,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
;  ||||||| ||  ||  ||||||||   ||||||     ||    ||  ||||||   |||||||| ;
 ; ||       ||  ||  |||  ||| ||    ||   ||||  || ||     || ||       ;
  ; ||       ||||||  ||||||| ||    ||  || || || ||     || |||||||| ;
   ; ||       ||  || ||| ||  ||    || ||   ||| ||     ||       || ;
    ; ||       ||  || ||  ||  |||||| ||    ||   ||||||        || ;
     ; ||                                                    || ;
      ; |||||||||||| ||       |||       || || ||    |||||||||| ;
       ;,,, ||       ||     || ||     ||  || |||   || ,,,,,,,,;
          ; ||        ||   ||   ||   ||   || || || || ;
          ; ||         || ||     || ||    || ||  |||| ;
          ; ||          |||       |||     || ||    || ;
          ;,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,;


[A]	C O P Y R I G H T     I N F O

This document is copyright 2010, written by Victoria Oliver.  All
trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.  This guide may be not be
reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may
not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without
advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a
part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of
copyright.


[B]	I N T R O D U C T I O N

Hello, and welcome to my first guide.  This game is pretty challenging,
and seeing as how there's no walkthroughs posted yet, I decided to help out
and make one myself for a change.  If there's an easier way to do something
I missed (or if there's something I forgot to include all together), feel
free to drop me a line at [email protected].

This walkthrough does make use of the find feature. Press ctrl+F, then
enter the code in brackets next to the desired section, and you can jump
to any portion of this guide.


[C]	T A B L E     O F     C O N T E N T S


Preambles
Copyright		[A]
Introduction		[B]
Table of Contents	[C]

Game Basics		[BASIC]
Backstory		[0.1]
Characters		[0.2]
The Screens		[0.3]
Controls		[0.4]

Walkthrough		[GUIDE]
Mission Zero		[1.0]
A R E A    1
Stage 1			[1.1]
Stage 2			[1.2]
Stage 3			[1.3]
A R E A    2
Stage 1			[2.1]
Stage 2			[2.2]
Stage 3			[2.3]
Stage 4			[2.4]
A R E A    3
Stage 1			[3.1]
Stage 2			[3.2]
Stage 3			[3.3]
Stage 4			[3.4]
A R E A    4
Stage 1			[4.1]
Stage 2			[4.2]
Stage 3			[4.3]
Stage 4			[4.4]

A R E A    5
Stage 1			[5.1]
Stage 2			[5.2]
Stage 3			[5.3]
Other Stuff		[STUFF]
Acknowledgements	[TYS]
Bugs and Weird Stuff	[BUG]





,.......................................................,
=							=
=		 G A M E     B A S I C S		=
=							=
,.......................................................,
			[BASIC]




~= BACKSTORY =~		[0.1]

The game opens explaining that five light-loops ago, the planet Skyla was
home to a peaceful race of beings. Then one day, a strange being showed up
from out of nowhere. They offered it friendship, but it refused, instead
destroying the planet. The Skylans were unable to defend themselves, so the
survivors took to spaceships and fled the planet.

The council later determined the being must be from another time or dimension,
so they decided to build a time machine so someone could be sent back in time
and destroy the threat preemptively, at it's origin. It took the last five
light-loops to build said time machine. Now that it's built, they're sending a
Llhedar by the name of Nash back in time to defeat the thing that destroyed
their home.


~= CHARACTERS =~	[0.2]

=Nash=
Nash is the Llhedar initially sent back in time to defeat Twime. It is
through him the council discovers that Twime can exist in two times at
once.

=Nec=
When Nash returns from his battle with Twime, he passes on his task to
his younger brother, Nec.  Nec is the story's main protagonist, and the
character you control.

=Luna=
Luna is the scientist working with you from the Space Station. She'll
occasionally chime in to give Nec new weapons to help with his tasks
and keep him abreast of the mission.

=Wise=
These are the sages of Skyla. They comprise the council, and are the
beings who built the time machine for the mission.

=Twime=
The big baddy that demolished Skyla has a name, and it is Twime.
Twime is your stereotypical evil being from another galaxy: his sole
desire is to conquer and destroy other planets. As if that weren't
bad enough, he can exist in two times at once.

~= THE SCREENS =~	[0.3]

This game takes advantage of the dual screens in ways that can make your head
hurt. If you plan to survive, you need to pay attention to both screens
simultaneously, and it's easier said than done. To help ease the mind-numbing
complexity, let's start by examining what exactly it is you're looking at.

Once you being the main portion of the game, the present day Skyla is shown
on the top screen and the past day Skyla is shown on the bottom. You control
the character on BOTH screens at once. Though there are many subtle differences
between the two times (and a few not-so-sublte ones as well), a few things are
the same on both screens. Namely, the HUD.

_______________________________________
|Life		Present		Energy	|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|		Danger			|
|_______________________________________|
________________________________________
|		Danger			|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|					|
|Life		Past		Energy	|
|_______________________________________|



The HUD:
The HUD consists of four basic parts: a Life meter, an Energy meter, a Danger
notifier, and a time label. During boss battles, a fifth part of the HUD will
activate, showing the enemy's life as a purple bar running horizontaly above
the time label. (On the bottom screen, it's directly below it instead.)

The Life Meter:
The Life meter displays how many lives Nec has before the level is failed,
forcing you, the player, to start over from the beginning of the stage.
The number of lives are the same in past and present: lose a life on one
screen, and both Nec's bite the bullet. Nec can have a maximum of three 
bars in this, which translates in to three lives total -- you cannot pick 
up an extra life when this bar is full.

The Energy Meter:
The Energy meter fills a similar place in Nec's life. Any time Nec gets
damaged on either screen, it takes away a bar of energy. Losing a single bar of
energy is seldom catastrophic. Typically when this happens, Nec gains a moment
of invincibility to get his bearings straight, and remains at the same point
in the stage. Lose all three bars of energy though, and Nec loses a life,
sending him back to the most recent checkpoint. Lose all three lives, and you
have to restart the stage from square one.
It should be noted that there are exceptions to these rules. Some obstacles
will still only take a single bar of energy off of Nec's meter, yet send
him back to the most recent checkpoint. (For instance, falling off a cliff.)
Alternatively, most boss battles will not penalize Nec when he loses a life.
Nec is typically allowed to fight the boss without being sent back to a check
point each time his energy meter runs out. Instead, he remains in the mosh pit
of death until either he or the boss dies completely.

The Danger Notifiers:
At the center of each screen, near the spine of the DS, is a tiny little box
with the word "DANGER" written in it. Any time something hazardous to Nec's
health is nearby, a robotic voice will say "DANGER", and the notifier in the
screen with the threat will begin to flash red. Additionally, the Nec that
ISN'T in danger will begin to flash. Though often this warning is a little
too late to save Nec's energy bar completely, it can help alert a wary player
to things that might otherwise have gone missed.

The Time Label:
The labels themselves are easy enough to sort out. They help remind you which
screen is which time. If you destroy something in the past, it will change
the stage on the future screen. However, destroying something in the present
will not change what happens in the past.
In the space above these time labels, (or below, in the case of the bottom
screen) a purple meter will show itself during boss battles. This gauge is
a rough semblance of the enemy's own health meter.



~= CONTROLS =~		[0.4]

D-pad			Move
A/Y/R Bumper		Jump
B			Shoot: Past (bottom screen)
X			Shoot: Present (top screen)
L + Up/Down		Time Split
Down + Jump		Slide
Start			Pause
Select			Instruction Manual (only on the title screen)

Controlling Nec is not quite as simple as it may at first seem. Directional
movement, aiming the gun, jumping and sliding happen simultaneously on both
screens. (Actually shooting the gun, however, is done separately.) The lay
of the land however will often vary greatly between past and present. This
can not only change a lot of seemingly difficult situations into something
far less hazardous, it can also change simple hurdle jumps into a deadly
obstacle course.

The basics of Nec's physics:
Nec's controls pertain to both screens. For instance, if one screen shows the
ground has gone completely missing while the other shows a normal walkway, Nec
can safely walk across the chasm because one instance of him is on solid
ground.
If, on the other hand, one screen shows a walkway while the other shows a solid
wall, Nec cannot proceed normally becase one instance of himself is blocked.
This problem is solved by splitting time, which Nec will learn to do in the
natural course of the game.

Time Splitting:
Time splitting allows one instance of Nec to move freely while the other
screen is compeltely frozen in time, including both Nec and the rest of the
level. To split time, hold the L button and push the direction of the screen
you want to control. One Nec is safely frozen, and the Nec you're left with
is completely independant and cannot be hurt by the other screen. However,
this also means that the Nec you're using cannot take advantage of any
platforms on the screen that's frozen.
While using the time split to control the past, the screen of the present can
still be altered. Using the time split to control the present does not allow
Nec to change the past, however the platforms are often in better repair.
Even if you don't need time split to solve a particular puzzle, it can often
serve as a great method of scouting ahead, as both screens are still viewable
based on the location of the Nec being controlled.
To stop time splitting, hold the L Button and push the direction of the
frozen screen. The Nec you were controlling will be teleported back to the
location where the time-split took place, where the previously frozen Nec is.


@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@
  \,....................................................,/
   =							=
   =		   W A L K T H R O U G H		=
   =							=
   ,....................................................,
  /							 \
@~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@
			[GUIDE]


I'd like to say a few things in advance.  First, I'd like to call attention
to the fact that this is not a long game, and there is (to my knowledge)
no unlockables.  There is a single, linear game dotted with puzzles, so
following this guide start to finish may take much of the fun out of the
game.  However, this game can get very frantic, especially towards the later
levels, so hopefully this guide can at least help solve some puzzles without
pulling too much hair from your scalp.

Incidentally, this guide is currently based on the NOVICE difficulty setting.
If you want to try the harder modes out, feel free.  They're essentially the
same exact game, but with more stuff to make you go "ouch" along the way.
I may eventually add some details for the other modes.  Untill then, if
anyone comes across a more significant difference other than the amount of
pain, please let me know.




~= M I S S I O N   Z E R O =~		[1.0]

As the opening cutscene finishes, we are plopped onto Planet Skyla as Nash.
Mission Zero is a forgiving little tutorial stage that allows you as the player
to familiarize yourself with the controls without penalty; Nash is completely
invincible. Since you can't fail this level, feel free to try out things for
yourself a bit before moving on. Let's pretend this is a real level, and get in
what practice we can on one screen before we have to worry about the second
one.

Walk forward and jump over the flame thrower when it's not active. Shoot any
incoming hover crafts in your way either by aiming your gun upward, or doing a
jumping shot. Soon we come across yet another flame thrower to jump over, After
this, you'll notice a laser beam on the floor. Normally, this would damage you,
so jump over it and the flame thrower following it. As you climb the next, more
hover crafts and flame throwers are strewn about, but now the flame throwers
are in the air. Continue shooting the hover crafts, and either walk or slide
past the pillars of fire.

At the top of the hill is another laser floor board behind a little beacon on
the floor. This beacon is a proximity mine. You can blow it up safely by having
Nash crouch while he shoots it from a distance. Continue on, jumping over the
laser floors and blowing up the mines while keeping the hover crafts away and
avoiding the fire. Again, there's no penalty so if you can't keep up with it
all just yet don't fret too much.

At the end of the path, you will meet with Twime, the evil entity that started
this all. You can feel free to shoot at it while practicing your evasive
maneuvers. He has three attacks. A laser pillar that shoots from the ground,
a ball of light that follows you, and some lasers that take up the whole field.
Even if you don't do anything, it only takes a few moments for Luna to contact
Nash in an attempt to pull him out of the battle, ending the tutorial mission.

,...............................................,
=						=
=		  A R E A     1			=
=						=
,...............................................,



~= Stage 1-1 =~		[1.1]

We now begin a second tutorial-esque stage. But this time, we're learning how
to use both screens in tandem. Starting out, take it slow and get try to get
used to the DANGER alerts. This stage should help clarify a lot of things about
how the game functions, and in essence all you have to do is go forward and
shoot anything that pops out at you. The comprehensive instructions below
are simply pointing out what the game is doing with Nec.

The action begins shortly, in the form of gigantic vines protruding from the
ground. Each pillar of vines takes three shots from Nec to dissolve. The first
four pillars will appear only on the bottom screen, followed by another set
appearing only on top. The pillars will then start alternating between the two
screens, sometimes appearning on both screens at once. Take your time to
navigate through the passage until present day Nec comes across the first
checkpoint.

Now that we've done our target practice, the game will turn us lose on a small
hurdle jumping course. These little metallic boxes are solid, so Nec must jump
over or on them even if they're only on one screen. Note that if Nec jumps on
top of a box in one screen, he will hover in the air on the other. After a few
hurdles are passed, you will come to a section of present day Skyla where the
ground has fallen out. However, since in the past the ground is solid, Nec can
walk right over it. This stretch of the stage will now conclude by combining
everything presented so far. Jump over the hurdles and shoot the vines where
they pop out of the ground to arrive at the next checkpoint.

Now the game is going to make us pay closer attention to detail. There's a gap
in the present here, but the past is solid so we can walk right over it. The
next time we see a gap though, the levels don't line up quite enough for that,
so Nec will have to hop over the tiny gap left in the past. Continuing on,
jump over the next gap as well, which also happens to be much smaller in the
past. After jumping this gap, players stuck staring at the bottom screen will
notice Nec cannot keep walking. Pull your eyes to the top screen to find a
small ledge is jutting out early in present-day Skyla, preventing that Nec
from walking further. Jump on top and continue along the path, allowing
present-day nec to walk on air for a moment. You'll soon hear more danger
alerts as Nec of the past comes across some of those proximity mines. Crouch
and shoot to take care of them, then proceed to the third checkpoint.

Here, we are given our first true taste of how this game works in the old
platform jumping concept. In the present, the checkpoint is at the very end of
a ledge with nothing but air after it for several feet. In the past however,
the ledge juts out much further before dropping off, and is followed shortly by
a small platform. Use this extra-long ledge and platform in the past, allowing
present-day Nec to float in the air a bit more. From here, the next ledge in
the past is too far for Nec to jump to, but the one in the present is an easy
hop away. Jump to this next ledge in the present, then follow the ledge in the
past again till it again drops off. Now, the ledges alternate between past and
present. Jump from ledge to ledge, using ledges in both times to make it
across:
the pattern is past, present, past, present, past. Once you get to this last
ledge in the past, stop, crouch, and shoot the proximity mines in the present
screen before proceeding to the next checkpoint.

We now have more laser floorboards and proximity mines. The jump patterns are
based on present day, but there's proximity mines in the past so make sure to
take them out before you jump on them. At the end of this short segment,
walking off screen to the right will end this stage.



~= Stage 1-2 =~		[1.2]

If you lost any energy or lives in the last stage, you'll notice they've been
replenished. Any time Nec survives long enough to make it to the next area,
the game heals him back up to full capacity. It's these little things that
will help keep you sane in levels to come.

Start off by walking to the end of the platform in the past, then jump to the
moving platform to make it to the other side of this gap. From here, the ground
is fairly solid, but there's laser floorboards and proximity mines littering
the path. Take care of these obstacles as normal. Just before the checkpoint
is a gap in the present that's easily walked over, but don't run too far 
ahead.

As soon as Nec hits the checkpoint, a vine pillar will spawn in his way in the
present day. While present day Nec worries about the overgrowth, Nec of the
past is still worrying about those laser floors and proximity mines. Take your
time, and don't worry about rushing ahead -- doing so usually results in a face
full of thorns, or burned feet. When you reach the cliff edge on the top
screen, drop down to the ledge on the bottom, and use the past's floating
platform to get across the gap. On the other end of the platform ride, jump to
the ledge in the present, and shoot the mine in the past. The next moving
platform will be in the present, as well as the following ledge. Blow up the
mine in the past and grab the next checkpoint.

Another mine is waiting to be detonated in the present, so blow it up then
proceed to the end of that ledge. From here, jump to a moving platform in the
past, then at the end of it's route jump to another one in the present. Ride
this to the end, then jump to the ledge of the past. Be careful when you jump,
because past Nec will land face to face with another vine pillar. Shoot it
and its soon to follow present day counter part as you proceed to the edge of
the present day cliff where more floating platforms await you. Use the past
screen to navigate from one platform to the next, then over to the ledge.
Hop up from here so present Nec can continue, then walk till Nec drops down
next to a box with a purple rectangle on it, which is visible on both
screens. These large boxes can be pushed around by having Nec walk into them,
so we'll have Nec do just that. Push the box all the way across the screen
untill the wall in the past stops it. It now makes a convenient stepping stool
which can be used to hop up to the next ledge, and into the next stage.



~= Stage 1-3 =~		[1.3]

This is the first true level in the game, and it introduces multiscreen combat.
Walk to the end of the present cliff, then jump to the past platform, then to
the next ledge in the present. Continue on, and a couple of caterpillars will
threaten past Nec. Shoot 'em dead, then continue along to the end of the path.
And here we have more floating platforms. It's still a pretty simple pattern;
use the past until you land on the colum, then use present, past, present to
reach the checkpoint.

Blow up the mine, and walk forward to the edge of the laser. That floating
blue dot is an exta life, but don't bother with it unless you've lost some
energy -- chances are you'll get hit with the laser at least once trying to get
it, and you can't carry more than three lives. Wait for the floating platform
in the past to begin to rise, and once it's just past the level of the laser in
the present, quickly jump on top of it, then off to the other end of the laser.
Continue on, and past Nec comes across a giant pod spewing out more of those
evil caterpillars he came across earlier.

===============================================================================
=The Pod=

The pod adjusts it's trajectory based on Nec's location. If you stand just out
of range, the caterpillars may touch Nec before he can shoot them. Standing
directly under the spawning arc is much safer, as previously shot caterpillars
can be taken care of with upward shots, but this requires Nec to constantly
get closer to the pod. Either way, you'll need to continually adjust Nec's
position. These pods take a lot of hits, but they will eventually go away.
The past Nec will come across a couple of more caterpillar's, but the next
few pods will be the problem of present Nec. Take out any stray caterpillars
on the one screen first, then focus on getting rid of the pods and their
spawn. Be wary of caterpillars occasionally spawning behind either Nec as you
proceed to the next checkpoint.
===============================================================================


Drop down to the lower ledge in the present, then hop from the past platform
to the present platform, where more stray caterpillars are waiting for you.
As you approach some more land mines, Luna will call you back to the ship for
a small weapon upgrade before returning Nec to where he left off, which is a
new, temporary checkpoint.

Nec's gun can now do a charged blast by holding the corresponding shoot button.
This shot does way more damage than the individual ones, and Nec can still move
around while it's charging. Blow up the proximity mines, and jump from the end
of the present ledge to the past ledge, where the next official checkpoint is
triggered.

Drop down and blow up the proximity mines in the present, along with a few
stray caterpillars on both screens. Next, you'll come across a set of stacked
blocks on both screens. Destroy the entire pillar on the past screen with
charged blasts; each box takes two charged blasts to destroy. When you're
done blowing up the boxes on the past screen, you'll notice there's only
one box left in the present. This is because what happens on the past screen
affects the present screen. (The opposite is not true, so had the present
pillar been destroyed first, Nec would still need to destroy the past
pillar afterwards.) Jump over or blow up the remaining block in the
present, and continue on to find even more caterpillar pods.

With our new blast charge, these pods are much easier;
only three fully charged blasts are needed to take care of the pod itself.
Make sure not to let the extra screen trick you into tacking damage, as there's
usually at least one or two strays in the podless screen as well. Clean those
up first so you can focus your blasts, because you can't shoot on both screens
at the same time.

Continue along, jumping over the floor laser, and more caterpillars will begin
to appear. There's an energy ball in the present, but don't go for it just yet:
there's a lot of caterpillars on both screens, and a pod in the past. Take care
of the pests before snagging the energy ball, if you need it. (Though you can't
have more than three lives and three bars of energy, if you have less than
three lives and gain a bar of energy that would take you past three energy
bars,
the energy meter is converted to a life with one energy bar left.) Continue on
past the giant mouth-like cave entrance to trigger the next checkpoint.

===============================================================================

BOSS BATTLE

Present Nec is in no real danger here, but there is a single raised block that
requires past Nec to leap on or over that particular place in the arena. That
block is probably the best place to keep Nec, because it prevents him from
jumping around excessively during the fight -- jumping at the wrong time will
be the cause of most hits taken in this battle.

This boss has two moves. One move is just a jump, that moves him from one side
of the screen to the other. This move is easily avoided: don't jump when he's
moving around. The second move is a much bigger threat. In this move, the boss
winds up his arm, then slams it into the ground, sending a trail of rock spikes
in a bunch clear across the stage.  Leaving Nec standing on the raised block is
not enough to avoid this attack. To evade this attack, jump off the raised
block in the present towards the boss monster, where the trail originates
from. The rocks will travel fast enough for Nec to jump clear over them. As
soon as Nec has landed, get him back on the raised platform in case the boss
wants to repeat the move.

During all this, past Nec must constantly shoot at the monster, preferrably
with charged blasts.  The easiest way to land hits on the boss is to charge
while Nec is evading, and when the boss sends the rock spikes out, let the
blast go as you jump towards him, ensuring a hit right on the noggin. It takes
about three fully charged blasts to wipe out a single segment on his health
meter. Wipe him out to proceed to Area 2.

===============================================================================




,...............................................,
=						=
=		  A R E A     2			=
=						=
,...............................................,



~= Stage 2-1 =~		[2.1]

Follow the path until present Nec comes across a lava pit. The pit itself isn't
an issue (Nec will walk right over that), it's the fireball jumping up from it
that can sting. As soon as the fireball lands, run Nec past, then have him
slide under the pillars in the way. This next lava pit is a bit trickier; walk
under the first fireball, jump over the next, then walk under the last one.
Slide under this next pillar, then slide under the fireball (there's a pillar
blocking past Nec from jumping it). Jump on top of the column in the present,
then over its next lava pit and fireball. Once you land, crouch and slide
under the next fireball on the past screen, then slide the rest of the way
out from under the pillar to reach the checkpoint.

In the past, take care of the lone caterpillar heading for Nec, then look at
the cave's ceiling. You'll notice a shiny red shard sticking out from it.
Those shiny red shards will fall when you approach, and turn in to a big rock
that hurts to touch. Slide under the pillar in the past, then quickly shoot the
crystal that falls along with yet another caterpillar behind it and turn your
attention to the top screen. There's another pod nearby, and a crystal shard
will fall from the ceiling when you get closer to it. Break the shard and
get rid of the pod, then clean up any leftover caterpillars before grabbing at
the energy up. Walk to the edge of the upcoming lava pit in the present, and
jump over the fireball to the other side of the pit on this screen. Continuing
on, a few caterpillars will spawn on both screens, and more crystals will fall
from both ceilings. Take it slowly, and destroy anything in Nec's way before
moving on. Once you've cleared this stretch, you'll arrive in the next stage.



~= Stage 2-2 =~		[2.2]

As soon as you begin walking, a monster will appear behind present Nec and the
screen will begin to scroll. Present Nec can shoot at the monster with his
charged blast to push it back to the right edge of the screen, allowing a bit
more time and space, but the monster cannot be destroyed. Luckily, things
aren't too hectic yet. Walk over the lava pits to reach the first checkpoint.

Destroy the crystal in the present, and push back the monster while the screen
catches up. Walk to the edge of the present lava pit, and jump over the bubbles
where the geyser spews from while it's down. Slide under a pillar in both
times, jump over the stump in the present, then slide under one last present
pillar and stop. Jump to the ledge in the present, and shoot the crystal that
falls right in front of Nec. Walk forward, jump on the stump in the past, and
slide under the pillar on the same screen. As you walk down the next slope,
crystals will fall on both screens, so shoot them down quickly so you don't
get caught. Jump from the ledge to the column on either screen, then to the
moving platform in the past. If you need the energy up, wait on the moving
platform until it sinks below the orb, then quickly snag it with a jump. From
this platform, jump to the present ledge, to the past column. When the geyser
is down, jump to the next ledge in the present, and push the monster away while
the screen catches up. There is a crystal already on the next past ledge; jump
over to it and smash the thing to pieces. Walk to the end of this ledge, then
jump to the present column, and then to the moving platform in the past. Give
Nec some more space while you wait for the next ledge to appear in the past,
then jump to the ledge for the next checkpoint.

Here we have another stretch involving fire and crystals. Smash the falling
crystals, then run across the geyser while it's down. (Make sure to shoot the
crystal in the past first - it's in the same place as the geyser of the
present.) Proceed through the passage in this manner, then jump over the lava
pit using the column in the past screen, which can also help Nec reach that
energy up. Make sure to wait for the fireball in the present to fall before
making the last jump over the lava pit of the past. Coming up are some more
fire geysers in both screens, but their timing is back to back. As soon as
one finishes, run up to the edge of the next so you can immediately slide
past. Walk to the edge of the present, shoot the monster back, then jump over
the remaining lava while the geyser's down. Continue through this passage,
breaking crystals and running past geysers while pushing the monster back,
until the past comes to another lava pit. Jump from the edge of this pit to
the column in the present. Jump to shoot the crystal blocking the next ledge
before jumping to it, and proceed to smash the rest falling behind it. Coming
up, the ground disappears in the present, but since it continues in the past
Nec can continue walking with relative safety. I say relative because crystals
will continue to fall in front of both Necs, but only the ones that fall to
the ground need to be broken up. At the end of this air walkway, the monster
will disipate thanks to numerous fire geysers shooting up from nowhere, and
Nec can safely proceed through the cave entrance on the right to start the
next stage.



~= Stage 2-3 =~		[2.3]

Walking up this first hill will show a few pulsing orbs in the present.
These orbs are harmless while small, but when they enlarge, the electricity
will shock Nec. Wait for the present orbs to shrink, then move nec in to the
opening in the middle so the next pusle will miss him. When they shrink again,
pass one more orb so present Nec is again between two orbs. Past Nec will now
also be right up next to one, but he's just far enough it won't touch him.
Wait for the orbs on the bottom screen to shrink, and have Nec slide under the
orb on top. Wait for the next orb in the past to shrink, then walk Nec over to
the stumpin the past. Jump on to this box when the present orb has receded,
then jump into the ditch when the orbs in the past shrink again.

We now come across another lava pit, where present Nec will find a new type of
platform: the treadmill. These platforms are tricky, and generally hazardous to
Nec's health. Nec will not move with these platforms; he will stay wherever he
landed until the platform moves out from under him, at which point he will fall
into whatever is below it. Jump on to this platform in the present and have Nec
walk to keep up with it. (If you don't move Nec, he'll fall into the lava.)
When you jump to the next ledge, try to land Nec right behind the pillar in the
foreground, because there's more orbs waiting for past Nec as soon as he walks
past that point.

When the first orb in the past shrinks, run Nec to the space between it and the
next one. When this second orb shrinks, move Nec just past it, so he rests
between a present orb and a past orb. Wait for the next present orb to shrink,
then walk Nec directly under the next present orb -- it can't touch him from
here. Wait in this spot for the next past orb to shrink, then walk between it
and the next past orb. When the orb in the present shrinks, Nec must clear the
brick in the present AND the orb in the past with a single jump. After clearing
this last obstacle, we reach the stage's first checkpoint.

This next segment can try your coordination. In the present, ice sickles will
fall from the cieling, while in the past more crystals are dropping. To make
things even more interesting, lava boulders will occasionally come rolling
downhill in the past. Shoot the crystals as fast as you can, and jump over the
rolling boulder where ice sickles aren't falling. You'll know a boulder is
coming in advance thanks to a "ka-thump" sound, giving you a little time to
clear the surrounding area. The crystals are downhill from Nec, so unless he's
immediately next to one, he'll probably need to do a crouching shot for his
blasts to reach the crystals. When the slope changes directions, Nec will get
a small break; standing on the rightmost ledge in the present will allow any
incoming boulders to fall straight into the chasm of the past without touching
him. When you catch your breath, continue down this next slope for more of the
same, with a slight twist: this time, the boulder cannot be jumped over.
Instead, Nec must break crystals as fast as humanly possible while crouching in
areas of the screens where ice sickles aren't falling. At the end of this
slope, there will be a final series of several crystals, and Nec must break
them all before the boulder reaches his position. As soon as the last crystal
shatters, jump across the pit in the past to the next ledge.

Once the boulder falls into the pit, Nec can safely grab the energy up in the
present simply by dropping down on to a floor that doesn't exist in the past
and walking over to it. Use the present ledges to get back up to the walkway
after, and head to the left where yet another energy up awaits us in the
present. This one is also pretty easy to reach; Have Nec jump to the present
ledge, destroy one of the boxes in the present, jump on the remaining stack,
then jump again to land on the extra ledge in the past, leaving Nec right under
it. Whether or not you go for the energy up, reaching the edge of the main
platform in the present will bring us to the second checkpoint.

From the checkpoint, walk straight off the ledge to the left to land on a
moving platform in the past. Walk off this platform to the left as well to
land on yet another one in the past that will allow Nec to go even lower
(just make sure the platform isn't above the level of Nec's feet when you
do this, or you'll fall into a lava pit below). Take this platform to the
bottom, then jump to the ledge in the present. Walk forward, slide under the
present pillar, then walk to the edge of the floor in the past to wait for
another treadmill platform in the present. Ride the treadmill, walking along
it so the first orb in the present is small when you pass, then jump to the
pillar in the past. Wait for the orb in the present to shrink, then jump to
the next ledge on that screen. Walk to the end of the floor in the past
again, where the next treadmill platform can be reached. Jump UNDER the
fireball at the end of this ride to the next ledge, where Luna will call Nec
back to give him a time splitting device.

Luna drops Nec off where she took him from, which is now his new checkpoint.
Proceeding forward, the gadget becomes immediately useful: Nec is stuck because
of a wall in the past. Press L+Up to control present Nec separately, and walk
him around to the other side of the moveable box. Push the box so it lines up
with the frozen past Nec, then push L+Down to unfreeze time. Regardless of
where present Nec may have been, he was warped back to where the time split
took place. Jump on to the box we just moved in the present then over the
column in the past to reach our next lava pit.

It may look like a good idea to pass this pit with time split at first. Sadly,
that isn't possible for two reasons: one, Nec needs the objects in the past to
make it all the way through; two, even if Nec made it all the way across in one
time, he'd be sent back to where he split time once the second Nec is unfrozen.
Walk to the edge of the floor in the present, and jump to the treadmill
platform once it's close enough. Get right next to the fireball in the past,
and walk under it while it's in the air. Stay on this platform until it touches
the next, at which point have Nec walk straight from this platform to that one,
then walk under the next fireball and jump to the column in the past. Wait for
the next treadmill to near the center of the pit, then quickly jump from the
ledge to the platform to the next ledge. This bring us to the next checkpoint.

Walk forward untill the present Nec is faced with three pillars of flame, then
press L+Down to take control of past Nec. When his single geyser falls, run
across to enter a chamber with another moveable box. Since this Nec is in the
past, moving the box on one screen will also move it on the other, so push the
box so that it blocks the first two pillars of flame in the present, as well as
the sole geyser in the past. Once you unfreeze time with L+Up, have Nec jump on
to the newly positioned box to wait for the last geyser in the present to
finish up it's current bout, then run across to the same chamber past Nec was
just in.

At this point, Luna will tell you the time split system is down, and the words
SYSTEM FAILURE will begin to flash over the time labels on each screen. You
wouldn't want to split time here anyway: the room is going to fill with lava,
quickly, and you need the platforms in both times to get out. This segment goes
pretty quickly, and the necessary ledges tend to alternate between both
screens. Jump up the ledges on the right to reach the next main path, where
another set originates. You'll be jumping to the left for the first few of
these ledges, then straight up and on to the next main path. Run to the right
and hop on the low ledge in the past, then up to the next ledge in the present.
Run left along these ledges (between the two times, the ledges make up the
equivalent of solid ground) then jump to the next ledge in the past. Jump
rightwards along the ledges, and Nec will eventually end up next to the right
wall again. From here, jump repeatedly to go straight up. When Nec stops going
straight up, hop a bit to the left to use two ledges the continue Nec's
vertical movement, then jump back to the right. After one last vertical hop
by the wall, the lava will stop flowing, and Nec can safely hop over the gap
to the next checkpoint.

At the top of this hill, use the time split to control past Nec (L+Down). Drop
down the ledges here and follow the path to the left, jumping over the nearby
lava pit. Jump over the box, then slide under the next two pillars to arrive at
a series of ledges. Jump up these ledges and head right at the top, where a
small pyramid of boxes await. On the top screen, you'll notice a box being held
by a chain. The box isn't in the past but the chain is, so destroy the chain
with a charged jumping shot and unfreeze the present. Walk the Necs over,
paying attention to the present screen. Jump from the edge of the lava pit to
the felled box, then up and out of the pit. Continue to the left.

If you need a life up, there is one found nearby. To reach it, drop down the
platforms here by Twime's statue, and walk the Nec's over to the right. The
Nec in the past will get stuck by a pillar that he cannot slide under (due to
the elevation of the present Nec), so split time to control Nec in the present.
Walk Nec over to what looks like a solid purple wall, and have him slide until
he passes all three purple columns. Stand, grab the life up, and unfreeze time
to continue on the journey.

Back at the Twime statue near the ledges, continue to the left, walking over
the lava pit. Jump up the ledges along the left wall using both times, then
enter the cave on the right to finish this stage.




~= Stage 2-4 =~		[2.4]

Walk forward until you come across two brick ledges in the past. Feel free to
jump around on them for a bit before moving on: there's a boss nearby in the
present, and you'll need to know exactly where these ledges are. These ledges
last for about a second once Nec stands on them before dissolving, and you need
to be jump from the lower ledge to reach the upper ledge. Once you have a feel
for the location of these ledges, walk a bit further right to begin battle with
the boss.

===============================================================================

BOSS BATTLE

During the battle, always try to keep Nec's gun fully charged, as the
opportunities to inflict lasting damage on this boss are fleeting. When the
battle starts, focus on shooting at the head with tusks. This won't damage him,
but you may wish to use charged blasts to help the process go faster. (Also,
using charged blasts as the primary offense will leave Nec ready to fully blast
the boss's weak point when it shows.)

As you shoot the head, it will begin to send floating orbs after you. These
orbs start out slow moving and relatively easy to dodge, but they move faster
as the boss takes more damage. After a while of shooting at the head, the
large bulb sitting on the floor will open a large eye. Quickly hop up to the
top platform, then unleash a fully charged blast at the eye to knock his
health down a peg or two.

Now the head will start adding in a secon attack. His new attack is simple, yet
effective: he'll crane his head over Nec, and slam it into the ground where he
stands. In other words, don't stand under the head for too long. Avoiding this
attack successfully leaves the head open for a clear charge shot. As the boss
thrashes around, he'll still release the occasional ball of light, which are
now becoming much more aggressive than before. Avoid these attacks and shoot at
the head untill the eye again reveals itself, then release another fully
charged blast on it from the top platform in the past.

Now that the boss is quite angry, his third attack presents itself. In this
attack, vines shoot from the floor, spiraling straight up for long enough to
knock the air out of an unwitting Nec before retreating to the ground. The
vines are similar to the rock attack of the last boss, in that they originate
from him and spread so they cross the level. When a vine is about to sprout,
you'll see it poke a few tendrills out of the ground for a just a moment prior.
That's your cue to get out of the way. The lower platform can be used to jump
away from the vines when directly under Nec.

Continue avoiding these attacks and shooting the head to get more chances at
the eye. Repeat this process untill the boss is dead, at which point Nec can
exit via the right side of the screen to enter Area 3.
===============================================================================




,...............................................,
=						=
=		  A R E A     3			=
=						=
,...............................................,



~= Stage 3-1 =~		[3.1]

Don't worry about the large pits as you start walking, the floor on the other
screens will keep Nec safe. After you pass the pit in the present, large spikey
blocks will begin to fall in Nec's way on that screen. Much like the crystals
from Area 2, shooting destroys them, and touching them is painful. Also, little
clouds with spines protruding from all directions will begin to materialize and
float around. They spawn endlessly, so don't stand around trying to exterminate
them. Shoot what's near, and keep moving. As you destroy the falling blocks and
clouds surrounding Nec on the present screen, slide under the pillar blocking
Nec in the past, then jump over the protruding block to find more falling
blocks which are now also on the past screen. Take it a few steps at a time,
making sure to destroy what's in front of Nec before moving there. After a
few more falling blocks, Nec will reach the first checkpoint.

The spineys have decided to give us a brief rest, so let's focus on the brick
ledges in the present. As you may recall from the last boss battle, these
ledges fall apart when Nec stands on them, and since there's no floor in the
past we need these to cross the gap. The present screen can be used alone to
navigate this stretch. Once across the gap, walking forward will reveal a
giant, rather deadly laser beam blocking present Nec. Time split to control
past Nec, and continue forward to investigate. There's more falling spiked
blocks in this section, but these are a type that can't be destroyed. Wait
for them to rise, then run under while they're still ascending. Jump over the
spike pit, and you'll come to a makeshift stairwell, comprised of brick
ledges, placed over another set of spikes. Use these brick ledges to reach
the pathway above you, where a little metal canister with red stripes is
sitting. Push this cannister left, off the end of the walkway, then drop
down and continue pushing so the present day cannister is directly under
the laser beam. Unfreeze the present, and the laser will blow itself up.

Walk the Necs right, past the brick ledges and several more permanent blocks
of spikes on both screens, untill you reach a final spike pit with a wall on
the right. In the present, there's a moving brick ledge. These brick ledges
don't fall apart though. Jump to the moving ledge to another solid brick ledge
in the past, then continue up the path to the left to reach another checkpoint.

Soon, you'll reach a giant pit of spikes, and though the floor is solid in the
present, it's lower than the top of the spikes, so past Nec can't cross safely.
Time split to control present Nec, then continue on to find a moveable box.
Push this box so it lines up halfway across the spike pit in the past, then
unfreeze time. Now, we have a simple platform jumper: go from one edge of the
spike pit, to the moveable box in the present, to another ledge in the spike
pit, to the moveable box in the past, then finally out of the spike pit in the
past. Don't worry about the next spike pit in the present, it can't hurt you
while using both Necs. Climb the stairs to reach another checkpoint.

This is where the real "fun" begins in this level. That statue head on the
floor will shot glowing orbs across the floor that Nec has to dodge, and
there's further obstructions in the past including an orb shooter of its very
own. Run forward, jump backwards over the orb, then slide under the pillars
blocking past Nec. If you need the energy up here, get it by time splitting
to present Nec, then unfreeze the past. Slide under the next pillar in the
past, then jump on top of the golden block on that screen. The floating orbs
in the present won't reach Nec here, allowing him to shoot the fallen spikebox
from safety. Destroy the box and walk forward and you'll trigger more falling
boxes on both screens. Also, a second orb shooter facing the other direction
is set off in the present, and more spikey clouds start spawning in the past.
Remember: the clouds don't really stop appearing, so focus on dodging orbs and
destroying the falling boxes. When you have a moment, destroy whatever spiked
clouds are following Nec around and keep moving forward. Destroying the boxes
is most important, because they don't respawn when you're sent back to the
checkpoint. Don't worry about the next two spike pits; Nec can't fall in using
both times. At the end of the last spike pit in the past, jump onto another one
of the oversized gold blocks to destroy the falling spike blocks without
worrying about the orbs. After passing a few more falling spike blocks, jump
over the statue head on this end and say goodbye to the orbs.

For anyone needing some extra life or energy, walk up to the destroyable blocks
in the past screen, and break them. Time split to past Nec, and push the
moveable block out of the way. Nec will run right into a life up, which was
hidden behind the box. Unfreeze the present, and proceed up another set of non-
collapsing brick ledges. Climb the stair well, and the next checkpoint is right
next to another spike pit puzzle.

Time split to the present, and walk Nec over to find a moveable box. Push the
box back towards the past Nec, leaving it halways between the two golden
blocks that signify the edges of the past's spike pit. Unfreeze time, and
jump over to the incarnation of the moveable box in the past. Time split to
present Nec again, and push the moveable box back past where you found it, so
it rests halfway between the two moveable boxes in the past. Unfreeze the past
again, and jump from box to box untill present Nec is blocked by a laser. Time
split to past Nec, and jump out of the spike pit. Navigate through the corridor
of falling spike traps, and you'll find another red-ringed cannister. Push it
back, past the falling spiked traps, and drop it into the spike pit. Nec can
push it just far enough so that the cannister in the present will blow the
laser without falling into the pit himself. Unfreeze time, and proceed back
through the booby trapped corridor, paying attention to both screens.
Generally speaking, Nec will need to pass under two traps at a time here,
where there will be a single grid space of safe zone. When you pass the last
trap, you'll need to jump up these brick ledges over the spike pit to reach
the next checkpoint on top of the gold column, but these ledges are once again
collapsing so be quick about it.



Drop down to the right of the checkpoint, and walk until you see a floor panel
with an up and down arrow on it. Here in the past, you'll also find a statue
with four orbs and a blockade in front of the nearby hallway. If you shoot the
three orbs on the floor, they change color. Shooting the fourth orb on the
statue's head will cause the door to rumble. When the floor panel has pressure
on it, the ledge nearby in the present will start moving, creating an elevator.
However, the second he steps off, the panel rises and the ledge deactivates.
So what now?

Have Nec stand on the floor panel, then time split to the present. With past
Nec acting as our paperweight, present Nec is free to explore ahead. There's
nothing we can do below us yet, so jump on the now active brick ledge and ride
it to the top. Jump up the gold bricks here to reach another path here that
leads to the right. Follow the path to the end, where there's a small gap
between two gold bricks. Drop down this gap on to a moving brick platform
below.

If you need a life up orb, use this platform to jump to the lower gold brick on
the left, then to the middle walkway from there. Follow this path till it dead
ends to retrieve the orb. Return to the entrance of this walkway and drop down,
again walking to the left. Drop down this pit and off the ledge below it, and
walk to the right. In the present, this is a rather unimpressive dead end. In
the past however are three orbs, which show the color code you need to raise
the barrier door to proceed. This code changes from game to game. Write it down
if you need to, then unfreeze the past. Shoot the orbs on the floor so they
turn to the color specified in the door code, then shoot the orb on the
statue's head to raise the door. Walk over the first spike pit, then jump over
the small gap above a second spike trap and exit this stage.



~= Stage 3-2 =~		[3.2]

Walk to the right, and jump a few times to climb out of the ditch you start in.
At the end of this walkway are more collapsing brick ledges which you need to
use to reach the patch above you. Follow said path to the left, and jump across
another series of falling ledges which alternate between screens. A column in
the present will give you a chance to catch your breath before continuing on.
After finishing the second segment of falling ledges, you'll reach this level's
first checkpoint.

Walk over to the entrace of the cave, but DO NOT go inside yet. See, the cog in
front of you operates a booby trap of a nature which is to TBD, and Nec has to
be psychic to get past them. Luckily, using a time split, we can feign our
powers of premonition. Switch to present Nec, and take a leisurely stroll
through the cave. The traps here change with each playthrough, so you'll need
to pay attention and remember what order these are in for your game.

There's two types of traps: a fire trap and a drill trap. While walking through
the cave in present day, the traps are old and decrepit, so Nec isn't in any
danger. When he stands on one of the silver plates on the floor, one of three
things may happen:

1-Puffs of smoke will appear, signifying a fire trap was in this location.
In the past, the fire these things spew isn't bad at all. Nec can easily jump
over the plate of a fire trap to avoid any injury.

2-A rusty, cracked old drill will slowly rattle around on the ceiling. These
are so broken down, they jam before they get close enough to inconvenience
Nec at all. These plates, of course, are where the drill traps used to be.
Back in the past, these drill traps are nasty. They fall faster than a
guillotine, and they trigger the instant Nec is on the plate. These won't
fall early, and once fallen, they don't rise untill Nec's moved sufficiently
away from it. To get past the drill traps, have Nec crouch next to the plate,
then slide over it. He'll go just far enough to pass the trap, and the slide
is fast enough he can make it through without being crushed.

3-Nothing. That's right, some of the plates are just there to scare you. Nec
of the past can stand around on these duds as long as he wants without fear.

One thing worth noting: even if you aren't scouting with present Nec, you'll
get a DANGER warning any time you approach a panel with a drill trap. However,
if you aren't given any DANGER alerts, it could be a fire trap or nothing at
all, so you'll still need to check.

When you're ready to try out your trap dodging skills, unfreeze the past. If
you can't remember the trap coming up, just time split back to the present to
scope it out. Once you pass through the four trap chambers on this floor, climb
up the column on the other side by using the green ledges in the past. Another
floor of trap chambers is waiting for you here. Do the same thing, and be
mindful of any falling spiked columns that could injure present day Nec. Again,
climb the column at the end of this floor to reach... that's right, more trap
chambers. Finish this floor of traps to reach the next checkpoint.

Here we have more falling ledges to jump across, with a small hitch: the
opening you need to land on the column in the past is lower than the falling
ledge before it. When you get to the last falling ledge, let Nec drop low
enough so his jump will land him inside the opening of the column; any effort
of trying to jump immediately from the ledge to the column will be blocked by
the column itself. The remaining course will follow similarly, but Nec will
have to slide under the pillars blocking him on both screens. At the end of
this segment is another checkpoint, followed by more falling ledges.

These ledges will bring you to what looks like a solid wall. Jump to the ledge
closest to it, and allow it to break under you. Nec will fall onto another
temporary ledge near more platforms that lead under the structure. Eventually,
Nec will reach another column to rest on, followed by more falling ledges. When
you reach the end of the falling ledges here, jump to the edge of the cliff in
the past -- the extra length is barely noticeable, but you'll need it to land
safely. Continue up the stairs and into the next stage.



~= Stage 3-3 =~		[3.3]

Walk forward, avoiding the falling traps, and drop off the ledge. On the floor
here, you'll discover that the present has a rather restrictive area: to the
right is a solid wall, and to the left is a row of electric barriers. Time
split to the past, and destroy the breakable blocks to the right. Enter this
new area to find a movable box and a life up orb. Push the box to the left so
that it's near the brick ledge in the past, then unfreeze the present. Use the
box and ledge to get on top of the path over the electric barriers, then drop
off the other side. Jump from the edge of the spike pit to the collapsing
ledge in the past, then again quickly to the ledge in the present. If you need
the energy up here, simply time split to the past for a moment and Nec will
drop right on to it. Climb the stairs here to reach the checkpoint.

Here we have another interesting puzzle. If we walk along the bottom path,
we'll pass a spike pit that can't hurt us right now and end up at another
closed door in the present, similar to the one before. The orb to open the door
is behind it though, so Nec can't open it from where he stands. If we climb the
ledges and jump on the moving brick platform to get to the top, there's another
door in the present to the left, so we can't go this way either. For those in
need of another energy up, there's an extra walkway up here in the past, to the
right of the moving ledge. Get on this walkway and follow it to the end for
another energy up orb.

Take the middle pathway, and you'll find it's a short walkway with ledges that
act like balance scales at its end. Also, you'll notice the door blocking the
path up top is merely propped open by breakable blocks. Jump on the ledge
farther from the walkway, and let it sink so it's the same level as the golden
brick in the present. As soon as it reaches this point, time split to control
present day Nec. With past Nec holding the ledges in place, present Nec can
use them to jump up to the cavern above, where the blocks are propping up that
barrier blocking the top walkway. Destroy the blocks, then unfreeze the past.
Don't climb back up to the walkway just yet: there's one more barrier in our
way. With both times active, jump from the second ledge in the pulley to the
cave only accessible in the past. Time split to control past Nec, and destroy
three more boxes here. Unfreeze time again momentarily, and have Nec drop the
ledge closest to the main walkway all the way to the bottom. Time split to the
present again, and follow the path to the right. Jump over the spike pit and
slide under the pillar, then climb up to the moving ledge. Ride the ledge to
the top walkway, and follow it to the left. Jump the gap using the frozen
pulley as a stepping stone, then continue down a stairwell on the other side.
Drop down and walk to the right, then use a charged shot on the orb to open
the last door. Unfreeze time, pass back through the most recently opened
doorway. Jump over the small spike pit in the present, and follow the path
left to the next checkpoint. (The energy up orb in the present can be reached
by time splitting to the present for a moment if you need it.)

The stretch ahead contains more spikey cloud beings and destructible falling
spike blocks. Slide under the pillars when the coast is clear, and walk over
the gaps in the floor. (The floor in each time lines up so there's no gaps.)
It may be worth noting that the spikey clouds can't hurt Nec until they're
fully formed, so he can slide right through them while they're still
materializing. In fact, if it weren't for the falling boxes, Nec could slide
right through the entire section and barely take a hit. Clear this part to
start the next stage.



~= Stage 3-4 =~		[3.4]

This stage starts off with an orb spitting statue head on the floor. Avoid the
falling traps while jumping over the orbs. If you come to an area where the
trap timing doesn't line up, you can use time split to pause one of the screens
the throw off how they sync. Where the stage is lower, Nec can slide under the
higher of the orbs, just be careful where you slide to, and pay attention when
you're ready to stand up. Try to take as little damage as possible, because a
boss battle is coming up in the past. Pass under the second statue head to
reach the checkpoint.

===============================================================================

BOSS BATTLE

The battle itself will take place in the past, but the present will probably be
where Nec gets beat up the most. When you enter the cavern where the battle
takes place, doors will slam shut on both sides in the present. This wouldn't
be much of an issue, except the doors have spikes on them. The time split
system won't work in this battle, which is just as well -- you'll need the
floor in present day Skyla to stay out of the massive spike pit in the past.
Also, you may notice that lining the ceiling are three grates in the
background, along with a large cage on either side of the screen. In the
present, each grate holds tiny little lava rocks that fall straight down, and
each cage contains a large lava boulder that will roll across the floor from
one side of the stage to the other.

None of these hazards exist in the past. The Nec in the past only has to focus
on the boss itself, which bears a striking resemblance to the thing that was
following us around in stage 2-2. He has three attacks: a pink orb, a blue orb,
and an attack where he blows wind at Nec. The only attack that directly damages
Nec is his pink orb. The wind is harmless, but it can push present day nec into
the spiked doors. The blue orb's job is to open and close the grates.

You can track what rocks are falling on the bottom screen, because that's where
the boss opens the grates from. However, you won't be able to tell how far down
a rock's fallen, nor where exactly a rolling boulder is without looking at the
top screen. It's difficult at best to hit the boss while he's shooting orbs, so
instead concentrate on dodging the falling objects.  Keep the blaster charged,
and wait for him to quit teleporting around before you let it go: during his
breath attack is a prime opportunity to unleash a fully charged blast or two
right in his gut.
===============================================================================


Exit the cavern to the left, and drop down the pit. Exit to the next area via
the right side of the screen.



,...............................................,
=						=
=		  A R E A     4			=
=						=
,...............................................,



~= Stage 4-1 =~		[4.1]

Wait for the lasers in the past to fire, then quickly leap up the stair case.
Here, crouch while you wait for the final laser to go off, then slide onto the
treadmill platforms ahead. As soon as past Nec clears the two yellow lasers
over his head, stand up and jump over the next two on the floor in the present.
Jumping in place can help stall for time while you wait for the next vertical
laser blast to go off before jumping to the next platform. Jump over another
laser on the floor in the past, then stall for time again as another vertical
laser goes off in front of yu in the present. While it's gone, jump to the next
ledge, where you can reach a moving platform in the present. Ride the platform
to the top, and climb the staircase to reach the first checkpoint.

Past here are two lasers going off, and a little robot is scurrying around on
the ceiling and dropping more pink orbs. Stand next to the first laser, and aim
the gun upwards. When the robot comes over to drop its orb, shoot it to short
it out for a moment. Pass the lasers while they aren't active, pausing between
each one to make it across safely.

Walk out into the chasm with lasers lining the floor in the past, and a robotic
goblin being of some sort will show up.

===============================================================================

BOSS BATTLE

This dude is kind of a pain. He warps around between both screens, with no
warning as to which time he'll be in next. He attacks by teleporting in and
charging at Nec. His charges always either go horizontally across the screen,
or diagonally towards the floor. When he's doing a horizontal charge, he'll
warp in with a flying pose reminiscent of superman. Either jump over him or
duck under the attack. If he's coming in diagonally, he'll warp in looking
like he's about to drop-kick you. Don't be where he drop kicks.

Though he's seldom still for more than a second, the boss will occasionally
stay put on one screen long enough to fully charge a blast and shoot him.
However, this could happen on either screen, and he seems disinclined to stay
put on the screen where a blast is already fully charged and waiting.
Your best bet is probably to forsake the full charge for the most part, and
shoot relentlessly. If he does give you an opportunity to fire a full charge on
him, take it.

Once you've hit him several times, he'll disappear allowing Nec to move on.
===============================================================================


Climb the stairwell in the present, and you'll find a door in the way. Shoot
the red-striped metallic bump in front of it, and it'll light up. Do the same
on the other screen to open the door, which brings us to another checkpoint.

Here we come across several floating platforms. The floor beneath is covered
with a yellow laser that will set you down to Nec's last life, so we need to
stay off of it. The problem is the floating platform moving horizontally in
the present doesn't reach the one in the past while it's low enough to jump
to. Wait on the ledge with the checkpoint, moving out as far as you can
without falling in so at least a part of the platform in the past is visible.
Wait for the platform in the past to reach its lowest point, then time split
to control the present. When the horizontal moving platform in the present
is close the the platform in the past, unfreeze time, and the platforms will
line up perfectly.

Jump from the ledge to the present platform, then up to the past platform. At
the end of the ride, jump onto a treadmill platform in the present, then over
a yellow laser in the floor of the past and on to another treadmill. Stall for
time with in place jumps as you wait for the next platform to approach Nec in
the present. At the top of this platform's route is another treadmill in the
past, followed by another horizontal platform in the present. Ride the
treadmill all the way to the left side of the screen for an energy up, then
jump straight up to land on the treadmill in the past. Focusing on the present,
slide right under the first laser, then hop over the next to reach another
checkpoint.

There's not much secret to this next section. If you lined up the platforms
right, you should be able to time it so Nec can run straight across. Don't
stop in the middle, because the robot on the ceiling can still hunt you down.
Make sure to jump the gaps in the floor of the past: I'm pretty sure this level
is buggy, because you can get stuck in the floors here. If you fall into a
laser pit, Nec is completely depleted of his life meter, but retains his energy
meter so he can't die. Since he can't die, he isn't sent back to the last
checkpoint, but he's unable to climb out of the laser pit either so he's stuck
unless he can kill himself. The next checkpoint is at the end of this walkway.

Drop down the pit on the right, and you'll see a room with green octagons
lining the ceiling. When you enter the room, the octagons will float towards
Nec on both screens. They can damage his energy bar, but cannot be destroyed.
The octagons will respawn several times after floating off screen in an
attempt to hit Nec. The goal in this room is to stay alive till the octagons
stop spawning. Each floating shape heads towards where Nec stood at the time
it began to float around, and they travel in a straight line. That means you
can get yourself cornered if you keep moving one direction too long. For the
most part, stay crouched and use Nec's slide to evade the shapes. It makes
Nec a smaller target, and he slides faster than he walks. It should be noted
that Nec can change the direction he's facing without standing up. When he
does this, it moves a good portion of his body around, so sometimes dodging
while crouched is as simple as turning his back to any shape that's floating
a bit too close to his face.

Once that's over, exit the stage to the left.



~= Stage 4-2 =~		[4.2]

Walk past the first laser in the present, jump past the laser in the past, then
take one step past the next laser in the present and stop. As soon as the first
volley of orbs hits the ground, walk straight ahead and stop just past the
first laser beam in the past. Once the next volley of orbs falls below ground
level, walk straight ahead on the present screen and stop halfway across the
next landing, just out of reach of the next orb spewing machine's range. Again,
wait for the orbs to hit the floor then walk straight forward on the present
screen to reach the first checkpoint.

Jump to any of the moving platforms. Between the past and present, the four
platforms make up a solid surface that Nec can move back and forth on. In the
present, the hovercraft robots will make another appearance, while in the past
there's flame throwers going off on the sides. Navigate away from the flame
throwers on the bottom screen, then shoot whatever robots hover over Nec. These
are a threat to present day Nec's mobility for the most part, but after a
while, they'll begin to drop the occasional light orb as well. When the shaft
opens up, more of the little yellow lasers are thrown into the mix. There's an
energy up on the right here, which Nec can walk right up to once all the lasers
are below the platforms. Once the platform reaches the top of the shaft, it
will stop, allowing Nec to hop over the the ledge with the next checkpoint.

Walk past the laser in the present, then hop over the small gap in the past,
making sure to land short of the laser beam there. When the laser is down, wait
long enough for the orbs to fall, then take a few steps ahead where Nec will
be stuck due to a pillar in the present. Crouch down, and as soon as the next
wave of orbs passes slide under the pillar. Wait for the orbs to fall again,
then take a step forward and slide under the pillar in the past, then
immediately take a step back towards the pillar to move out of the way of the
incoming orbs. After the orbs pass, walk forward so Nec is between the last orb
from the previous orb spitter, and the first orb in the next. Wait for the next
set of orbs in the present screen to fall, then walk forward to reach another
checkpoing.

The next shaft again contains a multi-dimensional, rising platform. It's the
same as efore, but with more lasers, robots, and flamethrowers. An energy up
will again appear on the right side, which Nec reach by walking over to it.
At the top of this shaft, exit the level to the right.



~= Stage 4-3 =~		[4.3]

There's a floor laser in the past, but it can't hurt Nec while he's active in
both times so don't worry about it. There is, however, a robot shooting orbs
from the ceiling on that same screen. If it ever hangs over Nec's head while
you're waiting to cross a laser, shoot it to stall for time. Cross under the
first two lasers in the present when it's safe, stopping immediately after
passing the second one. Cross the laser in the past here, again stopping
immediately on the other side. After this next laser goes off in the present,
slide under the pillar behind it, and stay crouched. There is a laser shooting
horizontally in the present, just at the level of Nec's head, accompanied by
two short hurdles which must be jumped over. Meanwhile in the past, there are
two lasers going off vertically lining up directly over the hurdles Nec needs
to jump over. Wait for both lasers to go off before jumping over the first
hurdle, then duck as soon as Nec lands on the other side. (If Nec doesn't quite
clear the pillar, slide again so he isn't pushed back into a laser when he
stands up.) If you need the life up here, just wait to jump till after that
laser has gone off again in the present. Jump over the second hurdle as you
did the first, again ducking as soon as Nec lands. Before you slide under the
pillar here, check the other side on both screens for light orbs and ceiling
robots where Nec's slide will end. If you want to go the cautious route here,
after you do slide, back up against the pillar while the next orb falls. Feel
free to shoot any ceiling robot you find too threatening, then dodge whatever
other light orbs there may be left as you run through this room. (If you're
trying to move quickly here, Nec can usually do continuous slides to clear
this room and walk away without taking any damage.) To open the door, use a
charged shot on the red-striped device in the past, then quickly aim upwards
and use another charged shot on the same device in the present. Fall down the
pit here to reach the first checkpoint.

Pass through the narrow passage leading left, stopping immediately after you
pass under each laser. The lasers here are all staggered, so once you know what
screen the next one is on, you can pass safely as long as you stop right after
each one. Be aware of the ceiling robots here, and shoot them when they're over
Nec's head to avoid taking extra damage. At the end of this narrow hallway,
drop down into another green octagon room. Again, the goal is to survive until
all the shapes have disappeared completely. Exiting the room will bring Nec to
another door which is a tad more difficult to open than the last. Climb up the
platforms to activate the device in the present first, then immediately time
split to control the past. Drop down and activate the device here on the floor,
and the door will slide open. Unfreeze the present, and drop down the pit
ahead. Nec can safely fall to the ground here, so don't worry about waiting for
the platforms to carry him. At the bottom of this shaft is the next checkpoint.

BUG ALERT! This next room is particularly dangerous. Not only are the lasers
all over accompanied by treadmill platforms, but if Nec falls to the ground
here he'll be stuck due to the same bug as before. Except in this room, Nec
can't kill himself in any way, as the robot isn't close enough to shoot him.
If you fall into the pit here, you'll need to restart the level.

Wait at the checkpoint for the ceiling robot to zoom overhead, and shoot it.
The platforms up ahead follow a particular pattern. There is a treadmill
platform in the past followed by another in the present, and these two will
be close enough to form a single long treadmill platform. There will be a gap
after this, then another set of two platforms split between the screens. After
the second set is another gap, followed by a single platform, followed by one
small final gap that Nec must jump over. For some extra difficulty, more lasers
have been thrown into the mix intermittently. Walking on these platforms often
causes more problems than it solves, and deliberate attempts to reach the
energy up orbs will often be punished with a laser to Nec's face. If you happen
to grab an orb by chance, that's great. If not, don't waste your energy bars
trying to grab them because they're really not worth it.

To cross this section safely, you need to keep Nec jumping. Wait for the robot
to scamper over head and shoot it to give you a head start across the chasm.
Jump on to the first platform so Nec isn't under the laser, then stall for time
by jumping in place. Once the laser goes off, jump just past it, and stall for
more time while waiting for the next. As soon as this laser goes off, take a
step forward and jump to the next platform. Repeat this process for this next
treadmill platform combo and its two lasers. When you get to the second laser
in this set, Have Nec jump to the last platform, then once it's safe jump past
the final laser so he lands safely on the ledge. Where he reaches another
checkpoint.

Enter the next room to face the same robo goblin that you saw back in Area 4-1.

===============================================================================

BOSS BATTLE

Nothing much has changed. He follows the same exact attack patterns as earlier,
and the way you get rid of him is the same too. Remember, if he's going to
attack, he'll warp in posing depending on what attack he plans to use. No
matter which attack he uses, similar to the octagons, they're all aimed based
on where Nec stands at the time the attack begins. If he warps in normally,
immediately charge a blast, and shoot him. Hit him a few times to move on with
the level.

After the battle, drop down the next pit to reach the final checkpoint for this
stage.
===============================================================================


At the checkpoint is a door device, but no door. Activate it, then time split
to control the present and hop across the platforms ahead. (Watch out for
another ceiling robot on the way.) Jump off the last platform and activate the
device here in the present to open the door ahead. Unfreeze the past, and take
both Necs across the platforms this time, then drop down the shaft on the other
side of the door. If you need a life up, time split to the present and take the
path all the way to the right. Pass under the laser to grab the orb, then
unfreeze the past. From the bottom of the shaft Nec fell down to get here, head
left. There will be another ceiling robot and another orb spitting device. Wait
for the robot to come to Nec and shoot it. After the latest orb volley is past,
walk forward so Nec will be between the middle and leftmost orb in the coming
round. Wait for the next orb volley to pass, then cross the laser in the
present as soon as it's fired. Continue left to finish this stage.



~= Stage 4-4 =~		[4.4]

Take the platform on the left down to the next level, then walk right to reach
a checkpoint in front of a big empty room. Make sure you're ready before you
enter the room, because there's a boss battle waiting inside.

===============================================================================

BOSS BATTLE

This boss is apparently a religious multi-dimensional alien samurai. He has
several behavior patterns, the order of which is somewhat random. Any time Nec
dodges all the attacks within a phase, the boss will switch to a different
behavior pattern. The boss will also change behavior patterns immediately if
Nec is hit with any attack.

When the battle starts, the boss will do a series of warps around both screens.
The boss can be shot during these warps in the moments he's materialized. Nec,
however, is in no danger during this behavior pattern. The boss may
periodically repeat this behavior throughout the battle, especially (though not
always) after Nec successfully dodges all the attacks in one of his other
behavior patterns.

After this opening behavior pattern, the boss will randomly switch between
this and one of three offensive behavior patterns.

In one attack pattern, the boss will warp around in the background of
both screens from which he'll spawn large pentagrams. He can't be harmed while
doing this, so focus on avoiding the pentagrams on both screens.

In another attack pattern, the boss will appear in the bottom left and right
corners on both screens. In this formation, the boss will fully materialize
in one corner at a time, from which position he will rush towards Nec. You can
tell which corner the boss is coming from next because it isn't
semi-transparent like the other corners, and once his rush starts he'll become
a blur of light. These rush attacks drop slightly in speed as they approach
Nec, giving him a hair longer to react before damaging him. Stay in the center
of the screens, and shoot the boss wherever he materializes to stop the attack
from hitting Nec. Don't try to charge the shots, or the boss will hit Nec
before his gun can fire. As the boss gets faster, he will begin to materialize
in another corner while the rush attack is still finishing elsewahere, so stay
alert.

In the final variation of this boss's attack patterns, several instances of the
boss will appear lining the tops of both screens brandishing a sword. Nec has
about one second to locate the single fully materialized instance of the boss
and shoot it before both screens are completely filled with giant sword
slashes, instantly damaging Nec no matter where he is. Since the boss may be
fully formed on either screen in any location, you'll need sharp reflexes to
keep Nec safe.

After the boss's health has been depleted, he will give Nec one final glare
before teleporting away for good.
===============================================================================


After this battle, exit to the right to begin Area 5.




,...............................................,
=						=
=		  A R E A     5			=
=						=
,...............................................,



~= Stage 5-1 =~		[5.1]

Ahead, you'll see some large spikey plants on the floor in the present. You can
destroy these with a charged shot, but there's no point in it right now. After
you pass the first of these plants, a creature will appear on the left side of
the screen surrounded by a large forcefield. Because of this forcefield, normal
shots don't hurt it and a charged shot will be completely deflected. (Don't
worry when the shots deflect, they won't hurt Nec on the way back.) The screen
will start slowly scrolling right at this point. Allow it to usher Nec forward,
just don't run into any spikey plants along the way. You may notice some
flowers hanging from the ceiling in the past. Once the creature is in a
position that would be directly under one of these flowers, time split to the
past and shoot the flower on the ceiling to produce a seed. In the present, the
seed will turn into a fully grown plant from inside the forcefield. Unfreeze
the present, and the creature's protective barrier will burst. (Make sure the
creature is centered under the flower, or it will plow right through the plant
you sprout when you do this.) A couple of fully charged blasts will destroy the
creature completely, allowing Nec to continue with the rest of the stage in
relative peace.

Continue forward, and eventually the DANGER alert will go off in the past.
Here, you'll find some oval shaped, cycloptic bumpers sporting horns.
Definately evil. You could shoot these to move them around, but that will only
make things more complicated right now. Instead, jump over the first, slide
under the next, then jump over the next again so Nec lands immediately on the
other side of it. Now, slide under the bumper in the present, then take two
small hops to pass over the bumper in the past followed by another in the
present, then slide under one more bumper in the past to reach the first
checkpoint.

Crouch, and shoot the bumper ahead untill it's at the edge of this screen.
Slide under the present bumper and the nearby cactus hanging from the ceiling.
Hanging cactus will appear frequently throughout the area. It may be high
enough for Nec to walk under in some places, but if Nec touches it he'll lose
a bar of energyso be careful if you're jumping nearby. (Also, though Nec's
gun blasts can pass through the cactus, the bumpers cannot.) Jump over the
bumper you just moved, then slide under the next. Jump over the lump in the
floor of the present, then shoot the next bumper in the past as far as it'll
go. Slide under the bumper in the present, then time split to the past. Jump
over the bumper you shot to land on the lump behind it, then crouch and shoot
it back the other way so it's behind Nec in the present. Unfreeze time, then
walk forward so Nec isn't underneath the cactus. Jump back onto the the lump in
the past, then time split to the present. Slide under the bumper and cactus
here, then use jump shots from the other side of the cactus to push the
bumper back as far as it'll go. Unfreeze the past, and drop off the side of the
lump you're standing on. Crouch and shoot the bumper in the PAST back so it's
centered over the nearby gap in the floor, then move Nec forward so he's
standing on the ledge where it originally was (center him on the column in the
ground of the past). Time split to the past and jump over the bumper. Crouch,
then shoot the bumper back as far as it'll go before you unfreeze the present.

Move directly next to the lump ahead, and jump on top of it. Center Nec there,
then time split to the present. Shoot the BOTTOM bumper as far as it'll go,
then slide all the way to the other side of the cactus ahead. From here, shoot
both bumpers all the way back till they're compeltely off screen. When you
unfreeze time, Nec should be far enough forward so the bumpers don't damage
him. Have Nec approach the next set of bumpers, and shoot the bottom bumper
off screen to the right. Walk under the remaining bumper, and jump on to the
lump in the present. The bumper you just shot should be directly between this
lump and the next, so jump from one to the other in the present to avoid
taking any damage. This brings us to another checkpoint.

There's ledges nearby, but Nec can't reach them as things are. Walk forward a
bit, and you'll see a slew of bumpers next to a cactus guarding the moveable
box you need. Since present Nec is currently stuck, time split to the past. Get
on the other side of the movable box, and push it to the left as far as you
can. Unfreeze the present, then time split again to control present Nec. Have
him continue pushing the box left, so he can use it to climb to the ledges
above. Staying in the present, jump across the following ledges that line the
top of the screen without touching any of the bumpers or falling through the
gaps. Where the ledges descend here, there's a green button on the floor in
the present. Just so you know what this button is for, let Nec land on it,
then immediately move off the button. Notice how it goes green-yellow-red-boom?
That's important, because not all buttons start off green.

Stand on the ledge just off the ground here so Nec is level with the horde of
bumpers on the left. Shoot them all as far as they'll go, and the bumpers will
stack on top of eachother so they take up the space of a single bumper. Once
you've finished compressing the bumpers completely, unfreeze the past. Now,
time split to the past once more. This time, have Nec push his moving box all
the way to the RIGHT, as far as it'll go. Unfreeze the present, and slide all
the way under the bumpers and the hanging cactus. Jump over the lump in the
present, and on to the moving box in the past. From here, Nec can jump to the
ledge in the present. If you are in need of an energy orb at this point, time
split to the present and have Nec drop off this platform to the right. Walk
straight ahead to pick up the orb, but remember not to walk into the gap ahead.
Unfreeze the present, and jump from this ledge to the cliff in the past. Climb
to the edge of this platform, then hop to the edge of the next in the present
(there's a very small gap between the two). Move Nec so his past self is
standing on the column ahead, and you'll trigger another checkpoint.


Jump from this location so that Nec lands on the yellow button ahead, then
immediately jump over the red button next to it. (Any time Nec stands on a red
button, the laser is triggered instantly.) Walk forward, and you'll come to the
boss of this level.

===============================================================================

BOSS BATTLE

This guy is exactly the same as he was back in Area 1, but there's one very
important difference: he's on both screens now. His moves are the same as
before. He either jumps across the screen, or he pounds the ground to make
stalagmites race across the screen. However, this time the ground is level, so
as long as you make your jump in the center of the screen, you shouldn't run in
to his leaps.

This battle is mostly about reflexes. Both screens attack separately, so you
may have to dodge two rows of stalagmites at once, or jump over one immediately
after the other. If they come from different sides, jump over the first round,
then immediately jump back over the next. If they come from the same side but
the timing is staggered, try to land the first jump between the two rounds.
Try to stay in the middle of the stage for the duration of the fight, where
it's safest to jump at a moments notice.

While all this dodging is going on, you still need to find the time to shoot.
Keep your gun charged while you wait for a chance to shoot. The boss won't take
damage while he's punching the ground, so make sure he's between attacks when
you let loose on him. Focus on the one in the past first. Once he's turned to
stone, you can concentrate on the incarnation left over in the present.

NOTE: There's three points you should be aware of in this boss battle that
don't occur anywhere else in this game. First, the boss has no health gauge,
so you have to just keep shooting in good faith that he'll turn to stone.
Second, if you lose all three energy bars, you are sent back to the last
checkpoint and have to start the boss battle all over again. Finally, some
of the bosses attacks don't originate where he is, but in the middle of the
room and sometimes even behind Nec completely. I'm not sure how much of this
is intentional. Just be aware of it.

After this fight is over, congratulate yourself, then proceed to the right to
reach... another checkpoint.
===============================================================================


Looks like fun ahead, right? From this ledge, jump across to the next using the
green and yellow buttons. (I usually go green-yellow-yellow-green-ledge.) Don't
fall on any of the red ones, or Nec will get toasted by a laser
instantaneously.
Do the same thing on the next stretch. I recommend aiming for green the first
four times, then the next yellow. When Nec moves to land on the yellow button,
past Nec will land on a raised platform, bringing a moment to catch your
breath.
Also, you may pick up an energy orb in the process. Continue in this manner
across yet another stretch. This time though it'll switch so that the buttons
are in the past halfway through. (Sorry, but I was down to the last energy bar
of the last life here, so I couldn't double check my jump pattern.) At the next
rest stop, look ahead. Fun times, huh? Aim for every green and yellow button
along the way, then jump to the ledge at the end. Exit the stage to the right.



~= Stage 5-2 =~		[5.2]

Starting off, it may look like the road ahead might not be quite so frantic.
Take a few steps forward, and you'll see more of those spiked plants again.
That should be your warning sign of things to come. Take a few steps down the
hill, and you'll be payed another visit by the same creature from the beginning
of the last stage. This time however, there's no flowers nearby, so we have to
deal with a scrolling screen while navigating the obstacles ahead at the same
time.

Shoot the bumper so it's over the plant behind it, then jump into the space
between the plants on the ground. Charge a blast, then do a crouching shot to
destroy the plant in front of you. Slide under the bumper, then wait for the
screen to move enough so that you can see the raised column after the green
button in the past. Run over the buttons before jumping on to the column. Here,
shoot the bumper in the past as far as it'll go, then slide under it. Look at
the ceiling in the past, and you'll discover that the flowers are finally
growing again. Wait for the screen to scroll enough so Nec can jump over the
red button on the floor, then wait a bit more in this spot for the creature to
line up with the flower below. Once it does, time split to the past and shoot
the flower. (Make sure the plant is fully formed in the present before you
unfreeze it.) Destroy the creature once the forcefield is gone, then continue
forward. Slide under this bumper, then walk to the edge of the path in the
past. Hop to the next ledge in the present, then walk straight ahead to reach
the first checkpoint.

===============================================================================

BOSS

This is the same boss as you fought back in stage 2-4. He has the same attacks
as before, and the same strategy is used to defeat him. The change of note is
to the landscape. Last time you fought him, there were temporary platforms that
would constantly respawn, but they stayed in the same place. This time, there's
one platform that moves up and down constantly. That means you can't reach the
eye if it's open when the platform's at the bottom, and the window of
opportunity to shoot it is rather small. If you think the next shot is the one
that will open the eye, wait for the platform to reach it's lowest point before
letting it go. Also, be careful while standing over the platform. If the boss
shoots an orb at you, it may lift Nec right into it. Also, there's a pillar in
the present that will prevent Nec from moving too far to the right without
sliding. For the most part, the better idea is to stay left of the pillar and
dodge within the smaller area, as sliding under the pillar may land Nec right
on top of the boss.
===============================================================================


This is not the end of the stage, but the beginning. Slide under the pillar,
and walk forward to unveil a life orb in the present. To reach it, make sure
Nec is past the gap on the top screen, then time split to the present. Grab the
orb, then unfreeze the past to continue. At the bottom of this slope, you'll
reach another checkpoint.

Time split to either screen to get a preperatory look at the road ahead with
half as many hazards. Each time you move to a new spot on this road, jump to
it.
The order you'll need to take is written below. The words PAST and PRESENT
indicate the screen you should look at, while the color indicates what your
next target is to the right.

PRESENT: Green-Yellow-Yellow; PAST: Green-Yellow; PRESENT: Green-Yellow-Yellow;
PAST: Green; PRESENT: Yellow, then over the gap to land on the column.


Catch your breath, and use the past to scope out this next bit. This pattern
is:

PAST: Yellow; PRESENT: Yellow; PAST: Yellow; PRESENT: Green-Yellow-Yellow;
PAST: Green; PRESENT: Yellow; PAST: Green-Yellow; PRESENT: Yellow-Yellow;
PAST: Yellow, then over the gap.

The gap is smaller in the present, just jump as far as you can. When you land,
you'll be at the next checkpoint.

Gather your wits before you continue, because this next segment isn't any
happier than the last. Take a few steps forward and our friend in the Bubble
of Death will come back to play with us some more. Time split to the past, and
jump between the two bumpers ahead. Shoot the one on the floor off screen to
the left, then unfreeze time. Slide under the bumper here, then jump on to
the raised floor in the past. Walk under the cactus, then stop next to the
red buttons. Shoot at the bumper ahead while the screen catches up. When you're
out of time, jump clear over the three red buttons to land on the green one,
then walk under the remaining bumper. From here, continue to shoot the bumper
on the floor as far to the right as possible, then once the screen's caught up
walk past the buttons on the floor. Jump on to the moving box ahead in the
past; chances are that the bumper in the present is overlapping it, but make
sure you don't touch it either way. Time split to the past, and shoot the
flower over the creatures head for your chance to destroy it. Unfreeze the
present, shooting the creature if you want, then proceed to the right. When
you get near the exit, Luna will chime in to warn you that Twime may be
nearby.



~= Stage 5-3 =~		[5.3]

Walk straight forward, past the checkpoint, and get ready to rumble.

===============================================================================
|||||||||||||||||||  F I N A L     B O S S    B A T T L E  ||||||||||||||||||||
===============================================================================


This boss is identical to when you fought him in mission zero, but now you can
actually fight back. Twime's tangibility shifts between the screens constantly,
so don't waste time charging your shots. The tangibility of the laser cannon
below him will also shift constantly, and it may or may not be tangible on the
same screen as Twime.

Twime has several attacks to make Nec hurt, the most common of which involves a
giant laser beam shooting from a cannon below him. Before it goes off, you'll
see a large red ball of light form at it's tip. The ball of light will grow,
untill a giant laser goes off, completely covering the entire floor for a
period of time longer than Nec can hold his jump. To prevent this from
happening, shoot at the ball of light to make it recede. Twime will try to
thwart your attempts by constantly changing which era the cannon charges in,
so be ready to switch back and forth between guns. Even when the cannon isn't
going off, keep shooting at it. Eventually, it'll blow up, giving you one less
problem to worry about.

As you dismantle the laser cannon, you'll need to avoid numerous other attacks
by Twime. One of the easier attacks to miss is a giant beam of light that forms
at Nec's feet. You'll get only a moments notice to move out of the way before
it goes off. (For me, it was easier to notice these pillars forming by paying
listening for an audio cue than trying to look at the floor.) Also, Twime
shoots those same, ever familiar, orbs of light found everywhere else in the
game.

As the cannon wears down further, Twime will start launching the attack he used
to kill Nash. This attack has two distinct parts. First, four eyes will appear
somewhere on one screen, each shooting a green laser in a random direction.
Then, the eyes will shift to the other screen and shoot the lasers in the same
direction as before, but these lasers are yellow and will damage Nec if they
touch him. When the lasers first appear, pay attention to where they fall.
Move Nec to a safe location where no lasers are touching him while you continue
to shoot the cannon. Then, when the eyes switch to the other screen, Nec will
already be out of the way of Twime's attack.

After you've avoided this attack once or twice, Twime will put a nasty little
twist on it. He will now begin to imprison Nec in one of the two locations
whenever he launches his evil-eye lasers. If Nec doesn't escape the forcefield,
it will explode with him inside. Also, this makes it harder to line up with a
safe place during the first part of the attack. When this happens, immediately
time split to control the unimprisoned Nec. Get to a laser-safe place, and
shoot the cannon to free your other self. As soon as the bubble disappears,
unfreeze the other time, because Twime is still able to move around over there.

Once the cannon is gone, start attacking Twime. Keep avoiding his attacks and
shooting at him, and he'll break down.


Take a deep breath, pat yourself on the back, and watch the credits roll.


,.......................................................,
=							=
=		 O T H E R     S T U F F		=
=							=
,.......................................................,
[STUFF]



~= Acknowledgements =~		[TYS]

In particular, I'd like to thank my friend Matt F. for helping me figure out
what the heck to do at the last boss. He was able to study the attack patterns
for me while I ran around shooting like a madman.



~= Bugs and Weird Stuff=~	[BUG]

During my original play through the game, I noticed it wasn't quite 100%
stable. Then, while writing this guide, a few extra things popped up here and
there. Below is a list of the odd things I encountered.

Extra Traps:
During the writing of this walkthrough, I found something very pecuiliar during
my run through stage 3-2. After exiting one of the trap chamber, during the
following sprint across the clouds, I planned to rest Nec on a column to type
some more. However, when Nec landed, a disembodied fire trap icon appeared in
the space where I stood and bounced around. Hilarious as it was, I'd have found
it much funnier if it hadn't hit me on my last energy bar, setting me back a
checkpoint. The fire was still there when I made it back to the column.
I haven't seen this since, but should it cause you problems, you can rid
yourself of any traps gone awry by restarting the game.

Laser Pits:
In Area 4, there are several stages with laser pits in them. If Nec falls into
a laser pit, there's a few things that could potentially happen.
In stage 4-1, a certain laser pit will take all his life bars away, but he'll
still retain some of his energy. He doesn't die, but he's left severely
weakened.
Later in both stages 4-1 and 4-3, there are larger laser pits that can leave
Nec stranded should he fall in to them. Nec can stick to th e walls of these
pits, but he cannot climb out. These pits often cause massive graphic slowdown,
seemingly because the game wants him to die (his energy and life bars will
flicker when this happens, similar to the damage animations elsewhere in the
game). If Nec is trapped in one of these pits, he can only escape if there is
an enemy close enough to shoot him. If not, the only way out is to press
Start, exit the game, then reload the level completely from the startup screen.

Extra Energy Orb in 5-1:
A single energy orb exists in the present just before the checkpoint to the
boss battle. Sometimes, if Nec backtracks after grabbing the orb, when he
returns the orb will be there again, allowing an extra bar of energy. I'm not
too clear on the specifics of how this happens, but I have seen it more than
once.

Stage 5-1 Boss:
As mentioned before, the boss of stage 5-1 has a few peculiarities, and it is
unclear just how much of this is intentional.
The boss has no health gauge; losing a bar of life actually sends Nec back to
the checkpoint; and the bosses attacks will on rare occasions spawn in the
middle of the stage or completely off screen, already past Nec.

Dud buttons in Area 5:
On rare occasions, Nec will walk behind a button instead of on top of it. As
long as Nec doesn't move, the button will remain a dud. This is particularly
common in stage 5-1. Though I don't recommend relying on this to make it
through the area, it can occasionally work in your favor.

Nec the Immortal:
Sometimes, in rare instances, Nec just won't die. While writing this
walkthrough, I was trying to send myself back to a checkpoint so the puzzle
would reset. At the time, I was in a time split, so I walked Nec off a cliff.
And nothing happened. I pushed some buttons and discovered he was still alive,
and apparently at the bottom of the pit which must have ended somewhere off
screen. He was completely responsive, and could slide, run, jump and shoot.
However, he could not climb out of the pit. Due to the current circumstance,
I was able to free myself by undoing the time split, however it may be possible
for Nec to dead end in these circumstances, forcing you to restart the stage.
(For anyone interested, the cliff I walked off was in 5-2, just before the
second forcefield creature.)