PSN - Crastle Cashers... LFP

[Persona]

Insane Mode is more like total frustration than a challenge. Bosses take forever to kill!

[Apathy Wind]

Insane Mode is more like total frustration than a challenge. Bosses take forever to kill!

Agreed - insane was rather a pain. I'm going to have nightmares about that damn ear of corn...

That established - since Desert is the only level of the game that's actually harder with multiple players I thought I'd post my strategy for getting past it on insane. Mind you I'm skipping encounters like the antlions and end boss - normal tactics work fine for those enemies. Oh and when you're fighting a mob of guys I found it useful to keep the item on the potions - that way you won't run into trobule trying to switch and avoid enemies at the same time (it does mean that you'll have to ween yourself off the bow somewhat - wasting two or more potions with accidental circle strikes really hurts). Having potions 'prepped' also really helps if you get locked into attacks or knocked down and are about to die.

A) Scarab beetle

I stuck to the bottom of the screen when fighting the single Scarab - you're far less likely to encounter wandering Scorpions there (although it's not impossible). Being at the bottom of the screen also makes the Scarab's burrow attack more predictable. Jump over the Scarab while it's underground - once it surfaces jump straight up and hit it with a quick four hit light attack air combo (maxed out the light attack does as much damage as the heavy so stick with light). After the Scarab takes four hits (regardless of whether they're in succession or not) it will fly up to break the combo - when this happens move up or down on the screen (safer than right or left as occasionally the Scarab lands early and will hit you), realign, and then repeat the air combo. After four or five sessions the Scarab will dive again - just repeat the whole process until he's dead; if you don't screw up the air combo you shouldn't get hit

B) Double Scarabs

This is more of a pain. Again go to the bottom of the screen - it makes avoiding a double burrow attack much easier (they tend to bunch up for some reason and can be leaped over with a single magic jump). When the Scarabs surface they might be overlapping - in this instance using the strategy from A will deal damage to both at the same time. Eventually their burrowing will get out of sync - at this point I usually used the normal jump to go over the remaining burrow attack and tacked one air combo to the surfaced Scarab while he was isolated. When they're both up and unaligned I found that using the 'pass through' air combo (moving toward and through the enemy) worked well in that it dealt the damage and gets you away from them when you land (provided you move away from the other one obviously). Eventually one of the two will die and you can just repeat the strategy from section A


C) One scarab and muliple Royal Guards

For these sections I found it best to focus on the Guards. You'll want to use the entire screen here as it's necessary to avoid the Guards while jumping the Scarab's dive attack (not to mention scorpions). Only attack the guards when the Scarab is above ground - when it''s diving you'll want to magic jump from one corner of the screen to the other (say upper left to lower right). When you're moving around the Guards will chase you - I found that running at them and magic jumping will hit them with the jump explosion and tack on extra damage. When the Scarab's up attack the Guards - I used the Red Knight's lightning to hold them; abandoning said efforts when a bomb came my way or the Scarab got to close (although he did take residual damage from the magic while he approached - all the better). With the Ninja or Orange Knight I'd think that you could use your magic bursts to knock down the Guards and maybe do some collateral damage to the Scarab. I wouldn't attack the Guards directly unless you're absolutely clear - it's too easy to get blindsided by the burrowing Scarab or interrupt attacked by the Guard for obscene damage. When using magic just make sure you have a little left over for super jumping in an emergency. Repeat the hit and run tactics until all Guard's are dead then focus on the Scarab via section A tactics

D) Double Scarabs and Guards

Again use the tactics in section C to deal with the Guards. They're more apt to use magic here so use more of a hit and run technique with your magic (should be natural for non-Red Knight characters anyways). Be especially wary of the burrowing Scarabs as they can combo kill you 'off the ground' if they knock you down - if you jump religiously then you should be able to avoid getting hit with the burrow attack altogether. Once the guards are dead switch to tactics B and then once one Scarab is dead use tactics A.

All and all I found the above worked quite well - I was able to beat Desert twice in a row with only 2 or 3 potions used.

[Persona]

Well Oro wanted some Arena pointers so here they are. I used the Polar Bear since it pretty much eats the enemy (or you) up when they're at about 10% health.

I always start combos with the triangle button because once they get hit by it, they're most likely going to be eating the whole combo unlike a square combo where they can trade hits with you. I did see some people use a combo of square, triangle into juggle and that seems to work fine because you can't trade hits when juggled. Instant juggling works well too (jump and instantly start mashing the buttons). When I knock them over with a triangle combo, I tend to shoot out a projectile. If they block it, most people tend to hold the block button thinking they can block anything. That's where I use the other magic which can't be blocked.

Other than that is mostly experience and instinct like trying not to fall for their old tactics all the time. You can also juggle a ton in the corner. When in doubt or you have the opponent all over you, use the magic jump to get yourself out of there.

And walking in from top or bottom and throwing works wonders too if you can't get in.

P.S. Zepy plays CC now and is using a Blue Knight. And I finished all the Insane Mode levels, just need you guys to help clear the game again for trophy.

[Shiny]

Please to be sending me Zepy's PSN name via message.

[Foxhole]

Thanks P, I actually copied your throwing technique before you even mentioned it here, because when I saw you do it to me, I though, "Okay, that's good."

I'm still stuck on the fucking desert, the last mob always gets me because the scarabs alternate their buzzsaw bullshit. On the other hand, you can block them when they're doing it. Getting close, but not there yet.

I've also been farming crawmermax again for loot, still no new peralecents.

[Apathy Wind]

Well against all odds, Oro and I managed to team beat Insane desert. Screw you Desert!

Now all I need are the Medic trophy (unlikely in that four people playing at once is hard enough, not to mention four people who can connect) and the god awful Arena one (impossible as I'm apparently terrible at Arena)

[Apathy Wind]

Started a Green Knight for Arena purposes - seems to be better in that it's not all about lining up the Red Knight's lightning (one trick pony). And P - thanks for the bipolar bear tip; it's cheesy but completely awesome. I just had some d-bad choose treasure mode and then rage-quit while I was beasting him - the match didn't end; does that count as a win for me?

While still using the Red Knight I had the bad fortune to come across the number 5 ranked player (something like jjjjuuuummmp). I did okay until he 90% health juggled me in the corner - he literally got us as high as the top of the screen. I had no idea you could juggle people that high - nor any idea how he did it.

[Persona]

AFAIK, after the opponent reaches a certain amount of health, you get a win even if they dc/ragequit/etc.

And the trophies I need left is Insane Mode, Medic and Princess raping (I'm sure we're all going to be stuck on Medic!).

[Foxhole]

I need the stupid medic and arena one. It's weird, I've won a bunch, but I never get any wins recorded other than my first one.

[Apathy Wind]

I think the reason you're only seeing the one win might be because it tracks your most successful character. For example if you went 1 out of 1 with the Green Knight, and then 1 out of 2 with Red, Blue, and Orange it's only going to show Green (despite the fact that you've won four matches). Sadly the Arena trophy requires 40 wins with one character.

I beasted a four man combat match today with the Green Knight and played another four or so matches with the same group - unfortunately those assholes kept choosing crap like Beefy and Treasure so I didn't get any additional wins (I have huge problems moving around in Beefy and Treasure is nothing but luck). And the rest of the time I couldn't find a fucking match. Really starting to hate this game...

[Persona]

You guys help each other do the princess one?

[Foxhole]

Yeah, you've already won a bunch of princesses, and they already count, just remember which princess you haven't gotten yet.

[Apathy Wind]

P - you already have at least two of the four from our initial three man team-up (Cyclops and Ice King I think). I actually only had to get the Cyclops myself as I managed wins in the other three during our Insane run - you should be able to finish off Kay Aye Ess Ess easily.

I'm nickel and diming my way to the Arena trophy - albeit very slowly. We need to get together with Shiny or Style and get that Medic thing out of the way - it's difficulty in light of it's utter simplicity is becoming a point of contention

[Persona]

I'm probably missing the 1st princess. Helpy please~

[Foxhole]

Sure, I'll come on right now to see.