Wow-check out at the price on this
Splatterhouse handheld. I've always wanted the boxed version (mine's the blister pack), but this is too rich even for my pockets...
I'll say. :eek I'd love a nice clear scan of that manual cover, though. Maybe the interior too. Most likely it's the same as the one I already have... but you never know.
Well, I knocked the seller down to $300 from $500. Still a tad more than they normally go for boxed, but it isn't like I've already spent too much on Splatterhouse stuff in the last month.
I'll have photos of the instruction book.
Well, I finally got this after Thailand Post sat on an EMS package (which is supposed to take 3-5 days to arrive, and when it’s Japan Post usually takes 2) for THREE FRICKIN’ WEEKS before shipping it to the USA, during which time I had figured it was lost. Anyway, I’ll try to post photos of the instruction book this weekend-Rob, the Japanese ‘instructions’ you have on the WM site are only page 1 of 8 (so feel free to grab the photos and update next time you do so).
Until then, here’s the ‘official’ bestiary and their English translations, along with what we usually call them in parentheses-with something new for Biggy that I had long suspected. I’ve added some observations I’ve made from past playthroughs of my loose copy.
1) Shitai-corpse (spitting hanged corpses)
2) Isu-chair (chair thrown around by the Poltergeist)
3) Koumori-bat (bat)
4) Gaikotsu-skeleton (in game, it’s a skull…the Japanese for it should really be Zugaikotsu)
5) Bugi-man-Boogeyman (Biggyman) I had long suspected that the original intention of the Japanese was to call him Boogeyman, and that the katakana got misread by Westerners at some point. This game is copyrighted 1988, which predates the PC Engine/T-16 version and hence represents the first time our chainsaw-handed friend was given a name. Interestingly, the recent Japanese PC release clearly has him as Pigiman (Piggyman), which indicates the Japanese bought into Biggyman at some point as well (but as often happens with katakana, didn’t ‘hear’ it the same way as Westerners). Biggy is called ‘the Boggy Giant’ in the English instructions that come with the plastic bubble version that was released outside Japan, giving him at least four official names.
6) Naifu-knife (knife thrown around by the Poltergeist)
7) Kikai na Seibutsu-weird creature (Body Eater, Boreworm)
8) Te-hand (the severed hands seen in the room with the broken floor) Te can also mean arm, but given the fact that the ‘claw’ is mostly hand, I’ll stick with it.
As to where and when they appear-
1) Lower room (which roughly looks like the Poltergeist room from Level 2 of the arcade) has knife (from the left) and bat (from the right), with chair (from the right) appearing from second level on. Rick moves from left to right here.
2) Middle room (which roughly looks like the outdoors of Level 3 of the arcade) has corpse (two of them, right one shoots left, left one shoots right) and hand (from the right, bounces off left wall), with skull (from the right) appearing from third level on. Rick moves from right to left here.
3) Top room (which roughly looks like the opening hallway from Level 4 of the arcade) has Biggy (moves from center to left to center to left, etc) guarding Jennifer, with the Boreworm appearing on level four (from right and bounces off left wall) and another one added for level five. Rick moves from left to right here…and usually left again to retreat from Biggy’s chainsaw swipe.
And our heroes…
1) Rikku-Rick, armed with a cleaver
2) Jenifua-Jennifer, screaming for HELP! and showering you with little hearts when you rescue her
3) Hashigo-ladder (well, it’s not a living, breathing ladder, but it helps Rick and they list it, so there ya go). The ladders are grabbed by Rick and allow him to climb to the next room.
And of course, everything speeds up from one level to the next. Corpses, bats, chairs, boreworms, Biggy, and skulls can be killed. Knives can only be leapt over. Hands usually have to be leapt over but can be killed in one screen position. I think boreworms can be leapt over. Timing is everything, and getting used to jumping over crap and simultaneously attacking is a must-as well as knowing the right time to advance and climb to the next floor (and where to stand while you’re waiting), so you don’t blunder into a creature that spawns on it or is lurking on the landing above…instant death. Fighting Biggy in the last two levels usually involves backing down to the second floor at least once-can’t be avoided. Winning on level 5 (the final level) is likely the toughest thing I’ve done in any Splatterhouse game, even including getting an ‘S’ in the Wickerman survival arena in the new game (I usually can come in with about three minutes to spare these days). All in all, a nice little LCD game even better than my other favorite, Monster Panic!
The story, such as it is, is translated from the original Japanese for you by the Brickster.
Take it along!
In order to help Jennifer, enter the West Mansion too!
Rick's fight starts now!
So there you have it-the net’s most comprehensive examination of the Splatter House handheld. And my first grade teacher said I’d never amount to anything ^_^.
Here's the Japanese translation of the house ad story, given from the catalog on the back of the instructions that I somehow missed yesterday...
"The monster demons grabbed two unlucky people-Jennifer was taken away, Rick was beaten.
The spirit of the mask of legend (the Hell Mask) attached it to Rick's face, giving him power and courage.
Rick's fight starts."
So here the Terror Mask is the Hell Mask.
Sorry I didn't reply to this earlier, but I've been distracted. That, and your post on the 13th seems to be loaded with stuff like this: ‘S’
That said, I'm going to go over this and post it as the definitive overview on WM, if that's cool with you.
Sure, that's fine. I should have photos of the manual up tomorrow.
OK...the cover:
The color side of the fold out instructions that has the house ads:
The 'blue' side of the fold out with the actual instructions:
