"Dragon Scales" is the
fourth stage of the Volcano Cavern and the 14th level overall in "Zack & Wiki:Quest for Barbaros' Treasure". The Stage is infamous for its multiple ways to leave the player unable to finish the Stage, reflected in its elevated HirameQ rating of 9 (The only Stage in the game with this rating, being only surpassed by "Barbaros' Land" rating of 10)
Overview[]
The Stage takes place in a small platform, with several big slides containing Giant Balls, the left side of the Stage is only accessible by knocking off a Giant Ball to propulse Zack. The Stage's namesake comes from the giant dragon statue that holds the Treasure Chest in its jaws, at the same time, the stage is plagued by Spiders. One can also find a small Baby Dragon statue that shoots fireballs (Which allows you the player to defeat several spiders)
Walkthrough[]
- Go to the right and climb up inside the Dragon Statue, explore its insides until you find a lever, pull it
- Pull it again
- Cross the Giant Slab and pick up the Dragon's Claw
- Go to the Baby Dragon Statue (The small Purple dragon statue) and place the Dragon's Claw in the tail socket, this will turn on the Statue and make it shoot fireballs every few seconds
- Move the Statue to hit the Spiders with the fireballs, after hitting them, move the statue all the way to the right
- Go to the Spider's bodies and itemize them into Spidarackets
- Pick up one Spidaracket and go to the square platform under the Dragon Statue, if you moved the statue correctly, you will be able to hit the fireballs with the Spidaracket. Hit one to kill the remaining Spider
- After defeating said Spider, find a fainted Rose Rock Goon and Itemize it into a Goon Totem, then drop it off a slide, where it will roll over some Spiders
- Pick up the Giant Slab you crossed in Step #1 and drop it on the slide
- Go find the other Rose Rock Goon, itemize it into a Goon Totem and drop it down the slide (For maximum HQ, first move the Dragon Statue to make it hit the Giant Ball, you must be quick however as you must do the following Step before the Giant Ball falls)
- Go down the stairs and drop on the Slide, which will propulse the Goon Totem to the other side of the Stage
- Make the Baby Dragon Statue hit the Giant Ball with its fireballs (If you haven't done so already), then go and sit on the Goon Totem's place, eventually the Statue's fireballs will knock over the Giant Ball which will propulse Zack to the other side of the Stage
- Once you are there, grab the Totem and use it to plug the lava leak, which will allow you to step on a lava-stream-platform
- Once you step on said platform, you will see another square platform to use the Spidaracket on, there, you must hit the fireballs to knock the Treasure Chest the Dragon holds out of his jaws
- Go through another lava-stream-platform until you find another Giant Ball, grab the rock that keeps it in place, this will make it fall and propulse the Treasure Chest to your location
- Exorcise the Clinging Curse to get the Trauer Axe
HirameQ Index[]
Points | Rank |
---|---|
315.100 + | |
315.000 | |
270.000 | |
225.000 | |
180.000 | |
135.000 | |
90.000 |
HirameQ Point List[]
Points | Action |
---|---|
2.000 | Pull the lever inside the Dragon Statue |
2.000 | Pick up the Dragon's Claw |
3.000 | Insert the Dragon's Claw in the tail of the Baby Dragon Statue |
2.000 | Blast one Spider with a fireball |
2.000 | Blast another Spider with a fireball |
15.000 | Use the Spidaracket to hit a Spider with a fireball |
2.500 | Itemize one of the fainted Rose Rock Goons |
2.500 | Itemize the other fainted Rose Rock Goon |
25.000 | Drop one Goon Totem down the slide |
25.000 | Drop the Giant Slab down the slide |
25.000 | Drop the other Goon Totem down the slide |
20.000 | Jump on the Giant Slab to launch the Goon Totem to the other side |
40.000 | Knock over the Giant Ball to propulse Zack to the other part of the Stage right after launching the Totem (You need to first point the Baby Dragon Statue, then drop off the Totem for full points) |
60.000 | Plug the Goon Totem in the lava leak |
100.000 | Use the Spidaracket to hit the chest with a fireball |
20.000 | Use the Giant Ball to launch the chest to the other side |
360.000 | Maximum HQ |
Treasures[]
Game Overs[]
- If a spider grabs you and you don't shake it off quickly enough, it will paralyze and kill Zack
- There are several ways to render the Stage unwinnable during the section where you slide down a Goon Totem and Giant Slab (See Step #8 and beyond of the Walkthrough)
- If you knock over the Giant Ball while you are standing on the side it's going to fall on, Zack will be crushed and die
- If you knock it over before placing both Goon Totems and the Giant Slab, you will be unable to complete the level as the Giant Ball will simply fall off the Stage (Which you need to propulse the Goon Totem)
- Order is also extremely important, you must slide down the items in the order of "Goon Totem → Giant Slab → Goon Totem", placing items in any other order will leave you unable to complete the Stage
- Propulsing the Goon Totem with the Giant Ball (rather than Zack) will also leave you unable to finish the Stage as you will lack the means to propulse Zack
Secrets[]
Mysterious Treasure[]
Once you reach the left part of the stage where you see a lava burst that you must plug with the Goon Totem, there will be a rock. Throw it for a chance to get THE SPEED RUMBLER
Secret Chests[]
Secret Treasure Map #17[]
In the second platform where you use the Spideracket, knock Johnny Style off the Dragon Statue
Goon #3[]
Walk back and forth through the midpoint of the inside of the Dragon Statue several times
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The Baby Dragon Statue is modelled after Swellosaurus Jr.