Episode 1: Magma Volcano Base

[Sunflora Azumarill]

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[----------------------------FOREST HIGHWAY---------------------------]
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Here it is, the first area of the game. While things may seem difficult at times here, this happens to be a good stage for learning the basics of the game. You start the stage by falling downward, seeing a volcano in the distance, and dropping into a dense forest upon landing. You end up on a narrow path bordered by large, tropical trees and plants. From there, head forward until you run into your first Team Magma guard. He only has a Vulcan Rifle, so take him out quickly and continue forward, collecting a Potion for if you took any damage from the guard. After the Potion, the path makes a 45-degree right turn and you’ll run into a different kind of enemy, a Mecha Torkoal (2). There are two of them here, but you should be able to take them out easily. After the robots, you’ll come to another item, an X Attack. This increases your basic attack power, so collect it. At a 45-degree right turn, you’ll run into two Magma Grunts (VR). Take them out and continue forward. The path here is littered by several large plants known as block plants. These can be destroyed by attacks (more easily by Fire attacks), and if you destroy some of them, you’ll find another Potion and an X Speed, which makes you faster. Keep going forward until two more Magma Grunts (VR) assault you. After them, the path slopes upward until you reach another 45-degree left turn. Here, there are more block plants, which hide yet another Potion and an X Defense, which increases defense. This path is littered with four robots called Lairon Rovers (1). They’re widely spaced, but will charge at you if they see you. At the end of the path happens to be a female Magma guard (VR). Defeat her and you’ll see a set of springs what you can bounce off of. Use them to bounce forward into a large, open area of the forest.

In the middle of this opening, you’ll land on a large highway bridge that extends further into the stage towards the left. You also land on a checkpoint in the middle of the highway, meaning that if you lose a life by any means other than a mission failure, you’ll restart here. To the right of where you land happens to be two X Attacks next to a large roadblock barrier. The roadblocks are red colored and have square-shaped digital flashing signs in the middle indicating a “do Not Enter” symbol. There’s nothing else along this way so instead, head back the other way and down the highway. Here, three Magma Grunts (VR) will drop down and attack. Defeat them and keep along the highway. After the guards, the highway starts sloping down a good distance until it comes to two large red trucks with the Team Magma symbol on the sides. These trucks resemble that of the one that Professor Krane was taken into in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. You’ll also notice some cylinder-shaped pillars moving up and down beyond the edge of the highway that look exactly like they do from Mission Street in Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, except red colored. Use the seven here to reach another stretch of highway above, where there are three Mecha Torkoals (1) that attack you. Once you’re past them, continue down the highway to a point where three more Magma Grunts (VR) attack you near another Team Magma Truck. After dealing with them, you’ll notice the highway makes a 45-degree right turn ahead and the left railings have large, red, flashing arrow signs pointing right.

Along the turn, collect two Potions for in case you got a in a tussle earlier. Things have not been levied yet, as another Magma guard will attack, this time, with a flamethrower. You’ll see her using it in the distance, so wait until she stops and then defeat her. If you took on damage, there’s a Potion right next to a different kind of Team Magma truck, one that is equipped with a heavy-duty crane system in the back. After the truck, the highway slopes upward, and three Magma guards (VR) are spaced along it. After defeating them and reaching the peak of the rise, watch out for a squad of five Lairon Rovers (1). The center one is actually a different color than the others, meaning it’s a Tier 2. If you destroy this one, all the other Lairon Rovers will be destroyed with it. Either way, keep going at this point and you’ll eventually reach two more Magma Grunts (VR) in front of a dead-end marked by more roadblock barriers. Defeat them and look over the roadblocks. You’ll see a swing-like vine over them. Jump onto it and swing on it until you reach the apex of the swing, then let go to be swung to the right onto another narrow ground path. Another checkpoint resides here, and the path is littered with more block plants. Take out the ones here to find a Potion, an X Attack, and an X Defense, but three Mecha Torkoals (1) also reside here. Get past them and the path will slope downward. After the slope, you’ll run into three more Magma guards (2 VR, 1 FL). Defeat them and you’ll come to another opening, but this one is more closed than the one containing the highway. Jump onto another vine here and use it to swing to another vine, which will swing you to a third vine. That vine will swing you to solid ground.

Along this path, in addition to your typical block plants, there are also bigger ones that require stronger attacks to destroy. Destroying the small ones will net you a Potion and an X Speed, but one of the bigger ones hides a 1UP, which will give you another chance should you die. This path also has four Lairon Rovers (1) to watch out for. The path will then slope downward and there will be three Mecha Torkoals (1) along this path in addition to more block plants and there is a pair of big block plants to the right partway through. If you get rid of these, you’ll find a small area containing a 1UP near a cliff that overlooks the clearing you were previously in. At the end of this path, two more Team Magma (2 VR) guards will attack. After defeating them, keep forward and you’ll come to a Jump Ramp. Use it to boost back into the large open area with the highway, which you’ll land back on. If you head left along the highway, you’ll see it slope down and four Mecha Torkoals (1) along the slope. At the bottom of the slope, there is a group of six Lairon Rovers (1) along the path, an H2S04 Scope, which will allow Poison attacks to hurt enemies like Lairon Rovers, a Potion, an X Attack, an X Defense, and once you reach the end of the highway, which is marked by more roadblock barriers, you’ll find a 1UP locked in a fiery dome. This is a Magma Cage, and only by defeating the Lairon Rovers along the path will the cage open, allowing you to collect the 1UP. Back in the right direction, you’ll notice more cylindrical platforms near the right and left edges of the highway, slowing moving up and down. A Mecha Torkoal (1) is perched on each pillar, six in total, and two Magma Grunts (VR) attack you as well. After getting by them, you’ll reach the third checkpoint of the stage, right in front of another crane-carrying Team Magma truck.

Keep along the highway and you’ll notice several stacks and groups of wooden crates with the Team Magma symbol on them. You can break these crates for a Potion and an X Speed, but three more Magma guards (VR) also attack here, so defeat them and keep going until you reach another dead-end indicated by roadblocks. Here, there are two sets of three cylinder platforms, one set on each side, that you can use to go upward to another part of the highway. Next to another roadblock barrier is a Potion you should collect for the road ahead. Further down the highway, there is a long downward sloping section with more cylinder platforms on each side of the highway, six of them. Perched on two of them are Team Magma Grunts (VR) that you need to defeat. Once the highway levels off once more, you’ll run into a group of two Mecha Torkoals (1), three Lairon Rovers (1), and two Magma guards (VR) amidst more crates and Team Magma trucks, one of them a crane-carrying one. You can also grab a Potion from the back of the crane truck and an X Speed hidden in a crate stack near to the first truck. After getting by the equipment, the highway will make a 45-degree left turn, with six red arrow signs pointing to the left. After the turn, you’ll run into a group of three Magma guards (2 VR, 1 FL) standing in front on a moving horizontal cylinder system exactly like the ones seen in Radical Highway in Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, except red. After defeating the guards, use the X button to slide under the cylinder and be boosted onto a line of Dash Panels. From here, you’ll be boosted along the highway at high speeds, passing by a total of three Lairon Rovers (1) and two Mecha Torkoals (1), plus a Potion and an X Speed, and making a downward slope at the start of the dash and further down the path, an upward slope that leads to a Jump Ramp that will boost you to another stretch of highway. Here, the highway makes another 45-degree left turn and after the turn, there is a long, downward sloping section with more cylinder platforms on each side and six Mecha Torkoals (1) on them. At the end of the slope, a set of springs will boost you onto another vine.

From the vine, swing to another one of the left side and then to another and then one more. You’ll come to a small area of solid ground, but a large shrub blocks the way. If your character has a Pokémon with a Strong Fire-attack or Explosion, you can take out the shrub and take a shortcut through the stage. If not, there’s a spring on this ledge as well. Use it to bounce onto another vine and from there, swine across two more vines and you’ll reach a higher area of highway. Here, three Magma guards (2 VR, 1 FL) drop down in front of a Magma truck. Take out all three and keep going down the path, which slopes upward. Once you reach the top of the slope, you’ll pass through a group of five Mecha Torkoals (1). You’ll also notice about six cylinder platforms moving up and down above the path. If you manage to jump onto one of them (Liza’s the best person for the job), you’ll reach a stationary cylinder with a 1UP to collect. After this section, keep going until you reach another horizontal cylinder with the stage’s fourth checkpoint in front of it. Pass under it to enter another speed section. You’ll be boosted on wide lines of dash panels as the highway slopes downward, then levels off. After the slope, there are several Magma trucks, both regular and crane carrying, that can slow you down if you run into them. If you look to your left right before reaching the first truck, you’ll notice another cylinder platform to the left of the highway with a spring on it. To reach this, you’ll have to jump to the left off the road as it slopes down. If you land on it, you’ll be bounced to another cylinder platform on the other side with a spring on it as well, and that will bounce you to another, and then another before springing you to a vine, which the normal path leads to. The normal path has Jump Ramps at the end that boost you onto the vine, and the path is littered with 6 Lairon Rovers (1). Use the vine to swing across two more to reach the next path.

You’ll end up on a path of solid ground, but will land of Dash Panels as soon as you land. From there, you’ll weave by several block plants, which hold nothing too important, even though you can find one of two Potions hidden within them. When the path makes a 45-degree right turn, don’t take the Dash Panels here, as this path has five Magma Grunts (3 VR, 2 FL) along it, plus some big block plants. Fake care of the guards and destroy the plants for an X Attack, an X Speed, and a Gravity Scope. The left flora border of the path will eventually disappear to overlook another large clearing, so be careful not to fall here. Along this part of the path, six Mecha Torkoals (1) will suddenly teleport onto the scene. Get past them and the set of big block plants at the end of the path where plants and trees make up a left border once again. Along this stretch of path, five more Magma guards (2 VR, 3 FL) will attack you. Defeat them all and a Magma Cage at the end of the path will open up to reveal a set of springs that will boost you back onto the highway. Since the shortcut ends about here, here’s the info on the shortcut. From where it begins, you’ll take a 45-degree right turn path. Here, you can take out the block plants for tons of items, including 2 Potions, 2 X Defenses, and two X Speeds. At the end of the path, the same set of three Magma guards will jump down. Defeat them and the path will make a 45-degree right turn where it overlooks yet another clearing and slopes down. Here, there are five Potions situated to the left of the path, forming a V-shape over the expanse. Homing attack across the line of them and if you collect all five of them, a 1UP will appear on the path. After this area, the path will make a 45-degree right turn as you leave the clearing. Here, defeat the five Magma Grunts from the main path and use the string of Dash Panels to be boosted along the path until you reach a guardrail-like rail back in the main area. You will grind the rail through the opening and under the highway where you would boost by the Magma trucks. You’ll grind all the way to another area of solid ground where the rail ends.

Here, more Dash Panels will boost you along the path and into another opening. Here, a spring will bounce you off the edge of the path and onto a spring on the side of a large tree in the expanse, and that one will bounce you to another, and then to another, and that one will bounce you onto another path. Here, the last five Magma Grunts from the main path will attack you. Defeat each of them and you can check the big block plants here for more items, this time around, 3 Potions, 2 X Attacks, an X Speed, and also a switch. When the path makes a 45-degree left turn, use sets of Dash Panels here to sprint along the path until you reach a Jump Ramp that will boost you back onto the highway. You’ll land at the edge of this stretch of highway, where roadblock barriers border the edge, and there is a Magma Cage here. The switch you should have found opens this cage, and it contains the stage’s Full Restore. From there, head up a sloping section of highway to reach where the two paths meet. If you took the normal path, you won’t be able to collect the Full Restore since you never found the switch for the cage. Along the main path, keep heading forward and you’ll find more stacks of Magma crates, but a group of six Lairon Rovers (1) will knock them down, cluttering the road with the crates. Break the crates for items such as a Potion, an X Attack, and an X Speed. After the crate mess, you’ll come to a large break in the highway and there are three groups of cylinder platforms, seven in each, over the expanse. The center platforms are stationary, and there is a Mecha Torkoal (2) perched on each of them. Make your way across the platforms and you’ll reach another stretch of highway that’s cluttered with more Magma trucks and also has a total of six Magma guards (3 VR, 3 FL) patrolling it. There are also six more cylinder platforms over the sides of the highway, and a Lairon Rover (2) is on each of them. Since you can’t defeat the robots here (they’re too high), dodge their spiked balls and take out the guards instead. Check behind one of the trucks for an X Speed.

After getting by some more equipment, the path will make a 45-degree right turn, with arrow signs on the left curve to indicate the turn. Here, defeat four more Team Magma guards (3 VR, 3 FL) standing in front of another checkpoint and horizontal cylinder, cross the checkpoint, then slide under the cylinder and begin another speed run. Here, Dash Panels will shoot you up an upward slope where upon reaching the top, you’ll pass by several stationary cylinder platforms on the path. Swerve to the left of the platforms to collect a Potion and swerve to the right for an X Speed. After the cylinders, you’ll hit another row of Dash Panels that will send you down a downward slope and past six Mecha Torkoals (1). At the end of the run, you’ll hit a spring at the edge of the highway, indicated by roadblock barriers, and land on a pulley. Use the pulley to lift up to another stretch of highway. Along this path, you’ll have to take down six Magma Grunts (4 VR, 2 FL) that are along the path. By doing so, you’ll unlock a Magma Cage containing a spring that will bounce you up to a higher section of highway. Here, use more Dash Panels to weave by stacks of Magma crates and more Magma trucks. There are also six cylinder platforms on each edge of the path, and a Mecha Torkoal (1) on each one. Collect an X Defense to the right of one of the left trucks and you’ll come to a large bridge. It happens to look similar to the ones seen in Radical Highway in Mission Street in Sonic Adventure 2 Battle. Anyway, cross the bridge and there will be
six more Magma guards (3 VR, 3 FL) waiting to ambush you as you cross the bridge. Take care of all of them and collect 2 Potions you’ll find along the way. Only some left to go.

However, if you’re playing as Cissy, the second you reach the halfway point on the bridge, Danny will jump down. After a brief and suggestive conversation, you’ll have to fight him. Danny will constantly run around the area, occasionally bringing out either Nidoqueen or Scyther to use Earthquake (Nidoqueen) or Cut (Scyther). Avoid his attacks (jump to dodge Earthquake) for 30 seconds. At that point, a bomb siren will go off indicating there’s a bomb under the bridge and more along the path to the volcano. (You’ll see a quick cutscene of the bomb hanging from the bottom of the bridge. The bomb is large and is cubic-trapezoid shaped with lighted lines going down all four sides.) You’ll have only five minutes to reach the goal before it’s too late. If you don’t make it in time, you’ll see a cutscene of above the forest with the volcano in view, and then a large explosion will burst out of the forest near the volcano, indicating that you and Danny have been destroyed. Danny will follow you here on in.

Anyway, from this point, you can see the base of the volcano in the distance, indicating you’re getting close to it. Head down the rest of the bridge, where you’ll pass through another checkpoint and also see small towers with red lights on top of them on each side of the bridge. If you’re playing as Cissy, the lights will spin around and flash red, lighting up the entire stage, along with an alarm indicating the bomb threat. Anyway, further down the bridge, you’ll have to defeat or pass by six Lairon Rovers (1). You can also collect an X Speed as well before the bridge ends. After the bridge ends, the path goes back to the highway, but there are more alarm towers on the sides. At this point, the path will slope downward as you hit a line of Dash Panels. After the path levels out, you’ll pass by more Team Magma trucks, with five Magma Grunts (4 VR, 1 FL) to defeat along the way. You can also collect an X Defense on one of the crane-carrying trucks here. At the end of the path, hit a set of springs at the edge of the highway, indicated by roadblock barriers, to bounce to a vine. Swing forward to another vine, and then swing from that one to the left to another, and then to a pulley that will pull you up to a cliff to the left. From there, jump onto the cliff and take a solid ground path through the forest (the red lights still illuminate the area). Here, take out four Mecha Torkoals (1) and destroy the block plants for a Potion and an X Attack. Once you reach the end of the path, it will make a 45-degree right turn and start sloping upward. Here, defeat three more Team Magma guards (2 VR, 1 FL) and keep going. At the top, Dash Panels will boost you onto another level path making a 45-degree left turn and with a clearing to your left. Here, simply cruise along the panels until you reach a Jump Ramp, which will shoot you into the clearing, landing you on a vine. Swing to another vine and then to another to your left, then you’ll land on a spring on the side of a large tree and be bounced to another spring and finally land on a solid ground path further ahead. Here, keep down the path, but you can slow down a little to destroy a few bib block plants and collect some items, including a Potion, an X Attack, and a 1UP. At the end of the path, defeat three Lairon Rovers (1) to open the Magma Cage containing a set of springs that will boost you onto a vine. Swing from that vine back onto the highway. You may head right upon landing to collect two Potions near two Mecha Torkoals (2) near the edge of the highway next to a set of roadblock barriers.

Anyway, head left upon landing to reach another horizontal cylinder and slide under it. You’ll hit the Dash Panels and go boosting down a slope with more cylinder platforms near the sides of the path. At the bottom of the slope, you’ll pass by five more Lairon Rovers (1) before reaching a set of cylinder platforms moving upward. Make your way up the set of ten to reach the top. Upon reaching the top, you’ll hit more Dash Panels and notice the highway make a 45-degree right turn, with arrow signs of the left curve. After the curve, the path slopes down a little to reach a set of six rails at the edge of the highway. When on a rail, use the X button to perform a 360 and gain more speed. While grinding these rails, you’ll pass by several more cylinder platforms, both moving and stationary, and there are four Lairon Rovers (2) on some of the stationary ones. Also, halfway down the rails, get on the second one to the left and when you approach a cylinder to your left, collect an X Speed above it. At the end of the rails, four more Magma guards (2 VR, 2 FL) will attack you. Get rid of them and continue down the path until you see a group of six Mecha Torkoals (1). The center one is a Tier 2, so defeat it to get rid of the whole set. Now for the last stretch, hit the Dash Panel after them to go zooming down the highway. There are more Dash Panels along the way and also the stage’s last six Magma Grunts (3 VR, 3 FL). If you’re an expert, you can home attack each of them while boosting down the road. After the fourth one, the path will slope upward and two of them will attack on the slope. After getting past the last Grunt, you’ll reach a wide Jump Ramp at the edge of the highway, which will boost you onto a spring situated on a cylinder to the left. That one will send you to a spring on one of the alarm towers and then to one on another tower and then one that’s on a cylinder and then one more on a tower. You’ll fly all the way to another stretch of highway at the end, with the edge there bordered by roadblock barriers. From here, use the Dash Panels to sprint all the way to the volcano’s base. Eventually, you’ll see the highway start going over the rocky base of the volcano, but a Goal Gate stands in your way at the volcano’s base, with impassible roadblock barriers behind it. This is the end of the stage, and by going through the Goal Gate, you have completed the stage.

[Sunflora Azumarill]

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[-----------------------------RED MOUNTAIN----------------------------]
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You’ll start this stage by running past a few Kikis to find a rocket. Use it to go up and hold the wristrap forward to fall through a Potion on your way down. Upon landing, two Team Magma guards greet you, Magma Bazookas and all. Take care of them and also take out the Magma Sign on the wall. After doing so, pass under the spike balls and avoid two electric barriers, then jump to the ladder. Cross it, collecting rings as you go, to find a few Bladed Spinners. Get past them and you’ll find a few bridges. Watch out for the Claydol Drone (1) here, because if it detects you while you’re making the jump, several Mecha Torkoals (2) and Mechcargoes (1) will teleport onto the bridges, making things considerably harder for you. Cross the bridges, taking out the Kikis and three Magma Grunts (2 VR, 1 FM) along the way (don’t forget a Magma Poster here) and use a spring to bounce up to the peak of the mountain. Here, you’ll have to defeat two Magma Grunts (FL) and also three Mecha Torkoals (1) to drop the electrical wall blocking your way. Once they’re down, run across the bridge to find and the first checkpoint of the stage.

After the bridge, you’ll find a rocket pad with no rocket. You’ll need to find a switch to bring the rocket up. It’s right around the corner under a spiky ball. There’s also a Magma Sign next to it, too. When the spike is up, run under and press the switch, then backtrack to find the rocket, but a Magma Grunt (FGL) and Mechcargo (1) have also dropped down here Defeat them and use the rocket to reach the next summit. Even though you see bars you can cross, jump onto a set of crates to the right and jump to the nearby spring from them. Bounce from the next spring you come to and you’re on another summit. Another electric wall blocks your progress and a few more have been placed around the area. Defeat the two Lairon Rovers (1), two Mecha Torkoals (2), and Claydol Drone (1) to drop the electrical shield. Take care of the Spinners that are beyond them and then run through the checkpoint.

Traverse the bridge here to reach a new area. Things get hotter here, so be careful. Take down four Team Magma guards (2 VR, 1 FGL) as well as the Magma Poster on the Wall, the carefully pass under the spiked balls and quickly pass over the fiery spots to minimize the possibility of becoming roasted. You can also be flung over five Mechcargoes (1) that inhabit these hot springs in the process. After reaching the end, you’ll fins a 1UP and s spring. Use the 1UP to reach the spring and be launched across the gorge and into a ring of fire. Destroy the Gola generating the fire, bash the Magma Sign erected on the edge of the summit, and then wait for the electric shield to fall. When it does, jump to an object to your left. It happens to be a pulley, and you’ll ride it right into the next checkpoint.

From here, jump to the platform to your right, then jump to the one on your left. Watch out, as there’s a skull statue here that breathes fire from time to time. Also, while the first two Claydol Drones (1) fire lasers, the third carries a scanner that will summon in several Lairon Rovers (2) on the platforms. Some more jumping takes you to a spring, and that’ll take you to a Potion. Claim it and then try to cross the molten bridge before it collapses from your weight. If you do fall, be comforted that there’s a Potion towards the back, but be discomforted that there are more fire-breathing skull statues all around you, four unhappy Team Magma Grunts (2 VR, 2 MB), and a Mecha Torkoal (1) here as well. In order to get back up, you’ll need to defeat them to drop the Magma Cage holding the spring. However way you make your way across the bridge, whether directly or the spring below it, you’ll come to a ledge where you can see fire billowing from an opening and a Magma Sign.

To the left here are some more Spinners. Home attack them to reach another 1UP. After collecting it, defeat the lone Magma Grunt (FAC), deface the Magma Poster, and jump to a yellow panel. Jump on it to trigger a jump sequence that leads to another series of Spinners and a Claydol Drone (1). Homing attack across them to reach another spring. Bounce on it and you’ll come to another. Here, time you bounce so that you pass between the grated platforms tilting left and right above. When you do, jump to the upper one and repeat the process. You’ll reach the next checkpoint on top of the summit.

From there, run across the bridge, but stop after you crossed it. There’s another fire-breathing skull here to watch out for. After the skull, jump past it to reach a solid bridge. Defeat three more Magma Grunts (2 VR, 1 FAC) and jumping over another electric barrier, then make your way by two Mecha Torkoals (1) and another electric barrier to find a few springs. Run into the right one to be shot through a Potion, then continue down the path afterward. Here, there is a group of six Mechcargoes, the middle one being a Tier 2. Defeat that one to get rid of all of them. You’ll then find a rocket pad and a Magma Poster. Dispatch the poster and for the rocket, the switch for it lies under a crushing hammer and is guarded by three female Magma Grunts (MB). Defeat them, then wait for the hammer to rise, run in, and hit the switch to get the rocket to come out. Ride the rocket upward and hold forward as you do to reach another checkpoint.

The lava pit here is your first encounter with Camerupt Tanks (1), four of them. They’ll rise out of the magma and spew lava of their own all over the place. There’s also a Kiki here you should defeat and two more Magma guards (FL) as well. After taking care of all of them, use the nearby crates to reach a series of bars that go over the lava. Jump from one set to the next and you’ll have eventually passed over the lava pit. Get a Potion from behind the rocks and then go on top of the bars to find a Magma Sign to destroy. After you’re done with that, there’s a machine nearby and also a cable car. Defeat 3 more Magma guards (1 VR, 2 FM) and then ride the cable car to reach an isolated ledge. Drop into the hole here that opens to reach the next area.

After entering the inner area, head through the first tunnel, getting rings along the way and also taking care of five Team Magma Grunts (3 VR, 1 FGL, 1 MB) After them, you’ll reach a fork in the road consisting of a staircase and a ground path. Take the stairs up and stop in the middle to see an opening at the end. Dash through it using the stairs as a ramp to collect an X Speed. The lower path has 3 Mecha Torkoals (1) and a Camerupt Tank (1) that you should just avoid. After them, defeat of pass by five Lairon Rovers (2), get onto the left wall, and then lower yourself to the floor. At the very end is a spring.

Bounce on it to floating platform in the magma. Jump across it and more like it, while watching out for five Camerupt Tanks in the magma near them until you reach solid ground. Here, defeat a male Magma Grunt with a Magma Cannon and collect an X Defense, then home attack across the Spinners to land on a create and defeating a Kiki on it. Now for the next part, drop down and jump to the platform ahead. The magma starts to rise. Run through it (but not too fast), defeat two Claydol Drones, and you’ll reach a checkpoint.

Use a spring to reach a rock, but keep moving as the magma is still rising and home attack the next few Spinners. You’ll eventually reach solid ground again. Defeat 3 Lairon Rovers (2) and 3 Mechcargoes (2), dash forward, then jump at the end to an island with two Golas and three Magma Grunts (FL) on it. Defeat the grunts and take an X Attack and an X Speed for yourself before jumping onto the floating platforms. Cross over the magma with them and you’ll reach a new platform, where two Claydol Drones (2) watch over a spring locked in a Magma Cage. Take care of them to unlock the cage and take the spring up to three more platforms in the magma. Home attack the Spinners here and watch out for three more Camerupt Tanks (1) to reach a few graves, a bridge and three Team Magma guards (MB) to defeat.

After defeating them, dash across the bridge, and you’ll reach a few crates. Take the Potion on top before dashing across another bridge. Here, home attack across a Claydol Drone (2) and watching out for six Camerupt Tanks (1) all around you. If you defeat the Drone, you’ll also take out the Tanks. Further along the way are a few more platforms, three Camerupt Tanks (2), one bridge, three Magma Grunts (2 VR, 1 FAC), three Mecha Torkoals (2), and two Kikis. After them, you’ll reach a spring. Use it to bounce to another strip of land and boost though the Dash Panels and you’ll fly right to a ledge right in front of Team Magma’s Lab. Congratulations! Walk into the Goal Grate in front of the doors to finally finish this stage!

[Sunflora Azumarill]

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[-------------------------------MAGMA LAB-----------------------------]
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Start the stage by heading down the short hall and defeating the two Team Magma Grunts (VR) in front of the first door. Once that’s done, you’ll enter another corridor that heads to the left. Head up the slope after two Mecha Torkoals (1) and defeat a third (2) on the slope. When you reach the next door, defeat the two Mechcargos (1) in front of the flame-shielded doors to put out the fire. Then head through. You’ll emerge in a massive room filled with lava and platforms. Upon entry, there’s what looks like a TV floating above the ground. If you use the X Button to read it, it’ll state “MAGMA STORAGE CHAMBER SW”. Head down the walkway, defeating the Magma Grunt in your way (Watch out, she’s got a Magma Cluster!), and jump to a platform, which floats in the lava and has the Team Magma symbol on it. At this point, watch out for the flame jets shooting out of the nearby pillars (with lava flowing up them) as you jump between the second and third platforms. Collect a Potion on the third platform if you’ve taken any damage, then jump to your left onto another walkway and run past five Camerupt Tanks (1) and bounce up the spring. You’ll reach a higher platform where two Claydol Drones (2) are to your right. Homing attack across them to reach a catwalk next to the wall, then make your way to the right, but watch out for the molten flame jets that shoot out of the wall. At the other end of the room, you’ll reach a balcony and doors.

Head through the doors, cross the checkpoint and defeat four Team Magma Grunts (2 FAC, 1 MB, 1 w/shield) in your way. You’ll cross a short walkway spanning a lava river. To your left and right are just dead-ends with pipes pouring magma into the river. After the walkway, you’ll reach another walkway with the same setup as the first one, but there is are two Mechcargoes (2) on the walkway as well. After passing them, you’ll make a 45-degree right turn. Here, dodge the red lasers moving across the wall and defeat the five Lairon Rovers (2) on the ground. You’ll come to another 45-degree right turn that slopes downward and takes into a room with a large lava pool. Here, you’ll have to quickly make your way across the platforms floating in the magma since they sink shortly after you step on them. Be careful of the four Hover Houndooms (1) in here as well, but you can home attack across one to the left to reach a 1-UP and a Potion.

Head through the next set of doors to reach a shaft. Bounce off the Claydol Drone (1) to reach a pulley that will pull you up to the top of the shaft, land on the balcony to your left, and head through the doors. Shortly down the next hall, the floor will end and a lava river will take its place. Here, there are two paths you can take. You can take the short spring sequence across the lava-filled hall or you can home attack across the three Hover Houndooms (1) to open the Magma Cage on the other side containing two X Attacks. Either way, on the other side, defeat a squad of five Team Magma Grunts (2 FL, 1 FGL, 1 MCA, 1 w/shield) and make a left turn to head down a sloping hall to another wider lava river. Here, cross the moving platform going left and right in the magma to reach the other side. After that, you’ll reach 2 Team Magma Grunts (MCA). Defeat them and head down the 45-degree right turn to reach another set of doors. Head through and rush across the Dash Panels under some moving red lasers and make another 45-degree right turn that will shoot you into another large lava chamber.

You’ll shoot over three Camerupt Tanks (2) and then land on a solid platform near the lava’s edge with a checkpoint in the middle. There is a half-ring of flames shooting out of the magma that’s in your way. You’ll need to defeat the three Hover Houndooms (2 Tier 1, 1 Tier 2) to drop the fire curtain and then jump onto a small pillar jutting out of the lava and bounce off the spring on it to a higher platform to your forward-right. On this platform, there is a Magma Eye (a red ball floating over a spike) that will shoot flames at you. Get past it and jump to another platform with another Magma Eye and another platform with a third Magma Eye and from there, to a larger platform. Here, you’ll experience Vulcan Rifle fire as three Team Magma Grunts sit atop distant pillars to your right. Either use a ranged attack or the hidden reusable rocket pad behind some breakable Magma crates to knock them off their perches and into the magma. There’s also a floating TV here that states “MAGMA STORAGE CHAMBER NW”. Once that’s done, the Magma Cage on the platform’s left edge will open up and you can use the spring to bounce to a set of grates on the wall. Climb up the grates until they make a left turn and head left until the grates go up again. As you climb up here, watch out for the triple sets of molten flame jets that will make your grate a grill if you’re not careful. At the top of the grates, head right across the next flow of them and be careful of the two Claydol Drones (3), the second of which has a holo-scanner which will teleport in several Hover Houndooms (2) if you’re caught. At the end of the wall grates, you’ll find a set of horizontal grates going backwards from your point of view. Climb onto them and shimmy forward, but watch out of the large flame jets that shoot at you from above. After two flame jets, the grates will make a left turn before ending shortly. Drop down from here onto another platform with 2 Magma Grunts (1 FAC, 1 MCL) to take care of. After that, bounce off the spring in front of you to reach a balcony with a set of doors.

After entering the hall, head forward, cross a checkpoint, and you’ll reach a set of flame-shielded doors where your first Magma Soldier (1) will drop down. This hulking robot’s tough, but after defeating it you’ll be able to head through the doors and then through another set of doors to reach a red-tinted restroom hall. There’s a men’s restroom to your left and a women’s restroom to your right at the hall’s center. You won’t be able to head through the doors at the other end until you take care of whatever’s in your character’s designated restroom. If you’re using a male character, head into the men’s restroom where you’ll see stalls to your left, sinks to your right, and Harland in the middle. Harland will attack you with both a flame grenade launcher and a Magma Cannon. As you fight him, in this order, two Mecha Torkoals (2), two Mechcargos (2), and three Lairon Rovers (3) will teleport into the room. Once they and Harland are subdued, the doors outside will unlock. If you’re using a female character, head into the female’s restroom where you’ll see stalls to your right, sinks to your left, and Tabitha in the middle. Tabitha will attack you with both a Vulcan Rifle and a Magma Cluster. As you fight her, in this order, two Mecha Torkoals (2), two Claydol Drones (2), and three Hover Houndooms (3) will teleport into the room. Once they and Tabitha are subdued, the doors outside will unlock. If you’re using Duplica, you’ll have to enter both restrooms to unlock the doors. Disguise yourself as a male after dealing with Tabitha to enter the men’s restroom.

Regardless of which Admin (or Admins) you fought, head through the doors and take out the three Magma Grunts (1 MCA, 1 MCL, 1 w/shield) in the hall, which then makes a sharp right turn and goes into a lava pool area. Here, there are more of those sinking platforms, but this time, there are also flame jets that shoot out of the left and right walls of the room and a Camerupt Tank (2) in the middle of the magma. Quickly make your way across one set of platforms when the flame jets go down, being sure to also dodge the Camerupt Tank’s eruptions. On the other side, another short hall with another Team Magma Grunt (FL) will end with a shaft that you must fall down, but watch out for the cross of red lasers on the way down as well as another at the shaft’s bottom. Collect a Potion here in the corner, then head through the doors in front of you. In this hall, there is a Claydol Drone (3) equipped with a scanner that will bring in a multitude of Mecha Torkoals (3) and Mechcargos (3) if it catches you. After the Claydol Drone is a sharp left turn in the hall where you’ll head down a ramp into a room with a Magma Cage containing a spring to get to the next door. Here, 2 Magma Soldiers (1) will drop down from above. Defeat them to open the cage and take the spring to the next room. You can search behind some steel Magma crates to your left for a 1-UP.

After heading through the door, you’ll head through a short hall containing two Magma Grunts (MCL) and a flame-shielded door in front of them. Defeat them to disable the shield and head through the doors. You’ll come to a large room that seems bare other than a total of six Team Magma Grunts (2 VR, 1 FM, 1 MCA, 2 w/shields), two Hover Houndooms (2), and four Lairon Rovers (3). The door is in the middle of the wall to your left and the floor here looks to be divided up into a grid by metal-holed bars in the floor. Head a little through the room towards one of the bars and a flame wall will suddenly shoot out from the ground. As it turns out, you’ve just entered a fire maze! The flames create a maze you must make your way through to reach the door. To make things harder, every minute you’re in here, the flames will shift to change the maze’s setup, but there will always be a path to each Magma Grunt as well as a path to the door. In the upper right-hand corner of the maze is the stage’s Full Restore, but a lot of the time the flames may close it off to you.

After exiting the maze, you’ll end up in a hall that slopes a little downward and contains some laser grids. After the slope you’ll find a Team Magma Grunt (FGL) standing in front of a lava river spanning the next part of the hall. Defeat her and use the poles over the lava to make it to the other side. You’ll come to a large red door with glass-lined windows containing glowing red rods. The door will slowly open up into another large lava chamber. After stepping on the walkway here, the door will close. Cross the checkpoint in front of you and move forward. The lava in the room will start to slowly rise. There’s a floating TV here you may check out that states “MAGMA STORAGE CHAMBER NE, MAGMA DEFENSE SYSTEM”. Anyway, Jump to the platform to your left at the end of the walkway and defeat the Mechcargo (3) here. Jump to the next platform here where a Magma Eye will shoot flames at you. Dodge it and make it to the long platform to your right. Here, defeat the two Team Magma Grunts (1 VR, 1 FGL) and collect a Potion behind some wooden Magma crates (hurry, the magma’s rising). In the rising lava here are also six Camerupt Tanks (1). Use the spring to reach a catwalk on the wall and dodge the flame jets shooting at you from the nearby lava tube pillars. At the end of the catwalk is a Claydol Drone (2) you must homing attack to reach the next platform. Here, avoid another Magma Eye and defeat a Hover Houndoom (2). If you hear eruption sounds here, it’s because of two Camerupt Tanks (2) in the rising lava.

Jump to another platform where you’ll find another Magma Grunt (MCA) and a pole. Use the X button to spin up the pole and reach a higher platform to your left. On this platform are three unbreakable Magma crates arranged in a vertical line. Push the crates into a spaced horizontal line near the back edge of the platform, and then jump onto one of them. When the lava reaches the platform, the crates will float up with it. Along this magma ride, you’ll come across two three triple sets of molten flame jets. Jump onto whichever crate isn’t lined up with an active jet to avoid getting burned. After getting past the flame jets, you’ll see a spring on the wall. Use it to bounce backwards to another platform with a set of horizontal grates above it going forward. Quickly cross the grates until you reach a left turn. Take the turn and where the grate set ends and another begins is a Claydol Drone (3) you must home attack off of to reach the next set. The grates go diagonally up for a little, then straight until they reach a wall. Here, you must now climb up some vertical grates on the wall while still keeping ahead of the lava. The grates go right, up, left, slightly down, left, up, slightly left, up, slightly right, and then up once more. At the top of the grates to your left is a balcony with another large red door. Head through (this one opens faster than the other one) before the magma overtakes you.

You’ll enter a hallway containing five Team Magma Grunts (2 FAC, 1 MCL, 2 w/shields) and a scanner-equipped Claydol Drone (3). If caught, also have to fight off several Mecha Torkoals (3) to open the flame-shielded door in front of you. Once any Magma Grunts are taken care of, head through the door to reach one of the top sections of the lab. There are large, slanting windows to your far left at the ceiling, but all you can see through the windows is a rock wall. If you look down the edge of the path here, all you see is lava below flowing into whirlpools where lava falls meet and a lava pipe at the left wall (there’s another pipe at the right one as well). Down the path, defeat two Magma Grunts (VR) and you’ll reach a lava river flowing out of a pipe in the wall and going down the edge of the path (those are the source of the lava falls). Jump across the sinking platform to reach the other side. Here, watch out for flame jets shooting out of the walls and defeat two Mecha Torkoals (3). You’ll reach another lava river, but this time, it’s a moving platform that moves forward and back in the magma. Also, another flame jet is positioned over the middle of the lava pool. Use careful timing to make it to the other side. On the other side, there are two Magma Eyes and 4 more Magma Grunts (2 FM, 1 MCL, 1 w/shield) to defeat. You’ll reach another lava river where a platform moves left and right in the middle and a Claydol Drone (3) hovers over its path. After crossing this one, watch out for four Lairon Rovers (3). At the end of the path, there is another set of doors to your right. Head through and you’ll go down a long, downward sloping hall. Warning, there are flame jets that will shoot up, down, left, and right from the floor, wall, and ceilings of the corridor. Eventually, you’ll find a checkpoint in front of another set of doors.

Go through the doors to enter a large, square room containing an arena surrounded by lava and with a set of doors on the opposite side. There are also 2 lava pipes on each of the right and left walls and large Team Magma symbols over them in the walls. There short catwalks at both sets of doors going over the lava and what looks like a large red tank in the middle of the arena. Head onto the arena and flame shields will engulf both sets of doors while the catwalks sink into the lava. Then, another Team Magma Admin, Courtney will come out from the top of the tank, congratulate you for making is this far into Team Magma’s base, and tell you that you won’t go any further. After this scene, a midboss battle will begin.

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//Magma Admin Courtney//
Health: 100
Attack 1: Flame Turret – Courtney will fire a large, spreading flame stream from the tank’s turret. The flames leave a hot trail of fire on the ground as they pass by.
Attack 2: Magma Cannon – Courtney will fire a large blast of lava from the tank’s turret. Upon impact with the ground, the blast will leave a large molten puddle and throw flames onto the ground around it.
Attack 3: Firestorm Missiles – Ports on the top of the tank will open up and a large barrage of fiery missiles will be shot upward, raining down all over the arena and causing small explosions upon impact.
Strategy: Even though it seems slow, the Magma Tank uses flame jets on the back on the tank’s main part to move around as fast and as smoothly as a racecar. Also, another flame jet on the top part of the tank allows it to spin and turn around quickly, allowing more direction for its Flame Turret and Magma Cannon attacks. When the tank stops moving to attack, jump onto the top of the tank and hit the hatch to do some damage. You can also hit the top part of the tank with ranged attacks. When half of the tank’s health is gone, Courtney will also begin using Firestorm missile packs as well. Keep moving around in order to dodge the missiles and wait for another opportunity to attack.
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[Sunflora Azumarill]

Once you’ve defeated Courtney, she will jump out of the tank just as it explodes. She will remark that you’ll never defeat Maxie and runs off. The flame shields over the door will go out and the catwalks will rise back out of the lava. Also, where the tank once stood will lay the Blue Orb. Simply walk up to it and use the X button to pick it up. From this point on, you’ll be carrying the Blue Orb with you until you complete the stage. If you end up taking damage in any way, you’ll drop the Blue Orb. While you can pick it up again, any Team Magma Grunts nearby will attempt to do the same. If one manages to grab it, he or she will run off towards the stage’s end. You can chase them down and defeat them to get it back, but if they make it past the end of the stage with the Orb in tow, Groudon will awaken and you’ll fail the entire mission.

Anyway, head out of the room through the other set of doors and you’ll enter a hallway with six Team Magma Grunts (2 VR, 2 FGL, 1 MCA, 1 w/shield). This hall is also wider, with the path being a bridge in the middle of a lava river that makes up the bottom of the hall and several lava tubes on both sides. Take them out quickly before they have a chance to grab the Blue Orb and run to the doors at the end of the hall. Here, you’ll enter a long room containing a lava pool that spans the entire area. You end up on a walkway and there are grates hanging over the magma in front of you. Upon making your way across the grates a little, a large curtain of flame, spanning the entire width of the room will rise behind you and start coming forward. Run across the grates, jumping when necessary and dodging a total of 5 Mecha Torkoals (2) on the grates and 5 Camerupt Tanks (2) in the lava and you’ll come to a left turn in the room. Here, you’ll now have to jump across steel, skeletal pillars as you dodge three Claydol Drones (2), three more Camerupt Tanks (3), and also two Magma Eyes situated on some pillars. At the end of the room to your left is a fenced off path where a set of doors lies. Jump onto the high pillar next to the fence and down into the closed-off area, then run to the door and head through before the fire wall ends up crushing you against the room’s wall.

You’ll enter another hall, but things are still hot as there are flame jets shooting out of both walls and several laser fields. Jump over and run under the flames and lasers until you reach a safe area. Here, there are two Team Magma Grunts (MCL) that you’ll have to defeat. After doing so, head up a slope and you’ll come to another set of large, red doors with a checkpoint in front of them. Head through and you’ll enter a long room where a lava pool spans the entire area. On the walkway here, you’ll notice that the lava below you is rising. In this room, the lava rises and falls periodically. Quickly jump to the pillar in front of you and from that to the platform after it. Defeat the Team Magma Grunt (FAC) here and take the Potion and X Speed from the steel Magma Crates to your left. The lava stops a little below this platform when it rises. After it starts going down, you’ll notice a sloping catwalk on the right wall. Go down it while the magma flow falls as well to find a solid platform. Avoid the Mechcargo (3) on it and use the spring to bounce to another spring on the left wall and onto another high platform with a wall in front. Defeat two Hover Houndooms (2) up here, but wait for the lava to reach its peak, then fall back down before attempting to jump down the two pillars that go below the wall. Quickly cross the solid platform and climb the grates in front of you to reach another platform. Defeat another Magma Grunt (MCL) here and you’ll notice solid ground on the upper level from you, but you can’t jump to it. Wait for the magma to fall down again and take a sloping catwalk in the middle down to where there is a spring in another set of large, red doors, but a flame shield blocks the way. Take the spring up to the level above where you’ll find a Magma Soldier (1) guarding a Magma Cage. Defeat the robot to unlock the cage and press the switch inside of it to bring down the flame-shielded door, which you should drop to once the lava falls again.

Here, you’ll enter a short hall with a lone Claydol Drone (3). Avoid its scanner unless you want the room to be filled with several Hover Houndooms (3). Head through another set of large, red doors to enter the fourth large lava chamber. In here, you’ll end up on a wide walkway that goes to your right and a floating TV that states “MAGMA STORAGE CHAMBER SE, MAGMA CONTROL SYSTEM). There is a large, lava-carrying pillar in the middle of the chamber that you’ll quickly see. At the end of the walkway is a red, cylinder-shaped capsule with hot fire flowing up and down it and an unbreakable Magma crate next to it. Push the crate off the walkway into the magma, then go up and use an attack on the capsule. It will glow brightly and the lava will start rising. When it nears the walkway, jump onto the Magma crate floating in it and you’ll eventually reach a platform where the lava will stop rising. Jump onto the platform and defeat three Team Magma Grunts (1 VR, 1 FM, 1 MCA) here. There is a floating platform to you left. Cross it then the one in after it to reach another platform. There’s another Magma Capsule here. Attack it to make the lava rise again and jump back to the Magma platform. Ride it up to yet another solid platform to the platform’s left with a spinning pair of constant flame jets in the middle. Dodge the flames and jump to another Magma platform after them. Jump to yet another Magma platform while being cautious of two Camerupt Tanks (3) nearby.

On a platform to the right of the second platform are three Potions for a little pick-me-up and another Magma Capsule. Attack it to start another magma rise and jump to the pulley over the lava in front of you. Ride it up to another pulley and ride that one to where a Magma platform is floating up in front of the large pillar. Jump onto the platform and then to a Magma platform to its right. Then jump to a pillar behind it. Home attack the Claydol Drone (3) to reach the next platform. Here, you must defeat three Hover Houndooms (3) to open the Magma Cage holding the next Magma Capsule. After defeating them and attacking the capsule, there is a set of horizontal grates being held up above two Magma platforms to your left. Jump onto the first platform and shimmy across the grates above it. (Since they’re attached to the platforms, the grates rise up with them.) Stop in front of a set of constant molten flame jets being shot out of the large pillar as you pass it until the lava takes the grates above them. After a right turn on the grates, avoid the eruptions of two Camerupt Tanks (3) to your right and left and you’ll reach the second Magma platform about the time the lava stops rising. Here, you’ll have to homing attack another Camerupt Tank (3) in front of you to reach the platform after it. On the platform, avoid the Magma Eye and defeat three Team Magma Grunts (1 FGL, 1 MCA, 1 w/shield), then head to the left onto another Magma platform. Beyond it is another Magma platform that will put you in front of a panel that slides in and out of the wall. As the panel slides out, jump to it, then jump across the line of panels to your left. At the fourth panel, there is a molten flame jet that could burn you if you’re not careful. After the fifth panel, you’ll reach a balcony where a Magma Soldier (2) guards a flame-shielded door. Defeat it to drop the flames and head on through.

In the next hall, cross the checkpoint and defeat 3 more Magma Grunts (2 VR, 1 w/shield) while avoiding large flame jets that shoot from the ceiling. Enter the next door and you’ll end up in another area with large, sloping windows on the ceiling to your left. If you look out these windows, you can make out a little bit of the Red Mountain interior. Anyway, head down the path and take out another Magma Grunt (FAC) until you reach a lava river with a catwalk going across it. Cross it, then take out a group of four Lairon Rovers (3) while dodging the flame jets that shoot up from the ground. At the second lava river, you’ll have to home attack a Claydol Drone (2) hovering over it. After that, a group of three Hover Houndooms (2) and flame jets shooting out of the wall will be your problem. Solve it and jump across the sinking platform in the third lava river. After here, you’ll find two Potions and a Magma Soldier (2) in front of a flame-shielded door to your right. Defeat it to drop the flames and head on through. In the next hall, just run down the sloping section past some more laser fences until you reach another door. Head through to enter a small maze where the floor consists of grates with lava right underneath them. Here, you have only one minute to make it to the end of the maze where the door is closing. If you take too long and the door closes, an eruption of flames will rise out of the ground, cooking you alive and costing you a life. Watch out for a total of five Mechcargos (3) in the maze as well. After reaching the door and heading out of the maze, you’ll end up in another sloping corridor containing eight Team Magma Grunts (2 FAC, 1 FL, 1 FGL, 2 MCL, 2 w/shields). Defeat them and you’ll reach a flame-shielded door guarded by two Magma Soldiers (2). Defeat them to be able to head through. In the next room, there is a large door with the Team Magma symbol on it and also the stage’s last checkpoint. Cross the checkpoint and then go to the door. It will slowly open after a couple lights light up on a panel on it and you’ll head through.

After crossing through the door, you’ll enter a large room with a lava pool in the middle, lava pipes in the walls, an octagonal ring arena in the middle, and a Potion in each corner of solid ground. There are large lava-carrying pillars at each corner of the lava pool and large Team Magma symbols on each of the walls. On the other end of the room is another large door. Shortly after you enter the room, the area will shake and a massive, Blaziken-shaped robot will rise out of the magma. Inside of the robot behind the windows making up the eye part is Maxie, who will tell you to hand over the Blue Orb or suffer the consequences. You’ll of course refuse to give it to him and he’ll remark that he needs it to awaken Groudon. At this point, Maxie’s done talking and the first boss battle will commence.

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BOSS: MAGMA LEADER MAXIE
Health: 150
Attack 1: Flame Arms – The robot’s large fists will surge with fire as Maxie slams them down onto the ground near the corners of the lava pool. Small waves of flame shoot out of the fists upon impact.
Attack 2: Mega Flamethrower – A massive stream of flames will be fired from the mech. The flames spread out throughout the area in between the two fists. Only way to avoid it is to jump out of the area.
Attack 3: Lava Surge – Maxie will fire a large, constant stream of magma from the mech’s mouth. The lava surge leaves a molten puddle where it lands and moves on the ground.
Attack 4: Magma Eruption – Maxie will raise the robot’s head into the air, the fire a blast of molten flame up into the air, where then flame then explodes and rains towards the ground.
Strategy: For a first boss, Maxie can be tough if you don’t know what to do. He’ll always have the Magma Blazer facing you as you move around the room. When Maxie slams the mech’s arms down to the ground, he’ll lower the head towards you. Before it uses Mega Flamethrower, attack the head as much as possible, then jump out of the way of the inferno. When half of Maxie’s health is gone, things will heat up even more. Now, the Magma Blazer will fire a surge of lava before slamming its fists onto the ground. When 2/3 of the mech’s health is gone, it also will fire a storm of flames after every second attack. If you’re low on health, open one of the Potion capsules in the corners of the room. Keep hitting Maxie when the opportunity shows itself to win this match.
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Once Maxie has been defeated, the mech will explode and Maxie will appear in a Dr. Wily-esque escape pod with the Team Magma Symbol on the sides. He’ll tell you that Team Magma will rise again before leaving through the large door. At this point, an alarm will sound throughout the base along with a flashing red light. The lab’s OS system will come on with this message: “WARNING! WARNING! MOUNTAIN ERUPTION IMMINENT! MOUNTAIN ERUPTION IMMINENT! TWO MINUTES UNTIL ERUPTION! I REPEAT, TWO MINUTES UNTIL ERUPTION!” Every 30 seconds, the OS system will say this: “(time left) UNTIL ERUPTION! PLEASE EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!” You now have only two minutes to make it out of Red Mountain before it erupts!

Head through the large door and enter the final part of Red Mountain. Here, the red flashing lights still light up the area. Wait for the large stones to fall before going forward to defeat two Kikis. Before crossing the checkpoint, collect three Potions to the left. Next up, it’s a fire maze. Jump over and run under the first few flames to find a few Spinners further up. Defeat them and keep moving, as some giant hammers are next. Quickly dash under them when they go up and you’ll then reach the trickiest part. Here, the area is considerably wider as Groudon sleeps in a large lava pool in the middle of the area. If you get too close to it, it will awaken and the place will erupt, roasting you and failing the mission.

It’s best to keep to the walls of the path to make sure you don’t get too close to Groudon. Once you’re past it, run forward, grab onto the rocker at the end, and ride it out of this volcano. After you rocket out of the volcano, you’ll notice Tails’s plane, the Tornado 2, lying here. Jump in and you’ll watch a cutscene where you’re flying away from Red Mountain as it erupts, destroying the Magma Lab along with it. After the scene, you will have finally completed this long stage! If possible, you’ll now be able to move onto the next episode!