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                               Home Alone
                for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
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an FAQ by Yuka Takeuchi (YTakeuchi)

true name: Andrew Kurland

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Update history:

Version 1.0 (February 13, 2001):
-The first version of this guide.

Version 1.1 (June 3, 2001):
-Fixed things up a bit, tried to sound less like an idiot. (Anyone who read
the first knows what I mean)
-Added a list of non-weapon pickups.

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About the author:

  You can learn more about me (not that you care) in my Super Variable Geo
FAQ (Super VG here at GameFAQs).

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The story:

  Set shortly after the events of the original Home Alone movie, Harry and
Marv have finished their term in prison. Now, they still don't feel too
happy about their little run-in with Kevin a while back, so they've
arranged for Kevin's family to be out of the house- and Kevin home alone-
again. (These guys never learn.) THIS TIME, they've prepared a bit better-
they've brought in a new squad of idiots to help 'em out. (Okay, maybe they
DO learn a bit.) Harry and Marv have the same mission as before- grab all
the stuff in the McCallister household. And this time, they're gonna get
Kevin.
  Meet Kevin McCallister, young hero of the community. It's his job to
keep these morons from looting Kevin's house dry. That's where you come in.

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Basic controls:

Up=            Search things and open doors.
Left=          Move left.
Right=         Move right.
Down=          Duck or stop bouncing on bouncy materials.
Y button=      Change weapon.
X button=      Nothing.
B button=      Attack.
A button=      Jump.
L button=      Nothing.
R button=      Nothing.
Start button=  Pause.
Select button= Nothing.

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Tips on Controls:

Search while moving-
  Almost vital to find all the things you need to complete a stage. Hold
up-right or up-left to search for items as you move. Don't do this if
you're near a door or you'll go in (this gets old).

Ditch the valuables:
  Absolutely vital to win, but it's easy to do. Still, for the benefit of
ROM users or people without instruction manuals, just press up while near a
laundry chute and you'll drop any valuables you've collected down the
chute.

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Your mission:

  Your main goal is to find all the valuables located in the four wings of
the McCallister household, ditch it down a laundry chute to the basement,
and lock it up in the vault. And if you want, give Marv, Harry, and the
rest the next beating of their lives.

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At the top of the screen:

  Glad you asked.
POWER- You can be hit three times before you lose a life.
SCORE- Obvious. Increase it by nearly all means except getting hit and a
couple others.
LIVES- How many times Kevin can get whacked before the Wet Bandits have
finally achieved their revenge.
PIZZA LEVEL- Get eight pizza slices on one stage for an extra life.
EQUIPPED WEAPON/AMMO- Kinda obvious. Increase by grabbing weapons.
VAULT- How many valuables you need to enter the basement.
BACKPACK- How many valuables you're carrying.

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Weapons:

Squirt gun:
  You always have this and it has infinite ammo, but it takes quite a
number of shots to make an enemy double over and it NEVER kills an enemy.
Short-range. (EVERYTHING else is long-range.)

Slingshot:
Ammo on pickup- 10 shots.
  Stronger than the BB Gun, but you don't have as many shots.

BB Gun:
Ammo on pickup- 15 shots.
  You've got quite a few shots, but they're weaker (the double-over time is
increased.) I don't use it unless I'm against a 5-switch mini-boss.

Baseball:
Ammo on pickup- 1 shot.
  This is the best weapon you've got, so don't waste it and DON'T MISS! It
can kill most enemies within three or fewer shots!

Traps:
  Not quite weapons, but useful nonetheless unless you step on one. Tacks
and toy cars, when stepped on by Marv (he's the only one dumb enough to
step on them), will kill him instantly. Hitting a bowling ball or an iron
will cause it to drop and instantly kill anyone under it.


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Non-weapon pickups:

Pizza slice:
  Get eight of these on the same level for an extra life.

Whole pizza:
  Gives you an extra life.

Aftershave:
  You're invincible for 15 seconds, you run faster and destroy enemies
simply by smashing into them (the music speeds up when you grab this).
Very rare.

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Enemies:

Mob-type Guys
  Weak, easy to jump, and easily killed. Usually goes after valuables- not
Kevin.

Marv
  You can't jump him (from the ground) and he takes a lot of shots, but
he's usually near a trap which can take care of him easily. He might go
after valuables, but he tends to go after Kevin.

Harry
  Rare, but he ONLY goes after Kevin, can't be jumped, and takes a lot of
shots.

Baseball Tosser
  You only see him once and you don't have to fight 'im. He throws
baseballs dead ahead which you can duck, no problem. If you NEED to kill
him, just duck and shoot 'im 'til he dies.

Jerk with Hat
  Almost the same as the Baseball Tosser, but he looks different, he throws
his hat, and you see him slightly more often. Use the same tactic.

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Basic stage info, including bosses!

STAGE 1-
Valuables- Jewels.
Need- 24.
Backpack Capacity- 6.

(Since the bosses are about the ONLY thing you'll have trouble with, I'll
explain those only.)

Boss Area:
  In the basement, keep going left. Jump any low bats, just keep walking if
the bats aren't low. Rats may appear too, always moving to the right. Jump
them. If a high-flying bat appears when a rat does, the jump's a little
tricky to time, but if a bat's flying low and a rat's coming, they're easy
to jump.

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STAGE 2-
Valuables- Toys.
Need- 30.
Backpack Capacity- 8.

Boss Area:
  There are around 20 tarantulas in the basement now (in the movie, Buzz
only had one) Are the tarantulas on the ground? Jump over them. Are they
moving? Same procedure, but wait until they're moving in your direction.
Two tarantulas too high to jump but too low to run under? Jump until one's
up high and one's down low, then jump between 'em. (this is kind of tricky)
Boss: Giant Tarantula
  Once you hear an alarm (I think that's what it is), prepare to fight a
big tarantula. You can't shoot it, but you see that brick that looks
different than the others (it's the only gray one)? Jump into it and send
it crashing down on it. Hit or miss, another one will appear. Five hits and
the tarantula dies. (By the way, you're invulnerable in the far sides of
the room.)

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STAGE 3-
Valuables- Electronics.
Need- 35.
Backpack Capacity- 10.

Boss Area:
  There's ghosts down here. They will keep rising out of the floor,
charging into the ceiling, then sending another one from below. At one
point, they will bounce up and down. They're easy to dodge, trust me.
Boss: Giant Ghost
  The situation with the brick is similar, but the only way to
avoid getting hit is to move under its jumps. This is the easiest boss
you'll face.

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STAGE 4-
Valuables- Pets.
Need- 35.
Backpack Capacity- 10.

Boss Area:
  There are a LOT of rats down here. Most of them are more or less
stationary, but the rats that come down from the ceiling are VERY fast.
Just jump everything that comes your way. This is much harder than it
sounds.
Final Boss: Giant Rat
  Why oh why oh WHY is the last boss a @#%$!! RAT!? Why not Harry?! Why not
Marv!? Why not something less stupid than ENLARGED PESTILENT VERMIN!?! I
guess I should stop raving, 'cause this IS the most difficult boss,
regardless. It moves very erratically, jumps at random, and is a pain to
hit with the brick, but as always, 5 hits do it in. You can't be hit in the
far sides of the room.

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Nice work, you've beaten the game! (Or, you're just reading this out of
sheer boredom)

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If you DID beat the game, good job! You might have picked up on some of
the following tips, too-

-Each time you hit a boss with the brick, it speeds up.

-In the third stage, you can jump on the thermostats (but you can't jump on
the plants. Doesn't make sense, does it?).

-If you send a bowling ball to the floor, and a valuable falls on an
enemy's head as a result, he's killed instantly. Be careful, because if it
misses, the enemy tends to grab the valuable and run!

-In the first stage, with the ring that falls on the table, just keep
jumping up and down, next to the table, at full jump height, until you grab
it.

-Search everything in every room! You'd be surprised where some items are
kept.

-If it's not an enemy, and it's not a floor trap, grab it. It'll help you.

-You don't need to kill everything you see. In fact, you can probably make
it through the game without firing a single shot (I am not suggesting you
try).

-You can't use any weapons in the basements.

-Even though you can catch your shots if they rebound off enemies, don't
bother. You won't need to and it's a pain to do correctly.

-How to use the switches:
  Notice how in some rooms, a really slow-moving Harry or Marv comes after
you, and there's five switches on the wall? Shoot each switch and then
three sets of lights will turn on, scaring away Harry or Marv. You'll get
three valuables for your trouble. Can't do it? Don't sweat it- just take
the hit (you better have two points of power when you do this!) and RUN!

-Don't panic if you run out of lives. You have one (and ONLY one) continue
if you do.

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Dumb stuff I noticed.

-In any stage with a toilet, there's some items in the toilet. For one
level, I have to ask- Are you sure that whole pizza in there would give
you an extra life, instead of earning you a trip to the ER?

-How the heck does that ball keep bouncing when you kill the Baseball
Tosser?

-Why don't you get points for killing bosses?

-Doesn't it hurt when Kevin headbutts the ceiling in Stage 1?

-Why don't any of these criminals ever carry guns?

-Who the heck needs an alarm system in the basement that sounds when the
GOOD GUYS are down there?!

-How the heck do the Wet Bandits get arrested while Kevin's fighting rats?
Is Neighborhood Watch getting with the program?

-Did you notice how...

SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER

...in the (short) ending, Marv says 'no jail can hold the Wet Bandits'.
In Home Alone 2. Harry and Marv escaped prison. Premonition or a way to
promote the next movie? You make the call.

SPOILER OVER
SPOILER OVER
SPOILER OVER

-How the heck can Kevin stuff ten televisions in that backpack!?

-In Stage 2, can the toys really be considered valuables?

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Thanks to...

-20th Century Fox for a killer movie (and a killer sequel).
-Jeff 'CJayC' Veasey for a killer website.
-My computer, for a killer way to waste time.
-You, for reading this.

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Legal Disclaimer:

This FAQ is COPYRIGHTED February 14, 2001 by Andrew Kurland (aka Yuka
Takeuchi). If you want to put this page on your website, ASK ME FIRST.
I'll probably say yes. You can't use this document to make money. If
you want to print it and give it out for free, you're fine, but it can't
be sold. If you just want to print it for reference, that's fine too.

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Comments? Questions? Extra hints? Bored? E-mail me at...

yuka_takeuchi_fan@hotmail.com

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End of FAQ.

I hope you enjoyed reading this or at least found it useful. I'm glad you
took the time to read it. Thank you.