Prinsdam plays Clockwork Knight 2 - Part 1 of 5

It's that time again! It's the sequel to Clockwork Knight, and this time around we find out what happens immediately after the end of the first game!

Yes, yes, I know the videos are off-sync, old and in Japanese. I know that there's a much longer version that's actually better than this five-parter, but I can't find any more LP footage beyond this on YouTube at all. You'll just have to bear with me.

The version of the game used here is a Japanese version that actually combined the two games. The American version cut out the first part from this package and released it with just the second game, which is too bad because having both games together adds to the replay value as you can play them back-to-back on the same disc.

Anyway, on with the story. Immediately after the events of the first game, some bats fly out and kidnap Princess Chelsea again. The TV boss from the finale of the first game is still somewhat active after the final battle, and Pepperochau's ally, Sir Ginger (the guy in silver from the first game) volunteers to take him out as Pepperochau looks for Chelsea. This time, there's even more rooms in the house to explore!

Kid's Room

Yes, there's a third children's room. Wouldn't you know it? It's kinda hard to tell who is was meant for. Maybe it's really a playroom and not a bedroom?

Stage 1

The top with the mustache and huge nose is Prunchau, Pepper's close friend. Whatever he says, I can't tell, since it's all in Japanese. You talk with the character that marks the stage before you begin the level, which is a nice touch and adds some background to the story.

When you start the stage, you'll be seeing some of the normal enemies that you're used to in the last game. Some of the helmeted toys now carry pencils that they can use as lances that they hold straight forward in an attempt to stab you, but if you can stun them, you can carry them, run around, and one-hit any enemy who's dumb enough to be in your path.

The eggs carry power-ups. Just throw them and you'll reveal whatever is inside.

You can wind up the bridges with your key attack to raise them up and go to areas you couldn't reach without them.

If you don't know what the items are, here you go: The clocks add to your time and the white coins are for the bonus stage at the end of every world. The bronze wind-up keys replenish one health unit, the silver one replenishes them all, and the gold one increases your max health by one unit. The sparkly gold ball with the blue star is temporary invincibility. The helmet with the blue head is a 1-Up and the one with the red head is a 3-Up. (Phew. I know I put that into one paragraph, but I don't feel like copying everything down from the first game and it's a direct continuation that's actually better than the prequel anyway.)

The gold prize balls that act like plastic Easter eggs open up whenever you throw an object at it. You'll be able to find some nice things in them.

The toy trees can be picked up and thrown.

If you destroy multiple enemies in a row, you'll get a 1-up for pulling off this interesting stunt.

Just like last time, you can open the doors (and activate locks) by pressing B repeatedly when you're near them.

Every once in a while, you'll find a playing card. There are eight in every world, and four in every stage, each representing one of the four suits (spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts). Dash through it to collect it. There are 32 in the game and finding them all gives you the level select code when you beat the game after finding all 32.

After you get the Diamond, go to the right, step off the building and hold Left on the D-Pad. You'll find a hidden nook with some clocks and a hidden room. This is the Le Bon race. Beat Le Bon (the baseball from the first game) at the race to get a Gold Key.

The goal is just like the one in the first game - hit the correct letter, get a free life. This time, you have a ramp and the spaces for each letter are bigger.

Cards

Club - It's right after the start. You honestly can't miss it.

Heart - For the first one, just continue as normal after the gold prize eggs. It'll be there in plain sight.

Diamond - When you've opened all four prize eggs, walk on the top of the prize eggs and use your running jump to reach the other card at the top of one of the buildings.

Spade - It'll be just before the goal.

Stage 2

Barobaro is Pepperochau's trusty steed, and he's a wine bottle in a wheeled basket with a horse's head for a cork. Weird. This time around, you'll be racing down a track and shooting Barobaro's head at enemies to destroy them.

When you see the "!" signs, be ready to jump over a pit to the next track.

The enemies here consists of the helmeted guys on motorcycles (some of which you'll have to jump over as they can come at you from behind), and clown cars that take a few hits to destroy.

Keep to the right to avoid the giant clowns that drop down onto the track in an attempt to crush you to avoid taking damage.

Cards

Club - It's right after the start.

Diamond - Take the upper path after the first building, and stay on the foreground plane when you have a choice to stay there or enter the background.

Heart - You'll see it in plain sight after the Diamond card. Hit the background path on the second fork and you'll be able to collect it.

Spade - When you start seeing the little red cylinders bouncing up and down the track, you'll see this one. Since you took the background path to get the Heart, you'll be able to get the Spade.

Boss Stage

Remember Soltia? She was the host of the bonus stage and she sang in the credits to the first game. Oh, and she's a perfume bottle. Anyway, after talking to her, you'll take on the first boss - some snake with building blocks for a body and a microphone for a tail. When you see it, it goes "Hi-oh!" into its microphone. What, is this thing trying to be Ed McMahon?

Watch where the boss moves, and attack the microphone at its tail as you avoid its body. Sometimes it will go into the background and go "Hi-oh!" into its microphone before moving around again.

After it takes enough damage, this snake be prepared to dodge the head as you attack the tail. It will eventually turn black and white, signalling the end of the battle, before moving around in the background and eventually exploding before a falling building block hits the head and makes it fall. I have to admit, this is actually one of the more interesting boss deaths I've seen in a video game. I blame the surf rock bass riff that plays as the boss's body falls out of existance.