PrinceWatercress plays Magical Pop'n - Part 2 of 6

It's time for the second stage. Here, you'll learn how to use the grappling hook, which you'll be using throughout the rest of the game.

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Stage 2

The first section introduces a few new enemies: bunnies that will leap at you, flowers that spit seeds upwards every so often, fish that will leap out of the water and bird enemies who hide in bushes. With the bush enemies, wait for the enemies to pop out before hitting them. Thankfully, the water here does not hurt you.

You'll have to enter a cave in the second section in order to explore an underground cavern. There will be jellyfish-like enemies that will float around as well as mole-like enemies who are vulnerable when they dig around. To take out the bugs that move back and forth, strike them in the front, and stay away from them when they roll around.

Watch out for the plant that try to eat you; wait for them to move out of the way before proceeding.

To beat the plant mini-boss, you'll need to strike down the arms with the sword or the grenades. Once they are down, you'll need to strike the part in the center as the boss spits seeds that you'll need to avoid everywhere. Once you beat the mini-boss, go left for another heart for your health as well as a big star. Then, enter the doorway to get the grappling hook spell.

The grappling hook lets you grab onto the circles that are suspended in mid-air throughout the game. Thankfully, it does not cost any stars to use it. Equip it, then press A to shoot the hook at a 45-degree angle, and when you latch on to a hook, you'll swing back and forth. Wait for the princess' feet to kick up before holding forward and pressing either A or B to jump off so you can get where you need to go. Getting the timing down for both grappling onto the hooks as well as when you jump off so that you move forward every time will take some practice, but you'll get some in in the next room, anyway.

If you press Select with the grappling hook equipped, you'll perform an eight-way spear attack that costs several stars to cast. It does not have a long range, but it doesn't have a super-short range, either.

The pointy tree branches act as trampolines.

Eventually, you'll come across a bridge, and a big green ogre will destroy the bridge and knock you down below. From here, you'll need to jump from one tree branch to another while also using the grappling hook to get from tree to tree. If you look high and low, you'll find plenty of power-ups, including statue heads, birthday cakes and big stars.

Some chests will have orange bombs in them. If you find one, get away before you get hurt by the explosion.

The brambles are spikes; don't land on them. If enemies land on them, they will be damaged and killed by them.

While you're in the dark forest, you'll have to deal with archers who will shoot arrows at you as well as brown stag beetles who will dive at you.

At the end of the long grappling hook section across the water, there is a wall you can strike with the sword. Doing so will reveal a hidden cave where you can find a statue head.

You'll eventually face the big green guy; hit him with the sword three times to take him down. He can jump around and also hit you with his bone, so hit him quickly.

The boss is a spikey orange guy with green leaves for a propeller. He can shoot out seeds that produce spiky columns that grow out of the ground before disappearing, fly up into the air and then fall on your current position, and throw his propeller like a boomerang.

Hit the guy with the sword or with the laser whenever he is on the ground. You can use platforms on either side of the temple entrance to hit the guy while he is flying around in the air, but sticking to the ground is safer.