Pandora's Palace Discussion

[xelnia]

Thread for Pandora's Palace strategy and tips.

Chosen by: Donkey Kong Forum

ROMset: pandoras (Play on RU)
Lives: 3
Bonus Life: 20k and every 60k
Difficulty: Normal
All Unknown: Off

[Barra]

I already started on this one last night. There are others on the team wayyy better at this than I, but here's a vid showing the bonus on each screen. Lit
If you want to figure this stuff out by yourself, don't watch the clip!!

http://youtu.be/zuB6qmSHcnQ

Stage 1: Top shelf jump, from the moving platform. Extra life appears that you have to go up and grab. Touching the bird will kill you.

Stage 2: Jump as close to the platform as possible. Seems like your jump has to be a certain height, to make the frog appear.

Stage 4: Land on the platform just as it becomes horizontal. Too early, you'll die. Too late and the money bag won't appear.

Stage 5: Not exactly sure of the criteria, but make some large jumps between the middle 2 rows of platforms, and it'll usually appear. Doesn't seem that picky.

[VON]

Kasper played a game tonight on his stream that reached at least a million.  Check his latest archive for some tips.

https://www.twitch.tv/kalel99999/v/74355036

[Barra]

Thanks for the link, Ross!

Stage 5: Not exactly sure of the criteria, but make some large jumps between the middle 2 rows of platforms, and it'll usually appear. Doesn't seem that picky.

I've heard from an external source that the criteria changes between stages. Maybe different rows? Not sure.

[tilt]

At least it sounds like the game music is half decent.  I will give this one a try soon.

[kalel]

I got to two million with 10 guys in reserve and quit on my stream from last night. IMO. the cash bag just not worth it. and after the first two go arounds the dinasaur isnt worth it. Its more prudent to get better at timing. of killing enemies from directly above and getting 1500. after 3 straight 1500s you the bird comes out and you get more magic fruit. you can point press that way more safely. the only really important jump is the extra life jump. when you get higher in the game you get 20000 k on the bonus lus your kills so usually around 32 K. and you get a extra life every 60 just go for levels and do good on the bonus rounds. . there is a basic strategy for the beggining of each level and the end of each level that helps. kind of like patterns just better times to go that sort of thing. i will write up a strategy on that later GL

[krehztim]

After a few days, I would agree with kalel.  Cash bag not worth it.  The extra life jump definitely is.  I'm just so used to jumping OVER enemies, it's taken awhile for me to time jumping ON them instead.  This game's going to have some crazy scores at the end of the tourney.

Update - getting the hang of it, but hitting the Level 14 wall and calling it a night. 

[Barra]

Have been playing this a bit over the last couple of days. Best so far is 362k on Level 20. Solid score but I can definitely do better, just getting a grasp of the harder stages

Questions for Kasper (or anyone else!):

1. What determines where the fireball spawns at the beginning of a stage? I notice it can come out from a few different places. Is it random, decided by inputs, or something else?
2. Do the subsequent fireballs spawn at a consistent rate? i.e can I look at the timer and know "there's a fireball coming at XXXX time"?, or do they spawn after a certain amount of time after the first fireball has already left the screen?

Some observations:

1. Agree with the others. After the first loop, only go for the Frog and the Extra life. Never go for the cash bag (although I do on the first loop just for fun)
2. If you miss the extra life jump, just finish the stage. Can get into all sorts of trouble going for it again.
3. Multiple goes at the Frog is OK (although I wouldn't recommend more than a couple), if you are comfortable with it and there aren't many baddies around.
4. Wait for an opening before getting on the moving horizontal platforms. They can really suck your reserves if you rush it.

Oh wait IGBY hasn't even started yet

[VON]

I believe the fireballs spawn at a consistent rate and having an idea when they'll spawn is super beneficial.  Nearly every approach I've developed for the later boards involves knowing how far I can move between fireballs and where I need to be to most easily avoid them -- often times waiting in specific spots until the next fireball spawns.

For example, I always wait for a fireball to spawn before attempting the extra-life jump.  The pillar just above the sliding platform is safe from fireballs and also works for me as an easy way to set up the extra-life jump.  But most importantly, waiting to go for the free man until just after a fireball has spawned affords the most amount of time to gather the extra-life hassle-free. 

[Barra]

Thanks for the info, Ross. I shouldn't be surprised that you're already good at this one mate

Biggest thing for me is the dumb deaths. I'm consistently getting 250-300k but man oh man are some of the deaths downright imbecilic. Can't count the number of times I've missed a fire pit and literally walked straight into it

[xelnia]

The thought has come up: should we restrict Pandora's Palace to 5-man only? I don't care either way. What do you guys think?

[Barra]

The thought has come up: should we restrict Pandora's Palace to 5-man only? I don't care either way. What do you guys think?

TG tournament settings are 5-man with difficulty at Very difficult/hardest.
I wouldn't mind using these settings instead, but only if it doesn't hurt the team

Or would you rather stay away from non-default difficult settings?

[xelnia]

The thought has come up: should we restrict Pandora's Palace to 5-man only? I don't care either way. What do you guys think?

TG tournament settings are 5-man with difficulty at Very difficult/hardest.
I wouldn't mind using these settings instead, but only if it doesn't hurt the team

Or would you rather stay away from non-default difficult settings?

I prefer default settings all around, but the point was made that if the game is marathonable it could be a time issue in a tourney with so many games. I think that door swings both ways though...in a tourney with so many games, most people won't be putting in enough time to learn how to marathon it. It's worth a discussion, however.

[danman123456]

5 man is fine with me. Plus you could submit to TG if you wanted too.

Dan

[kalel]

3 things.  1 .  i am good with 5 man . 2 . ross is absoolutely right about waiting for the fireball before going for the extra man jump or. bottom runs. waiting above for it to pass is safer. and 3 .go back to 1