Item power-ups
The following is a list of power-ups for Maximo's sword,
shield, and other items.
| Name | Cost | Function |
| Koin | --- | Increase Koin inventory by one |
| Koin Bag | --- | Increase Koin inventory by five |
| Diamond | --- | Increase Koin inventory by ten |
| Spirit | --- | After collecting 50 you get a Death coin |
| Death coin | --- | Allows you to continue after you lose all lives |
| Heart | 150 | Increase lives by one |
| Key | --- | Allows you to open iron locks and chests |
| Gold Key | --- | Allows you to open gold locks |
| Green Bottle | --- | Partially restores life bar |
| Red Bottle | 50 | Fully restores life bar |
| Shield Charge | --- | Restores five units of shield meter |
| Sword Charge | 150 | Restores five units of any sword enchantment |
| Armor | 100 | Adds additional life bar, up to three max; after three you get gold armor for 20 seconds |
| Foot Cheese | 500 | Allows you to walk freely on ground that may have skeleton hands |
| Monogram boxers | 300 | Boxers with an "M" on the front |
| Pow Boxers | 300 | Boxers with the word "POW" on the front |
| Cow Boxers | 300 | Boxers with a cow pattern |
| Mystery | 150 | Random chosen item |
| Iron Shield | ---- | Default shield that game starts with |
| Silver Shield | 160 | Shield with 15 strength units |
| Gold Shield | 300 | Shield with 20 strength units |
Abilities
Note: The "World" indicates the first world
this is found in.
| Name | World | Description |
| Mighty Blow | 1 | Essential for fighting |
| Second Strike | 1 | Not needed if you use the Mighty Blow for most of your attacks |
| Furious Spin Attack | 3 | Good for attacking multiple enemies |
Sword abilities
Note: The "World" indicates the first world
this is found in.
| Name | World | Description |
| Magic Bolt | 1 | Requires sword enchantment; fire different projectiles; 2 power units per use |
| Doomstrike | 1 | Powerful, also requires sword enchantment; 4 sword power units per use |
| Gold Seeker | 2 | Shockwave from your downward strike allows you to uncover secret chests |
| Long Sword | 2 | Sword becomes longer |
| Wider Shockwave | 3 | Increases the size of shockwave from downward strike |
| Ring Of Pain | 5 | Shockwave from a downward strike causes damage |
Shield abilities
Note: The "World" indicates the first world
this is found in.
| Name | World | Description |
| Throw Shield | 1 | Allows you to throw your shield |
| Mighty Throw | 3 | Must have the throw shield; allows you to throw shield a great distance |
| Hover Shield | 3 | Must have throw shield |
| Shield Of Midas | 1 | Essential for collecting |
| Shield Of Storms | 3 | Excellent for fighting enemies; best shield power up you can have |
| Shield Of Thunder | 4 | Hurts enemies when they attack you |
Other abilities
Note: The "World" indicates the first world
this is found in.
| Name | World | Description |
| Increased Armor | 2 | Allows you to have 4 life bars |
| Mask Of Sorrow | 2 | Can run through enemies when you have gold armor |
| Lenore's Kiss | --- | Defeat the first Boss to obtain this |
| Mamba Maries Kiss | --- | Defeat the second Boss to obtain this |
| Aurora Lee's Kiss | --- | Defeat the third Boss to obtain this |
| Sephonie's Kiss | --- | Defeat the fourth Boss to obtain this |
Sword enchantments
Note: The "World" indicates the first world
this is found in.
| Name | World | Description |
| Flame Tongue | 1 | Powers up your blade strength |
| Pure Blade | 2 | Kill skeletons in one slash |
| Frostbiter | 3 | Freezes enemies |
| Armageddon | 4 | Strongest enchantment in the game; kills any enemy (except Bosses) in one hit |
Bone Yard: Easy coins and lives
Repeat the level you will get 200
coins and 2 lives. Then, go back and repeat the process as many
times as needed.
Go With The Floe: Easy Grim Reaper
coins and koins
Find your way to the first save point but do not open
the chest yet. Make sure you have a red key. After you save the
game, open the locked chest. It contains koins, a heart, and a
sword power-up. After you kill all the monsters and open all the
chests, kill yourself. You will then respawn with the same amount
of keys and you will not lose your spirits and koins. For the
Grim Reaper coins, keep wrecking the "snowmen".
Grave Danger: More Grim Reaper coins
Collect the fairies and continue to do this until you
have about 50. Hit the next grave, and you will have a Grim Reaper
coin.
Grave Danger: Extra lives and items
Go through the level until you find a "jail cell"-type
room. Go up the side, do your crushing death blow, then go through
the secret room. You can collect an extra life, and coins below.
If you find yourself low on lives, armor, or keys, go to the first
level (The Boneyard) using a warp pool. Play the level until you
have all the coins, lives, and keys that you need. Then, return
to the stage you need to complete fully powered.
Grave Danger: Hidden chest locations
Chest 1: Directly to the left of the starting point.
Chest 2: Face the gate where you need a gold key to get to the
next part of the level. It is directly behind you. Walk up to
the tree behind you and press [X]x2 to do a double jump.
Chest 3: Located atop the platform behind the spot where the three
skeletons jump up and where there are two coins in a grave. You
must jump on a tombstone that is closest to the platform. It is
an iron chest that holds the Flame Tongue sword enchantment.
Chest 4: After you run around the pit of lava, there is a chest
on the right side of the tree, if you face it. It is on the opposite
side of the chest that holds a red potion.
Chest 5: Located on the left of the two platforms that you must
jump across.
Chest 6: Located to the left of the gate with the broken right
side. The chest contains an extra life.
Chest 7: Located in the part where there is a ax throwing skeleton.
It is in the ground, next to a lone rock.
Extra fairies
Use this trick to get five fairies instead of the normal
two. When you get to any of the fairy stones, do a jumping sword
attack ([X], [X], [Triangle]) and five fairies
will be released. This allows you to get at least one continue
per level.
Defeating Achille and Demon Queen
This is the hardest fight in the game. It is essential
to have the Gold Shield . When you start the fight, run as close
as possible to Achille. When he looks like he is going to attack,
put up your shield and block him. When you can attack. do a thrust
attack. After you hit him he will say "Back off" and
a sphere of purple energy will fly out. Do not worry, as this
does not hurt you. When you get up, immediately do a double jump
then run in for the attack. Once you do another thrust attack
on Achille, he will have a big replica that cannot be hit. Do
not try to hit this thing -- only repeat what it says on the forcefield
guarding Achille . After this, four energy ray guns will appear
from the floor. Achille then starts to regain his life. Attack
these guns as fast as possible. Try using your shield because
it can be used to hit things from a distance. Once this happens
three times, Achille's power will run out of his staff and turn
it into a brutal weapon. All you have to do at this part is to
use thrust attack after thrust attack. Once Achille is gone you
will have to fight the Demon Queen. She is very easy. When you
fight her, the whole room will be pitch black and all you will
be able to see is her eyes. She will approach you. Jump and strike
the stone in her forehead to defeat her.
Defeating Captain Cadaver
This is a very easy battle. To defeat him, knock him
onto the grates on the floor until he starts to try to get out.
Then, kneel ([L2]) and press [Square]. This will knock
him out of the grate, causing damage. This Boss is not very difficult
and only has a few attacks. For most of his attacks, just use
your shield to block them. For others, such as when he shoots
at you, use timed jumps.
Defeating the Demon Queen
Have the Flame Tongue and some power-ups. Hit the demon
three to five times. Press [Triangle] to do the Overhead
Slash on the jewel on the demon's forehead.
Defeating Ghastly Gus
Do a downward strike ([X], [X], [Triangle])
until he falls, then do a thrust strike (hold any direction and
press [Triangle]).
Stay out of the hole in the middle of the stage. It is "dead
ground" and will slow you down and cause damage. Since Gus
is so large, he is rather slow. You can use this to your advantage.
When the battle begins, run away from him so that he does not
chase and attack you. When he flings boulders, simply run in a
curve and they will not hit you. After that, he will smash the
ground with his shovel. Perform a double-jump over the shockwave
that is created. While he is yelling, perform a downward strike
([X], [X], [Triangle]) on his foot. Perform another
while he is yelling (this time in pain) to knock him over. Perform
a thrust attack. Repeat this to defeat him.
When fighting Ghastly Gus, he will throw rocks, Allow him to do
so, then jump the shockwave. Note: You have to have a shield.
Run towards him when he is laughing. Throw your shield at his
foot and he will jump, grabbing his foot. Wait for five seconds
and throw it again. He will trip and fall. Run up to him and do
an overhead strike. Keep doing this until he is defeated. Note:
Throw your shield carefully, as they do not last forever.
Buy Foot Cheese and go to the castle. When you start, jump into
the hole in the middle of the arena. Shoot your shield at his
foot, then you can jump up and do a double jump-death blow on
his foot. When he falls, hit him in the head.
Defeating Lakor Bas
When he shrinks, keep jumping away from him ([X],
[X]). After that, he will send out some little voodoo dolls.
Hit as many as you can until he starts shooting at you. The best
way to destroy these little guys is a spin attack ([Square],
then rotate the Analog-stick counterclockwise). After that,
he will split up and start running around. Hit all of them until
there is one remaining. Then, do a thrust strike (hold any direction
and press [Triangle]). Repeat this and you will be victorious.
Defeating Lord Gutterscum
This is the easiest Boss in the game, Make sure you
go into the battle with Armageddon (the purple sword power-up).
When he stops moving, run around him and hit him in his fanny
with a thrust attack. Repeat this and he will be defeated. This
fight is easy because he just stays in one location -- it just
requires timed jumps.
Defeating enemies
Use the following tactics to defeat the corresponding
enemy. Note: For all enemies lying on the ground, do a jumping
sword slam to kill them instantly, except for the Scimitar Pirates
as you will take damage unless they are lying on their front.
Blue Skeletons: Overhead slash works best.
Red Skeletons: Thrust with sword.
Pike-Wielding guards: Throw a shield from afar to remove their
armor, then attack up close.
Scimitar Wielding Pirates: Jump over them to momentarily confuse
them, then attack from behind.
Yetis: Run in very close and slash. They will not touch you.
Ghosts: Stand still, then hit them as if they were a baseball.
Shield Of Midas
The most important shield enhancement and item that
you can have in the game (other than the Ring Of Pain and Increased
Shockwave) is the Shield of Midas. Not only does it save you important
steps (e.g. playing the very first level in about eight minutes),
it also sucks up the spirits from their hiding places as if you
were a magnet. This is crucial in the Spirit Realm level where
one step can send you into the abyss. Also, when Mr. White Ghost
happens to touch you and you miss killing him, immediately activate
your shield and spin around as you go. Most likely you will get
all the spirits back, therefore giving you more death coins. Make
sure that you save your game with this enhancement so you can
reload if you die.
Change locked moves
Go to a locked move and press [X]. Then, press
[X] on another move that you want locked. This is useful
if you die frequently.
