=============================================================================
GEKITOTSU TOMARARUKU (GEKITOTSU TOMA L'Arc)
TOMARUNNER vs L'Arc~en~Ciel
=============================================================================
A simple FAQ/Guide to the game by Mukimpo
Version 0.6.1
August-October 2003
To comment on this FAQ, please go to the following link:
http://www.geocities.com/gekitotsu_toma_larc
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INTRODUCTION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This special version of TomaRunner came out in the summer of 2000 because of
two reasons: first, Hyde (the vocalist of the Japanese band, L'Arc~en~Ciel)
was a big fan of TomaRunner, and second, L'Arc~en~Ciel was very popular at
that time. Hence, Hyde worked with the makers of TomaRunner and the result
was Gekitotsu Toma L'Arc, a fun and humorous character racing game which
involves the original cast of TomaRunner and all four members of the band,
L'Arc~en~Ciel (Hyde-vocals, Tetsu-bass, Ken-guitar, and Yukihiro-drums). The
game also features the band's real voices and it's kind of cute to see their
individual personalities come out in this game. This is a must for fans of
L'Arc~en~Ciel as well as TomaRunner. Another point to consider is that
L'Arc~en~Ciel are under Sony Music Japan so making a Sony PlayStation game
for them was probably just another way for Sony to market the band. The game
actually features L'Arc~en~Ciel music in the tournament competions. The songs
you can hear are "Driver's High", "STAY AWAY", "ROUTE 666", and "trick".
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
There is another song featured in the game and it's a "live"
(i.e. non-instrumental, actual recording of the song) version of "Niji"
(which means "rainbow", and is also the name of the band). This is the
alternative ending to the regular credits one. You will see the game
characters of the band performing this song and it's very cute!
********************************************************************
A few things to note about Toma L'Arc: this game is only in Japanese. It was
originally intended only for the Japanese market/fans and could only be
purchased from stores in Japan. I was able to get this game when it first
came out through a friend of mine who lives in Tokyo. Also, this game can
only be played in a Japanese PlayStation/PlayStation 2 console. I've only
ever played it in a Japanese PlayStation, and recently, a Japanese
PlayStation 2 so I never had to bother with MOD chips or Asian versions of
PlayStations. Please don't ask me about those things because I honestly
wouldn't know.
I don't know why there hasn't been a FAQs for this game yet in GameFAQs,
especially since the game is three years old now. But I hope my Guide will
help people to understand this game better. This is one of the easiest games
I have ever played.
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THE CHARACTERS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's face it: the stars of this version of the game is the band,
L'Arc~en~Ciel! So in the main game, Tomarun Taikai (Tomarun Tournament)
as well as in other sections of the game, you can only choose to play one
of the four band members (Hyde, Tetsu, Ken, and Yukihiro). Since Hyde was
involved in the production of this game (and since he is also the fan of
the game), he is always the default character.
HYDE (vocal)
============
"A wry-smiled TAKE handler"
RUN +++
DASH +++++
JUMP +
SKILL ++++
TOUGH +
ATTACK +++
S-SKILL
TETSU (bass)
============
"Hop Step Mukimpo"
RUN +++++
DASH +
JUMP ++++
SKILL ++++++
TOUGH ++
ATTACK ++++++
S-SKILL R
KEN (guitar)
============
"A super wild smoker"
RUN +
DASH +
JUMP ++++
SKILL +++++
TOUGH +++
ATTACK +++++++
S-SKILL
YUKIHIRO (drum)
===============
"A guy with a Stick punch"
RUN +
DASH +++
JUMP +
SKILL ++++++++
TOUGH +++
ATTACK ++
S-SKILL T
OTHER CHARACTERS IN THE GAME
These are characters in the original TomaRunner game, I would imagine. You
can use these characters in the TAISEN (CPU to taisen and Futari de taisen)
and TEAM BATTLE options. To get them, you have to beat them in the CPU to
taisen mode (under TAISEN) first!
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
There is a way to use Piyo Tank & Sergeant in Taisen (competition) mode
(if you haven't used CPU to taisen to get all the characters yet).
If you beat the first four characters in Tomarun Taikai 2000 without
losing, he automatically appears to try and beat you in a game of "Pass
the bomb". Whoever has the bomb in the last second loses the game and will
be injured by the explosion. I think that even if you lose to him, two
things will happen. First, he will appear in the first two Taisen options
(CPU to taisen and Futari de taisen) so that you can use him to play in
CPU vs mode and two-player mode. Second, his level will appear in the
choice of levels to choose from. If you beat him, you will receive
Kigae (shorts icon) and another item from him.
********************************************************************
Piyo Tank & Sergeant
====================
"An astonishing ultimate weapon"
Gin
===
"A wandering humane robot"
Nakajima
========
"An illicit runner for an intensive training club"
JAM
===
"His trademark is his energetic and passionate attitude"
S-JAM
=====
"A mysterious rival"
Black
=====
"A merciless evil robot"
Isono
=====
"A perfectly break-the-rules shorty"
Kappa
=====
(Kappa is a legendary imaginary animal)
"A hero of Kappa village"
Kyoken "Garuru"
===============
"A bad dog?" Grr!
Akuma-chan
==========
(Devil-chan)
"A bad child's spirit"
Tenshi
======
(Angel)
"A good child's spirit"
Ace-san
=======
"A legendary TomaRunner"
Motor-man
=========
"A female secret agent for a secret service"
Gen-san
=======
"A guy with an Edo (old-Tokyo) style"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have never played the original TomaRunner but if this game is any indication
of what TomaRunner is like, it is basically just a character racing game. The
aim is to win all the races in the tournament in order to finish the game. I
think the foreign fans of L'Arc~en~Ciel who have this game are bit intimidated
because they can't read Japanese. But once you get past the language barrier,
it's really very easy to play. Actually, one can play this game with limited
or minimal knowledge of Japanese. But to fully enjoy the benefits of this
game, it's better to understand what you're reading. I hope my brief
explanations of the options will help the non-Japanese fans.
HOW TO WIN
1. Take the fastest (or shortest) route.
2. Use any means necessary. (By this I mean that you should pick up items
that can help you along your way. But you also have to know how to use your
character efficiently. See HINTS ON PLAYING and THE CONTROLS below for more
information.)
But in Tomarun Taikai 2000, it's also important that you PLAY WELL. Picking
up all the crystals and knowing where they are is an integral part of this
competition. (It's also the only way to make sure that a lot of people attend
L'Arc~en~Ciel's concert!) So try not to stick to the same route all the time.
Explore the other routes (if you can!).
HINTS ON PLAYING
DASHING - Whenever you get a L'Arc-chi, you can dash to get ahead of your
opponent. This is especially useful when you're running a long, straight
path or just want to get ahead of your opponent. You can dash anytime your
power gauge (i.e. the blue bar) has turned blue.
JUMPING - You can jump just by pressing the X button. But for jumping over
vaulting horses, you should press the L1 and R1 buttons. That way you just
leap frog or flip over the obstacle more efficiently. (It's also faster than
just climing over the vaulting horse.) You can also jump to hang onto monkey
bars. Dashing before Jumping is also a good way to jump at a pole or a mat
that is not necessarily close to you.
FLYING - The way to fly in Tomararuku is to hit the mats which have three
red arrows pointing in a certain direction. When you see those mats, you
should automatically prepare yourself for flight! This is especially useful
in the HOTEL 1 and HOTEL 2 racing courses!
SWINGING ON POLES - By poles I mean the vertical (upright) poles. I find this
to be a faster way of getting around corners than bouncing off the yellow mats.
If you're in a hurry, this is the best way to go. You gain momentum this way,
too. The special Blue Poles (such as the one in KAPPA'S VILLAGE) will make
you spin and fly a long distance. Purple poles can be used for swinging down
long chasms so you don't have to fall on your face!
SWINGING ON BARS - Bars as in monkey bars or just the horizontal poles.
There are monkey bars in KAPPA'S VILLAGE and KUNEKUNE KOMICHI 1 where you
only have to jump and you will automatically swing. But the horizontal poles
in other maps require more skill. You have to know how long to stay on them
and what button to press while you're on them.
SWIMMING - Anytime you're in water, use the L1 and R1 buttons to paddle or
swim!
SLIDING - To slide, just press the DOWN button with the X (Jump) button. You
need to slide under gates and on ice. (If you don't slide, you will crash
into the obstacle or slip on the ice!)
BOUNCING - There are three kinds of mats in Tomararuku. They are the regular
mat, the mat which makes you fly, and the Danner mat. Danner mats are the ones
which help you go up and up. All three mats require bouncing by using either
the L1 button, R1 button, or both.
USING WEAPONS - You can use your weapon anytime your power gauge (i.e the
blue bar) has turned blue. Each L'Arc~en~Ciel member has a default weapon:
HYDE: WARAITAKE (mushroom icon)
TETSU: MUKIMPO (banana icon)
KEN: HAIHAI MISSILE (crawling person icon)
YUKIHIRO: RARU TAMA (circle with the character "ra" on it icon)
To use their weapons, simply press the R2 button.
Hyde's weapon is actually the funniest because once that mushroom hits a
person (including himself!), the person reacts in a strange and unique way.
They all end up tumbling, too! Tetsu's Mukimpo is an icon of the character
Mukimpo (which all L'Arc fans should know symbolizes Tetsu). Mukimpo is
essentially a bomb which goes off (with a chimp laughing hysterically)
once someone steps on it. Ken's weapon is a missile dodger. If someone sets
a rocket after him, he can use this power to crawl and automatically evade
any missile attacks. Yukihiro's weapon is a ball that he can throw at his
opponent ahead of him (causing his opponent to trip and fall).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE CONTROLS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
START - To go to Main Menu, press START
LEFT (button) - To move Left
RIGHT (button) - To move Right
DOWN (button) - To run backwards, or slow down, or go back a bit when you're
falling, brake
UP (button) - To go forward a bit when you're falling or after you've jumped
CIRCLE (button) - To Select a highlighted option
X (button) - To go back to previous page or selection/Jump
SQUARE (button) - To dash (run very fast briefly, and only if you can*)
L1 (button) - Hold out left arm, hit with left arm, bounce with left arm,
swing with left arm, paddle with left arm
R1 (button) - Hold out right arm, hit with right arm, bounce with right arm,
swing with right arm, paddle with right arm
Pressing L1 and R1 down together - To hang onto swing bars, to break a fall
R2 (button) - To use your weapon (if you have one and only if your weapon
gauge is full enough to let you use a weapon)
* If you get a L'Arc-chi (L'Arc tamagocchi, which is the heart with wings
icon), you can Dash by pressing the SQUARE button!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITEMS LIST
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can win the race by any means necessary. Besides choosing the fastest
route, you can pick up items along the way that can help you to win.
To use a weapon, press the R2 button when your power gauge (blue bar) is blue.
To use the other items, you must select the item before you start the race,
(They're automatically on in the race. For example, if you use "Rocket Start"
which is the "R" icon, you will keep on dashing everytime you pass the starting
line. So be careful what item you use in a race!)
The crystals are not usable items. They are counted at the end of Tomarun Taikai
2000 to see how well you played.
---------
=WEAPONS=
---------
RARU TAMA (L'Arc ball)
MUKIMPO (a banana bomb)
SENDAI (lightning)
WARAITAKE (mushroom that causes people to itch and tumble)
TOMARUN TAMA (Tomarun ball)
BAKUDAN (block bomb)
HAIHAI MISAIRU (crawling to avoid missile attack)
MISAIRU (missile)
NAZO NO GASU (a deadly fart that literally makes your head spin!)
----------------
=POWER-UP ITEMS=
----------------
TENSHI NO RINGU (Angel's Ring)
KIGAE (shorts icon which enables characters to change their clothes.
See CLOTHES)
WILDHAND
ROCKET START (everytime you pass the starting line, you Dash automatically)
UKEMIN C
SUPER SKILL
--------------
=LUCKY ITEMS=
--------------
These are items you get from a L'Arc-can. Not all of them are good for you
so beware!
HIYOKO (this bird/bat protects you by reflecting the effect of a bomb or
lightning strike onto your opponent)
CHEW CHEW
SUKA
SENDAI (causes lightning to strike on your opponent)
FURY POWER
SHUFFLE
BAKUDAN (bomb which explodes)
DASH-OO! (automatic rush/dash!)
--------------
=SPECIAL ITEM=
--------------
L'ARC-CHI (when you pick this up, you can Dash!)
----------------
=TOMARUNNER ITO=
----------------
These are crystals that you have to pick up in Tomarun Taikai 2000 (and also
in OUEN). The more crystals you pick up, the more people will attend
L'Arc~en~Ciel's concert in the ending. The red crystals are worth more than
the green crystals and are therefore harder to find and obtain.
GREEN CRYSTAL
RED CRYSTAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLOTHES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You change the clothes of all the characters in this game but only the
L'Arc~en~Ciel members have four different sets of clothes. The other Tomarun
characters have only two sets of clothes: REGULAR and SWIMMING clothes.
("Regular" is what they normally wear.) The only Tomarun character who cannot
change clothes is Kyoken "Garuru", the dog.
To change a character's clothes, use Kigae (the shorts icon) before the match.
To see the clothes of the non-L'Arc characters, obtain those characters first
by beating them in CPU to taisen and then using them (in CPU to taisen or
Futari de taisen).
In order to see all their clothes, you have select different maps. The clothes
will change depending on the maps. For example, all the characters will wear
their swimming clothes in Tomarun Beach. (But that's not the only map where
they will wear those clothes!)
I have attempted to explain the clothes of only the L'Arc~en~Ciel members below.
In order to understand their clothes, you have to know a bit about L'Arc~en~Ciel
and the members.
------
=HYDE=
------
1. GRAND CROSS CONCLUSION clothes - silver long-sleeved polo, black leather
pants.
2. STAY AWAY clothes - red and white flower shirt and black leather pants.
3. FANTASY clothes - HYDE wore something similar to this in the GRAND CROSS
CONCLUSION video. He wears bat's wings, black gloves, and black leather pants.
4. SWIMMING clothes - angel's wings, black boots, and black shorts.
-------
=TETSU=
-------
1. GRAND CROSS CONCLUSION clothes - Neon green vest over orange shirt, neon
green shorts, and Buffalo shoes.
2. STAY AWAY clothes - gray vest over white shirt, gray shorts, and Buffalo
shoes.
3. FANTASY clothes - his clothes are like Char Aznable's clothes in the
anime series, Gundam. (Tetsu likes Gundam, that's why.) He wears a red suit,
white gloves, white boots, and a black cape.
4. SWIMMING clothes - one-piece bathing suit with horizontal red and white
stripes and a blue star in the middle, blue Converse sneakers. The name
"L'Arc~en~Ciel" is written on his back!
-----
=KEN=
-----
1. GRAND CROSS CONCLUSION clothes - cowboy hat, snakeskin polo over black
tank top, black hot pants, high boots, shades.
2. STAY AWAY clothes - long-sleeved polo with orange and yellow vertical
stripes, shades, red pants.
3. FANTASY clothes - (a classy Gangster outfit) white suit and a white cowboy
hat with shades.
4. SWIMMING clothes - Red cowboy hat, red shorts, high boots. (This is the
only look where Ken is not wearing shades.)
----------
=YUKIHIRO=
----------
1. GRAND CROSS CONCLUSION clothes - headband, red vest over white shirt,
white pants, New Balance shoes.
2. STAY AWAY clothes - red long-sleeved polo, black pants.
3. FANTASY clothes - blue shirt, yellow backpack, blue jeans, blue sneakers.
4. SWIMMING clothes - (diver's clothes!) sleeveless diving suit with goggles,
tank on the back, and fins on feet.
GRAND CROSS was L'Arc's Tour in 1999. GRAND CROSS CONCLUSION was the final
concert of the tour and there is a music video of this concert. If you buy it,
you can see the members wearing their GRAND CROSS CONCLUSION clothes.
STAY AWAY is a song L'Arc~en~Ciel released in 2000. For their promotional
pictures, they wore the clothes that are featured here in the game.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAIN MENU
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If this is the first time you're playing this game, the Menu should read
something like this:
HAJIMENI
TOMARUN TAIKAI
TAISEN
OPTION
The L'Arc~en~Ciel game characters are to the right of these options. And in
the bottom right hand corner, it says (Circle-button) to Select and (X-button)
to go back.
After you have played a Tournament (Tomarun Taikai) and you have beaten the
game, the Menu will look like this:
HAJIMENI
TOMARUN TAIKAI
TEAM BATTLE
TAISEN
OPTION
OTANOSHIMI
There are subdivisions within each category and I will explain each category
and its subdivision one by one.
==================================================
HAJIMENI
==================================================
Basically, to start. The only option when you select this category is
"Tomarun Jigoku" (Tomarun Hell). You automatically go to this option if you
keep on losing the race during a tournament. (It's like a punishment for you
if you play poorly!) There are actually many different kinds of "Hell" in
Tomarun Hell. It's like a warm-up section for you if you don't know how to
play the game.
THE HELLS
=========
HATAAGE HELL
MATT (mattress) HELL
TOBIBAKO HELL
DANNER HELL
POLE HELL
TANIMA HELL
KAIROU HELL
To sum, the Hells are not all that difficult so I don't think I need to
explain each of them in depth, except for Hataage Hell because this is
probably the most difficult for the non-Japanese players. As for the rest,
I have given several spoilers down below if you really need help with the
Hells (but I was able to get Gold Stars in four of them the first time
round). Yes, they're really that easy!
A point to note: Kairou Hell will only appear if you have played four or
more of the six other Hells well. Kairou Hell is like a summary of all you
have learned (but not quite).
--------------
=HATAAGE HELL=
--------------
This involves no map. Your character just stands on a warship deck, holding
a red flag on his left hand and a white flag on his right hand. But sides
don't really matter here-just what you do. A guy will keep giving you
instructions and if you follow these instructions, you will beat this Hell.
SHIRO AGETE - Hold up White
SHIRO SAGETE - Put down White
AKA AGETE - Hold up Red
AKA SAGETE - Put down Red
SHIRO SAGENAI - Don't put down White
SHIRO AGENAI - Don't hold up White
AKA SAGENAI - Don't put down Red
AKA AGENAI - Don't hold up Red
ABUNAI FUSERU - Watch out! Bend down!
I think it's easier if you just condition yourself to think that "agete" and
"sagenai" both mean "up" and "sagete" and "agenai" both mean "down". And then
just pay attention to which color name he is calling out. Ocassionally, he
tells you to watch out because a cannon has fired a cannonball along your
way so you have to duck. But you don't have to worry about what flags to hold
up at that point. After the cannonball misses you, he will start again with
new instructions. The times when the the cannon fires is consistent, meaning
it's always the same (after 12, then after 26, etc.) so you get a good idea
of how far you're getting along (or whether you've improved!).
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
I have actually gotten "Perfect Scores" for all the "Hells". You will
get a Gold Star icon next to the name of the Hell if you have a Perfect
Score. You get a Silver Star icon if your play was only second-rate. To
get a Gold Star, you have to do twice the number of the minimum required
points (or more). For example, in Hataage Hell, they want you to get at
lease 50 points in total before you fail or finish the game. But in order
to get a Perfect Score in Hataage Hell, you will need 100 points in total.
In the other Hells, there is a regular score and a Combo score. It will be
the Combo score that matters the most. For example, in Tanima Hell, they
require at least 10 points. This means you have to do 20 points or more
in the Combo score. Even if your score reads something like:
Total: 13 Combo: 7
you will not get a Perfect Score because your Combo score is too low.
HOW TO GET A GOOD COMBO SCORE:
For the Hells that have a Combo score, the way to get a Perfect Score
is by not breaking the combo score. This means you have to be consistent
with your play. For example, in Pole Hell, you have to keep swinging
on ALL the poles that you see. If you skip a pole, your Combo score
will automatically stop and restart its counter while retaining the
score of your last maximum Combo. However, Combo scores do not affect
your Total Score.
********************************************************************
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
If you get Perfect Scores for four of the Hells or more, you will
receive a card from To (the guy in red with a mask). Each member of
L'Arc~en~Ciel will get a card depending on which character you choose
to play. In order to change the member, just go out of HAJIMENI option,
select TOMARUN TAIKAI, select a tournament and then a member of the band,
then go out of TOMRARUN TAIKAI and go back to HAJIMENI. The character
will be the last member you chose. Then play any one of the Hells to
receive that member's card. Remember to play well!
********************************************************************
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
Four of the maps from Tomarun Hell are actually secret maps that will
appear in the Taisen category if you get Perfect Scores in those maps.
The secret maps are Matt Hell, Tobibako Hell, Pole Hell, and Kairou
Hell. They will appear as question marks (?) in CPU to taisen and
Futari de taisen and you can play them there as well.
********************************************************************
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
Here's a hint about the Hells: you should pick the character that best
fits the job. For example, Tetsu is a good character overall but his
weakness is swinging from monkey bars. He is almost useless in Tanima
Hell. It's the same with Ken. In order to get a Perfect Score in Tanima
Hell, you should use the shorter/smaller guys, like Hyde or Yukihiro.
They can swing on all the bars, and you will get a higher Combo score
this way.
Touch is also important in this game. How long you press down a button
(or two buttons!) in Gekitotsu Toma L'Arc DOES MATTER!
********************************************************************
==================================================
TOMARUN TAIKAI
==================================================
This is the main game. The first time you play this game, there are only
two options:
TOMARUN TAIKAI 2000
OUEN
After you have beaten Tomarun Taikai 2000, there will be a third option and
the menu will look like this:
TOMARUN TAIKAI 2000
OUEN
URA TOMARUN
Who you race and in which map is not always the same for each member of
L'Arc~en~Ciel. That is to say, don't expect the same people in the same
maps you played with Hyde to be the same with Ken, Tetsu, or Yukihiro! They
make it somewhat different so that it's more fun to play.
---------------------
=TOMARUN TAIKAI 2000=
---------------------
This tournament was set in 2000 because that was the year of this game's
release. It's outdated now but still fun to play! Special things happen when
you play this tournament right (for more information, read my spoilers).
For more information, see Maps.
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
Ura Tomarun is not the only tournament where you can see the "Niji" movie
ending.
If you play well enough, you may just get the "Niji" ending. It has happened
to me. I was using Yukihiro and I got 30 points worth of crystals which is
equal to 50,000 people attending the concert at the end. So they gave me
the "Niji" ending.
Also...
Whenever you win a tournament, a heart icon automatically appears
underneath the member's head in the character selection menu (in Tomarun
Taikai 2000 and Ura Tomarun). You can get the "Niji" movie ending in
Tomarun Taikai 2000 by winning this tournament/competition four times
using each L'Arc~en~Ciel member. The order doesn't matter. (You can even
keep count by the hearts.)
For example, if you beat Tomarun Taikai 2000 with Hyde, there were be a
heart icon under Hyde's head. Then use Tetsu to win this competition and
he will have a heart, too. Then use Ken and make sure he gets a heart. The
first three members you use will get the regular STAFF ROLL (ending credits).
But as soon as you use the last member to beat the competition, in this
case, Yukihiro, you will automatically get the "Niji" ending. You can do
this with a different order for the members (Tetsu first, Ken last, Yukihiro
second, Hyde third, etc.) but the result is always the same. The point is
to use ALL four L'Arc~en~Ciel members to win the competition!
********************************************************************
***************************SPOILER ALERT!***************************
Getting too comfortable playing this tournament? Well, if you think this
competition has become too easy for you because you've played these maps
so many times and you probably know where all the crystals are located,
this game has got something else in store for you.
Usually, you run 3 laps to win a race. But as you improve, or the more times
you win Tomarun Taikai 2000, the shorter the races become. By this I mean
that the number of laps will decrease, making very little room for mistakes.
So try not to miss a crystal the first time round!
********************************************************************
------
=OUEN=
------
Is this an ego-boost or what? The way to play this game is to keep on
pressing the L1 or R1 buttons (seperately or at the same time, depending on
how tired your hands are). That's how you "cheer" for the L'Arc~en~Ciel
member you picked to play. The more you cheer, especially during the crucial
moments (such as jumping, bouncing, etc.), the better the member will play.
In return, the members will occasionally thank you and you will see this
as cartoon balloons next to the member's head. In the balloon, there is a
smiling picture of the member and it says "THANK YOU!" with a heart. You
will also hear the members thanking you for your support in their own voices:
HYDE: "Hai hai!"
TETSU: "Arigato!"
KEN: "Domo domo!"
YUKIHIRO: "Gannbarimahsu!"
This is actually also a tournament but a simpler one to play because you're
not doing anything much but cheering. The members will only run 1 lap for
each course so it will end sooner than you think! And they will also pick up
crystals along the way which will determine how well you cheered (and how
many people will attend L'Arc~en~Ciel's concert).
-------------
=URA TOMARUN=
-------------
This option only appears after you have finished Tomarun Taikai 2000. This
tournament is predictably more difficult and longer than Tomarun Taikai, and
there are no crystals to collect. It just all depends on how well you play.
The last person you race is always yourself (i.e. if you're playing this
tournament with Hyde, the last character you will meet is Hyde!).
Another point to add is that everytime you finish this tournament, you
automatically get the "Niji" movie ending.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE NOTE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This section is incomplete but I will try to finish it soon. Please be
patient!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
==================================================
TEAM BATTLE
==================================================
You can choose from 3, 5, 7, or 10 laps, depending on how long you want to
play. There are only two options in this category:
CPU TO TEAM BATTLE
FUTARI DE TEAM BATTLE
Like Taisen, you can choose to play against the computer or someone else.
There are 6 different teams. They are:
HAIDY TRICKS
============
"A perfectly armed evil army"
-Hyde
-Black
-Isono
CRANKY CLUB
===========
"A transformative combination? Meka meka robo robo!"
-Tetsu
-Gin
-Piyo tank & Sergeant
THE TOMARANS (The Unstoppables)
===============================
-Nakajima
-JAM
-S-JAM
ARMY OF BEASTS
==============
"Wild-smelling great guys"
-Ken
-Kappa
-Kyoken Garuru
THE APOSTLE 808
===============
"Heaven-sent zombies are here"
-Yukihiro
-Akuma-chan
-Tenshi
THE MASKED RUNNERS
==================
-Ace-san
-Motor-man
-Gen-san
Initially, you can only choose the teams which have the L'Arc~en~Ciel members
(Haidy Tricks, Cranky Club, Army of Beasts, and The Apostle 808). But if you
beat the other teams in the CPU vs mode, you get to use those teams as well.
This is one way you get to use the other (non-L'Arc member) characters in the
game.
==================================================
TAISEN
==================================================
This is basically the vs battle. There are three choices in this category:
CPU TO TAISEN
FUTARI DE TAISEN
HITORI DE HASHIRU
CPU to taisen and Futari de taisen pretty much speak for themselves. The first
is a single player mode against the computer and the second is a two-player
mode (you vs someone else). In order to be able to use the other characters in
this game (i.e. the non-L'Arc members), you have to beat the characters you
want to play in the CPU to taisen mode. It's fun to play Futari de taisen if
you want to practice the maps and play with your friends. For more information
on which maps you can play, see MAPS.
Hitori de hashiru is basically just a self-test. It's basically just you
trying to beat yourself. You race a course and see how fast you were able to
finish it. Then see if you can beat your own record by using yourself again
or another member. It's that simple. The results are recorded in RANKING
under the OTANOSHIMI category (from the Main Menu).
==================================================
OPTION
==================================================
This is where you can Save your game or change your game settings. You can
also listen to all the music in the game within this category. The options
in this category are:
MEMORY CARD
KEY CONFIG
GAME SETTEI (SETTINGS)
SOUND
-------------
=MEMORY CARD=
-------------
As I mentioned before, I have only ever used Japanese PlayStations for this
game so I can only talk about that. I had no problems playing this game on
the original PlayStation. But I found that with the PlayStation 2, I could not
use a PlayStation 2 Memory Card to save my games. I had to insert an original
PlayStation Memory Card. This is important to note if you want to save your
game (which I strongly recommend).
You can choose to AUTOSAVE: YES or NO, and the other two options are SAVE
and LOAD. (I prefer to keep the Autosave off.)
------------
=KEY CONFIG=
------------
Like the title suggests, this is where you can change your keypad settings.
The default setting is on AUTORUN. The SQUARE button is the Dash button. If
you set it to MANUAL, the SQUARE button becomes a Run button. I would
recommend you stick to the default setting and keep the SQUARE button as
the Dash button.
---------------
=GAME SETTINGS=
---------------
There are 6 questions here but I don't have the time to translate them
right now. They are very basic, like the difficulty level, etc.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE NOTE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This section is incomplete but I will try to finish it soon. Please be
patient!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-------
=SOUND=
-------
The first choice here is MODE (either STEREO or MONO). Below that, there is
the SE LEVEL (sound effect volume), BGM LEVEL (background music volume),
and BGM TEST (to sample each track and check the volume at the same time).
All the tracks are cool! (But L'Arc's songs are written only as "Arrange 1",
"Arrange 2", etc. so one would have to be a L'Arc fan to know the titles
of these songs!)
==================================================
OTANOSHIMI
==================================================
It says "Goodies" in the booklet and I suppose these are the bonuses in
the game. The options in this category are as follows:
REPLAY
HYDE NO OTEHON
MOVIE
RANKING
--------
=REPLAY=
--------
Replay will show you the last race you played.
----------------
=HYDE NO OTEHON=
----------------
This is the real Hyde's game. He played this to set an example and to show
off his TomaRunner skills! It's also good for the L'Arc~en~Ciel fans. What's
really cute is he used himself. Anyway, to see how good of a player he really
is, select this option, sit back and watch. You may just learn some new
tricks!
-------
=MOVIE=
-------
This is the MOVIE ROOM, where you can watch the videos of the endings and the
title video itself (the title video is the beginning of this game where it
shows the L'Arc members and says "L'Arc~en~Ciel in Horror Night"). So the
three main choices here (that I have) are TITLE, STAFF ROLL, and LIVE ~NIJI~.
Staff Roll is the regular ending credits roll and Live ~Niji~ is the movie
which shows the L'Arc~en~Ciel game characters performing their song, Niji.
---------
=RANKING=
---------
This is where you can see which character you played has gotten the most
crystals in a tournament, or how fast you finished a course from HITORI DE
HASHIRU (in the TAISEN category). All the race maps are listed here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAPS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What good is a racing game if there aren't enough maps to race in? Well this
game has great maps with plenty of secrets! I don't have time right now to
go into full detail about each map but when I have more time, I will.
==================================================
REGULAR MAPS
==================================================
These are the maps that you will play in the Taikai tournament competitions.
In the beginning, you can only select a few maps if you just go straight to
the TAISEN category. But if you play the tournament, the courses of the races
that you win will automatically appear in TAISEN.
---------
=HOTEL 1=
---------
The fastest route is to the left.
---------
=HOTEL 2=
---------
The fastest route is to the right.
--------------------
=SHIRAKABE CASTLE 1=
--------------------
This does not really look like a "castle". Try not to hit the walls!
--------------------
=SHIRAKABE CASTLE 2=
--------------------
This is Hyde's favorite level. He played his example in this map!
-------------------
=KAKEKOMI TEMPLE 1=
-------------------
Jump on the green bar to swing to the upper level! If you crash into the
monks, they will say "Urusaiwa!" ("Don't make noise!") and a bunch of
washbasins will fall off. There is also a secret "fall" to Hell here! And
don't let the ghosts intimidate you!
-------------------
=KAKEKOMI TEMPLE 2=
-------------------
The fastest route once you're inside is on the right. Try not to slip on the
ice. Slide instead!
--------------------
=KUNEKUNE KOMICHI 1=
--------------------
This is a humorous course. You can bump into people and crash through
windows! Always swing on the green monkey bar to get the fastest route!
The music is also very cute.
--------------------
=KUNEKUNE KOMICHI 2=
--------------------
A less humorous version of "Zig Zag Alley". Always use the green poles for the
fastest route! And try not to open a L'Arc-can with a bomb!
---------------
=KAPPA NO SATO=
---------------
This is Kappa's Village. When you get in the cave, use the blue pole to
spin and fly to the next blue or green poles!
--------------
=JAMMAR ISEKI=
--------------
This is my favorite course besides Kappa's Village. All you have to do is
bounce off the Danner mats!
---------------
=TOMARUN BEACH=
---------------
This is Tetsu's favorite course (so I wonder why "Perfect Blue", a L'Arc song,
was not used for this course?). There is a secret in the ocean!
-----------------
=TOMARUN CIRCUIT=
-----------------
This is a real race track and one that involves a lot of flying, jumping,
dashing, and sliding! Try not to lose!
----------------
=TOMARUN PALACE=
----------------
This is the last level where you fight yourself in the URA TOMARUN
tournament (from the TOMARUN TAIKAI section). When you turn around the
first corner, the fastest route is on your left. Avoid the stairs because
they're longer! There is also a secret door in the great hall.
==================================================
SPECIAL MAPS
==================================================
These are maps that are not part of the Tomarun Taikai competition. To get
these maps, read my spoilers in "THE CHARACTERS" and "HAJIMENI" (in MAIN MENU)
sections of this FAQ. Also note: the last four maps (Matt Hell, Tobibako Hell,
Pole Hell, and Kairou Hell) do not reveal their course. They appear only as
question marks (?) if you select them.
----------------
=TOMARUN SHRINE=
----------------
You can only play "Pass the bomb" in this map. Whoever has the bomb in the
last second loses!
-----------
=MATT HELL=
-----------
Just bounce on the mats. This "mattress hell" is almost too easy! But try not
to fall over the logs. Jump over them instead!
---------------
=TOBIBAKO HELL=
---------------
The aim is to go over the vaulting horses. Try to bounce on the mats to gain
momentum!
-----------
=POLE HELL=
-----------
This is very easy! Just swing on all the poles you see. Try not to miss one!
-------------
=KAIROU HELL=
-------------
Corridor Hell is like the summary of everything you learned in Tomarun Hell.
They all just really test your reflex action and concentration. But this is
also an easy course. You can choose to either swing on the green pole or
bounce off the mat. But in order to beat this game, you have to be consistent.
When you see a green bar, you have to swing on it. And try not to hit the
wall!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE CHARACTERS' VOICES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I think that every L'Arc~en~Ciel fan who doesn't understand Japanese wants
to know what the members are saying, especially since they used their real
voices in this game! Well, you don't have to wonder anymore. Here's a
breakdown of what they say:
==================================================
HYDE
==================================================
DASHING
"Oh yeah!"
WINNING
"Hanashi ni narimasen nah."
(You're not my rival.)
LOSING
"Ku-ya-shih!"
(I hate losing.)
USING ITEMS
"Oh yeah!"
TUMBLING/FALLING
"Aite!"
(Ouch!)
JUMPING
"Orya!"
(Go go!)
GOING ROUND A CORNER
"Yoicsho."
(Alley-oop!)
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN COMPETITION
"All right."
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN OUEN (CHEER) COMPETITION
"Chan to ouen surunnyaro nah?"
(Keep cheering me, okay?)
==================================================
TETSU
==================================================
DASHING
"Saserukah!"
(You want me to run?)
WINNING
"Amaina"
(It's not as easy as you think.)
LOSING
"Kore ga wakasa ka!"
(Youthful error!)
USING ITEMS
"Saserukah!"
(You want me to use it?)
TUMBLING/FALLING
"Chi!"
(Oops!)
JUMPING
"Yeah!"
GOING ROUND A CORNER
"Tahh!"
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN COMPETITION
"Shouri no eiko wo kimi ni."
(Glorious victory is promised for you.)
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN OUEN (CHEER) COMPETITION
"Yoku mite oku no dana."
(Look at me well.)
==================================================
KEN
==================================================
DASHING
"Oraorah!"
(Go go!)
WINNING
"Ma, konnamonn yaro?"
(It's not surprising.)
LOSING
"Tsumanneh!"
(Boo!) (No big deal.)
USING ITEMS
"Oraorah!"
(Go go!)
TUMBLING/FALLING
"Nan de ya nenn."
(Why?)
JUMPING
"Oryah!"
(Go go!)
GOING ROUND A CORNER
"Oryah!"
(Go go!)
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN COMPETITION
"Hoka atatte kureru?"
(Will you go to the others?)
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN OUEN (CHEER) COMPETITION
"Ouen yoroshikuh."
(Thanks for cheering.)
==================================================
YUKIHIRO
==================================================
DASHING
"Oryah!"
(Go go!)
WINNING
"Waruine."
(Thanks!)
LOSING
"Usohh!"
(Can't believe it!)
USING ITEMS
"Oryah!"
(Got it!)
TUMBLING/FALLING
"Oetsh!"
(Oops!)
JUMPING
"Ha!"
GOING ROUND A CORNER
"Tei!"
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN COMPETITION
"Ha-ai!"
(Yes!)
BEING SELECTED FOR TOMARUN OUEN (CHEER) COMPETITION
"Gannbarimahsu."
(I'll try my best.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHOR'S NOTE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If I had more time, I would write more and explain more things. But this is
all for now. I will try to update it when I can. Please learn more about the
band L'Arc~en~Ciel by going to their official site:
http://www.larc-en-ciel.com/
======================
Copyright 2003 Mukimpo
======================
