Retro Arcade: The Goonies 1986 Platform Game Walkthrough: Stage 4

Stage 4: Boulderdash!

Time Limit: 500 seconds
Special Items: Red Suit, Back Pack
Hidden Stuff: Vic Viper
How To Make Secret Items Appear: Down + Kick/Action button

Goonies Never Say Die!

One-Eyed Willie didn't think anyone would venture this far, but he's got a surprise waiting for the brave souls who dare. Gigantic boulders dangle precariously from the ceiling, entwined in robust vines, primed to crush any intruder. Steer clear of these rocky menaces as they plummet to the ground.

Approaching Stage 4 mirrors the strategy from Stage 3. Ascend before descending, Goonies! Enormous boulders plunge from above with clockwork precision, easily dodged once you catch their rhythm. They tend to drop twice consecutively before taking a brief respite. Beware the skeletons who join the party, flinging bones your way. Also, watch out for droplets from above – if you snagged that trusty Raincoat in Stage 2, you're golden.

You'll start on the right side of part A's middle level. Initial move: right. Open the door in the apparent dead end. Now, backtrack left, sticking to the upper route. Upon reaching skull mouth A, step through to explore part B. In this section, there's a skull door on the extreme right and another on the far left. Open them in any order you fancy, then return to part A.

Back in part A, clamber up the vine to the top tier. Ascend the vine from the floor, veer left to reveal a skull door. Retreat to the right and venture through skull mouth B to reach part C. There, pop the skull door at the lower right and trek all the way left. Unseal the skull door near the water. Afterward, scout the item perched atop the platform that hovers above the water. Circle back to skull mouth B and return to part A.

Now, thread your way to the vine that escorts you back to part A's middle layer. March to the far left and crack open the awaiting skull door. Instead of descending the vine below to the lower level, backtrack right. Precisely drop through the gap beneath skull mouth A, dash left, and clamber down the vine you find there. In the lower section, another crucial item awaits to the right. If you've bagged three keys and rescued the captive Goonie, you can bypass the remaining skull door and make a beeline for the exit. Otherwise, or if curiosity beckons, leap across the gap to the left of the descending boulder, then scale the next vine to unlock the door.

Secrets:

Backpack

This nifty backpack shaves precious seconds off your remaining stage runs. It lets you stash up to two bombs at once, sparing you the scavenger hunt every time you obliterate a skull door. While you'll still need to scout for bombs, it becomes a more leisurely affair.

Armor

The Armor offers protection beyond the reach of flamesuits, raincoats, and helmets. It renders you invulnerable to the gun-toting Fratelli brother's bullets, the game's deadliest attack. Additionally, it shields you from bones and skulls hurled by pesky skeletons and renders bats utterly harmless. Don't miss out on this gem.

Vic Viper

The iconic Vic Viper from the Gradius series makes a cameo here, but summoning it is easier than grabbing it. To trigger its appearance, stand slightly to the left of the middle of the three descending boulders on the upper part of part A. Execute the sequence to reveal hidden items, summoning the Vic Viper as it zooms from left to right. There's a catch, though – it vanishes quickly. The moment it materializes, sprint right, scramble up the nearby vine, and leap left to secure it. Pro tip: Scroll the screen to the right before making your mad dash to the left of the boulder. Missing it nets you 1000 points for the effort, but nabbing it scores you a sweet 5000 points!

Passageway B: The Spooky Batcave

Time Limit: 90 seconds
Special Items: None
Hidden Stuff: Tanuki

Mikey successfully navigates the perilous pathway, unfazed by the skeletons and bats that cross his path. With four Goonies safely rescued, only two more remain to complete his mission, and the fifth awaits within this passage.

Although this passage is shorter than the last, it holds a few treasures waiting to be discovered – a hidden character and eight sparkling diamonds. Take your time to collect these valuable points as you progress through the level.

To unveil the hidden character, head to the area on the left where you initially landed in this passage. Ascend the steps along the left wall, and you'll encounter the elusive Tanuki. Quickly grab it to earn a generous 5000 points.

The Tanuki, a member of the canid family, resembles a raccoon but is more closely related to dogs. It has a rich history in Japanese folklore, although the presence of this particular Tanuki and its inebriated state raise questions. Nonetheless, collecting it rewards you with 5000 points, while merely making it appear grants you 1000 points.

Stay tuned for Stage 5 of The Goonies 1986 Platform Game, coming next week!