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PuLiRuLa (Arcade) (1991)
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PuLiRuLa Copyright 1991 Taito
This document is created by Faididi and Co. (faididi@yahoo.com)
Copying or distributing this, in whole or in part, for profit
without the explicit permission of the author is prohibited.
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[-] Document Version History
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Version 2007 (2007-07-19 Thursday)
- Initial release.
Version 2020 (2020-07-19 Sunday)
- Corrections made.
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[0] Contents
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[1] Overview
[1.1] Story
[1.2] Characters
[1.3] Controls
[1.4] General Tips
[2] Strategies
[2.0] Prologue
[2.1] Round 1: Town
[2.2] Round 2: Crystal Mountain
[2.3] Round 3: DRUGS LOL
[2.4] Round 4: Desert
[2.5] Round 5: Stopped Town
[2.6] Round 6: Optical Illusion Town
[2.7] Epilogue and Staff Credits
[3] (reserved)
[4] Sound Test
[5] Reference
[5.1] Game Source Information
[5.2] Really Small Details
[5.3] Document Credits
[6] Contact Information
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[1] Overview
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Taito's PuLiRuLa is an action fighter that features whimsical themes
with cute, storybook-like visuals and also some drug-fueled craziness.
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[1.1] Story
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When bad guys steal a magical key and cause time to stop, Mel and Zac
must use their new magic staves to defeat the villains and save the world.
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[1.2] Characters
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Mel (Player 2)
A young girl with brown braided hair, a cute pink ribbon,
a turquoise-colored dress, a matching hat, and dark boots
with buckles. Her magic staff resembles a fairy wand, with
an orange-and-gold handle, a large blue gemstone for the head,
a pink ribbon tied just below it, and a light blue crystal ball
for the bottom end. Mel is just so adorable! XD
Zac (Player 1)
A young boy with brown hair, a blue tie, a salmon-colored jacket,
a matching cap, and plain brown shoes. His magic staff looks like
a simple, gnarled, wooden staff. Zac is ready to do good!
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[1.3] Controls
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Movement Stick - Move. The heroes can often walk back to the earlier parts
of the current section, although there is no real reason to do so.
Attack Button - Perform a standard attack. After the initial standard attack,
keep pressing this to perform shorter but faster repeated standard attacks.
Press forward and this simultaneously to perform the thrusting attack,
which is slower but longer. Press down and this simultaneously to
perform the heavy thrusting attack, which is slowest but longest.
Press and hold this and then immediately hold away to perform
a backswinging attack, which is pretty much useless, lol.
Jump Button - Jump. No matter how long this is pressed, the height of
the jump will be the same, but the heroes can keep moving to any side
while maintaining the same facing.
Magic Button - Perform a Magic special attack, which costs 1 Magic Point to
create a randomly determined effect. Both heroes are rendered invulnerable
during the duration of that effect, regardless of what it is. If there are
2 Players, only one hero may perform a Magic special attack at a time.
Start Button - Use a Credit.
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[1.4] General Tips
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- The thrusting attacks (performed by pressing forward or downward and
pressing the Attack Button simultaneously) have a longer and wider reach
than they look, allowing the heroes to hit enemies from a greater distance
and also enemies who have an unusually low profile.
- Many enemies have long-reaching or projectile attacks, so approach them
from the sides instead of directly from the front.
- Defeated enemies will be restored to cuddly little animals. These animals
can be collected for Bonus Points after they get up and start running away
to the left or right.
- The pumpkins each hold a fairy who will help the hero who frees her.
A red fairy restores 3 Life Points, while a blue fairy adds 1 Magic Point.
(The heroes each start with 12 Life Points and at least 3 Magic Points,
depending on the game's settings.)
- Use the Magic special attacks before they are wasted. The heroes gain more
Magic Points only by freeing blue fairies from the pumpkins or by continuing
after running out of Lives.
- The Magic special attacks' effects are randomized, but all of them render
both heroes temporarily invulnerable. The big pink guy with the funny music,
the microwave guy, the flying girl, and the tornado will stay longer to keep
attacking regular enemies (but they leave sooner if only a boss remains).
The animal rush has a consistent duration and deals lots of damage more
reliably. The falling sparkling dust hits every enemy once as it lands.
The nuclear fairy's megabomb blast is the single most powerful attack
and can instantly kill even bosses (except in the final battle).
Personally, we still love the big pink guy the most. :p
- If the heroes attempt to perform a Magic special attack during cinematic
scenes, nothing will happen, and the expended Magic Point will be returned.
- There are no bottomless pits or any other environmental hazards, except
for one or two special cases in the third Round.
- If the heroes don't move forward to the next section within a certain
period of time, special enemies will suddenly jump in toward them,
hit them, and then leave.
- The heroes' health isn't restored at the end of a Round.
- If the heroes get wasted and have at least 1 Life in reserve,
their health will be restored, but not their Magic Points.
If they run out of Lives, they have 9 seconds to continue.
- If it's Game Over, the game will go to the Name Entry Screen or the
High Score Screen and then return to the beginning.
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[2] Strategies
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[2.0] Prologue
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[There is an image of the World Map. This version has a compass and clouds.]
Here is a wonderland called
"Radishland".
[There is a scene of the Keeper in the town where the heroes reside.]
In each town,under a keeper's
control, the time flow was
correctly kept with a time key.
[There is an image of the final boss holding a time key.]
But, a bad man appeared and
stole the time key to stop the
time flow.
[There is a scene of the street in the same town.]
The towns were attacked one by
one, the time flow was stopped
and they received damage.
[There is a scene of the heroes listening to the inventor (the old man).]
An old man was impressed with a
sense of danger and he called
Zac and Mel.
[There is an image of Mel and Zac holding their new weapons.]
And he entrusted them with his
invented magic stick in order to
defend their town.
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[2.1] Round 1: Town
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Inventor's House:
Inventor:
Watch the time key of
this town.
Mel or Zac:
Leave me to do it.
Inventor:
Be careful.
Streets:
Traveler:
I was in many places
and I think this town is
a good place.
Woman:
It seems that the time
was stopped in the next
town too.
Girl:
Listen, did you see my
pet doggy?
Where did he go?
The heroes can talk to the townsfolk (by going up to them and then
pressing the Attack Button). When the first boss shows up to convert
the dog into a robot bad guy, the townsfolk will flee in terror, lol.
Avoid the robots' long punching attacks. Beat them up, and collect the
restored animals to earn Bonus Points. The last few enemies here are
the only bad guys who can be skipped in the game. Drop down into the
open manhole to proceed to the next section.
Underground Clockworks:
Keeper:
Argh, I'm beaten...
The time key will be
stolen...
Enemy:
I'll take this key!
The ventriloquist boss jumps around the place and has twirling attacks,
but the heroes can easily beat him by continuously bashing him. When he
is defeated, his puppet will come alive, steal the key, and escape. Nuts.
Mel or Zac:
Damn it!
The time stopped!
Mel or Zac: (climbing back up to the streets)
All stopped too...
If we have no magic
stick, it will be the
same thing.
Come, hurry up.
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[2.2] Round 2: Crystal Mountain
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Crystal Mountain Trail:
The foreground crystals have some neat transparency effects (rarely seen in
arcade games before this one). The jellyfish are slow, but the bird skaters
move much faster. The knight miniboss has thrusting attacks, but the heroes
can easily beat him by continuously bashing him. The dancer boss hops around
the place and has a laser bolt attack aimed at the heroes (preceded by her
touching her eyes), a bumping attack, and a long-reaching kissing attack.
Restored Man:
Do you go to the town
ahead?
Mel or Zac:
Yes, but why?
Restored Man:
That town is so head [sic]
that no persons can live
in,
and the town people have
escaped.
Mel or Zac:
Ah so...
I understand.
Thank you.
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[2.3] Round 3: DRUGS LOL
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Da Fuq Is Going On:
Restored Animal:
This town is controlled
by the dream of a
megalomania [sic]
and all places are such
circumstances.
Do you wake up a person
who is sleeping in the
deepest place of
the town and have him
recover the town?
Mel or Zac:
Leave me to do it.
This town reflects the crazy dreams of some guy, if that guy is
a team of Taito employees who have been taking buttloads of drugs. :O
In the Japanese version of the game, at the section with the doorways,
the giant woman's legs will be sticking out from the first and the third
doorways. Touching them is bad, so jump over them when they are lying
straight down, or walk past under them when they are raised. (In the
English version, the woman's legs are removed, making this part easier.
The openings from where they emerge are blocked with non-interactive doors.)
In all versions, the other doors can be hit to reveal more weird stuff,
including the big pink elephant behind the second door. OMG WTF LMAO XD
The painting's tongue can be avoided with jumps.
Enemy:
Aah, wait a... a moment!
The kabuki boss slowly hops but has a long-reaching hair-whipping attack
and a circular hair-sweeping attack. Simply stay away from him to avoid
that last attack.
Restored Strange Man:
Ha!!
what did I do?
Mel or Zac:
Also, this town, there
is not that doll. Where
it has gone.
I'll go to the next
town.
Restored Strange Man:
If you go to the next
town, going across a
desert is a shorter way.
Mel or Zac:
Thank you.
Don't dream a strange
dream again.
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[2.4] Round 4: Desert
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Desert Route:
Mel or Zac:
Aah, it's hot.I feel
thirsty.
Where is water.
Restored Animal:
We are also troubled
with no rain.
A fellow called"YU-YU-" [In the Japanese version: "Nohnoh"]
sucked up all rains.
The cacti can be safely touched. Perform thrusting attacks (by pressing
forward or downward and pressing the Attack Button simultaneously) to
defeat the plant scorpions. The witch miniboss flies to either side of
the screen and has a rapid-fire projectile attack aimed at the heroes.
She will quickly warp to the other side of the screen whenever she is
hit. For an easier time, use jumping attacks against her.
The snail boss slowly crawls but has an eye-popping attack and a fireball
attack that briefly lingers on the ground or spreads toward the heroes
in a curving line. When he is defeated, the rain will return.
Mel or Zac:
Yippee, it's rain!
But I'm afraid of too
much rain this time...
I wonder if it's safe.
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[2.5] Round 5: Stopped Town
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Stopped Streets:
Mel or Zac:
Look!?
No rain falls from here.
As the time of this
town stopped, no rain
frowed in. [sic]
Hit the evil flowers to restore them to happy flowers. Alternatively,
jump over them. (What is up with that scary-ass background?) When the
boss appears, he won't be vulnerable to any attack until after he talks.
Enemy:
Who did enter here
without permission!!
Then, you must expect
troubles!
The masked boss (with a horn covering his wiener, lol) quickly walks
and jumps around the place, and he has a fast palm-striking attack and
a pouncing attack aimed at the heroes (preceded by him crouching still
in place). Keep moving away from him to avoid that last attack.
Restored Keeper:
Ha!
What did I do?
Mel or Zac:
Get the time back.
Restored Keeper:
Oh, no.
During the bonus scene, which lasts for 20 seconds, hit the fish guys
as they appear and harmlessly jump across the water in the same pattern.
For an easier time, stay in the middle and whack them as they land there.
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[2.6] Round 6: Optical Illusion Town
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Strange Streets:
Mel or Zac:
I've been carried away
to a strange place.
Despite how the place looks, it is really just a simple path filled with a
lot of enemies, including some minibosses returning from the earlier Rounds
and multiple bosses at the end. The heroes don't need to worry about getting
affected by the non-interactive optical illusions in the background. Again,
use thrusting attacks against the plant scorpions, jumping attacks against
the witch minibosses, and continuous attacks against the knight minibosses.
Enemy:
It's certainly good of
you to have come here!
If you want the key
back,take it back!
The puppet boss dashes around the place and has fast swiping attacks.
Mel or Zac: [text background color is incorrectly blue (instead of green)]
I've done!!
By this,the town can be
recovered!
Strange Place:
Enemy: [text background color is incorrectly green (instead of blue)]
I regret to say that
won't return this key
yet!
The earth head wizard boss throws energy bolts that explode into spreading
projectiles that are very difficult to avoid, so don't be afraid to use
Magic special attacks against him.
Mel or Zac:
I've well done!!
I have to go back to
the town in a hurry !!
Underground Clockworks Revisited:
(If there are 2 Players, Zac will be the one who presents the time key.)
Mel or Zac:
I've taken the key
back.
Here it is.
Keeper:
Wow...
It's very kind of you
to have done so.
Enemy:
Haw-Haw-Haw...
Do you think you've
really beaten me!?
This time, you can't do
like before!!
The earth head wizard boss is back, lol. This time, he throws energy bolts
that explode into wide circles of projectiles. The swirling blue-tinged
projectiles can be avoided with jumps, but the fire projectiles are very
difficult to avoid. This is the final battle, so use Magic special attacks.
Keeper:
Yike! Sorry!
Forgive me.
Because I lost patience
with my monotonous life
only to turn the key,
I was possessed by some
evil spirit.
I'll never do such
thing again.
Mel or Zac:
As you seem to examine
youself, [sic]
I'll let the matter
pass for this once.
Get the time back.
Mel or Zac: (after watching the Keeper restore time)
By this the time should
be safely returned back.
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[2.7] Epilogue and Staff Credits
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Epilogue: (back on the streets)
Woman:
Thank you for your
effort to take the time
back!
Mel or Zac:
Good.Now,let's go back
to the place of your
grandfather. [mistranslated from the original Japanese: "old man" (ojiisan)]
[The heroes begin slowly walking toward the Inventor's house.]
Staff Credits:
Congratulations!!
-- STAFF --
PRODUCE
Hidehiro Fujiwara
CHARACTER
KAT
ZAWAKICHI
CARRY AN HIRRCKY
VCKY KIMURA TARO
ANADORIGATASHI JIRO
WALLSIDE MAGICIAN ABE
E.SKELETON YASU
SOUND
TEAM ZUNTATA
( KARU )
( YACK )
SOFTWARE
IROMUST TMR
Exit KARBY
Magician KAZ
GAME DESIGN
KAT
ZAWAKICHI
HARDWARE
Yasuhiro Shibuya
DESIGN
Mt.MIHARA B.E.umakboh
SOFTWARE SUPPORT
E.Takashi Kitabayashi
YMOT Yagi
SPECIAL THANKS
(Character design)
ZAK MUNN
Masami Kikuchi
MUTTER TOMY
E.BANG DE BOO.M
(Model)
E.SATOH GO 2
WEP
Y.S.SAYURI.K.U
Mt.MIHARA B.E.umakboh
Masami Kikuchi
Thank you for your playing!
Presented by
TAITO CORPORATION [In the English version: "TAITO CORPORATION JAPAN"]
[There is a staged scene of Round 1.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 2.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 3. These guys know what they're doing, lol.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 4.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 5.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 6.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 1's boss.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 2's boss.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 3's boss.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 4's boss.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 5's boss.]
[There is a staged scene of Round 6's boss.]
[There is an image of the World Map.]
[There is an image of the Taito Logo.]
[There is an image of all of the characters, assembled for a cast photo.]
(On the Name Entry Screen, press the Attack Button to enter the initial,
and press the Jump Button to return to the previous initial.)
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[3] (reserved)
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[4] Sound Test
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Press Left and Right to cycle through the tunes or effects (256 total).
Press Up and Down to cycle in increments of 16 (or 10 in hexadecimal).
Press Attack to play them. Press Jump to stop them. (Player 1 only.)
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## Time Tune or Effect ## Time Tune or Effect ## Time Tune or Effect
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00 (silence) 29 charm 52 Boss 2 laser
01 (blank) 2A Magic tornado 53 group cheer
02 (silence) 2B animal cry 54 bell ring
03 (blank) 2C skate 55 (silence)
04 (blank) 2D Boss 6 blue 56 squeak
05 (blank) 2E "Go!" Indicator 57 (silence)
06 (blank) 2F twist 58 short chirp
07 (silence) 30 pop 59 echoing drop
08 Credit 31 hero die 2 5A strike
09 0:32 Prologue 32 gong 5B (silence)
0A 0:18 Title 33 hero die 1 5C (silence)
0B 0:37 Round 1 start 34 clink 5D 0:57 Unused
0C 0:28 Unused 35 chirp 5E animal rush 2
0D 1:01 Round 1 36 microwave ding 5F 0:25 Boss (Shared)
0E clock ticking 37 knight swing 60 0:50 Ending Images
0F 0:59 Round 2 38 slam, door 61 0:10 World Map
10 1:07 Round 3 DRUGS 39 clank 62 Mel attack
11 0:57 Round 4 3A bounce 63 trill
12 1:03 Round 5 3B Boss 6 fire 64 0:32 Boss 3
13 0:52 Unused 3C tap 65 0:07 Boss 5
14 0:53 Round 6 3D gear clanking 66 fairy ring
15 1:14 Unused 3E 0:29 Boss 2 67 Magic dust
16 0:54 Unused 3F Round 5 flood 68 yell
17 0:27 Boss 1, 4, 6 40 splat 69 distant boom
18 (silence) 41 megabomb blast 6A Round 4 rain
19 0:17 Round 6 end 42 Magic girl 6B (blank)
1A 0:15 Unused 43 mixed beeping 6C animal get
1B 0:41 big pink guy 44 bubbling 6D clock turning
1C 0:27 microwave guy 45 dig 6E 0:14 Round 3, 5 end
1D 0:16 Unused 46 Zac hit 6F 0:06 Round 2 end
1E 1:47 Staff Credits 47 Mel hit 70 gear wind
1F 0:14 Name Entry 48 nuclear fairy 71 energy buzz
20 0:07 Game Over 49 boing 72 high beeping
21 0:08 Game Start 4A raspberry 73 to F0 (silence)
22 jump 4B tongue F1 tone
23 Zac attack XD 4C giggling F2 tones
24 thump 4D Boss 4 fire F3 hums
25 0:04 boss die 4E animal rush 1 F4 (silence)
26 screech 4F (silence) F5 repeated tones
27 girl/dust start 50 (silence) F6 repeated tones
28 chime 51 grunting F7 to FF (silence)
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[5] Reference
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[5.1] Game Source Information
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Name: PuLiRuLa
Developer: Taito
Producer: Taito
Genre: action fighter
Players: 2
Save: none
Publisher: Taito
Release Date: 1991------
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[5.2] Really Small Details That Make Those Doggies and Piggies Even Cuddlier
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Subtle Differences
Despite appearing otherwise, the heroes actually differ in the pacing
of certain actions. Mel ends her thrust attacks slightly faster,
while Zac ends his initial standard attacks slightly faster. These
differences are very minor and don't really affect the gameplay.
Hey, Don't Hate Her Because She's Beautiful
In the English version, although the giant woman's legs are removed in
the third Round, they can still be seen in the Ending Images (after the
Staff Credits).
What Else Is There?
The World Map shows a town at the south that isn't visited by the heroes
in the game. Has this town originally been meant as the location for
the third Round? The desert to its east could have served as the place
for the fourth Round, too. The massive forest drawn on the World Map
also isn't explored.
Krezzy Comparisons
Taito has lovely arcade games. Just for fun, let's compare Mel from PuLiRuLa
with Sophia from Warrior Blade: Rastan Saga 3, Lisa from Arabian Magic,
and Cisty from Light Bringer (Dungeon Magic).
Name Mel Sophia Lisa Cisty
Swings a staff and calls up comical pals x
Swishes a cloth and rubs magic lamps x
Shoots arrows and kicks enemies in the face x
Cracks a whip and shoots rocks from her armpits x
Has alternate attacks that are free to use x x x
Can ride mounts (including flying carpets, lol) x x
Can turn into an adorable little angel x
Can fall into bottomless pits x x x
Can get her flesh eaten by a giant snake D: x
Sees one of the leading villains near the start x x
Breaks out from a prison-like magical realm x x
Finds alternate paths or hidden levels x x
Hangs out with Conan, er, Rastan the Barbarian x
Hangs out with Guts, er, Gren the Berserker x
Hangs out with the buffest Sindbad ever seen x
Hangs out with a weenie chimney sweeper x
Goes for a Sheherazade-style look x
Goes for a medieval fantasy-style slutty look x x
Goes for a Mary Poppins-style look... Awww :) x
Shows her cleavage x x x
Shows her navel x x
Puts on more clothing in her ending x
Peers between a giant woman's legs... x
... and finds a big pink elephant XD x
Is voiced by and enjoys music from Team Zuntata x x x x
Winner Tie
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[5.3] Document Credits
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Taito (www.taito.co.jp)
For creating PuLiRuLa.
Spherelanders
For playing through the game and figuring out the best tactics.
Extra thanks to Alex Round for actually authoring this document
and to Koyume for providing support and for always being the
sweetest magical girl. :D
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[6] Contact Information
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mail: faididi@yahoo.com
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