Title Screen Menu:
New Game OR
Load Game Save. X to Select.

After a nice anime FMV bit you will start. Here are a few things you should know before you start.

Buttons:
Square - Brings up Monster Diary(showing HP/etc. of all monsters).
Triangle - Brings up INVENTORY MENU.
Circle - Investigates/starts conversation.
X - Run button.
Start - Brings up map screen.
Select - Pauses.

Inventory menu:
When you press the Triangle button you will be shown this menu.

YOUR CHARACTER'S HP AND MP WILL BE ALONG THE TOP OF THE SCREEN.

1. USE PERSONAL MAGIC
2. SEE INVENTORY
3. SEE STATS AND EQUIP WEAPONS/ARMOUR/POTIONS
4. SEE STATS AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED POINTS
5. SELECT BATTLE FORMATION

Key:

1. Some characters have there own personal spells they can only use on themselves. To see what they are select them and see the effect. The character you have at the beginning has a heal spell and a spell that produces a star at his feet (a shield maybe?).
2. Your inventory is where you keep all your items (big pockets!). Some of these items you can use straight away such as HP and MP potions, just select a potion/vial and the select who you want to give it to. The potions you cannot use are still a mystery to me. I know some are reincarnation potions which should be equipped (using the No.3 menu command)as these can be used to reincarnate fallen members of your party.
3. This is where you can see all your stats, I don't know what all of them are for but I know the most important ones (at the top) are for HP, MP and GP. Along the right hand side is another menu. Using this menu you can equip your characters with a weapon, some armour (2 items) and 2 potions. This menu is quite easy to work out, just select the weapon/armour/potion you want and check it is not inferior to your previous selection (by the arrows). Put group HP and reincarnation potions in this menu as you can then use them in battle.
4. This command shows you all your stats and your experience gained and needed. The experience needed(under exp. gained) counts down every time you defeat a monster, when it gets to 0 you gain a level(shown in the text that comes after a battle, usually the top number is experience points and the bottom is GP points, anything other that that is either going up a level or a new spell learnt signified by a sample). The text in the box on the right is the magic experience gained, this counts up all the time.
5. This lets you determine how your party will form itself when attacked. If you have a magic user then put her at the back and your fighter(s) forward. This is not really vital but it sometimes affects things.

Menu for Inn conversation:
SLEEP - Costs GP (Money) and you can save after.
SAVE - Saves game without sleeping.
CANCEL- Cancels conversation.

A similar system is used in shops
BUY > WEAPONS/ARMOUR/POTIONS/CANCEL
SELL > YOUR ITEMS/CANCEL
CANCEL

Buying and selling is quite simple, just select what you want and then press Left or Right to select how many. The X button cancels. When buying armour look at the little arrows at the side, if they are red then the item is losing you points and if they are blue then they are gaining you points. Green means they are equal in points.

Battle System Menu (as far as I can figure out!)
For all menus Circle selects and X cancels

When you meet your first monsters you will be shown this menu-

1. FIGHT!	3. ? maybe normal attack)
2. RUN AWAY	4. ? (maybe attack just one character)
	5. ? (maybe just use hand weapon attacks)
	6. ?
	7. ?
	(When you select these your party fights automatically, I don't know the difference between each one).

If you choose to FIGHT! you will be shown a menu similar to this-

1. USE HAND WEAPON (only if attacker is next/near to a monster)

2. USE MAGIC SPELL (uses MP)

3. USE SPECIAL POWER (uses something as it sometimes runs out)

4. DO NOTHING (increases GUTS meter)

If you press Left on the D-Pad you will be given another menu-

5. DO NOTHING (not sure about this)

6. USE POTION IN HAND (equip in INVENTORY MENU)

7. DESERT PARTY (only particular character runs away) (this is handy if you are the last character alive)

After selecting one of the commands you are given the choice of which character you want to attack/use potion on (except No's.4 & 7).

Everything is pretty much straightforward, select a monster/character with the hand pointer and they will be attacked/healed/cured/etc. If a monster is behind something or other characters are between you and it then you cannot attack it with your hand weapon. It is not always possible to run away but if you attempt it then you are still given the chance to fight. The GUTS meter is similar to a super gauge in Street Fighter games. If you choose to DO NOTHING then your GUTS meter will go up, when it is full your next attack with a hand weapon will be more powerful.

When you defeat a monster you will be shown a lot of Japanese text with a few numbers in it. Usually the topmost number is the experience gained and the other GP gained.

Brief Walkthrough:
Episode 1 - Find the little blue guy and get the crown back.

1. Explore Castle, collect items in chests (they can be left alone until later in the quest but I can't tell if they get better).
2. Go outside the castle to the outer tower (left of Castle entrance) and collect the sword.
3. Go across the bridge to the town. Explore town. In the town you will find a few chests, a shop and an inn. You will be joined by 2 Guards.
4. Wander around outside and gain experience and GP. Investigate the statue of the Dragon, this is a teleport but cannot be used yet. Don't go south as there are some hard monsters there that will kill you quickly.
5. Head North through the woodcutters village. Near this area is a pond where a fairy can replenish your HP (Health).
6. Keep heading North until you find a large tree. Kill the monster and talk to the Witches. The Guards will have run away.
7. Head back to the castle and talk to the King (and see the 2 Guards get told off). After you watch the sequence head to the balcony and you will use your flute to summon the Witches.
8. Head back to the Tree where you find the Witches. Go North to the Mountains.
9. Enter Mountain entrance and make your way to the Hi-Tech town.
10. Walk through the scrap yard and a rusty Knight will join you. Equip him with some armour and potions.
11. Investigate the Dragon Statue. This is a teleport and can be used during the game to teleport between towns.
12. Explore the town fully and switch all switches especially the one in the big building where the monsters are swimming in the fluid. A secret chest can be found by the entrance to the town (you can just see it by the entrance).
13. In the town is a shop and an inn. Sleep and Save and then head for the main building.
14. Go up the steps and enter the doors. Switch every switch you see and make your way to the top of the building.
15. FIRST BOSS Your first boss is the annoying little blue maniac in the intro. Just keep hitting him with your most powerful weapons/spells until you beat him.
16. After beating him he will escape. Get out of the building and head back to the castle.
17. On your way back you will find the blue maniac has crashed his escape machine. Watch the scene and then head back to the castle.
18. Walk along the bridge and you will be taken into a scene. This is EPISODE 1 finished.

Episode 2 - The quest to find the Flying City.

In this quest I don't know what in particular you had to do so just wander around the entire map, talk to everyone in the towns, get lots of experience, GP points and activate all dragon teleports. After you've done all this continue from here...

1. Go to the town in the swamps and talk to everyone. Now go into the building and go upstairs. Investigate the mouth of the cannon and you will be shown a little sequence. You will now be fired over to the mining town.
2. You will find yourself down the bottom of the mine on your own. Explore around until you find the monkey. I think he's frightened of something because when you go up the ladder and beat the baddie he will come with you. Make your way to the top and you will be met by the pretty witch. After you have beaten the monsters the witch will make the bridge. Exit the mine and talk to everyone again in the village.
3. You now have to beat a rather hard monkey bit. After you have come out of the mine go to the town by the sea and collect the papers from the box upstairs in the boat making building. Talk to everyone again and use the dragon teleport to get back to the mining town. Take the papers to the blacksmiths, they will now make (I think) a minecart. can't remember what I did now but eventually a mine cart is built, I think you just have to sleep or do something else.
4. When the mine cart is built (it's located under the town, reached by taking the lift down) talk to the man standing by it and you will get in the cart and it will trundle off down the track.
5. After a sequence you will crash into a rock blocking the tracks. This section is quite tough as it has lots of monkeys who daze you all the time. You must have lots of HP/MP potions equipped (to use when monkeys hit you when you are dazed) and the pretty witch must have the speed up spell as this increases the amount of turns you have. The best strategy is to avoid all fights but if you do get caught use a combination of the witches Holy Water spell (attacks all) and hand weapon attacks. The place you have to head for is the west of the area where the path through the trees is. Go inside and beat the Monkey Boss.
6. The Monkey Boss. This one is quite tough if you haven't got a lot of experience (and therefor HP/MP). The best strategy is to have the main character and the knight attack the boss while the witch cures the dazes (with cure spell) and damage (with Healing Rain spell) and in between use the Speed Up spell. Magic spells don't seem to have much effect on the boss so use hand weapons, the witches Holy Water spell is good for killing a lot of the normal monkeys. Don't kill all the monkeys though as the boss will call for more, leave around 2-3 monkeys and try to cope with their damage.
7. After you have beaten the boss go to the wall behind him and collect the stone. This stone is to be taken back to the Water Fairy (by the woodcutters town) and given to her, you will then gain something. Now go back to the Mining town and use the mine cart again (I can't remember if the minecart is already there, if it's not then sleep/save and wander around a bit).
8. When you use the minecart you will be taken via a track to the town by the sea. Go to the blacksmiths and then the ship making building. Talk to the man by the boat. I think he says he needs a propeller, because this is your next objective.
9. Go outside the town (after stocking up on potions and weapons) and use the dragon teleport to get to the town where the monsters live. You can sleep/save and you might want to try and beat the monsters on the bridge. To do this talk to the white hooded monster and choose the top option, now walk onto the bridge and fight.
10. Bridge Fight (this isn't vital but if you cannot beat the second boss then you should get more experience).
    First Boss - A monster holding a boulder 200-250 HP (This monster will drop the boulder on you if he gets close).
    Second Boss- A nasty spiky monster 300-400 HP (It doesn't matter how close he is, just use lightning).
    Third Boss - A tough green robot 500-600 HP (Quite tough, use lightning and hand weapon to beat him). If you beat the 3rd Boss easily then you are doing well with experience. I don't know what reward you get, maybe it's just a gauge of how well your doing?.
11. Exit the town (west) and make your way to the brightly coloured building. You should be let in (can't remember if I did something else). Head to the top of the building and you will meet the blue man again. He will give you the propeller (he probably knicked it). Take this propeller back to the Ship town.
12. Give the propeller to the man by the boat and you will be shown a sequence where you make a boat. After you have made the boat get on it.
13. The boat will now sail off and you will be shown a little story sequence.
14. The boat will now crash into the side of a Ghost Ship. Get off the boat and explore the ship.
15. The ship has lots of locked doors and dead ends, just walk around talking to everyone and then retrying the locked doors. The ghosts are quite tough so be ready with the heal potions/spells. You have to make your way to the top deck and on your way find a big gold key.
16. When you are on the top deck go up to the birds nest and talk to the ghost. Now go back to the door, go inside and talk to the ghost captain. You will now have to fight a fish boss.
17. Fish Boss. HP 1500-2000 This boss uses multiple attack spells so get ready with the cure/heal potions. Throw everything you have at him and especially attack him with hand weapons and fireball.
18. After you have beaten this boss you will be shown a little story sequence showing you washed up on a beach. You will now be taken to a place where you get some rest.
19. After waking up you can save the game (talk to the woman). Now explore the islands, talk to everyone and buy some potions/weapons/etc. Go to the girl by the ship and talk to her, now collect the hammer on the table and make your way to the centre of the island (a big rock) finding a few chests and a sword on the way.
20. Walk to the rock and investigate it. The pretty witch will now join you (in a different guise). Now find a few monsters to experiment with her new spells, they're quite nifty.
21. Go back to the girl by the boat and then to the island where the boat is (nearby). You will talk a bit and then you will have to go back to the town and talk to everyone again. Once you've done the right thing (talked to a particular character?)you will be allowed onto the boat. This next bit is brilliant, it's a few minutes of anime FMV!, and it's brilliant.
22. The Flying City. You will now be in the Flying City, find the centre and explore/talk/etc. Now go to the main doors and investigate. After this go to the door that was previously locked and go in. You will be shown a nice story sequence explaining how the city came to be and what happened to all the people. Go back to the main doors and enter.
23. If you are low on HP/MP then go through the right door, after this go back and go through the left door. Explore the rooms and then you will meet the main enemies. You be shown a little story and then the blue man will join you.
24. Go back to the main doors, go up the stairs and then talk to the Wolf/Dog character. He explain something and then you will have to do something.
25. After listening to the man go back downstairs and go to the room where you healed yourself. Go to the room beyond and stand on the carving in the floor. You will go down.
26. Down the lift is a large 2 level area consisting out an inner core, middle core, outer core (where you start (in a big square ring)) and corridors leading off the outer core. In these corridors are columns of light, if you want you can explore all of them to find chests but be warned some are vicious trap chests and will encounter lots of robots. If you meet these robots then kill them quickly with weapon attacks as they call bigger robots.
27. Your objective here is to make it to the inner core (via the outer and middle core). There you will meet the main baddies again and you will have to beat a boss.
28. The Mechanical Brain. HP 3000 Very tough, use the Knights "Jumping Attack" and hand attacks on it for best effect. Basically repeatedly use whatever weapon is best. The main character has a handy multiple attack (special attack menu, bottom) which attacks (after a few turns) with a powerful lightning attack, which is useful for clearing the robots guards. Remember to reincarnate the dead members of your party.
29. The place will now start to fall apart. You now have to talk to the wolf/dog man, go to the boat and fly away. Another anime FMV bit coming up. This is the end of Quest 2.

Episode 3 - ??????? (But it involves going back to the flying city ruins, a flying/talking whale and shrinking yourself!)

1. After talking to your dad (the King) talk to everyone again and then head out of the castle. Your friends will now join you.
2. Take the sword you found on the tropical islands to the Mining Town and give it to the blacksmiths. They will make something better for you.
3. Go back to the Hi Tech city (where you first met the Knight) and go back through the main doors (you can also sleep/save/buy things here). Find the little blue screen and the blue man will operate it. The door in front will now be unlocked.
4. Go inside and explore, remembering to flick every switch you see. There are 3 important switches, 2 are by the lift and the other is down the stairs in a dead end corridor. Flick these switches and then go back to the lift.
5. Take the lift down to the bottom and fight the boss.
6. The 1st main boss. This boss moves around quickly, try to trap him (by putting your characters around him) and use your hand weapons, as they do the most damage on him.
7. After you have beaten him watch the story and then head back to the Ship Town. Head to the Shipmaking building and go onto the ship. You will be taken back to the ruins of the Flying City.
8. Go to the top and then go to the lift (right of the Main Door). Explore the area below and find the one remaining shaft of light and then walk into it.
9. You will be taken to the surface where you will fly off and then land back at the castle. Talk to everyone and then go back to the spaceship. I think you may have to walk along the main bridge to get the others to come with you.
10. The ship lands in another world. Talk to everyone and then save in the hut where you start, potions can also be bought (recommended). Now head North up the mountain and explore. You will eventually find a Magician who will allow you to save and then sleep. During the night you will wake up, talk to the Magician outside and then go back to bed.
11. In the morning the Magician will make a ladder up the side of the mountain, climb this ladder. At the top you will have to fight another boss.
12. The 2nd Main Boss Use hand attacks (the Knights spinning sword move is good)and heal when you get hurt. That's it.
13. The Magician will eventually open a portal at the top of the mountain. You will be asked if you want go through, say NO and then sleep/save. Now go through the portal.
14. You will be by a house. Enter the door, talk to the girl and then go through the right door. In the corner of the room will be a potion go up to it an drink it. You will now be shrunk.
15. First of all find the house in the middle of the maze and then go through the door at the bottom.
16. Read the notice and then negotiate the invisible path way (a bit irritating). Collect the chest and then go through the other exit. A woman will now offer to restore your health, say yes and then save the game. Go through the other exit.
17. In this room are lots of coloured squares, each square takes you to the corresponding one on another bit. Try to get to the bottom corner where there are steps down. Downstairs is a competition, enter it and you will fight some monsters.
18. Test of strength Competition. Use your best attacks (usually hand weapons) and group attacks (witches Holy Water and your Fireball spell). When you face your clones take out the witch clones first as she is the most lethal (she uses Holy Water and Healing Rain).
19. After winning the competition exit and go through the top door. Now fight the fish. Just use hand attacks and heal everyone when it uses the Tsunami spell. Go through the gate and into the room with the harp. Listen to the woman, investigate the clock and then exit.
20. If you want a laugh you can conduct the band by walking up to the stand, you can also play the piano. Go through the bottom door and use the raft. The next bit is random. A fish asks you questions and since it's in Japanese you don't know the answers. There are 4 questions and they are each yes or no. I find the Yes (top), No (bottom), No, Yes answers mostly work.
21. Buy potions and talk to the Cats and then exit. Go into the room with the box game. Stand on the box and pray. I don't know what you have to do but I just hit the buttons and hoped. If you get it right a ladder will appear, go up this ladder and then fall down the Tree Trunk.
22. Dragon Boss. This boss is a toughie. I only managed to kill him by trapping him by the wall (by putting the Knight, Blue man and main character right next to him thereby not allowing him to move (they were all dead)and then attacking him with the witches magic spell "Ya tin o yiber"). For some reason he does nothing and providing you have enough MP potions equipped you can just stand there and attack him (don't go close to him though).
23. Once you have beaten him you will come out of a clock face. Now slide down the slide and talk to the girl. After saving go through the barred door.
24. It seems as though you are going nowhere but keep heading down and you will eventually reach the bottom. Go through the door and onto the whale.
25. The whale will take you to a Space Palace. Explore the area finding 1 chest in the main hall and others in the maze upstairs. Talk to everyone and then find the big woman. She will talk to you and then you have to find a particular woman to talk to. This woman is outside and she will open a small entrance. Go into this entrance and walk up to the woman, listen to her and then investigate the keyhole. Exit, save with the woman and then head back to the whale.
26. Watch the scene and then you will be on a planet. This planet is (I think) a ruined version of the castle town. From the whale head North and find the houses. In the houses you will find some chests, exit and then go to where the bridge to the castle usually is. Enter.
27. You will now be on a lift going up, you will have to fight some monsters before reaching the top. Go in close and attack with your sword as this seems to dizzy them so you can get another attack in.
28. Watch the story and then go down the slope and fight the baddie.
29. The 3rd Main Boss. Again quite tough but you can use the same method as with the Dragon Boss. Trap him in a corner with dead characters but this time use the main character to attack him. Remember don't go close and only use the spell which is the top command in the special attack menu, as this does a lot of damage and you can do it indefinitely.
30. The ice will now start to crack so you have to get out of there. Go back to the top of the slope and watch the best anime FMV.
31. You will now arrive back at the Space Palace, go back to see the big woman and then go back to the whale.
32. You are now back by the place where the portal was, find the chests and then go back to the village. Talk to everyone in the village especially the crowd by the waterfall and then go to the dock where your space ship is. You will now take off and crash back at the castle. The End of Episode 3

Episode 4 - To find the cure for the witch.

1. During the story you will find that the Witch character has become ill. You now have to find the plant to cure her. This plant can be found where you found the Water Fairy (by the woodcutters village). Go there and collect the plant.
   
   HINT: If you meet the horned penguins use the hanky spell (in the special spell menu. Use the hankies to block the penguin's advance, try to block yourself in a gap and they won't be able to touch you.
2. Take the plant to the castle and give it to the other witch. Now go to the conference room (by the main throne room) and a story will unfold. After the story you will have all the characters. Go out of the castle and save/buy lots of group 250HP and reincarnation potions (as many as you can afford).
3. Fight the mini battle outside the gates and then head back the Water Fairy. When you get there you will find the pond has frozen over allowing you to walk across it. Get ready to fight some hard monsters, use hand attacks and the witches multiple attack spell and if you are low on HP use one of the potions. Battle your way through the narrow bit until you get to a clearing, head directly North to get to the Ice Village. You can rest here and save/buy potions. If you are strong enough explore the outer area around the village to find some chests. Be warned there are some tough monsters, if you meet the Metal Robot use the Hanky spell again to block its path.
4. After you have finished finding the chests go directly North from the top corner of the village and you will eventually get to a narrow opening. Go into this opening.
5. In the Ice Palace explore the outer area to find some important chests. The 4th Main Boss The best weapon to use against this boss is Lightning and hand weapon attacks with a lot of guts. Use the 250HP potions when HP gets low.
6. Enter the beam of light and then negotiate the ice maze using the lifts to get to other areas with hidden chests. Near the top you will have to fight some monsters on a lift, use mostly hand attacks and the witches multiple attack spell. The 4th Boss (Again) Use the same attacks as before but use the HP potions more often and reincarnate anyone who is dead.
7. After you kill the boss you will see some more anime FMV and you will meet your mother. Run with your mother back to the castle and THE main boss will appear (remember to buy lots of potions at the shop). THE main boss. This boss requires plenty of 250 HP and reincarnate potions. At first group your people around the boss and hit with hand weapons, you can charge up the guts meter if you want but remember to heal those attacks. If the boss uses a dizzy spell either wait until it wears off or use the main characters Cure Water spell. Remember to equip each character with 250HP and reincarnate potions. When the boss turns gold concentrate on healing critical attacks more than getting an attack in, you can usually just have the main character casting the lightning spell. Just be patient and you will succeed.

Episode 5 - The End.
In this episode all you have to do is explore the now monsterless map finding things to do, if you get bored just go and find the King and keep talking to him to go into the next room to see your mother and you will be shown the ending. I think there maybe a better ending but I can't work out all the little stories.

These are the ones I've found so far.

The Ship Town
Go to the ship building and go to the ship. You will now see the Knight sail off to explore new lands. There is also a bit on the end of the dock where a couple are reunited.

The Water Fairy pond
Here you will find the witch. I don't know what happens but either you are blushing or going mad with the witch.

The Hi Tec Town
In a room with a coloured square floor you will be asked if you want to see a play. Guess who's the main actor?.

The Swamp Town
Investigate the cannon in the middle. Ah, revenge!

The Blue guy's 2nd Base (by the Monster Town)
There are people wandering around. I would really like to know what the 2 are talking about on the launch pad area. There is a room in the castle(by a balcony)that has items in it. I think this is an indication of what things you have done. I only have a plant and 2 toys, but I have seen a picture of the room with a model of the Flying City and a small cuddly toy of the blue guy. I don't know how to get these though.

If you find any more please e-mail Mark Stephenson. Thanks

The spells:

Character	Spell	Effect
Pietoro (the main character)
Magic spells	Fireball	Grows in strength.
	Heal Water	Heals one person.
	Cure Water	Cures one person (Down, Poison, Dizzy, etc.).
	Lightning	Attacks one person.
	Para Up	May increase Power.
	???????	(I know there are more but I haven't enough exp. yet).
Special Spells	Blue beam thing	Attacks one person.
	Dig Hole	Dig hole under a person(not all monsters).
	Wait Lightning	Attacks multiple persons(after a few turns).
	Haunted Hanky	Creates a barrier enemy cannot cross (sometimes dizzies enemy).
.
Narcia (the witch)
Magic spells	Healing Rain	Heals all persons.
	Light Attack	Grows in power and later attacks multiple enemies.
	Shield	Creates a shield(?).
	Holy Water	Attacks multiple persons.
	Para Up	All persons.
Special Spells	Shield	Creates shield(but stops character!?).
	Shrink	Shrinks some monsters.
	Heal all	Like Healing Rain.
	Whirlwind	Dizzies monsters.
	Transform	Transform to Kai.
.
Kai (the transformed witch)
Magic spells	Heal	Heals one person.
	Dragon Fire	Attacks enemies along red path.
	Transform	Transform into random monster.
	Heal All	Like Healing Rain.
	Para Down	??????
Special Spells	Transform	Transforms back to Narcia.
.
The Knight
Special attacks	Charge Up	Increases GUTS to maximum.
	Taunt!?	?
	Jumping Attacks	Attack anyone wherever they are.
	Spinning Attack	Attacks nearby enemies.
	Sword of Flame	Attacks multiple enemies.
	Backflip Attack	Powerful attack (one person).
.
Sabau?(the blue guy)
	Just has the backpack rocket attack but may have some others later on.