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Mega Man 4 Guide > Dr. Cossack's Castle > Stage Two

This stage puts you at the bottom of a vertical shaft, and you can choose from two ladders. The one on the left is likely to result in Mega Man taking damage, and that's even possible on the right side. However, I recommend the right side. There, you'll just run into one of the steel trap jaws. Climb up through the gap between its teeth, and get to the top of the ladder. Then hop from there to the purple-colored pillar. Now slide partway through that gap, then back over to the right. This should lure the enemy from the ceiling so that you can pass safely through once it slides out of the way. Then you can cross over to the platform it occupied and from there to the ladder.

Climb the ladder up into the next room, and from there head to the right. You will soon come to a tube in the ceiling, from which skull enemies will drop. Shoot them and stand to the right of where those fall, then use the Rush Jet to ride over the spiky pit.

Along the way, you'll want to grab a special item refill from one of the ledges. As you're nearing the end, make sure the jet is riding high enough that you can jump from it to the ladder. Climb up the ladder to its top.

If you look left, you'll see a series of four blocks that will allow you to reach the ladder at the top left side of the screen. However, spikes extend from the blocks. They will switch between vertical and horizontal alignment from time to time. You want to hop across as they are pointed ways that won't harm you. Jump out to the first block, then the second, then wait to jump to the third and fourth blocks as the spikes are about to switch position again (arrows flash on the blocks just before they change).

When you reach that ladder, climb up to the next room and employ the same basic strategy. This area is much more difficult, but you should still be able to reach the ladder on the screen's upper left side.

In the next area, you'll have to use a balloon to ride up to the ledge, and make your way to the right. Here, some of the same rolling enemies from Drill Man's stage will make an appearance, so shoot them quickly. If you don't, they turn to their invulnerable state, and from there about all that can happen is that they'll knock you around several times while you're trapped on the ledge. Past these hazards, you'll find a ladder leading up to the next screen.

The next screen is just a simple one. Climb up the ladder along the right side, up to the top and from there jump left onto the next ledge. Drop down to the lower portion of that ledge and shoot the enemy as it detaches itself from the ceiling, and then from there jump left to the ladder and climb up to the next screen.

In this room, you'll see an energy tank resting on a ledge near the top. Start by climbing directly up the ladder, almost to the top of the screen. You should pass through a steel trapjaw as you do so. Then wait until it clamps shut just below you. Now climb back down through the opening when it's safe, and drop from the ladder while holding to the right. You'll pass through the opening. Walk to the right, then hop up the ledges and look back left. Use a drill missile to break the barrier, then drop down to the middle of the levels to the left. From the edge of that, jump and wrap your way back around to the top ledge, then claim your energy tank prize.

With that done, slide through the gap and into the next screen. You can use the Balloon adaptor here to get high enough to use the blocks and reach the 1-up icon, or you can just take the sensible route and pass through the gate leading to the area boss.

Sectioned Room


This battle is a tough one if you try and use your regular arm cannon, but the dust cannon is going to do a great job for you if you choose to use it.

When the battle first starts, three segments of an octagonal room will fly across the screen. Depending on their speed, you should be able to tell if they will join at the screen's center, or if they will just whiz by in an attempt to crush you. If the latter is the case, slide under the lowest section.

If, however, the pieces are sliding relatively slowly, hop up into the bottom piece, slide under the first wall of the middle piece as it approaches, then when the unit snaps into place, use the lifts inside to ride up so that you're to the left or right of the red jewel. Avoid any shots and use the dust cannon to shoot the jewel. You should be able to hit the jewel two or three times each time the segments come together.

Once the jewel has been hit around nine times in total, you'll be victorious.

NEXT: Stage Three