Wardner / Pyros

FAQ/Walkthrough v1.1
Written Monday, November 19th, 2001
Last Updated Tuesday, November 27th, 2001
By: Vatic (azurecow@altavista.com)
http://rbirl.tripod.com
Much Help From: Vince Taupin 



  First things first. Don't steal my work.  I played this game for hours on 
end trying to get all the information I could, and wrote notes on paper that 
I later used to type this. I did all the work for this, so taking it and 
claiming you did it will earn you a special place in hell. THIS DOCUMENT IS 
COPYRIGHT 2001, by me, Louis Clark. You can use this file to help you with 
the game, and that is it. No posting it on your webpage (GameFAQs *ONLY*), 
printing it in a magazine (*a* copy for *personal* use is fine), or 
distributing it in any way. This means no uploading it to an FTP, putting it 
on a CD or a disk, or anything like that. You cannot make money off of my 
work at all. Now that we got that out of the way...



=Contents=
1. - Introduction
2. - Updates
3. - What is Wardner? What is Pyros?
4. - Item List
5. - Advice
6. - Level Walkthroughs
7. - Missing Information
8. - Contact Me
9. - Credits



1. =Introduction=

  Welcome to my first public walkthrough. First off, this is for the arcade 
version of Wardner/Pyros, and being an arcade game, I am not aware of what 
setting the arcade machine was on. I am sure there are various levels of 
difficulty, and I am not aware what the levels change, or what level the 
machine I was playing was set at. 

  I wrote this FAQ because there was not any FAQ's for this game at all. I 
have tried to write an easy to understand walkthrough, that should guide you 
through the harder parts of the levels. Most parts are so straight forward 
(first level), that I felt not much information was needed.


2. =Updates=

  November 27th - Added lots of information from Vince Taupin. Can be found 
all through the guide. Please note, his info was found using a Genesis 
version of the game, and it is unknown at this time if these changes take 
effect on the arcade version. Say, if the dip switches are set to a higher 
difficulty. I will be trying to confirm or deny this over the next few days. 
Let's see what I can find out.



3. =What is Wardner? What is Pyros?=

  From what I understand, this game was called Wardner outside North America, 
and Pyros inside North America. I am not aware of any changes between the 
games other than the name. I will call the Wardner throughout the rest of the 
FAQ.

  In Wardner, you take on the roll of a short, chubby guy whose name I am not 
aware of. The game starts when you and a girl are approached by a wizard 
promising a "fantasia" of sorts.  You follow the wizard, and he kidnaps the 
girl, commenting that she will make a nice gift for Mr. Wardner. We can't 
have that, can we?

  On your quest to save your friend, you have to travel across 5 levels, to 
reach the evil Mr. Wardner. You will have to destroy monsters, jump over and 
duck under various traps, and collect gold and orbs to help you with your 
journey. 

  You have a weapon meter on the bottom of the screen, which shows your 
current weapon, and weapon power (1 to 8). All weapons use the same power, so 
if you change weapons, you won't lose the power. The power, rather than 
making your weapon stronger, lets you fire it faster.



4. =Item List=

  Along your quest, you will see many items. I think this is a complete list, 
although I could have let a rare item or two slip by. I've played the game so 
much though, that I doubt that is the case. (* = item can only be purchased, 
see below)

   Small Orb - Collect enough of these, and you can add to your weapon power.
   Large Orb - This orb adds 1 to your weapon power, to the max of 8.
   Money Bag - Adds to your gold
   Treasure Chest - Adds a lot to your gold :)
   Magic Mantle - This lets you take an extra hit without dying
   Ocarina - Summons a bird to carry you through level 3
   Needle and Yarn - Adds a hit if you have a mantle
   Mystery Clock - You won't die if time runs out
   Golden Fairy - Fairy damages enemies it touches (Thanks to Vince)
   *Star Sword - Attack becomes a zigzag that goes across the screen
   *Moon Sword - Attack becomes a loopy-type attack (think fire from Contra)
   *Solar Sword - Attack becomes a line of all shots at once

  After levels 1, 2, and 3, you will be given the chance to purchase the 
following items.

   Star Sword - 1500
   Moon Sword - 2000
   Solar Sword - 3000
   Magic Mantle - 300
   Needle and Yarn - 200
   Mystery Clock - 300

  A word on weapons. Vince recommends not buying the Star Sword, and I 
couldn't agree more. Sometimes it seems, at least on the arcade version, that 
shooting that weapon from a crouch does nothing, as it hits the ground and 
stops. He also brings up the point that you should get the Solar Sword ASAP, 
and how much of a help it is on the later levels, mainly the last boss and 
the monster that creates the golems on the last level.

  While it helps a ton there, there are two downsides to this weapon that I 
think I should state. One, is the fact that it shoots all of your shots at 
once. This means that you can't turn and shoot to both sides really fast, 
which can be a problem if you get yourself surrounded. It also makes the 
Ghosts on the last level a bit harder not being able to fire to both sides 
quickly.

  The second downfall is the fact that the shots stay level with you. 
Meaning, if you fire, them jump, the line of shots will "jump" with you, then 
fall back down when you do. Also, if you jump to fire at a target, your shots 
may fall with you and miss. This requires different timing, but can be easily 
overlooked for the power of this weapon. (I have not talked with Vince to see 
if this is true of the Genesis version, but I am guessing it is.)



5. =Advice=

  Being a simple platform game, there aren't many tricks you can learn, or 
tips to give. All that I can think of, are the following.

  Duck Jump - Sometimes when trying to jump, the ceiling will be so low, you 
will hit it and fall. If you walk as far out on the edge as you can, crouch, 
then jump, you can probably make your jump. You must be far out on the ledge 
though, or you can still hit the roof.

  Using the flame - The fire weapon you start with is pretty crappy. It falls 
to the ground right as your throw it, but you can add some range to your 
attack if you jump and throw them at the peak of your jump.

  Upgrade - Buy a new weapon as soon as you can, they will help more than you 
can imagine, and you keep them until you chose to pick a different one. 
Again, remember Vince's recommendation to leave the first weapon alone, and 
get the Solar Sword as soon as you can.



6. =Level Walkthroughs=

=Level One, Forest=
  This is a very simple level with a really straight forward layout. I doubt 
you will need any help at all, as it is just a straight line from the left 
side of the forest, to the right. 

  You can climb the vines you find to reach gold and other power-ups, and the 
reddish "water" can kill you if you don't get out before you sink.  If you 
fall in the water near the edge, you can usually jump to safety, but more 
often than not, you are gonna be short another quarter.

  About halfway through the level, is a place where you have to jump from 
vine to vine over some "water." I have seen a few people have problems here, 
because trying to jump at the top of the vines will cause you to hit the 
ceiling and fall. Instead, try jumping from the bottom of the vine.

  At the end of the level, is a green dragon. This first dragon is very easy, 
as all he does is fly up and down without moving. Stand so he's just barely 
on the right side of the screen bobbing up and down, and jump and fire at 
him. He will die really fast, and you can head to the store. After that, it's 
on to the next level.

  (According to Vince, this dragon *does* in fact spit fire on the Genesis 
version, and this may be true of the arcade machine as well. I will do some 
research on the dip switch settings and see how they effect the bosses.)


=Level Two, Warehouse=
  Much more annoying than level one, this is a much larger level with many 
more dangers. You will want to head to the right, and make your way up so you 
can cross the conveyor belt. You will have to jump over some spiked things 
that run across the floor, as your attacks don't harm them at all. 

  You will also see a girl, being held in a room. Don't worry, we will save 
her later in the level. She can sit and wait for a while longer.

  Continue with the level, ducking under the spinning blades that slide 
across the roof, then running along before they come back. Head up the 
ladder, and to the right. You will have to time your jumps so that you don't 
land on the spikes here. They rise and fall on the platforms, so do your best 
not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

  Climb yet another ladder, and head left. Again, watch out for the spikes, 
and the steam coming from the vents. 

Surprise! It's another ladder! Climb up to the top, and jump across the 
conveyor belt platforms. If you fall, you will have to go back to the ladder 
and start over.

  Don't be tempted by the chest you see on the ground. Grab the pulley 
instead, and slide right, but let go (hit down) before you ram into the 
spikes. Grab the item here, then you can go back for the chest. 

  Head down, and then to the left. Now we get to duck blades while on a belt. 
This is a bit more complicated than before. You will repeat this again, going 
to the right once you climb down, say it with me now, a ladder!

  From here you can just jump on down, and run into another green dragon. 
This one has learned some new things though, and he can shoot fire. He still 
goes up and down, but fires at you when he reaches the ground. Jump over it 
and pound him a few times. He also likes to rush at you if you get too close 
and don't keep the pressure on him with whatever weapon you are using. Don't 
give him the chance!

  Collect the silver key he was guarding, and rescue the girl. She has a nice 
surprise for you, as well as the gold key. Take the key, and exit to the 
store on your right.


=Level Three, Fire Wood=
  
  (More from Vince. The Genesis version lets you climb the left most tree at 
the start of the level, but he found no use for this. I will try to confirm 
this on the arcade version shortly.)

  When this level starts, you will run into flying skeletons who can only be 
hit in their backs, a la "Ghouls and Ghosts." They should pose no real 
threat. Head to the right, as this is another straight forward level. You 
will have to time some jumps as to avoid lava and fire, but its nothing you 
can't handle. 

  You will see a Large Orb and a treasure chest up on a stone platform. If 
you got the Ocarina from the first flying skull bird thing before the lava, 
you can ride the bird to them.  Eventually you will come to yet another green 
dragon. This time, he has the added power to shoot fire from the air. Again, 
watch for his rush and he should be no problem.

  (Again, Vince has told me that there is an item he found on the Genesis 
version that can let you jump to the top of the screen *once* to get the 
power-ups out of reach. This is said to be found after the Ocarina, and be a 
pair of green shoes. I cannot confirm or deny if this is present in the 
arcade version at this time. Watch this space.)


=Level Four, Castle=
  And so begins your climb into the castle. First, you should know that this 
level can feel maze-like, with many ladders, but it's really no problem at 
all. A few ladders lead to dead ends, and a few give you 1000 point bonuses 
when you climb them. A few also can lead to your death, as rocks fall on you 
when you are near the top. As a general rule, if you get a point bonus from a 
ladder, GET DOWN FAST, as a rock will probably be coming shortly to end your 
climb.

  Climb the 2nd ladder you see, as the first one is a trap. There are some 
silver doors to the right, but ignore them, as the floor will fall out from 
under you. Just head up, and slowly try to make your way to the right. There 
is a red dragon at one point in the level, who shoots high, low, high, low. 
Just duck the high shots, and jump and shoot when a low one comes. You will 
also have to Duck Jump at one point soon after him, so be ready for that. 

  After you have to duck jump, head up and to the right. Climb that ladder, 
and follow the layout of the level. You will come to platforms that rise and 
fall in spikes. time your jumps so you don't land on the spikes. You can jump 
onto a platform, and then jump up just before it falls into the spikes, 
instead of onto the next platform, so the next one will be at the right 
height for you. Remember, timing is the key.

  When you come to the pulley, ride it across, but remember to let go before 
you hit the spikes. 

  (Okay, Stop. Vince informed me that the level 4 on the Genesis version 
stops before any fire, and you have to fight a different boss. Here is what 
he says for this boss: "This level has the tentacle eye boss. To kill this, 
shoot at it's eye and when it  

shoots its little projectile out, jump to the left hand wall." Seeing as I 
myself have never played the Genesis version, I will have to try to find this 
boss in the arcade version with a higher difficulty setting on the switches.)

  Now its time to jump some fire, and the spirits that come out of it. Three 
spirits will fly out, then there will be a break, so jump then. You will come 
to yet another pulley, with more spikes at the end.

  (I saw this once when I let go of a pulley to early. Much thanks to Vince 
for reminding me. Some of the fire pits give point bonuses if you step barely 
on the last section of it, right next to the stone floor.)

  Now you will have to jump over some moving fire. This isn't too hard. 
Again, just watch the pattern and jump when you have a place to land. After 
that, you will have to jump over the spirits coming up from the fire below. 
Remember, they come in groups of three.

  Once you get past this, we run into our old friend, the green dragon. But, 
this time, rather than just learn a new attack, he's gotten a lot bigger! 
This might take you a few tries if your weapon power is low. Wait for him to 
grow to full size, then pound him as fast as you can. He will shoot green 
orbs at you that bounce from floor to ceiling in a very simple pattern. Every 
now and then, he will mix it up shooting the orb at the ceiling first, 
instead of the floor. What makes this fight annoying, is that he constantly 
walks towards you, forcing you to walk closer and closer to the ledge. Don't 
fall off, stand your ground and hammer him over and over.

  After his defeat, jump down the hole on the right, and fall into the castle 
basement. Sorry, no store here.


=Level Five, Basement=

  First, walk and fall down the hole. You will see 3 stone heads floating in 
the middle of the room. Get as close as you can. Shoot once, and then duck 
quickly. The heads will start bouncing left to right, off the walls and each 
other. Rise up when there is room, advance, and then duck again quickly when 
a head is close. It takes patience, but you should have no problem here. Fall 
down the hole when you make it.

  Now you should see a guy in golden armor with a spear. Don't shoot him. 
First, back up against the wall as close as you can. You will need as much 
room between you and him as possible. Now, shoot him once or twice, but do 
NOT unload on him (unless you have Solar Sword). Here's what happens: Every 
time you hit him, he will jump up and down, making rocks fall. These rocks 
will turn into Golems. Four of them to be exact. They will start marching at 
you, and take some hits to kill. Now, if you shoot the guy over and over, he 
will cause 2 sets of rocks to fall, which will make 8 Golems. I doubt you can 
fire fast enough to kill 8 of these before they back you into the corner and 
kill you. This takes time, but can be done rather easy if you don't get 
impatient. Continue down the hole.

  The next room holds a red dragon. Just duck and jump his fire, shooting him 
while you do this. A very simple room. Drop down to the next floor.

  When you get to the middle of this room, ghosts will start to come from 
both sides. Stand your ground, and shoot both sides as fast as you can. They 
shouldn't get close to you. After them, it's down another hole.
  
Okay, so you did those rooms? Now you get to do them all over!
  
  After your second run through the rooms, it's green dragon time. Don't 
worry, its just a little baby one. Nothing you haven't seen before. Defeat 
it, and hop down once again. If, you don't feel like fighting this dragon, 
get him to charge you and just jump over him, and down the hole. Problem 
solved.

  Here is Mr. Wardner. He's really easy. Shoot him, then duck his lightning. 
Then shoot him again and jump or dodge the ball he throws. He will die in no 
time.

  Maybe die was the wrong word.. He will change into his true form. Have fun, 
he's much harder than anything else in the game. I'll leave this all to you. 
Good luck, and enjoy the ending.



7. =Missing Information=

  If you know of any information I have left out, please let me know, and I 
will add it as soon as I can. I will, of course, give credit where credit is 
due. I am interested in any hidden rooms, levels, or other secrets, assuming 
this game has any. Also, any items I didn't find in my day long session of 
playing the hell out of this game, would be welcome additions. ;)



8. =Contact Me=

  If, for any reason, you want to contact me about my FAQ, feel free to send 
me an email at azurecow@altavista.com provided your email is not "ur FAQ 
sux." This will just make me question your intelligence.



9. =Credits=

  Here's the place where I say thanks to random people or things.

Sarah, for always being there and not telling me I was stupid for doing this.

Vince Taupin for lots of information on the Genesis version, the purpose of 
the fairy, and much more.

Nuclear Yeti for the email story of his run in with Wardner. Very nice.

Vomit, for telling me daily that I am stupid, and always providing comic 
relief while I write.

Kao Megura, for his wonderful MvC2 FAQ, which helped me become a much better 
player. :)

Nate, for showing me that I still have a long way to go. ;/

The local Air Port, for allowing me to hang out hours on end playing the only 
copy of Wardner I have seen.

Mike Z, for providing me and others with wonderful and humorous MvC2 movies.

GameFAQs, for not only hosting this, but hosting many other FAQ's by many 
great people, that have helped me and countless other people.