=============================================================================== SIMPSONS IV: RETURN OF THE SPACE MUTANTS FAQ/WALKTHROUGH, v0.9 Written and maintained by SubSane Last updated April 07, 2005 =============================================================================== TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Game Details 1.2 Story 2.0 THE BASICS 2.1 Game Start 2.2 On-Screen Display 2.3 Controls 2.4 Items 3.0 WALKTHROUGH 3.1 Lake Terror 3.2 The Badlands 3.3 Cemetery 3.4 Nuclear Power Plant 3.5 National Forest 3.6 Auto Wrecking Yard 3.7 Toxic Waste Dump 3.8 Alien Spaceship 4.0 CODES & SECRETS 5.0 LEGAL / MISC. 5.1 Version History 5.2 Guide Credits 5.3 Contact Information 5.4 Legal Stuff =============================================================================== ===== 1.0 INTRODUCTION ======================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.1 Game Details ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ah, Return of the Space Mutants. This game was designed and released in 2001 by a talented guy named Macbee, and is hacked from 'Swamp Thing' for the NES. Though the gameplay and sound effects are exactly like Swamp Thing, all of the graphics have been updated and redesigned to give the game a more Simpsons feel. Check it out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.2 Story ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was late in the evening. Dr. Pete Wilson, a brilliant Springfield scientist, was working on a powerful formula that would change the world. But there were other eyes on his work. From the shadows emerged a sickly green being... a space mutant! The menacing mutants from outer space had returned! Dr. Wilson was overpowered as the space mutant stole his formula and blew up his lab in the escape. Dr. Wilson tried to get out, but the explosion killed him moments later. The mutants now had the formula and prepared to conquer the Earth. But, there was one boy who knew how to stop the evil space mutants: Bart Simpson! He defeated them the first time and must once again set out to stop them. =============================================================================== ===== 2.0 THE BASICS ========================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.1 Game Start ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Start to begin the game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.2 On-Screen Display ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Life Points =========== Those blue bars represent life points. Each hit takes one away. B boins ======= The number next to the life points represents the number of B coins you've collected. Collect 50 to get 1 extra life. Cupcakes ============ When you get cupcakes they will appear in the upper left corner. They are used as weapons. Points ====== Press Start to view the number of points up to that point. Lives ===== Press Start to view the number of remaining lives. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.3 Controls ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Command | Action ---------------------------------------------------------------- Start | Begin the game, pause Select | Get out of trees Control pad | Move left and right, duck down Control pad Up | Press Up in a ?, ?, or ? enter inside them B button | Punch, use cupcakes A button | Jump, shake the trees when you're inside ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.4 Items ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item | Purpose ---------------------------------------------------------------- Cupcakes | Get 10 cupcakes - used as weapons Diamonds | Small diamonds - used to refill life points B coins | Collect 50 to gain 1 extra life 1UP | 1 extra life Krusty head | Press Up to recharge life points Cherry bomb | Press Up to enter the bomb and roll into small pipes =============================================================================== ===== 3.0 WALKTHROUGH ========================================================= ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.1 Lake Terror ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Head mutants, flying mutants, ground mutants, Blinky fishes, falling mutants So, those space mutants feigned defeat the first time only to come back and start trouble. Bart's first stop on the mutant hunt is Lake Terror. Head left to grab the diamond and then right to begin. The head mutants can't be killed, so jump over and proceed. Jump over the can as well and jump up to punch the flying mutant as it flys by. All of these basic enemies die with one hit from you or a cupcake, but try your best to avoid them anyway. You can kill the ground mutants by standing in the water and hitting them as they get near you. Trudge through the water and get to the wooden house while jumping over the fish. Jump to the top and use the height to jump onto the concrete poles, but wait for those falling cans to pass before you go on. Keep fighting and collecting B coins and you head to the right. Be careful near the next house because small knives will come out flying when you approach. After you pass the next chunk of mud you'll be at a large wooden structure. Jump up onto the first set and get to the house at the top. Avoid the knife and hop onto the concrete poles to collect all of the B coins, then move on. Ahead you'll find some floating toilet seats, but just walk through the water to make it easier. Also watch for Blinky fish and plenty of falling cans. Next up is a whole bunch of houses on stilts. Hop up to the top of the first two houses and collect everything as you go, then get to the right and jump on the wooden platforms on the far right. Use them to jump up and use the left platforms to get to the top of the structure. Once you're on the far top platform, make a large jump to the right and grab the 1UP for an extra life. Continue along until you get to the final patch of dirt where the level ends. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.2 The Badlands ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Stone skulls, crawling mutants, flying skulls, skull piles, bouncing heads, cauldrons, screaming heads, running skeletons, knives The first and most common enemy in this level will be those large stone skulls that throw out eyeballs. They can't be killed, so just wait until they are about to throw the eyeballs and quickly jump over to proceed. As for those little crawling mutants... meh. Just jump past them. As you get to the pits some flying skulls will emerge from their dark depths. Wait for a gap between skulls and quickly jump over to get past them. Next up is a pile of skulls. These are much like the stone skulls in that they can't be killed and toss out a bouncing object. Jump over them just like the stone skulls. So, la la la... next up is a hut. Huts will usually have bouncing heads and a cauldron near them, and both are easy to avoid. Walk under the heads and wait for the cauldron bubbles to rise before going over it. The flying skulls on the fence ahead can also be avoided by jumping over as they return to their spiky resting place. The next pit is guarded by a screaming head, but this thing is a pretty cheap enemy. Wait for that white waves to fizzle out and punch the head to kill it. Now, you could jump over the pit... but let's go spelunkin'! Carefully slip by the skulls and fall down the pit. Hop on the small platforms and collect all the B coins and the one diamond, then head right. Avoid all skulls and skeletons and jump over the next pit then wait for the running skeletons to rise up and run at you before you jump over. Jump down the next pit (you can't get the extra life, so don't try) and stick to the left to land on a platform. Continue on to the right and jump over all of the stone skulls, then jump into the gap on the right. There will be a B coin and 1UP waiting for you in that small alcove. Get out of there and jump up to the top of the pit to return to the surface. Light, horrible light! Over the cauldron and past the stone skulls, look out spikes cuz here you come. Feel free to walk on the flaming hot coals, but jump if you see any flames flicker up. After you pass the hut you'll get to some wooden beams. Walk along them and kill or avoid the crawling mutant dudes, and as always make sure to collect anything you can get. Kill the screaming head at the end, jump straight down to collect the B coin, then jump over the stone skulls to complete the level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.3 Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Ghosts, flying saucers, flying statues, fire, yellow bats, ghost of Maude Flanders Head right and the first enemy will appear. Those ghosts only move in a straight line, so duck down to avoid them. The flying saucers, however, move up and down as they fly. Wait until they are at their high point before passing under them. Third up are the flying statues. These flying statues can move up and down or from side to side. The up-down ones will usually be on a single pole while the side-to-side statues tend to be on low platforms. Get to the small mausoleum and use that floating gravestone to get over it, then enter the door to the second mausoleum. Walk along past the ghosts and slow flames, then over the coffins and yellow bats. Get to the end of the chamber and hop on that skeleton hand to return to the surface. Run past the many flying statues and over the mausoleum and get to the end of the short path and into another mausoleum. This one's not too tough either. Avoid the flames and jump onto the ledges with dead bodies on them. Some ledges will be smaller than the full ones, but still easy to see. Get down to the bottom ledges and go to the right to get to the giant wall of skeleton hands and leave this pit of death. The next stretch above ground is not difficult or any different from the last ones, so go ahead past the flying statues and gravestones. Enter this last mausoleum to be done with the graveyard... Boss: Ghost of Maude Flanders ============================= So not only does Bart have to deal with space mutants, but the ghost of Maude Flanders as well! He disturbed her grave and now she's pissed. Wait for her to materialize and then quickly jump and punch her. If Maude appears too far away just get some distance and avoid her flying ghosts, then try again. It only takes five hits to defeat Maude and beat the level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.4 Nuclear Power Plant ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Bouncing mutants, flying robots, steam, radiation, orange robots, ground robots, Smithers Part 1 ====== Those dastards! They've taken over the nuclear plant and all people inside. Get going and avoid the bouncing mutants, steam from the red pipes, and the flying orange robots. This is all the same stuff you've seen in the last three levels. When you get to the radiation give them a second to disappear or the small drops on the ground may also hurt you. Eventually you'll get to a pit. You can get across by jumping on the hooks and quickly jumping onto the circular grates before the hooks collapse. Continue along avoiding all bad guys jumping over the land mines, and be careful around those orange robots because they fire low and high laser beams. Cross the next few pits by using the grates and as always wait for any falling radiation to pass before jumping. Hold Up to ride up the platform on the far right and keep going up until you see two radiation drops on the right. Jump between them to grab a 1UP and then return to the left. Cross the next pits by jumping from the very edge of the platforms and holding A to speed up. Hey, there had to be a jump-heavy level, right? Keep going and hop up the pink pipe with that circular grate to get over it, and look out for the sections of pink pipe that collapse. They are orange and look more rusty than the pink pipes. After more jumping to the left you'll reach another elevator to the top. Ride up and jump to the right some more to reach a dark door to the next area. Part 2 ====== It's more of the same thing except there will now be some machines that spout radiation and lots more jumpin'. CAREFULLY hop along to the right and ride up the first long elevator, then head left. Eventually you'll see some circular grates leading down. Follow them and collect all of the items along the way. Continue to the left until you reach the next dark door. Part 3 ====== Head left and go up the first elevator, then right and up the next elevator. Head to the far right and collect the 1UP between the radiation and return to the elevator you passed on the way there. Go right on this next floor and ride up one more elevator to find a Krusty head. Press Up to enter it and recharge your life points. Go down two floors (the second floor from the bottom) and head left to find another elevator. Ride up and keep going left-up until you get as far as you can. Go right from there and keep riding up elevators until you get to an elevator with some circular grates next to it. Ride up the elevator first and go left to find some B coins and life points, then return to the circular grates and follow them to the top. Enter that dark door to finally get out of the main area and face the boss. Boss: Smithers ============== Poor Smithers... The guy just wants to best employee he can be and here these aliens possess his body. Watch out for his (very slow) green blasts and jump on the grates to reach him. The best spot to wait is the second from the top grate where you can duck to avoid the high blasts and jump over the blasts at an angle. Punch him 5 times to defeat Smithers and clear the nuclear plant of space mutants. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.5 National Forest ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Flying monsters, traps, ground robots, bouncing mutants, turret guns This level is (thankfully) free of large and annoying jumps. Grab the diamond on the left then head to the right and punch all flying monsters that appear, or duck if possible. Jump over the small blue robots and traps as well. Stop when you see the thick, gnarled tree stop in front of it and press Up. This will transport you inside it allowing you to move up and down and shake the tree. Press A to shake that tree and get a free 1UP, then move on. The next tree with vines will be free of leaves along the top. Get inside and move up to find a bunch of items, including a Krusty head. Get the cupcakes on the left and then fall to the right to land on the branch. Get in the Krusty head if you need some life points and then continue to the right. Grab the B coins on the way down and go along until you find the next thick tree. Enter inside and shake it to make an cherry bomb fall. Now, this next thing is probably the coolest move in the game. Press Up in front of the cherry bomb to enter inside it and roll into the gray pipe on the right. Inside you'll find cupcakes, diamonds, and another 1UP. Grab it all and jump over the yellow robots to get to the end and return to the surface. Destroy that turret gun at the end by punching it quickly and walk past it to end the level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.6 Auto Wrecking Yard ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Yellow mutants, bouncing mutants, ground robots, flying turret gun Sure the forest was dark, but it was nicer than this depressing place. Walk to the right and run past the pistons by crossing immediately after they slow down. Some small yellow mutants will also appear, but all you have to do is jump as it passes by. Continue along and avoid the car sparks and bouncing mutants. Further ahead you'll see some white rocks hanging from metal scaffolding. Get close and allow the rocks to fall, then jump over them. They'll still hurt you if you touch them. Keep going and jumping over obstacles as they appear. Fight the flying turret gun to move on to the next level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.7 Toxic Waste Dump ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Bouncing mutants, radioactive spiders, floating blue heads, flying monsters, turret guns, evil Maggie Another simple head-to-the-right level. Jump over all glowing toxic puddles and approach them carefully to watch for bouncing mutants or spiders. Enter the cherry bomb when you get to it and roll under the turret lasers and flying monsters. Duck under the bouncing spiders and continue hopping from one barrel of waste to the next. Enter the Krusty head when you see it to refill your life points and get to the end to find yet another turret gun. Defeat it to enter to face a familiar... face. Boss: Evil Maggie ================= A clone of Maggie?! That's just evil... Anyway, she'll be floating in the air the entire time. Enter the thick trees and shake them to drop radiation drops. Switch trees by pressing left and right and time it so you drop the radiation just as the clone flys by. It will only take five hits to defeat Maggie's clone and move on to the final battle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.8 Alien Spaceship ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enemies: Lasers, red monsters, falling bricks, flying robots, flames, monster hands, the space mutant Bah, not more jumps! Go to the right and immediately start jumping onto the blue platforms that lead up. Avoid all lasers, red monsters, and puddles along the way. When you get to those alien pictures wait for the flames to go down before jumping onto them, then quickly jump up and get off them. Use the blue platforms top get as high as possible and then jump on the bar window sills to head to the right. When you reach empty air use the white lamps to continue. You can find the white lamps by following the long blue poles to which they're connected. Jump off the last one to find a 1UP in the middle of the air. Walk along the ground and jump over the red monsters and pits. Start jumping up when you reach the next set of platforms and keep it up until you hit the top, then head to the right. Jump from platform to platform until you see another blue set of platforms, then climb up those. At this point you should NOT fall down. Keep hopping along until you see the light poles. Jump on the light poles and jump as far to the right as possible to grab another 1UP. Fall to the right to reach the doorway to the space mutant's inner sanctum. Boss: Space mutant ================== Now then, to begin that orb in the air will not hurt you but its laser bolts will. Stay on the middle pciture to avoid it. Next are the flames that emerge from the tops of the pcitures. Once again I'd have to recommend you stay on the middle statue, either on top or on the bottom. Jump when you see the flames flicker to get over them. Ya gotta figure the space mutant has some powers to cause the trouble he does, and teleportation is one of those powers. Remain on the middle platform and if the space mutant appears near you jump and punch him. Remember, only if he gets close enough. Keep carefully punching him and avoiding the obstacles until the space mutant flys off in defeat. Congratulations!!! Bart has defeated the space mutants and saved the world from their evil plans. He can return home knowing that Springfield is safe... but for how long? THANKS FOR PLAYING! =============================================================================== ===== 4.0 CODES & SECRETS ===================================================== Game Genie codes ================ Infinite Health SZNVZVVK Infinite Lives SZNTIKVK =============================================================================== ===== 5.0 LEGAL / MISC. ======================================================= ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.1 Version History ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 07: Version 0.9 - - - - - - - - - - - Guide completed and submitted. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.2 Guide Credits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to... 1. DC Comics, T*HQ, and Imagineering Inc. for creating the original game. 2. Macbee for his excellent hack of the game. There can never be too many good Simpsons games out there. 3. Wilson Lau gets mad props for his kick ass 'Bart vs. the Space Mutants' guide. It is what inspired me to write guides for video games. 4. http://www.gscentral.com/ for the Game Genie codes. 5. Thank YOU for reading. After all, I didn't write this for my own health... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.3 Contact Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The address is: subsane@gmail.com The issue of too many e-mails isn't a problem, so I'll most likely respond to any questions (for now). But, I do delete e-mails without a subject. Put 'Return of the Space Mutants FAQ' or something similar in the subject line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.4 Legal Stuff ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Original game (Swamp Thing for NES) © 1992 T*HQ, Inc. 'Return of the Space Mutants' designed and released in 2001 by Macbee. 2. This guide copyright © 2005 SubSane. This guide may be distributed freely as long as it remains in it's ORIGINAL and UNALTERED form. It is only for private use and may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. If I discover that this guide has been altered in any way and is being displayed publicly, I reserve the right to have the guide removed from that location.