Dick Tracy - The Epilogue

Here it is: The Angry Video Game Nerd's take on Dick Tracy for the NES.

Here's the soundtrack in non-playlist mode with echo and reverb.

Here's the soundtrack in playlist mode as heard in the game.

Rurounibakajanai plays Dick Tracy for NES - Case 5 of 5

Let's hope that hunch is correct, Tracy.

City Map (by JBenno)

Case 5: Banks Alot

1. 8th and C Bank knocked over by masked gunmen

8th and C Bank

The gunmen walk now. They walk in-between shots, but there's no need to fire back. They only fire in one angle: straight. Duck down and punch out the gunmen until they die.

Keep heading to the right to avoid the four safes.

The desk that the clue is on is one of the biggest violations of perspective in a video game that I have ever seen in my life.

2. Matchbook from 9th & D Pier

9th & D Pier

Thankfully, this pier isn't too far away.

If there's ropes in a broken window, you can climb it.

The box past the exit has the clue.

3. Empty Money Bags

Don't go back to the exit just yet. Instead, go right until you make it all the way to the end. Jump off the windowsill and puch the air. You'll find a plethora of hidden power-ups: a first aid kit, a super punch glove, a tommy gun and a tear gas canister. Get them all.

Chase after the car and shoot it down. You'll meet Stooge Viller. Interrogate him and he'll tell you the other guys took off in a Rolls Royce, license plate 'RAT 1.'

Put your clues in the notepad and check your mugshots. Obviously, a rat is a rodent. Rodent it is. Your next destination is the 1st & I Club, where he was last spotted.

1st & I Club

Rodent is at the exit. Interrogate him, and he'll tell you his Rolls Royce is at the 3rd & H Garage.

3rd & H Garage

There are a lot of pipes you can climb on around here. You'll need them to avoid the rats that crawl around on the floor.

There's a first aid kit at ground level, but you'll have to brave the rats to get them. Once again, the tear gas canister comes into play.

One of the windows contains a clue.

4. Rodent's keyring, including key to a safe deposit box

From here, go to a police station and put the clue in the notepad. From there, head back to the bank. Once again, the biggest desk in the world provides the last clue.

5. Heist money hidden in Big Boy's deposit box!

Big Boy Caprice finally messed up.

The only way to find him, though, is based off the movie: You'll have to find him at the Club Ritz building at 4th & H (which has the name "Ritz" etched on it). How you're supposed to figure this out, I have no idea. Then again, I've never seen the movie, so I wouldn't know.

The Club Ritz

If you don't have two first aid kits before you make it here, go to previous areas and get them now. You'll need two for this area.

You'll have a lot of gunmen aiming at you shortly after the beginning. Proceed with caution and inch your way towards them in order to get a better shot.

When you make it to the bar at the other end, you'll meet a guy in sky blue. He'll shoot at you. Shoot at him a couple of times, then he'll try to fight you with his fists. Punch this guy out a couple of times, and you'll finally bring him down.

Turns out, this is Big Boy Caprice. Arrest him and you'll finally end this tedious game.

Rurounibakajanai plays Dick Tracy for NES - Case 4 of 5

This time around, we take care of a kidnapping while doing even more of the same as what we've played so far. At least this game isn't very long.

City Map (by JBenno)

Case 4: The Kidnap Caper

1. Ransomed diplomat heard foghorn during captivity

This time around, your mugshots won't help you here. Instead, you'll just have to use the clue given to you as your means of figuring out you have to go down to the Pier on 9th and J. There is no clue as to how you're supposed to figure out that you have to go to a specific pier.

9th and J Pier

You've been here before, but it's a little harder this time. Some of the enemies will require multiple punches to take down, and the rats show up here as opposed to the first case, when they didn't.

There's a first aid kit on the lower level before the end. It doesn't require very much backtracking at all to get it, and you'll definitely need to have two on hand at all times since you're getting close to the end.

The clue is below the exit door.

2. 'Hypnotist Today' magazine used to make ransom note

Head to a police station, put the clue in the notepad and check your mugshots. Influence is a hypnotist, so he might have something to do with it. Hit up the 3rd & J Apartments.

3rd & J Apartments

Go left and avoid the two safes as you go to pick up the Super Punch power-up. Haven't seen that in a while.

There are gunmen looking out of the windows, but they aren't any different from any of the other armed men.

There's a new enemy here: the dogs. You can either punch or shoot them, it doesn't matter.

Don't forget that you can climb up the pipe near the exit to get to the upper level.

Both the exit and a first aid kit are near Influence (who is dressed in green). Get the first aid kit before you talk to him.

Interrogate Influence, and you'll find out he left a magazine in the 1st & C Barber Shop.

1st & C Barber Shop

You haven't been to this one before, but the layout is exactly like that of 9th & C Barber Shop.

Thankfully, the barber shop will be just a smidge north of the police station you start at. You'll go back to that police station like you always do after an interrogation, which really cuts down on the transportation time.

Remember how you got the first aid kit at the beginning of the other barbershop? Well, guess what? It's still there, and you can get it the exact same way.

The clue is in a flower pot on the upper level.

3. Handkerchief with cloak & dagger design smells like chloroform

When you leave the barber shop, you'll chase after a car again. Apparently, he makes the fatal mistake of going towards the police station...and a dead end. Make sure he doesn't ram you. Once you shoot the car down, interrogate Littleface. The handkerchief isn't his. Go ask his boss, The Brow.

Check out your mugshots. The Brow is at the 5th & J Nightclub.

5th & J Nightclub

This area is surprisingly a bit easier than the others you've been in on this case. You can even find a Tommy Gun on one of the windowsills.

There is also a first aid kit to the left of The Brow above a table.

Interrogate The Brow (dressed in yellow) and he'll tell you he lost his handkerchief in the 2nd & C Auto Shop. Put your new clue on the notepad and let's go.

2nd & C Auto Shop

The clue is on one of the cars.

4. Business card, "Cloak & Dagger Imports, 6th & G"

You'll be seeing fistfighters, dogs and rats all at the same time at one point. This is probably the best use of the tear gas canister (if you still have it) in action.

6th & G Office

6th & G is near the park on the upper-right part of the map.

The clue is inside a filing cabinet.

5. Discarded note - 'Keep him at 1st & J Basement - B.'

1st & J Basement

You'll have to do some window hopping to reach the clue, but it's worth it, because it's the last clue!

6. Chloroform Bottle: The Brow's Finger Prints!

Head back to the police station, put the clues in the notepad and check The Brow's mugshot. Yep, still at the 5th & J Nightclub. Some alibi. Find The Brow and arrest him. You're nearly there!

Case 5: 007-215-047

Dick Tracy Theatrical Trailer (1990)

Here's the original theatrical trailer for Dick Tracy from 1990.

Rurounibakajanai plays Dick Tracy for NES - Case 3 of 5

Sheesh, this is getting pretty repetitive. The same music plays everywhere, it's the same enemies, and you're doing the same things over and over again.

Interestingly, things are about to change, as you have to avoid things now.

City Map (by JBenno)

Case 3: A Bang Up Job

1. Detective Sam Catchem receives letter bomb

Well, gee, Big Boy, I knew you would allude to Sam Catchem being taken out, but I didn't think you'd actually do i..oh, who am I kidding? Of course I did.

Look through your mugshots. Only an explosives expert would be able to pull something like this off, and Pruneface's profile is exactly that: an explosives experts. He was last seen at the 7th & E Nightclub.

7th & E Nightclub

Safes drop down from some of the windows! Watch out, as being hit by one will take off an entire badge!

You'll want to be careful with the armed men, as they fire at you faster than ever before.

Just near the exit door on a windowsill is another first aid kit. Of course, you should obviously go back to Pruneface and interrogate him. He'll tell you that he's being framed, and that he gets gunpowder from a guy at 5th and C.

5th & C Apartments

You can climb up the pipes by pressing Up on the Control Pad. This way, you can get the clue on the windowsill.

2. Back scratcher with embossed 'I'

Be careful during the end of this level. You're going to be facing two armed men at once, so take the guy on the ground out first before shooting the one above him.

You'll definitely want to be careful against the armed from this point on, as the time between bullet shots is now significantly faster. Some of them can also shoot multiple bullets at a time, making it so that you'll have to outsmart the AI a little bit in order to take them down.

Go to the police station and check out the mugshots. The backscratcher obviously belongs to Itchy. He's at the 1st & G Auto Shop.

1st & G Auto Shop

The rats are back. Of all the places, why an auto shop?

Jump on the windows shortly after the start by jumping on top of a nearby car and jumping to them from there. The last one has a first aid kit.

Itchy will be dressed in purple. Interrogate him and he'll say a man with no face stole his backscratcher. He also says he's being framed.

Check your mugshots. I'm pretty sure The Blank doesn't have a face. He's at the 6th and J Store.

6th & J Store

Get ready to punch some guy in the face multiple times as soon as you enter.

There's a first aid kit in the plant near the exit.

Interrogate The Blank. He'll say he's being framed like everyone else and that he was asleep at the 7th & A Club.

7th & A Nightclub

7th & A will be at the lower-right corner of the map.

There's a tommy gun above the clue.

3. Discarded note: 'Slip The Blank a mickey & keep him asleep'

When you exit the building, you'll chase another car. Go after him and shoot him. You'll find out it's Stooge Viller. Interrogate him, and he'll tell you that some guy at the 7th & D Grill gave him a sawback to go after you.

7th & D Grill

One of the guys will have what looks like a black grenade. This is a tear gas canister, and can be used twice. Using it will take out all onscreen enemies, so use them wisely.

The clue is just below the exit.

4. 'Explosives' book from 5th & G Library with paper from bomb

5th & G Library

The last clue will be below the exit here, as well.

5. Library records show 'Explosives' checked out by Flattop!

Go back to the police station, get the clues in the notepad, then check your mugshots. Thankfully, there's a police to the building south of the library.

Flattop was at the 1st & D Basement.

1st & D Basement

1st & D will be just north of the police station at the lower-left corner of the map.

The rats will be on the floor, so watch your step.

When you meet Flattop, arrest him. Job well done!

Case 4: 036-224-136

Rurounibakajanai plays Dick Tracy for NES - Case 2 of 5

There's something beyond the first level? Yay!

City Map (by JBenno)

Case 2: The Torchsong Tale

1. Nightclub torched! Owner says Lips Manlis did it

Check your mugshots this time. You've got a bunch of new faces compared to the last guy, one of them being Lips Manlis. His last known location is the 9th and C Barbershop, and you'll be traveling to the lower-right corner of the map to look for this guy.

9th and C Barber Shop

If you shot down any snipers last case, you'll have to take them out again in the next case. Always keep a look out for areas where you seemingly take damage out of the blue in the city, as the snipers are the culprit. Remember, they come back whenever a new case begins.

To reach the first aid kit at the beginning, you'll have to take care of the gunman, then leap onto the counter. There is something that looks like a purple handbag with a hot pink handle on the counter. Leap onto the top of that, then leap onto the two purple blocks above it. You'll then be able to take the unarmed man up there out and get the first aid kit.

You'll find another first aid kit if you move to the right on the upper path for a while. You won't have to deal with the unarmed men below, because they get slightly nastier here. Be on the lookout, as these fist-fighters will come at you from both sides and take multiple punches to knock down.

Be careful not to exit the barber shop before you interrogate Lips Manlis. He says twenty guys will swear he was at his at the 4th and I Club all night.

4th and I Nightclub

By now, you should have two first aid kits. If you still need another one, there's on one the upper level just after the start.

The clue is lying on a table on the lower level, below the exit.

2. Note: 'Lips, bring $50,000 to 2nd and F or Tracy gets proof you did it'

Somebody blackmailed Lips Manlis? Well, now...

2nd and F Boiler Room

The clue here is not far from the beginning. It's at the top-most level.

3. Empty camera with engraved initial 'B.'

There's another first aid kit you can collect right after the clue, and you'll find it on the central level.

You don't want to be at the bottom level, as the rats down here will eat away at your health.

When you go through the exit, you'll have to chase after another car and shoot it down. It's Influence! Interrogate him and he'll say that 'B' will never sing again.

Breathless Mahoney, perhaps? Well, she's the only person who's name begins with B and is known for singing around here, and she was at the 5th and A Hotel.

5th and A Hotel

If you need another Tommy Gun, you'll find one on the center level before the exit.

Move past the exit door and talk to Breathless Mahoney on the lower level. Thankfully, the developers actually tried and gave Breahless a separate tileset for her very own sprite.

If you interrogate her, she'll tell you it's the wrong 'B.' She then tells you to try the 7th and I Photo Shop.

7th and I Photo Shop

The clue will be on one of the doors.

4. Photos by Bug Bailey show Lips Manlis starting the fire!

9th and C Barber Shop

Go back to the police station and check your mugshots again. Yep, he's still at 9th and C Barber shop. Head all the way back to Lips Manlis and arrest him. Good job!

Case 3: 164-003-201

Rurounibakajanai plays Dick Tracy for NES - Case 1 of 5

Here's the title screen.

One guy? No continues?

Dick Tracy drives through the city, with the aim of shutting down Big Boy and his gang of criminals.

Every case begins with Dick Tracy talking to Big Boy Caprice and Breathless Mahoney. Tracy and Big Boy's roles on these screens are understandable, while Breathless turns basically anything into a double entendre.

City Map (by JBenno)

Case 1: The Bogus Bucks

1. Fake $20 Bill used near Steve the Tramp's Flophouse

This is your first clue. At the desk, you have three options. You can hit the streets and enter buildings, you can check out the clue again on your notepad, or you can look through your mug shots.

The notepad just shows the first clue again, so hit up your mug shots and look up Steve the Tramp. His last known location is in the 5th & B Flophouse. I'm guessing this is his flophouse, so let's pay him a visit.

Of course, if you've played the game before, you know that the city can be somewhat of a nightmare to navigate. If you haven't...well, you do now. Thankfully, I've provided a map so you can figure out what the heck is going on.

You'll need to drive in order to get around. You'll also see snipers on some of the rooftops that shoot at you on sight. To get rid of them, you'll have to get out of your car and take them out yourself. They're not everywhere, but they're very strategically placed to make it difficult to get around from one place to another without taking damage.

Driving is kinda weird. You're always on the right lane no matter what. I can somewhat give Bandai credit for keeping it realistic, but it makes it harder to avoid getting hit by the snipers.

You'll start off at the police station, which is at the lower-left corner of the map. You can always return here to review any clues that you have.

The buildings you can enter are clearly marked with a number and a letter. The vertical roads are numbers, while the horizontal rows are letters. The numbers go from left to right, while the letters go from the bottom to the top. Thankfully, 5th and B isn't hard to find. Just turn right on the first intersection and keep going until you see "5&B" flashing on the screen. Get out of the car and walk into the building where that white text is at, and you're at the 5th and B Flophouse.

If you ever seen any green things on the top of buildings that look like turrets shooting at you, get out of the car and take them out immediately. These are the snipers. Take them out, and they won't return for the rest of the case.

5th and B Flophouse

Remember what your superior officer told you before the beginning of the case? Don't shoot unarmed men. If you do, you'll lose half a star. If you lose all your stars, the game is over. There are no continues and no extra lives in this game.

The boxing glove is the Super Punch. Use Select to get the Super Punch to show up on your HUD, then punch someone to send them flying! If they hit other enemies as they get sent violently backwards, those enemies are instantly eliminated.

You can also use the Select Button to switch between your fists and the Hand Gun. The armed men will usually be stationary, but they will be shooting at you endlessly when they see you. Duck down and blast them, but take care not to shoot any unarmed thugs. Remember, the unarmed thugs will all share one jacket color. The armed thugs will be a different color than the men who punch at you.

The hand gun only has 50 bullets. If you ever need to refill on ammo, go to any of the police stations to get back to the maximum 50-bullet capacity.

Also, be careful as you go into shootouts with armed men, as some things in the background can be used as cover by both you and the enemies, such as pianos, tables, chairs, etc.

To pick up items, you'll have to punch them with your fists in order to collect them. The hearts are first aid kits, and using them is more complicated than it should be, as the other items can be used with the B button while the first aid kits...well...aren't. First, you'll have to cycle through your inventory to see where your first aid kit is. Remember where it is, because this is where video game logic gets thrown out the window. Cycle back to the item before the first aid kit. Once you do, press and hold Select down and press B. You have to have Select held down and "first aid kit" showing on the hub at the same time. You'll refill your health if you did it right.

You'll soon see a guy in green at the end on the lower level, who looks more like a palette swap of Dick Tracy (then again, so do the rest of the enemies, except with jackets instead of trenchcoats). This is Steve the Tramp. Interrogate him, and you'll find out he earned that $20 at the pier on 9th and F.

When you get clues on where to go next from interrogations, it helps to have a notepad handy to write them down. Why? Because once you leave the interrogation screen, the game won't remind you where to go next ever again and expects you to remember.

Whenever you successfully perform an interrogation, you'll be back at the police station on the lower-left corner of the map. Your health won't refill when you get back there, so you'd better be careful and use those first aid kits wisely.

You can refill your health there, but it's rather finicky and your health has to be dangerously low to do it. If you have either half a badge or no badges at all, you'll be able to go back to one badge. You'll still need to use a first aid kit eventually, but it kinda helps.

Oh, and if you stayed on the upper level at the end and kept going right before you talked to Steve the Tramp, you'd have found another first aid kit. You can only hold two at any time.

Be careful not to make any arrests without proof, interrogate other people that the clues don't lead to, or arrest somebody without proper evidence. All of these things can constitute a false arrest. If you make three false arrests through the course of the game, Dick Tracy is pulled off the case and the game is over.

9th and F Pier

Another easy destination. Just go all the way to the right and go up until you see "9&F," and park carefully so that you don't accidentally re-enter the car on your way up to the upper-right corner of the pier.

Remember that you can fire at an angle with the hand gun to take care of armed thugs above and below you. Firing at a downward angle is pretty straightforward (just hold Down and the direction you want to shoot at the same time to do this), but firing just requires holding Up on the control pad.

Be careful not to land in the water. If you do, you'll lose half a badge and you'll be sent back to the map screen.

If if looks like a windowsill, you can stand on it. You can also stand on the green blocks off the sides of the green buildings (as long as they have a white top) and also on the pipes at the river.

There will be a clue on top of a box being held up with rope. You'll be able to tell because of the small flashing box with the arrow saying "Clue." Stand right in front of it, duck down and punch it with your fists to collect it like you would any other item.

2. Footprint in puddle of spilled green ink

Whenever you pick up a clue, it'll be in your notepad at the police station.

Whenever you see the words "door" flashing in any part of the level, this is the exit. Enter it, and you'll leave the level.

There's a first aid kit just past the exit, so pick it up before you go.

When you leave the dock, you'll see a blue car! Go after it in the police car and shoot at it with your bullets! Yes, you can shoot in the police car, but only straight ahead. When the car starts spinning around like crazy, you've stopped the driver, who happens to be Shoulders (also from the mugshots). Interrogate him, and you'll find out that he knows nothing. He only takes crates to the 4th and D Warehouse.

4th and D Warehouse

Before you leave, head back to one of the police stations on the map (dictated by the word "Door" on the city map as well as the word "Police" etched on the sides of the building) and check out your notepad again. Your recently collected clue will show up on the notepad. You should do this every time you get a clue.

4th and D is near the park in the lower-left quadrant of the map. If you see a bunch of trees and nice, dark green grass near the police station, you're pretty much there. Look for "4&D" and you're all set.

The clue is sitting on top of a windowsill. Take care of all the bad guys nearby, then jump up and punch the clue with your fist to get it. (This clue is notorious for giving the Angry Video Game Nerd a hard time.)

3. Blank money paper and invoice from 1st & H Printshop

1st and H Printshop

Take the stairs at the beginning of the level and go left to get the Tommy Gun. Congratulations, you now have a rapid fire weapon. Use it wisely.

One of the counters will have the clue.

4. Claim ticket, 4th and B Shoe Repair

4th and B Shoe Repair

Some of the unarmed men move faster than others. If they do, be prepared to punch them a few times before they finally go down.

The clue will be on one of the shelves. Jump up to the shelf and punch at the clue to get it.

5. Shoes with green ink on soles being fixed for Numbers!

8th and J Hotel

Head out of the 4th and B Shoe Repair and head back to the police station. Put the clues on the Notepad, then check out your mugshots again. By reading Numbers's profile, you'll find out his last location was the 8th and J Hotel.

The 8th and J Hotel is on the corner opposite the police station. As a matter of fact, it's next to the north end of the docks. It will be directly west of 9th and J.

When you meet Numbers (who is dressed in red), arrest him. Since you have all the clues written down, Numbers will give up. Well done, but you still have a few more cases ahead!

When you beat a case, you'll get a three-number-passcode. Copy it down so you don't have to go through the first case again and again like the Nerd has done for the last zillion years.

Case 2: 207-119-060