Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure in the world of Soleil? This in-depth guide and walkthrough is your ultimate companion to mastering this classic Sega Mega Drive RPG, reminiscent of the Legend of Zelda series. Whether you’re a seasoned Crusader Centy enthusiast looking to explore similar gameplay mechanics or a newcomer eager to learn jump techniques and strategic combat, this guide will equip you with the knowledge to conquer every challenge Soleil throws your way.
I. Welcome to Soleil Town and Beyond
1. Getting Started in Soleil Town
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: Entry to Rafflesia)
Your journey begins in the peaceful Soleil Town, where you’re greeted by your mother and friends. After receiving your sword, take some time to explore the town, chat with your companions, and familiarize yourself with the surroundings. The playground is located to the west of the church, and the town exit lies to the south. While you can venture into the playground and Dahlia Valley, your primary objective is to head north to the castle and convince the king that you are ready for Rafflesia School.
2. Rafflesia School: Learning the Sword Throw
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: Sword throwing)
North of Soleil Town, you’ll find Rafflesia School. Speak to the guard to gain entry. Inside, the school offers three training courses and a house. Seek out the Sword Thrower in the house, who will teach you the essential sword throwing skill for a small fee of 20 Malins. Completing the Beginner Course (see Appendix) will reward you with coins hidden under bushes. Mastering sword throwing is crucial, as many animals and challenges later in the game rely on this ability.
3. Dahlia Valley: Mastering the Jump
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: Jumping power)
Dahlia Valley marks your first true level and introduces you to the concept of jumping, a core mechanic for any aspiring adventurer, much like in Crusader Centy. Navigate through the valley, striking the green bumps to shrink them and utilizing boarded-up boxes to create waterfalls for backtracking. The boss awaits you in a house accessible via a hidden waterfall.
BOSS: WOLF
This boss is relatively straightforward. Dodge the Wolf’s attacks and utilize your newly learned sword throwing ability to strike from a distance. Defeating the Wolf will increase your maximum HP and grant you valuable experience in boss battles.
4. The Playground: Befriending Johnny the Dog
(Animals to get: Johnny the Dog. Skills to get: Talk to animals)
Return to the playground, located west of Soleil Town. Enter the fortune-teller’s tent within the flagged area. After a brief conversation, you’ll gain the ability to understand animals and white flowers! However, this comes at the cost of human conversation for a short period. Talk to the flower outside the tent to learn about the fortune-teller’s whereabouts in Iris. Return to town and speak to your dog, Johnny. He will join your party, becoming your first animal companion and a key to unlocking further abilities. Head back to the rabbit at the top of Dahlia Valley with Johnny in tow. Johnny will vouch for your trustworthiness, and the rabbit will bestow upon you the power of jump, allowing you to finally exit the valley properly and access new areas.
Alt Text: Johnny the Dog, your loyal companion in Soleil, ready for adventure.
5. Anemone Beach: Acquiring Penguy the Penguin and Lifting Power
(Animals to get: Penguin. Skills to get: Lifting power)
Anemone Beach introduces new challenges and your next animal companion, Penguy the Penguin. Be mindful of hidden items in the sand. Begin by reaching the second platform near the ring of sand bumps and use your flying sword to activate the switch on the opposite side. Return to the first platform, navigate the holes in the floor, and ascend to the village. You’ll encounter Sonic the Hedgehog in a humorous cameo. Ignore his warnings about burning; touching him is harmless. The village shop offers animals for sale, starting with the Cat. Consider purchasing one for the upcoming battles. Enter the house with the automatic door, jump on the platform a few times, and speak to the elephant inside to gain lifting power. Exit the village via the north entrance, lift the rock, and proceed. Utilize the winds to enhance your jumps. Navigate the first area, activate switches, and collect coins. Return to the area’s start and use the wind to jump across the hole you previously unblocked. Follow the path, using boards as floats, until you reach platforms in the water leading upwards and leftwards. Wait for the wind to subside, then jump across platforms before the wind resumes. The next screen houses the boss.
BOSS: OCTOPUS
The Octopus can utilize ice attacks with the penguin’s power, but these are avoidable. Employ your flying sword repeatedly to defeat it. Penguy the Penguin will then join your party, adding ice power to your arsenal.
6. Hot Daisy and Burn Daisy: Embracing Fire and Flight
(Hot Daisy: Animals to get: None. Skills to get: None. Burn Daisy: Animals to get: Flying Squirrel. Skills to get: None.)
In Hot Daisy, only Penguy’s ice abilities can effectively combat the fire monsters. Their touch can heat platforms, making them unsafe. Use Penguy on lava fountains to freeze them temporarily. Proceed to the cave at the end of Hot Daisy to reach Burn Daisy. Burn Daisy features floors that crumble quickly. Some blocks can be pushed, but this releases fire. Near the level’s end, a door leads to an inaccessible boss room. Follow the main path, jumping across platforms, until you reach the intended boss area.
BOSS: SHUFFLER
Attacking the Shuffler’s pieces directly will cause damage to you. Strike a piece once to make it flash red. Track this piece as they move, and attack it when they stop to damage the main boss. Repeat this process until Ciel, the Flying Squirrel, joins your group, granting you enhanced sword throwing capabilities. Exit the cave and head right towards Iris.
Alt Text: Ciel the Flying Squirrel, ready to enhance your sword attacks in Soleil.
7. Iris: Cheetah, Caterpillar, and Slime Transformation
(Animals to get: Cheetah, Caterpillar. Skills to get: None.)
The forests surrounding Iris are teeming with monsters. Use your flying sword to activate switches to progress. Upon entering Iris town, you’ll find you can only communicate with animals. Head north to the crater and speak to the flower to learn you just missed the fortune-teller again. Exit Iris via the east exit and follow the forest path to the Animal Village. East of the village is the Racetrack, where you can race the Cheetah in a car. Winning the race will convince Charlie the Cheetah to join your party, granting you increased speed. (Hint: Bribe Charlie with 50 Malins before the race for an advantage). Continue east again to enter the purple forest. Encounter a slime on the other side of a fence. Jumping over the fence will swap your place with the slime! As a slime, you can move and jump but cannot use other abilities. Go down and left to find a group of slimes who call you “Slimey.” Amon, whom you saw leaving Soleil Town earlier, will appear and chase you. If you “die” as a slime, you’ll be returned to the slime home within the tree near the slime group. Talk to the mother slime repeatedly; she’ll instruct you to seek Klin in his house in the forest center to revert to your human form. After speaking to Klin, return to the mother slime, then find the star-shaped ground and jump on its center ten times. Go to the witch’s house, who needs help with an experiment. Solve the puzzle by moving the caterpillar, bird, and flower in the correct order. You’ll be transformed back to normal and can exit the area.
8. Camelia Desert: Dinosaur Power
(Animals to get: Dinosaur. Skills to get: None.)
Camelia Desert presents scorching landscapes and hidden dangers. The west exit of the first area leads to a large lake, only crossable with the Dinosaur. Enemies here often burrow in the sand, so be cautious. Activate switches to reveal sand whirlpools and navigate them to exit eastward. In subsequent screens, push red blocks to flank rocks with ‘connectors,’ then hit a switch to dissolve the rock. Eventually, you’ll reach the animal village. Dino the Dinosaur is present but won’t join you yet. Locate the southern exit.
9. Tower of Babel: Roxie the Rope Boss
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: None.)
Enter the Tower of Babel and take the lift upwards. Climb the blue rope, which will then reveal itself as the boss, Roxie!
BOSS: ROXIE
Dodge Roxie’s swinging hands by staying to the screen’s sides. When Roxie transforms into a rope pile after an energy ball attack, its heart becomes vulnerable. Strike the heart repeatedly with your sword. Penguy will then suggest heading to Freesia, but crossing the sea requires Dino’s help. Return to Dino in the desert, and he will finally join your party, granting you the ability to traverse various terrains.
10. Castle Freesia: Freeing the Lion
(Animals to get: Lion. Skills to get: None.)
In Castle Freesia, your first task is to free the Lion, trapped at the screen’s bottom, using your flying sword. Enter the castle. The floors are slippery, aiding in jumping over pits. Frozen blocks conceal switches; hit them to remove the blocks. Darker blue floor tiles are transporters to different castle sections. Navigate the castle to find Penguy’s family (the mother heals you) and Amon, frozen in ice. Use the Fire Sword to free Amon and proceed. Break frozen blocks on the bridge and strike the pink creature to make it devour unbreakable blocks. Head down, break blocks on the pool’s other side, jump across, and follow the top path to the boss.
BOSS: GEORAMA
Collect seeds from the treasure chest to trigger the boss. You can use the ice or fire sword to alter Georama’s elemental attacks. The strategy is to switch Georama to one element, wait for an attack, then switch back before it hits you. Georama is defeated in one hit. Hit the tree on the left wall and enter to be transported underwater to the Root Temple.
11. Root Temple: Leviathan of the Depths
(Animals to get: Leviathan. Skills to get: None.)
Underwater in the Root Temple, you have a 60-second air limit. Surface frequently to replenish air. Underwater movement reduces jump and run speed. Follow paths, jump on moving platforms, until you reach an area with blocks and an impassable bubblestream. Push blocks into the stream to create a barrier and eliminate the fish at the end. Proceed through the door.
BOSS: LEVIATHAN
Leviathan conjures an image of your mother; avoid letting it strike her. Focus on attacking Leviathan directly with your flying sword. Defeating Leviathan will cause the water to recede from the temple. The exit is to the east, requiring jumps over pits. Leviathan will join your party, granting you enhanced sword swing speed.
12. Tower of Babel Revisited: Butterfly Emerges
(Animals to get: Butterfly (after Saint Heaven). Skills to get: None.)
As you approach the Tower of Babel again, the Caterpillar will attach itself to the tower. Inside, the lift is broken, requiring you to use the stairs. Each floor presents a puzzle, generally straightforward, except for the empty room. Observe the floor tiles; one is not mirrored. Jump on it to open the stairs. At the top, plant the Freesia seeds in the earth mound, and climb the resulting plant.
13. Saint Heaven: Power of Human Speech
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: Power of human speech.)
In Saint Heaven, navigate to the second chamber. Follow the path and strike flower-bags to open new routes. Avoid the red switch, which releases bees. The next paths disappear intermittently. Jump across them, evade fire in the next chamber, and reach the other side. Walk east, follow the path around, and step on the switch. Return to the fire chamber and take the east path below the cracked floor room. Hit the switch, get on the moving floor, and jump right before the last tile. Climb the netting and descend the other path. Walk left, hit switches, and jump on the button. Use the “JUMP!” platforms to reach a new area. Ascend to the third screen. Collect apples along the first room’s sides. Jump across the chasm to an invisible platform. Subsequent rooms involve leaps of faith onto more invisible platforms. Approach the final dog-marked door to open it. To activate the boss, jump on the four corner tiles and slide to the center.
BOSS: DRAGON
The Dragon’s only vulnerable spot is its head. Run around to the top of the screen and attack its head from above with flying swords, using the Lion for added fire power. Defeating the Dragon restores your power of human speech and returns you to earth. Speak to the guard, witness the Butterfly’s emergence from the Caterpillar, and use it to activate a switch to escape.
14. Iris Past: Armadillo and Racoon Dog Companions
(Animals to get: Armadillo, Racoon Dog. Skills to get: None.)
Before returning to Iris, revisit Soleil Town and enter the “House for sale.” Your mother will be there, asking for 10 Malins. Visit your original house; your mother will be there too! Return to the “House for sale” with the dog to reveal the other mother as the Racoon Dog, who will join your group. Now proceed to Iris. Speak to people in the lower house to hear Dorothy’s story. Talk to the crater flower and look at its top edge to travel to the past. In the past Animal Village, obtain the Armadillo from the Beaver Pool. Use the Armadillo to cross the pool in the human village and acquire the red shoes.
15. Camelia Desert Pyramid: Moa Bird and Prison Escape
(Animals to get: Moa Bird. Skills to get: None.)
From the desert oasis, take the west exit to the pyramid. Enter and ascend the eastern stairs. On the third floor, speak to the boy. Locate secret passageways that appear as normal walls without shadows. Use the Dinosaur and Armadillo to navigate floors. Eventually, reach the girl. Descend ropes and get the Awakening Powder, then go through the far left door.
BOSS: CHAMELEON
When the Chameleon sends out helpers, use the Racoon Dog to deflect them. Then attack the Chameleon while dodging its tongue attacks. Defeating the Chameleon grants you the Moa Bird. Upon exiting, you’ll be imprisoned. Find a secret passageway on the north wall, exit the temple, and speak to the man with the glistening smile.
16. Burn Daisy Past: Dodo and Puppet Master
(Animals to get: Dodo. Skills to get: None.)
Continue following the cyclone’s path to Burn Daisy Past. On the platform with the burnt bird, it’s replaced by the Dodo. The Dodo will join your party, granting you item-grabbing abilities. Remember the previously inaccessible room in Burn Daisy? Use the Dodo to grab an object across the wall to trigger the real boss.
BOSS: PUPPET MASTER
Aim for the large puppet’s groin, then attack the Puppet Master as he reassembles the puppet. Defeating the Puppet Master seals off Burn Daisy and removes monsters from Iris, causing Iris residents to forget them.
17. Anemone Beach Past: Baron of the Beach
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: None.)
In Anemone Beach Past, talk to the monkey in the animal village, then request help from all animals and return to the monkey. Follow him to the beach and speak to the nearby flower. Search for an area near the monkey that leaves no footprints and jump there.
BOSS: BARON
Attack Baron repeatedly to split him into multiple parts, then destroy all parts while avoiding being knocked off the rocking platform. Return to the monkey’s house and speak to everyone to return to the present.
18. Dahlia Valley Past: Mother Monster’s Heart
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: None.)
In Dahlia Valley Past, use the fenced waterfall to reach a cave. Inside is a straightforward maze with slippery floors and spikes. The final room contains the boss.
BOSS: MOTHER MONSTER
The Mother Monster’s heart is vulnerable only to the Strongest Ice Magic, a combination of Lion and Penguin. Collect the horn to the cave’s right to return to the present. Monsters will be gone from Dahlia Valley in the present.
19. Soleil Town Past: Seeds of the Future
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: None.)
In Soleil Town Past, go to the king’s room upstairs in the castle and follow monsters to the church. Talk to them, exit, and re-enter. Speak to the king, then examine the sign beside the future fountain location. Exit the town.
20. Black Night: The Final Dungeon and Energy Spirit
(Animals to get: None. Skills to get: None.)
Black Night is the final dungeon, testing all your animal skills. Create a water channel, hit a switch, and use Dino to cross. Use Leviathan and Moa quickly to create a path, then Butterfly and Flying Squirrel to reach a distant switch. Moa and Cheetah help jump pits, Armadillo activates switches, and Dino crosses pink sludge. Butterfly and Squirrel reveal an invisible path. Speak to monsters; Mother Monster recognizes her horn, explains the Energy Spirit and its five senses, heals you, and allows passage. The final six bosses are accessed via stone portals.
PORTAL BOSSES (in no particular order):
- SMELL: Tricky tile-cracking, spike-trap boss. Use Racoon Dog to distract while setting traps.
- TASTE: Pac-Man style boss. Eat all hearts to defeat monsters.
- TOUCH: Use Moa and Lion to hit hands, avoid spikes. Hands are not fatal.
- SIGHT: Eye hides under floor. Use flying sword to lift tiles and hit it.
- SOUND: Moa and Lion attacks effective against musical note. Switch to Dino when floor changes.
FINAL BOSS: ENERGY SPIRIT
Equip Moa and Dodo. Use Dodo to hit the moon to reveal the eye, then switch to Lion for damage. Repeat as the eye reappears. Avoid floor-destroying attacks. Defeating the Energy Spirit concludes the main quest.
21. Soleil Town: A Better Future
(You can’t save here. Remember to save before battling the Energy Spirit).
You return to the beginning of your adventure, the only one who remembers the monsters. Soleil Town is now peaceful. Amon is jailed in the castle. Find Johnny the dog in the king’s room. With Johnny, speak to Alice at the town entrance to complete the game.
II. Appendix: Rafflesia School Quests
To obtain the Holy Sword, complete all three Rafflesia Training Ground quests. The Holy Sword doubles your attack power.
- Bronze Quest (Beginner Course): Basic skills: switches, blocks, springs, slippery floors. Reach the top, activate switches, use waterfalls. Bronze Medallion in the large treasure chest at the end.
- Silver Quest (Intermediate Course): Requires jumping power. Flying squirrel is helpful. Focuses on switches, pits, water, jumping, flying sword switches. Silver Medallion at the end.
- Gold Quest (Advanced Course): Requires Cheetah, Dinosaur helpful. Accelerated jumping, slippery surfaces, spikes, flamethrowers, switches, water. Navigate waterfalls to Gold Medallion, then jump on button to reverse waterfalls and exit. Return to Soleil Town king with human speech to receive the Holy Sword.
III. Animal Guide
- Dog (Johnny): (C) Holds monsters. Opens final door in Saint Heaven.
- Penguin (Penguy): (S) Ice sword. Strongest Ice Magic (Lion), more ice power (Moa).
- Cat (Kitty): Revives you once. Returns to shop after use.
- Flying Squirrel (Ciel): (S) Longer, bouncing flying sword. Control with Butterfly.
- Cheetah (Charlie): Double speed. Extends jump. Triple speed (Moa). Necessary to complete game.
- Caterpillar: Useless. Becomes Butterfly at Tower of Babel.
- Dinosaur (Dino): Crosses spikes, slippery floors, some water.
- Egg Bomb (Eggy): Screen-wide damage. Not necessary.
- Bat (Batty): Temporary invincibility. Not necessary.
- Lion: (S) Fire sword. More fire magic (Moa), Strongest Ice Magic (Penguin).
- Leviathan: (S) Double sword swing speed. Triple speed (Moa).
- Butterfly: (S) Controls flying sword. Control forever (Moa), further control (Flying Squirrel).
- Armadillo: (C) Water-crossing board. Presses switches.
- Racoon Dog: (C) Lure enemies with copy. Very useful.
- Moa Bird (Moa): Increases power of most animals. Very useful.
- Dodo: (S) Grabs items and enemies with sword. Required for some bosses.
IV. The End
Thank you for using this guide. May your journey through Soleil be filled with adventure and triumph!
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