SonSon/Walkthrough

Stage breakdown

 * SonSon is comprised of 19 distinct stages. Stages are denoted by the type of floor that the platforms are composed of, and by the billboard stage markers that appear periodically as the stages scroll to the right.  The stages count down from 19 to 1, with your final goal waiting at the end of stage 1.  Each stage has their own particular mix of enemies as you progress through it.
 * This walkthrough is primarily concerned with enemy attack patterns, and does little to mention food opportunities present throughout the game. Only practice can help you increase your food collecting skill.  You should concentrate on your survival first, and bonus point collecting second.  However, as your point earning skills increase, you will earn more lives that provide you with longer play.
 * Also, this walkthrough only points out those POW icons which are preplanned and occur at the some point in every game. Since your ability to collect eight large pieces of fruit will vary from game to game, extra POW icons can occur throughout various unplanned points in the game.

Stage 19
This stage starts out calmly enough. You have plenty of time to pick up 6 pieces of small food without fear to make your first large carrot appear before the enemies begin to appear. Six Dekus will appear first. Don't jump up and down too much to fight them. Let them come to you. Shortly after the Dekus appear, the Rania fish will jump out of the water. Hang out on the third platform from the bottom to defeat them quickly on their second jump. Dekus and Rania will continue to appear until you reach stage 18.

Stage 18
Anbre bats appear for the first time on this stage. They will hover across the top three platforms. Shoot them quickly from the top platform, or the platform two below the top. As before, Dekus will continue to attack. Eventually, you will encounter your first POW. Wait until six new Deku appear on the screen before touching it. Then collect the carrots that they turn into for extra points.

Stage 17
The transition to stage 17 will start out much like the previous stage with attacks from Dekus and Anbre bats. Shortly after your in this stage, however, the spear throwing Burigans make their first appearance, followed quickly by Rania fish. Don't panic. Hang out on the third platform from the bottom, and position yourself horizontally so that you are safe from both the fish, and any Burigans who may jump up or drop down to attack you, and take care of the most immediate threats. Towards the end of this stage, you will encounter stationary Spin Skulls. Bats and fish will attack while you maneuver your way through the skulls, but no other enemies appear, so you can concentrate on taking out a few 500 point skulls as you position yourself safely on each platform.

Stage 16
The appearance of red dragonflies signifies your first Skull Wall fight. The scrolling will come to a halt when the Skull Wall is completely in view. Five platforms possess Skull Walls, and Chains hide behind them, throwing bombs at you when you occupy their platform. Concentrate on one Skull Wall at a time, removing it completely before moving on to another wall. The only time you should interrupt your attack on a wall is when more red dragonflies appear. If you ignore this threat, they are likely to surprise you with the accuracy of their attack, so it is best to do away with them first. If you manage to destroy the walls before the scrolling resumes on its own, you can collect a 4000 point Yashichi on the third platform from the bottom. One set of bats will attack you just prior to the first arrival of the three great devils. Your battle with them should be taken very seriously, since they like to walk right over you and kill you. Pay attention to whichever devil is furthest to the left, and be prepared to move out of their way quickly if they begin to advance. Fire as rapidly as you can to destroy their shield, and then the devils themselves, but don't risk your life to kill all three.

Stage 15
This stage starts out with another set of bats. A set of Burigans are preceded by the first appearance of Musashi bees. Create a clear and safe passage for yourself so you can attack the bees. The bats will continue to attack until a set of red dragonflies appear. The red dragonflies will herald the first appearance of the blue dragonflies, which occupy a set of platforms through the graceful loops they perform. Burigans and red dragonflies will continue to appear during this sequence. Don't feel overwhelmed. Pick a platform that you feel safest on and blast away as fast as you can.

Stage 14
As you transition into this stage, another set of both red and blue dragonflies will appear on the screen. Burigans will arrive to attack as well, followed almost immediately by a set of Dekus. More blue dragonflies will appear as a near constant stream of bee pairs persist through the rest of this stage. As usual, don't put yourself in jeopardy to defeat the bees, but don't let them linger on the stage and create an even more dangerous situation for you.

Stage 13
You are going to encounter nearly every normal enemy possibly throughout this stage. As soon as this stage begins, Dekus and Anbre bats will appear, followed very quickly by Rania fish. Do your best to hold your ground, preferably on the third platform from the bottom. Shortly after this sequence, both red and blue dragonflies will arrive with a set of Burigans. Another set of Burigans are followed by more bats and fish. These enemies continue to appear until one final set of Dekus arrive, signaling the end of this stage.

Stage 12
The red dragonflies will appear quite eagerly before you even fully transition into this next stage. It is another Skull Wall battle. This time, there are two walls to destroy in the middle platform. Your strategy should be the same as the first Skull Wall battle in Stage 16. If you destroy the walls before the scrolling resumes, you can collect another Yashichi. If it is your second, it is worth 5000 points. Otherwise, it will be worth 4000. Once you finish off the walls, a set of Deku will appear from the left in a slow surprise attack. Deal with them as quickly as you can because you're about to encounter the three great devils again. Things will be calm until the next stage starts.

Stage 11
Immediately, a set of fish will jump out of the water while another set of Deku choose to appear behind you. If you are situated in the middle of the screen, you will have ample time to respond to both attacks. Shortly after, you will be beset upon by fish, bats, and red dragonflies nearly all at once. As usual, pick a place you feel safe, and blast away. Watch out for the red dragonflies if they launch at you. One set of bats preceded a surprise reappearance of the three great devils. They may not have waited for the next Skull Wall battle, but your strategy should be the same.

Stage 10
This stage marks something of a half-way point. Burigans and blue dragonflies attack immediately, followed by a set of bats. Almost as quickly, another set of Burigans appear behind you, the first set to do so. Pay attention to the Burigan on your level first and make sure that he doesn't chuck a spear at your back. Another set of blue dragonflies appear just before groups of stationary Spinning Skulls arrive. Do your best to create safe passage through them. Before you are clear of the skulls, a set of Burigans and Dekus will attack nearly simultaneously, followed quickly by red dragonflies. The dragonflies are the true threat, and you would be wise to deal with them as quickly and safely as you can before the launch in your direction. Burigans will continue to attack after you've cleared the skull section.

Stage 9
This stage feels like a continuation of the previous, with a set of red dragonflies attacking before both Dekus and Burigans arrive. Musashi bees appear, and then there is an unusual lull in the action. Take advantage of this to collect as many points from food as possible before you reach small set of spin skulls. Another break in the action occurs before a set of red dragonflies appear to herald the arrival of Stage 8.

Stage 8
This stage is yet another Skull Wall fight stage. You will notice two platforms with a double set of walls, making a total of seven walls to destroy. Dekus will appear from behind as you attack. This can be dangerous if you turn around to fight one with a Chain present on the other side. If you're not fast enough, you will be killed by a bomb to the head. If you destroy the walls before time is up, another Yashichi will be present and worth anywhere from 4000 to 6000, depending on how many you've collected beforehand. As you proceed, Dekus will appear from behind and Burigans will appear in front. Red dragonfly sets pepper the stage as well along with one set of fish. A POW will appear. Wait for a set of Burigans and Ranias to appear before collecting it, then gather up the points.

Stage 7
Dekus and Anbre bats start off this stage, followed quickly by Burigans and red dragonflies. A pair of bees will appear before another set of Dekus arrive from behind. This pattern will repeat itself throughout this stage and you will experience a near-constant wave of attacks from both sides. Stay as close to the center as you can, and be prepared to fire in both directions quickly.

Stage 6
Stage 6 flows in very quickly from Stage 7. A set of bats and Dekus lead the attack. Red and blue dragonflies arrive, followed by a pair of bees. Focus on the red dragonflies first as they are the bigger threat. After another pair of bees arrive, a set of Burigans will appear from behind you. At this point, more bees will fly through as waves of Dekus appear from the right, and Burigans appear from the left, with an occasional set of blue dragonflies thrown in. Try not to get overwhelmed defending yourself. Take out the bees whenever the opportunity presents itself, and deal with the Burigans as they arrive. Try to position yourself to take out the blue dragonflies quickly.

Stage 5
The action from the previous stage will probably continue as you enter this one. Bees and dragonflies of both colors are your initial threat, followed by back to back sets of Dekus and Burigans from the front. After that, red dragonflies appear ahead of a set of fish and Burigans. Red dragonflies will appear towards the end, signaling the approach of the next stage.

Stage 4
In addition to red dragonflies, you will be greeted by Rania fish an Burigans as you approach the next Skull Wall battle. This time, three of the platforms have a pair of walls, while only two have a single wall. Burigans will storm in from the left as you attack the walls. If you can destroy all of the walls in time, you can collect another Yashichi which can earn you up to 7000 points. Once you clear the walls, Burigans will continue to attack as you reach a set of Spinning Skulls. Unlike before, these skulls slowly advance to the left, so take that into consideration as you plot your path through them.

Stage 3
Burigans and red dragonflies will appear in advance of yet another Skull Wall battle. This one is identical to the battle in the prior stage. Keep an eye out for the red dragonflies, and destroy the walls quickly to earn a Yashichi that can potentially award you up to 8000 points. Burigans, red dragonflies, and Rania fish will continue to attack until you encounter another POW icon. Wait for the Burigan and Rania fish to appear, and grab the icon quickly, as the Burigan seem to run away quickly in this instance.

Stage 2
You will encounter yet another Skull Wall battle, identical to the previous two in every way. Fortunately, this is the final Skull Wall battle. If you been playing with excellence, the Yashichi beyond can be collected for up to 9000 points. Note that if you continue playing at the next level of difficulty, the Yashichis that you collect can reach up to a maximum value of 10,000 points. Burigans and red dragonflies give you a hard time before your overdue encounter with the three great devils. The standard strategy applies here, but as soon as you defeat them, you will almost immediately face them a second time! Be prepared to destroy them one final time.

Stage 1
Welcome to heaven. There are no enemies in this cloud filled stage. Only high value pieces of small food that can be collected for the chance to earn even more valuable large pieces of food. With no threats about, you will peacefully arrive at the Buddha statue which contains a scroll in his hand. Jump up to collect the scroll for a large bonus, before you begin again on Stage 19 at a higher degree of difficulty. Congratulations.