The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords+

[martTM]

I have a few questions though:

1) how well hidden are the sea shell and tri-force pieces?

The seashells aren't that hard to find, although you'll often miss them if you're too busy rushing around. Thing is, you only have to find it once to unlock the secret and then it's open forever - the seashell's then replaced by a giant rupee in later games, so I'm thinking that they might be a single player thing only (haven't had the chance to check yet).

2) what does the spy glass do?

It's a fairy item - you have to go out of your way to collect items from her (which obviously distracts you from getting stamps, the main goal of the game) but getting a whole set scores you massive bonus points on top of what you'd usually get for them. You can't move onto the next item set until you've got all of the one before - there are three keys, then two spyglasses and finally three Triforce segments. Against other players, getting whole sets is rather tough but even on my own, the best I've ever got is two out of three Triforce bits... she never seems to appear enough for me to get all of them (I think her appearances might be tied into certain milestones in terms of how many stamps you've collected).

3) how do you play the mini games (like bingo) - does the main game pause while they are happening?

Nope - YOU have to stop chasing stamps and pay attention to the other screen. Again, this stops you from collecting stamps although if you win, the pay-off tends to put you ahead of your opponents (as you can then usually grab several stamps at once).

4) what determines where the balloon item takes you?

Not sure initially, although it moves in rotation after that - N, E, S and then W in turn. The yellow balloon takes you to a compass point, while the flashing red/blue balloon (found occasionally in chests) takes you straight to the next stamp.

[Mayhem]

Okay so I beat 1-3, rather nice boss, much like a certain battle in OoT

But about 2/3 of the way through the level, there's a star switch on the left of the castle you can push a statue onto, to reveal a blue glowing thingy. How do you get to where that is, and what do you do when you get there (as it's cordoned off)? Curious... I found and did everything else in the level...

[Papercut]

But about 2/3 of the way through the level, there's a star switch on the left of the castle you can push a statue onto, to reveal a blue glowing thingy. How do you get to where that is, and what do you do when you get there (as it's cordoned off)? Curious... I found and did everything else in the level...

The star switch thingie just enables lights in the dungeon below (the blue thing is possibly a window), you don't need to get up there (I think).

Mart - Cheers for the extra Navi's Trackers tips

[martTM]

Right, time to ask the Commander a question (seeing as I think he's the only one that's finished the game... besides MikeF maybe).

5-2... I'm completely stumped. I've found the spade, but there doesn't appear to be anything to dig up. I've found the bombs, but there's only one wall to destroy. The witch keeps giving me random amounts of rupees depending on how much health I've got and everyone keeps trying to steal things from me, which isn't surprising seeing as the whole level looks like the Thieves Village from Link To The Past. Oh, and there's a letter on a table that I can't pick up. What the hell do I do? Please?

[Commander Marklar]

The old guy tells you about the theifs; you need to smash 'em up a bit then pick 'em up. Take them to the penned off area in the top right of the village. There are 10 (IIRC) altogether, things will fall into place after that.

Dig around with the spade because there are hidden hideouts....

[Mayhem]

Okay on 2-2 and stuck... I've spoilered what I've done so far, what do I do next?

Got first shadow warp
Talked to queue guy
Gone to right of village, got lamp, burnt stump, talked to fortune teller #1
Gone west, talked to FT #2, played arrow game
Gone south, talked to FT #3, got second orb
Done second shadow warp, completed maze, got speed boots
Bust through crowd, talked to FT #4
Gone back to queue guy, got spade
Dug up a number of buried rupees

People are asking me for stuff right? So what do I need? Where do I get a bracelet to move the fat woman out of the way? Does someone want chooks too? Questions.... questions...

[PeteJ]

You can push the fat lady with 2+ links to get into the building.
Dig under where the 'pot house' is to find another underground section, from there things should progress ok(you get a letter you need to give to a guy with a house on his head etc).

[martTM]

The old guy tells you about the theifs; you need to smash 'em up a bit then pick 'em up. Take them to the penned off area in the top right of the village. There are 10 (IIRC) altogether, things will fall into place after that.

Dig around with the spade because there are hidden hideouts....

Ahhh... muchos grassy arse, senor.

[Mayhem]

You can push the fat lady with 2+ links to get into the building.
Dig under where the 'pot house' is to find another underground section, from there things should progress ok(you get a letter you need to give to a guy with a house on his head etc).

Cheers... I'd already done some digging and found a couple of other underground bits, but must have missed that spot. Will try it out

[Great King Bowser]

Just got on 3-1.

Where am I supposed to go after the bridge?

[Mayhem]

Still stuck on 2-2...

I believe now you have to talk to the 4 people who need help rather than the fortune tellers, to get the spade btw.

Okay I've done three warps (and got the orb for a fourth), got the letter, given it to the red haired guy for the feather. Now I presume I have to jump the gap in the long house, but how do you get past the barrels?

[Great King Bowser]

Still stuck on 2-2...

I believe now you have to talk to the 4 people who need help rather than the fortune tellers, to get the spade btw.

Okay I've done three warps (and got the orb for a fourth), got the letter, given it to the red haired guy for the feather. Now I presume I have to jump the gap in the long house, but how do you get past the barrels?

You can push the barrels.

[Mayhem]

Doh!

Oh whenever Mart gets back, that Tetra Trackers guide would be great. Just had a quick bash at it in single player mode and it looks a lot of fun, especially if you get multiple people. Basically just need to know what each item does (hitting the S for example, re-arranges the numbers on the pirates so I saw) and what happens when you press L (do you get items to use in multiplayer, because all I saw in single player was a Q&A thing with Tetra). Tips and all that malarky... seems a pity it won't make it to the West. Just need to remind myself what the katakana for "Matu" is now in the game heh...

[martTM]

Ahhh... muchos grassy arse, senor.

Yes, I'm quoting myself... because I take it back.

Looked EVERYWHERE around the level and only managed to find seven thieves - six with red banadannas and a woman. Got three from above ground, one down stairs under rock, one down hole under bush by house on left of fortune-teller's house and another down a hole I found in the big field by the shovel man's house... oh, and the woman in the back of the fortune teller's place. But that's it - I've literally dug everywhere up and can't go any further. There are flames blocking all my routes (especially into several houses), the man in the back of the fortune-teller's house keeps saying something that triggers the Zelda success noise (you know the one I mean) and everyone else just keeps repeating themselves. And that letter's still there that I can't pick up. What am I doing wrong? Detailed explaination, please...

[Commander Marklar]

You got the bracelet? Pick up some trees... (everywhere too, not just 'in' the village)

/me goes off to play stage...