Crossbow - Some Possible Paths

[Trebor]

Having some fun with Crossbow lately, I recorded a video showing a walkthrough, not for points, rather how to cover all Danger Zones without repeating:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNpVz8SuXkM

Going straight to the 'Cliff Notes', there are two ways it can be accomplished:

8 STEPS [COVERS ALL AREAS - NO REPEATS]:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Red Path (Volcano)
Red Path (River/Lake)
Green Path (Jungle)
Green Path (Desert)
Blue Path (Cave/Cavern)
Blue Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

OR

8 STEPS [COVERS ALL AREAS - NO REPEATS]:
Green Path (Desert)
Green Path (Village/Town)
Red Path (Volcano)
Red Path (River/Lake)
Green Path (Jungle)
Blue Path (Cave/Cavern}
Blue Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)


While there is no 'difficulty setting' for the game, you can mix up the challenge by either opting to try and reach the "Master of Darkness" after conquering 8 steps, or use these other paths with less steps. Again, the focus here is not to repeat a Danger Zone:

4 STEPS [QUICKEST]:
Green Path (Desert)
Blue Path (Cave/Cavern)
Blue Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)


5 STEPS:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Red Path (Volcano)
Blue Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

5 STEPS:
Green Path (Desert)
Red Path (Volcano)
Blue Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

5 STEPS:
Green Path (Desert)
Blue Path (Cave/Cavern)
Green Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

5 STEPS:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Green Path (River/Lake)
Green Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

5 STEPS:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Blue Path (Desert)
Blue Path (Cave/Cavern)
Blue Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)


6 STEPS:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Green Path (River/Lake)
Red Path (Volcano)
Green Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

6 STEPS:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Blue Path (Desert)
Red Path (Volcano)
Blue Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

6 STEPS [iF USED AFTER "4 STEPS [QUICKEST]" COVERS ALL AREAS WITH ONLY UNAVOIDABLE REPEATS]*:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Red Path (Volcano)
Red Path (River/Lake)
Green Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)


7 STEPS:
Green Path (Desert)
Green Path (Village/Town)
Red Path (Volcano)
Red Path (River/Lake)
Green Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

7 STEPS:
Red Path (Village/Town)
Blue Path (Desert)
Red Path (Volcano)
Red Path (River/Lake)
Green Path (Jungle)
Red Path (Castle Drawbridge Entrance)
Red Path (Inside Castle Hall)

*As noted with the special marked 6 STEPS route, if used in conjunction with the 4 STEPS route, you can reach the "Master of Darkness" after traveling the quickest (4 STEPS) route as a 'first time' round victory and then visit all remaining Danger Zones with a more challenging/harder 'second time' round, reaching the "Master of Darkness" again, while repeating only what is necessary (Last two steps pertaining to the castle).

[Jinks]

I have played this game for hours and know nothing of the master of darkness.

will have to try these paths to see if the game can be completed.

[+Mitch]

Also this

 

 

Mitch

[Trebor]

I have played this game for hours and know nothing of the master of darkness.

will have to try these paths to see if the game can be completed.

 

The Master Of Darkness knows everything about you

 

The game can be "completed" in the sense that you go through a series of levels and face a 'final enemy' character. You can skip right to seeing him here.

 

Afterwards, the game continues back to the beginning of the map with Danger Zone attacks directed to your "friends" more frequent and faster. You retain your score and 'dead' friends are not resurrected. However, you gain more companions if you travel to and pass Danger Zones (Levels) not previously visited during prior 'completions' of the game.

[Jaynz]

I was wondering... has anyone tried to 'hack' this game and swap out the light gun for the roller controller?

[Trebor]

I was wondering... has anyone tried to 'hack' this game and swap out the light gun for the roller controller?

 

The ColecoVision's "roller controller" would not work so well...

 

This Trak-Ball controller would likely work fine perhaps without even having to hack the game.

'Standard/Retail' Centipede appears to move smoothly.

[Jaynz]

The ColecoVision's "roller controller" would not work so well...

Must I hurt you? Must I?

 

This Trak-Ball controller would likely work fine perhaps without even having to hack the game.

'Standard/Retail' Centipede appears to move smoothly.

Obviously what I meant. My basic question is just if the trackball would do to replace the light gun in games which require it, since modern screens and monitors are incompatible with how light guns used to work.

[Trebor]

My basic question is just if the trackball would do to replace the light gun in games which require it, since modern screens and monitors are incompatible with how light guns used to work.

 

The Trak-Ball controller is recognized as a joystick by the console/game.

Crossbow supports either "Stick" or "Gun", so the Trak-Ball controller would probably work fine having Crossbow set to "Stick" mode.

 

Alien Brigade and Crack'ed would also probably work similar, as they too support either the joystick or light gun.

 

Barnyard Blaster & Meltdown would require hacking as they are light gun only games.

[Jinks]

Wow that boss is lame..need full auto with trackball.

Danger zones? Cant remember that... directed at my friends?

[Trebor]

Wow that boss is lame..

It's the same in the Arcade game. This game is actually ported quite well (Granted could have been even better).

 

Danger zones? Cant remember that... directed at my friends?

 

Danger Zone = A level/screen/board.

Friends = The characters that walk across the screen, including new ones you sometimes acquire at the successful completion of a Danger Zone.

 

 

You may have also noticed, that if you (accidentally) shoot a character walking across the screen a message pops up:

 

 

"DON'T SHOOT YOUR FRIENDS!"

 

The Crossbow Game Manual also uses those terms

 

So, when stating, "...Danger Zone attacks directed to your "friends" more frequent and faster...", it means that the characters walking across the screen encounter enemies/dangers at a quicker and more challenging rate.

[Tempest]

Danger Zone = A level/screen/board.

 

 

[Trebor]

 

I've had more than one friend tell me how good that show is and I've never seen more than brief clips here and there, unfortunately.

I need to binge watch it at some point.