Skyworld

The skies are full of monsters. Flying through the air, Pit heads for the Palace in the Sky, where Medusa awaits him. Take care not to fall from the clouds!

Stage 3-1

When the stage begins, take advantage of the Hot Spring Chamber at Point 1.

As you approach Point 2, keep an eye out for sprouting Holers. Crouching to avoid a Holer’s projectile causes Pit to drop through these cloud platforms, so keep moving. It’s much better to fight Holers on solid ground.

Whenever you encounter a Pluton Fly, jump up to bait the enemy into charging, then drop back down and wait as it flies off the screen. Like Plutons, Pluton Flies can steal enchanted Weapons, so keep your distance.

To make sure you impress the gods, consider doing a bit of Holer hunting before you enter the Sacred Chamber. Defeat these enemies and collect the Hearts they drop until you’re confident you’ve done well—once your stage score reaches 20,000 points, you’re virtually guaranteed to find a congratulatory arrow waiting for you.

Stage 3-2

The Reapers in this stage patrol very narrow platforms. This means these creatures never face one direction for long. If you’ve managed to earn (and hang on to) all three enchanted Weapons, these Reapers shouldn’t be much of a problem. However, if you’re limited to short-range attacks, you might have to take a few risks to clear these enemies from essential footholds.

Take advantage of the stationary blocks scattered around Point 2. Stop to catch your breath and identify the best route along the moving platforms.

As you approach the Black Marketeer at Point 3, keep an eye out for lurking Holers. Remember that crouching on clouds causes Pit to drop through them—avoid battling Holers until you reach one of the more reliable footholds.

Stage 3-3

This stage features some very narrow platforms, so choose your path wisely. Just don’t linger in one place for too long—you never know when a troublesome Holer might make an appearance.

Be careful when you move past the edge of the screen in this stage—many of the platforms are staggered in such a way that you must jump as you transition from one side of the screen to the other.

Stage 3-4

The Check Sheet is only a few rooms away from the stage’s starting point. The ladder at Point 1 leads to a long drop—before you set out to face the final Gatekeeper, head through the door to the right. Make a quick detour to grab the fortress’s Check Sheet, head back to Point 1, and climb down the ladder to begin the journey to Pandora’s lair.

If you made it to Point 2 without being cursed, use the door to the left to continue toward Pandora. If you need some help from a nurse, head through the door to the right and make a quick detour—the nearest Hospital is only a few rooms away. Either way, remember how to get back to this room; you never know when an Eggplant Wizard will get the better of you.

When you reach Point 3, it’s time to evaluate Pit’s Endurance. If it could use a recharge, descend the ladder at the bottom of the room and make a detour to the nearest Hot Spring Chamber. You have to make it past another pair of Eggplant Wizards to reach the hot spring; if Pit’s Endurance is relatively high, you might be better off continuing toward Pandora.

The Eggplant Wizards at Point 4 are particularly troublesome. The narrow corridor doesn’t offer much room to move, and one of the wizards is located just below the only available path. At this point, a trip to the Hospital undoes virtually all the progress you’ve made. Approach with care, and don’t be afraid to make a brief retreat if an incoming eggplant seems impossible to dodge.

Although it’s possible to charge through the room unscathed, it takes precision timing and/or a significant amount of luck. Instead, consider allowing one of the available Shemums to strike—this small sacrifice grants a brief moment of invincibility. Defeat the first Eggplant Wizard while Pit is still flashing, then touch another Shemum and drop down to deal with the remaining wizard.

The Store at Point 5 offers one last chance to stock up on essential items. Once you defeat Pandora, you automatically enter the game’s final stage. Even so, limit your spending—unless you have 999 Hearts by the time you defeat Medusa, you have no chance to receive the game’s best ending.

This demon god serves as the Gatekeeper of Skyworld. When the battle starts, Pandora summons two hard-hitting bubbles that bounce around the room for the duration of the encounter. As you attack Pandora, keep a watchful eye on these bubbles—they bounce off walls, but they can also change direction without warning.

During the battle, Pandora often seems to vanish into thin air—this is an illusion. Just keep attacking the Gatekeeper’s last known position; Pandora flashes into view each time an arrow lands. If you lose track of your target, look for the shadows that appear each time Pandora passes in front of a pillar or platform. Keep moving, avoid being touched, and continue shooting until Pandora surrenders the last of the Three Sacred Treasures.