IMPORTANT: Before playing this beta, please KEEP IN MIND that it's an UNFINISHED, UNRELEASED Nintendo 64 game that was in development more than 12 years ago. Obviously it has lots of bugs and we still miss some of the planned content, but for what it is, Dragon Sword is a fun game, especially if you can play it in coop with a friend. To better enjoy Dragon Sword, please set the difficulty level to NORMAL or HARD. This beta build of Dragon Sword was preserved and shared over the internet in April 2010 by an anonymous collector #################################### CONTENT [1] DRAGON SWORD 64 [2] HOW TO PLAY [3] DEATHMATCH MODE [4] KNOWN BUGS AND SOLUTIONS [5] HOW TO KILL THOSE BOSSES? [6] BOSSES NAMES [7] HOW MANY LEVELS? [8] LEVEL INTROs [9] DEBUG CAMERA [!] HELP NEEDED #################################### DRAGON SWORD 64 Created by Team Storm at Interactive Studios / Blitzgames (the creators of Glover N64), Dragon Sword is a cancelled hack and slash game (similar to Gauntlet Legends) that was in development for the Nintendo 64. Sadly, this game was never finished because of some issues with the publisher. Dragon Sword 64 was in danger to be lost and forgotten forever, but thanks to this playable beta, the community can preserve it's existence and give a means to all the work that was done before the cancellation. If you loved Gauntlet Legends on the Nintendo 64 in coop mode, probably you are going to like Dragon Sword too. We are happy that Dragon Sword 64 is now preserved, even in it's unfinished state. It's a shame that Nintendo 64 owners were never able to play this on their consoles. #################################### HOW TO PLAY (adventure mode) - Dragon Sword runs fine on Project64 1.6 emulator (change the graphic options if it's too slow, for example 8MB of Memory Size could help) - You need to use the save-states of the emu to save your progress (save often in different files, to reload the last one when you find a bug or the game freeze) - You have 3 lives. If you lose all of them, it's game over. - Break ALL the "Rock Totems" that generate the enemies, to turn off the energy-wall to the next zone - Before breaking a "Rock Totem", you need to kill enough enemies and collect that "blue energy" (totems will stay "transparent" when they cannot be broken) - Activate all the buttons and levers to open the door to the next zone (ALL OF THEM. Some buttons are not easy to see) - Use the weapons that can be found in boxes - Use your "escape" backflip to not get hurt - Kill chickens to regain health #################################### DEATHMATCH MODE Dragon Sword 64 has a deathmatch mode too, in which up to 4 players can fight each other in different arenas. There are various bugs, but it's playable. This is a completely different mode than the main adventure. #################################### KNOWN BUGS AND SOLUTIONS - After the initial logos, PRESS the B BUTTON to open the main menù. If you press other buttons, the emu could crash. - sometimes the game freeze, for example when you destroy a box in the first level (just leave that box alone) - Sometimes the game does not load the next zone, so you cannot proceed (reload the last save state and try again) - when you die in the game you'll get revived in a different place of the level, sometimes in a zone from where you cannot move (reload the last save state and try again) - in some levels, if you die the game freeze (reload the last save state and try again) - When you are playing in coop-mode, sometimes the controls get crazy. (reload the last save state and try again) #################################### HOW TO KILL THOSE BOSSES? The energy bar of Bosses 2 and 3 does not seem to decrease, but if you stay alive and keep to punch and kick them and their minions, after some time the next level should be loaded. #################################### BOSSES NAMES In the HEX code we can read the names of some bosses. 3 of these bosses can be fought in the beta, the others are lost in the game's code SOULFOR (first level's boss) TATOO (The boss on the ship?) DRACAR (lost) TOSHIRO (lost, it was a Samurai as seen in a beta screenshot) DRAGON (The boss that flyes and creates spiders?) #################################### HOW MANY LEVELS? From the internal HEX code, it seems that they planned to have 9 levels for Dragon Sword, but after you finish the 7th level in the beta, the game crashes. We still dont know how to load the 8th level or if it's in the game at all. It's possible that only level 1 to 7 are playable. A test-level could be hidden in the beta too. Here are the names of the levels as found in the HEX code. Adventure level's names seem mixed with arena's names (from the Deathmatch mode) [1] INCARCERATION [2] THE DEAD SHALL RISE [3] CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES [4] INFESTATION [5] THE LAW OF DISORDER [6] THE ABYSS [7] DARRC PILGRIMAGE [8] ULTIMATE SACRIFICE [9] THE DRAGON SWORD [1] LAVA TOMB [2] DARRC COLISEUM [3] CHAMBER OF SHADOWS [4] THE VOID ICON [?] LEVEL TEST There could be a debug menu to gain access to the other levels, but we did not find it yet. #################################### LEVEL INTROs In the HEX code, early intros of Dragon Sword's levels can be found Level 01 - Incarcerated; but mind focused on the quest - escape is imperative; time is all. The only hope , the Dragon Sword lies with the one his captors call the Guv`nor. Level 02 - Now the Dragon Sword is held by its chosen owner, the quests path must be found. The journey so far has been easy; seemingly guided by the very things that block the way. The only clear way is the Darrc-way. Level 03 - At last, a chance to stray from the Darrc-path; if only a boat could be acquired. A nagging thought remains the Darrc Lords must have a great interest in the Dragon Sword and its wielder. To raise the dead is no cheap trick. Level 04 - Port-Town : Normally a busy and bustling port. but now an erie and ominous silence hangs over the place. The Darrc hoards seemed to be gathering forces at the Barracks using the Harbour to accelerate their conquests of the neighboring lands. Level 05 - It is now clear that the Darrc forces have spread their influence further than could be foretold. With Avantaria turned to Darcc, the very fabric of reality is changing. Ahead a mansion looms. Perhaps within lies the quests goal Level 06 - With Draccar defeated something strange has happened to the world. Reality has been changed, some new evil is upon the land but you must fight on. Level 07 - You sense that your quest is nearing the end, but what will the end mean for you. Soon you will find out who has been responsible for desecrating your lands. Level 08 - Level story text will appear here in future Level 09 - Level story text will appear here in future #################################### DEBUG CAMERA Press START during the game, then press L + R Debug Camera Controls: A = Zoom In B = Zoom Out C Buttons / Analog Stick = Rotate the camera #################################### HELP NEEDED If you can find a way to load the 3 lost levels, to find a debug menù or interesting content still hidden in the game's code, please share all your finds in one of these forums: http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/ http://forums.lostlevels.org http://forum.unseen64.net Many gamers are working to preserve those cancelled games that could be lost forever, for curiosity, historic and artistic preservation. Thank you.