Spiral Wave Mini-guide

~ INTRODUCTION

This guide is for people who can't read Japanese but are interested in playing and completing Spiral Wave. The primary focus is on detailing the course through the universe that players must take in order to beat the game. Explanations of the energy system and the ship menu are also provided. Players will be on their own during the shooting scenes.

If you'd like to learn more about this very cool game, check out my review of it.

~ ENERGY

Outside of the shooting scenes, your main actions in Spiral Wave will be traveling to different planets and upgrading your ship. All of this requires energy. You earn energy by defeating enemies during the shooting parts (although you aren't awarded any for defeating standard enemies during the first couple of action scenes). Knock off as many enemies as you possibly can so that you can acquire large amounts of energy in expeditious fashion.

~ SHIP MENU

The four main commands are presented in English. Let's take a look at each one of them:

MOVE allows you to travel to a different planet. Performing this action requires 1000 energy units.

WARP allows you to travel to a different solar system. Performing this action requires 5000 energy units.

UNIT allows you to upgrade your ship. Different types of upgrades require different amounts of energy units. (See the "Ship Types" section below.)

SAVE allows you to save your game. The two sub-options are "Password" and "Backup Manager."

~ SHIP TYPES

First ship type: PARAKEET

Shields: None. One hit destroys your craft.

Weapons: Vulcan

Energy units required: 10000

Second ship type: SPARROW

Shields: Normally withstand 2 hits. The third hit destroys your craft.

Weapons: Vulcan

Energy units required: 20000

Third ship type: PECKER

Shields: None. One hit destroys your craft.

Weapons: Vulcan, Missile

Energy units required: 30000

Fourth ship type: PIGEON

Shields: Normally withstand 2 hits. The third hit destroys your craft.

Weapons: Laser

Energy units required: 45000

Fifth ship type: PTARMIGAN

Shields: None. One hit destroys your craft.

Weapons: Laser, Missile

Energy units required: 60000

Sixth ship type: GRAND SEAGULL

Shields: Normally withstand 2 hits. The third hit destroys your craft.

Weapons: Laser, Missile

Energy units required: 80000

Note: I like to save my energy units until I can afford to upgrade to Pigeon, which comes equipped with the laser weapon and shield power. The one-hit kills up to that point can be annoying, but the laser and shield are so helpful that acquiring them quickly is worth enduring some early tribulations. Plus, if you play reasonably well, you'll have the 45000 energy units you need for the upgrade before you reach the second major boss, which is also around when stronger standard enemies start showing up. Once you've moved up to Pigeon, the next upgrade to shoot for is Grand Seagull.

~ WALKTHROUGH

- First Solar System

MOVE to second planet (action scene with minor boss).

MOVE to third planet (event scene).

MOVE to fourth planet (action scene with minor boss).

----Choose YES following the action scene.

MOVE to third planet (event scene).

WARP to next solar system.

- Second Solar System

----(immediate action scene).

MOVE to second planet (action scene).

MOVE to third planet. Choose NO (action scene).

MOVE to third planet (event scene).

MOVE to fourth planet (action scene).

MOVE to fifth planet (action scene with minor boss).

MOVE to first planet (action scene with major boss).

MOVE to fifth planet (event scene).

WARP to next solar system.

- Third Solar System

----Choose YES twice (action scene).

MOVE to second planet. Choose YES (action scene).

MOVE to second planet (event scene).

MOVE to third planet (event scene).

MOVE to second planet (event scene).

MOVE to first planet (action scene).

MOVE to third planet (event scene).

MOVE to second planet. Choose YES (action scene).

MOVE to third planet (event scene).

MOVE to fourth planet (two consecutive action scenes).

MOVE to fifth planet (action scene with major boss).

WARP to next solar system.

- Fourth Solar System

----Choose YES (action scene).

MOVE to second planet (action scene).

MOVE to third planet. Choose YES (action scene).

MOVE to fourth planet (event scene).

MOVE to third planet (action scene).

MOVE to fifth planet (event scene).

MOVE to first planet (event scene).

MOVE to fourth planet (six consecutive action scenes).

MOVE to fifth planet (two consecutive action scenes with minor boss at end of second).

WARP to next solar system.

- Fifth Solar System

----(immediate action scene).

MOVE to second planet (action scene).

MOVE to third planet (two consecutive actions scenes with major boss at end of second).

----NOTE: At this point, you can warp to the next solar system. But you can also continue playing the action scenes in the fifth system as many times as you like. You can earn plenty of energy units in these scenes, so now is a good time to save up as much energy and do as many upgrades as you want.

WARP to next solar system.

- Sixth Solar System

MOVE to second planet.

MOVE to third planet.

MOVE to sixth planet.

MOVE to fourth planet.

MOVE to sixth planet.

MOVE to fifth planet.

MOVE to second planet.

MOVE to third planet.

WARP back to fifth solar system (action scene).

WARP back to fourth solar system (event scene).

WARP to fifth solar system (action scene).

WARP to sixth solar system.

MOVE to second planet (action scene with minor boss).

MOVE to third planet (three consecutive action scenes with minor bosses at ends of second and third).

MOVE to fourth planet (action scene).

MOVE to fifth planet (action scene with minor boss).

MOVE to sixth planet (action scene with major boss).

And that's the end of that.