BowieQuest

BowieQuest is a platforming game developed by TimeStrike and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis and eventually the Sega CD, marking the company's debut in the video game industry. It was released on March 1st, 1995 worldwide on the former console, with its special edition released on the Sega CD in mid-November. Its premise revolves around the game's playable cast of three fluffy teddy bear deputies (including eponymous protagonist Bowie the Teddy Bear) as they try and prevent their precious world of arts and crafts from being stripped of its worth by the technologically advanced stuffed monkey antagonist known as Endal the Monkey, who wishes to dominate and industrialize the world. Not only must they reach the evil monkey's Ironworks lair, they must also save the kidnapped mayor of their hometown Western Village from his clutches and put down anyone that stands in their way.
BowieQuest boasted simplistic platforming controls balanced upon exceptionally challenging gameplay, being an easy game to learn but a hard one to master. BowieQuest attempted to dare traditional gaming standards at the time, including having a reworked lives system involving collecting enough raisins to satisfy the reaper upon their next death and having a Time Attack mode to record the player's best time for each level. Casual audiences can familiarize themselves with the game through Story Mode, while hardcore players can select Arcade mode to play without any save files, only being able to "quicksave" at best. BowieQuest was known for pushing the hardware limitations of the Genesis, having faced threats of cancellation various times prior to its eventual release.
The "Special Edition" port on the Sega CD would further expand upon features from the original BowieQuest, including having Paul the Teddy Bear as a playable character, having a greater selection of bosses overall, introducing a bonus level, and having a semi-remastered soundtrack. It would also introduce the Expert level of difficulty and greatly expand Time Attack mode.
It was the first game of a three-title deal with Sega, with Crescent Kicker and Aftershock following its release later in the year.
==Plot==
===Manual introduction===
:A fantastic picnic held by Sheriff Bowie and the townsfolk of the Western Village a little ways into the nearby desert heads south rather fast! Just as they think they can enjoy their thread noodles in peace, the diabolical monkey known as Endal sabotages the village with his army of Monkeybots and other assorted mechanical minions! As he kidnaps the mayor and lets chaos ensue, he turns to the sheriff to block his attack with his psychic rod, guffawing at him in the process. He quickly expresses his frustration with his rival's continuous winning streak against him over the past decade, proceeding to threaten that he'll strip Stitchonia of everything it's composed of, furthering his plans in the industrial revolution and allowing him to conquer the world without a struggle! As Endal boards his Zeppelin, he claims he'll have the last laugh because he has a backup plan to receive the wish-granting Dreamcatcher, taunting with a finger wag as he begins to fly away.
:Sheriff Bowie and his family waste no time in heading back into the village, boarding their house to suit up for the journey and gear themselves up for combat! After the trio give each other a group hug and exchange some nods of good luck and great fortune, they bash their way out of their house and venture into the chaos, ready to give Endal and his troops a piece of their mind! As the music for the first level kicks in, Endal's Zeppelin can be seen slowly hovering across the background, stripping away some of the landmasses already while dumping what's implied to be his thousands of troops.
:Meanwhile, Bowie's elder brother "Paul" is seen standing dead-center atop the Western Village church, watching the chaos unfold. Flashbacks of Bowie being favored over him in their youth play in his mind, more playing of him having to fend for himself when he had to live solo at such a young age. Snarling, Paul leaps right off of the church's top, slamming his fist into the ground dramatically- he's going to challenge his sibling and hang Endal's head up on his wall, even if it's the last thing he does.
===Ending===
===Setting===
BowieQuest takes place in the beloved world of Stitchonia, a brewing coalescence of arts and crafts rolled up and around into one beloved mess of a planet. The landmasses are patchworks assembled together from needles and thread, with sticky lethal seas and oceans of black ink ("Inkura") between them. Hexagon-shaped platforms found irregularly across the world happen to grow living biologic organisms, specifically trees to supply the world with its ever-popular wood supply. Surrounding the world happens to be several moons magically tethered to the planet, which regularly get mined for their various materials. Among the most common materials in Stitchonia include wood, clay, stone, sand, glass, plastic, and iron. The grand capital of the world, Origamopolis, singlehandedly produces the magical energy necessary to keep everything well-fortified and in place. It is all governed by a short-looking monkey in a swivel chair, but all landmasses have their own respective presidents.
Six landmasses exist across the whole of Stitchonia, though only three are explorable throughout BowieQuest and its CD port. These continents are Buonarroti, Temko, and Pluto, listed in the same order the player visits them. Buonarroti is one of the world's largest landmasses, split and torn apart by the decade by massive earthquakes, but having beloved villages on its western and eastern ends alike and having some stunning mountaintops and beaches. Temko holds the global capital (Origamopolis) and is composed almost entirely of super-firm origami, drifting its way slowly across the Inkura waters while housing hundreds of thousands if not millions of inhabitants. Pluto is an ancient landmass that is thought to be where all Stitchonian life began, holding many ancient artifacts and ruins that are currently being polluted and erased by the ongoing industrial revolution began by Endal's tribe.
Stitchonia is inhabited by sentient stuffed animals of all varieties, though teddy bears tend to be the most common species.
==Gameplay==
===Basics===
BowieQuest is an exceptionally challenging platforming video game, known for its design philosophy of being easy to learn but hard to master. To even have a chance of overcoming the game's relentless difficulty curve and numerous challenges, the player needs to have a strong grip on their chosen character and understand all of the game's mechanics and gimmicks to the best of their ability. Not only do the levels frequently take advantage of the player's talents, but they must also be cleared underneath specified time limits, requiring the player to act fast- though what the player's given is usually plenty of time. These 4-6 minute levels culminate with boss battles, which must be crushed underneath their own respective time limits- upon their scrapping, the player may collect the golden star they drop to signify the end of the level. Should the player choose to tackle optional side-missions, such as clearing out a percentage of baddies from the level, they will earn bonus bundles of raisins upon taking down the boss.
The level design in BowieQuest is outright demanding of the player's skills, forcing them to get familiar with their full arsenal and take advantage of it to overcome problem-solving. By far the most useful asset the player has is the whip, a stunningly versatile tool that the game's level design is significantly based around. Each teddy bear has their own individual whip, each with their own unique and special properties, but all whips can snag ledges, strike blows to enemies, and snatch far-off bundles of raisins or balls of fabric. Some of these whips may function significantly differently on the offensive side, with Bowie's average-sized rope capable of suplexing enemies while Anna's is quite a bit shorter but provides instant and reliable damage, cracking quicker than her husband's rope. All teddy bears also possess other elements unique to themselves; Bowie's sheriff badges allow him to scale walls, for example, while Smith has a cork gun that he can aim to smash up targets from afar. These levels are also abundant with enemies, which the player must crush frequently like they were bugs.
A common feature of the game is the wooden knob, always found suspended mid-air as one of the game's most commonly found objects. Should the player strike one of these knobs with their rope, they will be able to swing from it like it were a vine or swing around it to build momentum before flinging themselves off. They come in many varieties as well, even more so than the rebounding yarn the game is known for. Mechanical knobs can be spun around to infinitely produce electricity, powering up places for brief periods of time before they shut back off. Loose knobs will shake a little when spun around, dropping soon or right when the player swings off of it. Icy knobs won't keep the player's grip on for long and will force them to let go quickly. Finally, crimson knobs don't appear to be dangerous on the surface, but grow spikes and damage the player if they hold on for too long. These knobs are kept floating midair thanks to the special magic of the planet Stitchonia keeping the world together.
The signature feature of the BowieQuest franchise is its rebounding yarn, a flexible mechanic designed to be abused to the player's will, allowing them to overcome challenging obstacles with relative ease. All surfaces that are detected by the game as being made from yarn are subject to this mechanic. Using the jump button immediately upon landing with the ground will allow the player to trounce higher into the sky by 1.5x the original distance. This special yarn can also be found in the form of slopes, which the player can use to cross chasms or escape danger and/or pressure from bosses. If found in the form of walls, the player can spring right off of them to glide horizontally through the air for a few seconds before eventually descending. This mechanic can be used in tandem with the player's existing abilities to take interesting pathways or shortcuts that were designed intentionally to be discovered by clever players.
The two most common items, raisins and balls of fabric, can be found individually floating about in the air, either by themselves or in groups. Raisins are the game's currency and can be used to purchase items from Ace's shop, but 100 Raisins are deducted from the player's total for each death they receive so they may pay off the hungry Reaper and return to the level- if they don't have enough, it's a game over. Receiving enough balls of fabric will slowly restore the player's health, rendering them less vulnerable to attacks. 10 balls of fabric are necessary to restore one point of health. Ace's shop can be accessed from the world map screen, the death screen, and from the file select screen- no matter how you access it, she always has a number of things to sell Sheriff Bowie and his family, which can be helpful especially throughout the later levels. She also sells individual Health Packs, a near-necessity for playthroughs of the relentless Arcade Mode that grant the player an additional hit point. The items Ace has for sale can be rarely found at points throughout the levels. Items are used immediately upon entering a level. Remember that all teddy bears have their own raisin counts and health meters.
The player's HUD works as follows. The player's dot-represented health meter can be found at the very bottom of the screen, with raisins counted to the right and fabric balls counted to the left. If the fabric ball meter reaches ten, it will empty to restore one health point to the player. If they're already at full health, the meter will continue to increase if more fabric balls are collected, dropping by ten for each health point that is lost. The raisin counter will be colored gold if the player has enough to withstand their next encounter with the Reaper; if not, it will be flashing red. The level's timer will be ticking away at the top of the screen, with the accumulated score found to the left and the personal best records for the level found to the right.
The Sega CD port of BowieQuest introduces a few new concepts. Ace's shop can now be uncommonly found throughout the levels themselves, with her offerings always being at a discount of 30%, 60%, or 90% off. Lost-and-Found boxes will also take the place to the Bonus Zone, whereas they can earn many upon many bundles of raisins before being booted out of the level, whether the player wins or not.
===Overworld===
The player's overworld in the Sega Genesis version of BowieQuest is an ancient-looking map of the Stitchonian world, with magenta dots labeled with numbers depicting the game's many levels. When the player begins their adventure, the whole map is painted with an uninspired bronze-looking color, with only the western end of the Buonarroti continent visible initially. As the player clears these levels, however, their spot on the map will be colored out by ink as a pencil draws up more of the map, pinpointing the player to their next location. When the player clears the Western Village level, they'll also gain instant access to Ace's Shop and can swap between any of their characters freely. Only Bowie may visit the true final level, however, forcing a switchover to the sheriff if the player wishes to challenge the level.
In the Sega CD version of the port, Stitchonia's levels pop out from the main map as animated 3D clay models, commonly depicting one or two of the level's recurring themes. Though they start off grayscale, they will be fully colored in upon their completion.
===Controls===
The standard Sega Genesis controller is the standard controller for BowieQuest.
*The player uses the D-Pad to move and , double tapping will let them run. Holding or when on the ground will move the camera in those respective directions.
* allows the player to jump. Pressing again will make the character perform an additional command or two. Holding against a wall will let the player perform a wall jump.
* enables the player to use their whip function. The whip can be used for swinging around knobs, hitching onto ledges, and attacking enemies.
* allows the player to use their character's own unique function. Bowie, for example, can toss out sheriff badges and stick them to walls so he may use them as ladders.
* allows the player to pause the game.
==Modes==
There are several available modes in BowieQuest.
*Story Mode is the main game in BowieQuest, and the mode of choice for casual audiences. The player can have up to three save files. The player must navigate their way through twelve fully-fledged stages, beginning at the Western Village and culminating at the Fractured Heaven. They will travel across a world map as they do such, with the game automatically saving for each level they individually beat. Skippable cutscenes will play between levels and before a selected handful of bosses. While Story Mode is often straightforward and players will just be going through one level after another, they can visit any old stages if they so wish to.
*Arcade Mode was designed purely for hardcore audiences, being the tighter and tougher experience of the game. The player must again navigate their way through the same twelve stages, but this time there's no world map, no cutscenes, nor is there any way to save your game beyond quicksaving. The player must continually collect raisins as they go- the moment the player dies and is unable to present enough raisins to the Reaper, it's all over for them and it becomes game over. Unlike in Story Mode, the number of raisins the Reaper needs to be fed in order for the player to continue their adventure will slightly increase with each death.
*Exclusive to the Sega CD version of BowieQuest, Expert Mode is the burlier and tougher brother of Story/Arcade Mode and requires extra mastery and technique to beat. With raisins being notably less common than before, there is much less room for error, especially if the player wishes to purchase items to help give them a boost in the long run. Level designs and object placements are adjusted for Expert Mode to make better use of the player's character's abilities and techniques, and bosses have been tweaked a little bit to make them slightly harder. Expert Mode also introduces new boss fights and has one extra stage provided the player can beat the final boss.
*Race the clock on any level you've already beaten in Time Attack mode! The player should go for the best time possible, not wasting any time and making it to the end to pick up the level's golden star. The player has infinite tries if they have checkpoints enabled, but the time will not be set back when they die. If they mess up, they can reset at any time by pausing and selecting "Restart". Their best time will be recorded on the level select screen. The Sega CD version of the mode makes some changes, such as saving the player's best three times per level and allowing the player to face off against bosses separately. They can do one-minute runs of each level, as well.
*Butcher Mode has the player take on all of the game's bosses, one after the other, fought in a strict order chosen by the game! The player notably has infinite health throughout their run, but all bosses are fought underneath a shared time limit. For every boss the player successfully trashes, they'll earn 90 seconds' worth of time, but every hit they take will subtract 5 from the clock! Sometimes whipping projectiles and the boss will cause them to drop miniature clocks, which can be collected to restore some time. The Expert edition of Butcher Mode, exclusive to the CD port, introduces new bosses near its end. Both modes of Butcher disable one-hit KO attacks, making them instead subtract 10 seconds from the clock.
*The player can adjust music/sound volume controller configuration here, and additionally select whichever music tracks or sound effects they wish to play from the Sound Test. However, the Sound Test will initially start off broken- if the player finds randomized CDs throughout the game's levels and collects them, they will restore some of the Sound Test. Think of them as optional collectibles.
==Characters==
===Playable===
Bowie	
Sheriff Bowie is the local deputy of the Western Village and the game's eponymous protagonist. He's a headstrong and determined person that's willing to do whatever it takes to defend his family and friends from danger, leaping into problems without any solutions on hand and taking on challenges even when he's hurt. Through stone cold silence, he's vowed to protect those he loves from time to time again, appearing stern and aggressive to disguise his vulnerability: his poor aching middle-aged heart. He commonly communicates through head motions and hand movements, and poses dramatically to prove his points. He's not looking to just save his village this time: rather, the world.
*Bowie may have a below average jump, but his shorter secondary one makes up for it. Holding down and pressing A will make Bowie perform a downwards stomp, useful for precise platforming.
*Bowie's whip can be used as a lasso to nab items from a distance or pull enemies closer to him. If his rope manages to land on a large enemy, he will simply strike them, but he will suplex smaller enemies.
*Bowie can toss out sheriff badges via the C button, which can stick to enemies to damage them or to walls so he may climb them. He can have up to three out at a time, and each lasts a mere 5 seconds.
Anna 	
Anna's this smokin' hot raw powerhouse that was born and raised way out in the uncharted areas of the Western Desert, boasting an intense fighting spirit and always being fired up for some fierce competition! This cowgirl's pumped up with sugar, spice, but nothing nice, always being the type to tease her friends and start fights over trivial reasons. She is much calmer around her family, being strict towards her child Smith and properly managing her responsibilities, but smirks and mischievous dialogue suggest she likes to show that there's more to her than she's actually letting on. Her husband is actually fully unaware of where she is out during the daytime- just partying at pubs, of course.
*Anna's initial jump height is 110% that of her husband's, and her shorter secondary jump lets her dash in any direction as an armored and protected ball of fire, giving her dominance in the air.
*Anna's rope is about two-thirds the length of her husband's, but deals way more damage, especially at the tip. If the button is held mid-air, Anna will swing it around herself as an instant-shield.
*The C button allows Anna to enter a guarding stance, be it on the ground or in midair. If timed perfectly, she will completely negate the damage of an attack. Against long-lasting attacks, however, it's useless.
Smith	
Smith's a fun-loving sheriff-in-training with an extra large side of optimism, behaving maturely and caring deeply for his family and friends. However, he's also a lazybones type of character that likes to sit around all day and snack away, rarely performing work unless he's demanded to. This makes training him a chore, but his cleverly handled behavior frequently lets him slide his way out of being punished. Smith doesn't mean to slack off, however, he's just poor with scheduling and balancing out his life. When distracted from his occasional expedition or adventure, he can get a bit cranky and worrisome, not letting to let his mother or father down and lose his chance of managing the Western Village in the future.
*Smith's jump height reaches 70% the height of his father's thanks to his heavy armor. However, pressing A again will make Smith swing around his rope overhead, letting him cross long chasms through slow hovering.
*Smith's whip is surprisingly lengthy, reaching 1.5x the distance of Bowie's and being capable of suplexing any enemy, minus bosses which are just whipped with every hitbox. However, it is considerably weaker if all hits don't connect.
*Through the use of the C button, Smith can blast off weak corks from his cork gun, and charging it up will let him fire three at a time. Can be aimed horizontally or diagonally. Useful for hitting targets to open paths.
Paul 	
Paul had always been known for his cold demeanor and rough exterior, preferring to not speak and get on with the action when it's demanded. He is merciless and stone-cold, never afraid to fight when others cross his path or make objections towards what he wants to do. Paul always does what he thinks is best, and that's the way he's lived for most of his life- he's always on-edge, resilient, and outright stubborn. He never likes to admit it when he's wrong, always holding the belief he's right and will hold himself to that statement for the rest of his life. It's hinted that he has some beef with his sibling and thinks that everything he does... he can do better.
*Paul's jump height (a flip) reaches 130% of that of his brother's and descends slower, making him a somewhat floaty character. Pressing down A midair will let him gently levitate for a short time.
*Paul's whip is practically identical to Bowie's, but has an electrical effect to it that makes it deal rapid damage as it connects with enemies. It's stronger than his sibling's if every hit connects, and stuns foes.
*Paul can hurl out lightning bolts from his hands, which deal weak damage but stun his foes. Holding down will let Paul charge one, allowing him to blast out a thick bolt of electricity that deals massive damage.
===NPCs===
Venus 	
Venus is the civilized and well-mannered mayor of the Western Village, always known for her politeness and friendliness. She is very open-minded and tries her very best to understand others' viewpoints no matter their personality or manners, but has common sense and will try not to land herself in trouble when it's unneeded. Venus believes that music can bring the world's inhabitants together, appreciating all genres and thinking that she can find the best from anybody. She is shown early on to be good friends with Sheriff Bowie, and spends her time in Endal's possession trying to see his ways and trying to convince him to let his petty grudges go. But the real question is... can she?
Role: Mayor of the Western Village (initially), damsel in distress (now)
Raiden 	
Raiden was once the almighty and ruthless Stitchonian king, having calmly ruled the world from the desolate kingdom the Temko continent once was prior to its transformation into Origamopolis. The day the predicted industrial revolution overtook the planet, however, King Raiden would lose his throne to the monkey race that instantaneously brought it upon them all, which would force him to retreat outwards into the seas as the primates seized his people. Now he hides somewhere out there, some decades after he was seen last properly handling his kingdom, waiting for a day where he can exact his revenge on the dirty mechanics that ruined and polluted his world and people.
Role: King of Stitchonia (initially), controller of prosperity and creativity (initially), dethroned and hiding (now)
Ace 	
Ace is the local and friendly shopkeeper in BowieQuest, being a youthful and energetic gal that's always pumped up and ready to go. This flirty chatterbox runs a stand on wheels, traveling across Stitchonia to try and sell off her hoard of items to the heroes, wanting to have a starring role in the player's big adventure. She attempts to coax the player into purchasing her items, blowing off a free kiss for every single one she can sell and putting everything on sale when the player gets good enough records in levels they had just beaten. She will flirt in a joking manner with Bowie, get all rowdy and close with Anna, tease and laugh at Smith, and attempt to win Paul's heart.
Role: Shopkeeper of Stitchonia (now)
Angel 	
Angel's a hyper-tense angelic teddy bear, being thousands of years old but remaining youthful and adorable nonetheless! She's prone to crying and weeping, but she's just as easy to ignite with excitement and happiness- she loves attention and hugs! It's clear she came from the Heavens above since she looks just like the other angels (barring her lack of wings), but how she came down was a mystery- either she accidentally tumbled her way out, or one of Endal's robots managed to seize possession of her. Either way, Endal had caught her and imprisoned her in a cage- and every time she leaves, she'll soon get captured again! Break her free each time you see her, for she'll smack your cheek and her emptied cage will serve as a checkpoint!
Role: Angel in training (initially), checkpoint lady (now)
Endal 	
Endal's the diabolical mastermind behind the modern industrialization era on Stitchonia, being the only one of his technologically advanced race to remain behind to try and conquer the planet as well as over-urbanize it. The rest of his race has gone off to conquer other worlds, with this young mastermind's first given goal from them being to utterly decimate Stitchonia of everything it is and make it into his own robotic kingdom- which he hasn't accomplished yet, as his arch-nemesis Bowie's always stopping him! Seriously agitated with his countless failures and pressured by disappointment coming from his parents, this insane industrial tactician has recently unveiled his plan to strip Stitchonia of everything it is before urbanizing it and enslaving everybody. Can this menace be stopped?
Role: World conqueror in training (initially), conservative politician (initially), industrial revolution leader (now), judgment day bringer (now)
The Reaper	
The "Reaper" of the Stitchonian world is a grim upright-standing rabbit figure wearing the standard reaper's black robe, with his ears poking through the hood and his eyes an intimidating glowing white. He speaks in a cruel, uninviting passion, but gets gleeful and excited when fed raisins. Whenever the player dies, he will hover onto the screen and quickly glance at the player's raisin count- if there's enough, he'll snatch what's needed and revive the player at the last checkpoint they touched, but if there's not, he'll make a dashing slash at the player as the screen cuts to black, granting them a game over.
Role: The Grim Reaper (now), raisin consumer (forever)
==Shop==
The raisins the player collects throughout the course of their journey are traditionally used to pay off the Reaper to keep the player away from death, but they may additionally be used to purchase items to the player's desire. This is a double-edged sword; purchasing items will leave the player with fewer chances to stay alive, but will provide the player advantages if they're used properly. On the other hand, the player will miss out on these advantages if they choose to not purchase items, but they'll be given many more chances to survive fateful encounters with the Reaper. The player can only purchase items from Ace's shop, and it's their only way of boosting up their maximum health. These items can be found individually, albeit rarely, throughout each level.
Numbers and asterisks written in bright pink denote the prices these items are worth for on Expert Mode on the Sega CD version of the game.
Angel's Wings100 raisins each 	
"Wait, sugar, don't ya wanna try the Angel's Wings~? Basically, if ya hold the A button, you'll start floating down rather slowly! This is excellent for precise platformin' and for avoiding sneaky little traps on the ground, and for skipping over some obstacles in general! You'll lose 'em if ya fall off the course, though, so don't be foolish sweetie!"
Bull Horns150 raisins each 	
"So sugar, do ya happen to know what bulls are? They got these nice and sexy horns perfect for the sake of demolition! Using these horns 'ere on the counter, ya can evade head damage and amplify more power to yer attacks! Careful hun-buns, you lose 'em if ye die- hey, why don'tcha purchase the Power Whip upgrade? The two work together~"
Helium Balloon100 raisins each 	
"Hey, sugar~! The cute little helium balloon can lift ya straight out of a bottomless pit if ya happen to fall into one! As you rise back up, ya can control where yer goin' horizontally 'til the balloon pops, which takes a bit! Do be careful, however, sugar lips... the balloon pops immediately when it hits the ceilin'!"
Pairs of Skates150 raisins each	
"These novelty add-ons attach skate wheels to your cowboy boots, boosting your speed until ya fall off the course and loose 'em wheels! Jumping might appear to look a bit problematic at first, but remember that skidding to a halt is a snitch and that you can run up walls for a lil' bit while wall jumping! Just be careful to not slip and die, honey~!!"
Health Pack1500 raisins each 	
"Hey hot stuff, I got ya some Health Packs~! They grant you one more point to your HP stock, and I reserved six for each of y'all! They'll help ya grow more resilient to others' attacks and make it waaaaaaay easier to survive in the later bits of your adventure! They're real costly, but you do gotta work for 'em, they're hard to make! :<"
Power Whip6000 raisins each 	
"Bet you fancy yourself a Power Whip, young feller? Lookie here sweetie: if you purchase this, the range of your whip will significantly increase and your power will be greatly boosted! I reserved four for the each of y'all, but y'all have to work hard to even get just one, 'cause these weren't remotely easy to make! Sorry sweetie, that's just how it goes~"
==Stages==
There are twelve fully-fledged levels in BowieQuest, with the player beginning at the Western Village and finishing their journey at the Fractured Heaven. All stages have their own unique graphics, backgrounds, mechanics, enemies, bosses, and associated music tracks. They are found scattered across the western hemisphere of Stitchonia, spread across the three landmasses located on that side of the planet.
Course 	Information
Western Village 	
Picasso Heights 	
Castle Crockery 	
Inkura Falls 	
Sumie Splash 	
Zeppelin Fleet 	
Origamopolis 	
Diamond Carnival	
Voodoom Railway 	
Mosaic Caverns 	
The Ironworks 	
Fractured Heaven	
Evil Mind 	
Bonus Stage 	
==Bestiary==
Throughout the game, the roundup of Sheriff Bowie will encounter a slew of various unique enemies, with over forty to be found and destroyed in BowieQuest. These enemies are typically destroyed using the player's whip, but some enemies have to be tackled and beaten in other ways. All enemies have their own flavor text in the instruction manual, coupled with their official names and level locations.
Enemy 	Description / Stats
Index No. #01Pinata Pony 	
The Pinata Pony is a pinata horse that mindlessly floats around a small area, rocking back and forth rapidly as it does. It primarily serves as rope swinging fodder, allowing Bowie, Anna, Smith and Paul to reach greater heights in the level, but it still hurts to make direct contact with. It bursts with confetti when it's popped, which does nothing more than just showcase that the player's blasted it.(Location: Western Village · Always afraid of being sent off to children's birthday parties.)
Index No. #02Razortop 	
Razortop is a short spinning top enemy with two angry eyes that patrols over a small area. When it notices the player, it will spin its wooden poles for arms around rapidly as it sharply increases its momentum, chasing after them immediately. They are usually careful enough to not fall off ledges, but this behavior is completely disregarded when they're angry- they won't necessarily care anymore.(Location: Western Village · Hates being picked on for its size, ticked off at tall individuals.)
Index No. #03Bolichero 	
The Bolichero enemy is a barrel-shaped attacker that will make its move the second it locks its ball-like eye on the player. Upon sight, it will burst the ball out from its barrel like a cannon, which is attached to a string that will soon boomerang it back into its home. They wheel themselves around slowly on their yo-yo-like wheels, seeking out their prey slowly and releasing smoke when spotting one.(Location: Western Village · Always loves smashing things apart, therefore why it's on demolition duty.)
Index No. #04Monkeybot Junior 	
Monkeybot Juniors are lazy and really cocky robots with gibbberish speech patterns that won't do anything until they notice the player's really close by. When they notice this, they will attempt to shoot the player down with their two cork guns, laughing in a mocking manner if they manage to land a hit. However, this laughing will short-circuit them and cause them to explode- don't worry about getting in your revenge!(Location: Western Village · Thought to be unfinished prototypes, explaining why they short-circuit after defeat.)
Index No. #05Weeping Woman 	
The Weeping Woman is based off of the Picasso masterpiece of the same name. Though many inanimate copies of her exist plastered among the walls, some do detach and weep about as they float around in circles, raining down sharp-edged tears that hurt on contact and bounce along the ground. Upon taking a few hits, she will shatter into many pieces, becoming eradicated almost completely from existence.(Location: Picasso Heights · Cries endlessly, having lost their loved one forever ago. Whom is up for debate.)
Index No. #06Doomsday Clock 	
Doomsday Clocks appear uncommonly throughout the Picasso Heights, but they can be found floating around ominously. If given enough time, their faces will melt as they slow time, causing the player's gravity to increase slightly as they take damage until time restores to normal. If the enemy is smashed up, they will dissolve into liquid and melt into a helpless heap on the floor, able to be bypassed entirely.(Location: Picasso Heights · Brings out the worst fears in its victims, subjecting them to anxiety-related torment.)
Index No. #07The Screamer 	
The Screamer is a really challenging enemy to counter throughout the Picasso Heights, usually appearing in pairs. This wavy, abstract man will randomly escape paintings and slash at the teddy bears, bits of harmful paint detaching from his degenerating body as he makes his assault. Just a single strike from one's whip will shatter his whole build, splattering his inky droplets everywhere.(Location: Picasso Heights · Some ringing noise permanently lodged in their heads makes them restless.)
Index No. #08Gatekeeper Lisa 	
The mysteriously realistic-appearing Gatekeeper Lisa's portrait is always found plastered onto royal walls, typically near gates or doorways. If she detects an intruder, she will aim her eyes in their direction and blast lasers in their direction. However, her eyes will lock half a second prior to blasting the player, with this delay giving them the time to dodge. Whipping her eyes will shut her off, usually opening a gateway or lowering a drawbridge.(Location: Picasso Heights · Famous for its appearance, infamous for its secret job, lethal for its lasers.)
Index No. #09Clayos 	
Clayaos are small enemies made wholly from clay. When approached, they will rise up from the ground as humanoid beasts, intimidating the player with their clay teeth and long appendages. They will then attempt to leap at the player, becoming a lump of clay on the floor when landing. They can be whipped apart with very little effort, but be careful that remaining bits can reassemble into newer figures.(Location: Castle Crockery · Sentient pottery experiments gone wrong that live in a size-dependent hierarchy.)
Index No. #10Slay-Doh 	
Slay-Doh are flat, perfectly round clay patties that will flip around, attempting to crush the player under their weight as if they were a destructive domino of some kind. The player just has to whip them in the center from either side to burst them apart into halves. Be warned; they can merge with others and become bigger, more destructive hazards... the exact opposite of what you want! If timed properly, they can be used to cross pits of spikes.(Location: Castle Crockery · They spawn revolting clay worms that infest residences, slowly breaking up walls.)
Index No. #11Wheeler 	
Wheelers are alive pottery wheels that spin around on their own, never actually making clay. When approached, they will get up on their side and begin rolling around on the floor, attempting to knock the player down before falling back down on their backs. If the player whips them, they will bounce off in the opposite direction, shattering if they make contact with a wall. Shall they land on the floor, they will continue their business.(Location: Castle Crockery · It's thought that Wheelers were used to spawn Clayos and Slay-Doh with.)
Index No. #12Bottle Fiend 	
Bottle Fiends resemble your average ink bottle, just much smaller and featuring a skull face on their fronts, accompanied by a pair of legs. They will clumsily walk about in vain efforts to ram the player down, as they're the standard troop of the Falls region. If they're hit, they'll blast into temporary, but still quite lethal inky heaps on the floor- keep that in mind! This should especially be considered when they arrive in groups.(Location: Inkura Falls · They scream frantically like children when they rush into battle, knowing they won't last.)
Index No. #13Press Launcher 	
A Press Launcher can be very annoying to deal with, as it will scan the horizon right in front of its one eye for intruders before proceeding to continuously launch long streams of paper at them. These copies of paper can actually be used as platforms to cross gaps, but they can cut the player if they're accidentally approached from the sides. Just whip them to shut them up, and do it again to destroy them.(Location: Inkura Falls · Continuously prints Endal's world domination blueprints to overwhelm the prisoners' cells.)
Index No. #14Splatter Turret 	
Splatter Turrets are long, needle-shaped stationary pens with the sole purpose of ejecting long streams of lethal Inkura from their "beaks" across the ground to melt down intruders. Once they release a load of that disgusting substance from their hollow bodies, they will subsequently become empty and therefore useless. However, the player must find the best place to stand so they're not helpless against its lethal streams.(Location: Inkura Falls · Lazily reprogrammed from liquid drawing to battling mode, just having one move.)
Index No. #15'Stache Monkeybot 	
‘Stache Monkeybots are the first Monkeybot models of Endal's to become fully finished, wielding cowboy hats and mustaches to signify their higher class of power. These cocky robots will attempt to blast the player down with their cork guns, laughing in a mocking manner if they land a hit. They won't short-circuit after their fit of laughter this time, however, so they'll have to be whipped apart! Be careful for when they arrive in swarms.(Location: Inkura Falls · They regularly call his master to beg for the bananas that they cannot eat.)
Index No. #16Stacking Saumirais	
Stacking Samurais are the only real active target to be found in Sumie Splash, with all of them equipped with samurai swords that have their size proportionally equal to the size of their master. After one makes a slash, they will pop open to spawn a smaller one, and so on until there are six of these dudes on screen all at once. Destroy the leader to break all of them instantaneously, but breaking open the smaller ones shouldn't be too painful.(Location: Sumie Splash · The bigger samurais are quite often thought to represent the eldest generation.)
Index No. #17Daruma Otoshi 	
Daruma Otoshis are stationary but enormous enemies, waiting to be hammered by an opposing force or be whipped by the player. When hammered or whipped, pieces will fly out from beneath their heads and be sent out into the wind, either as projectiles to damage the player or as platforms to stand on. Green Daruma Otoshis are never mandatory for progress, and thus whipping their heads will shut them down. This does not apply for red ones.(Location: Sumie Splash · They were initially built by an ancient civilization to quickly travel over Buonarroti.)
Index No. #18Slingshot Squirrel	
Slingshot Squirrels are stuffed critters attached to a pair of high-altitude balloons. They will float around, attempting to blast acorns in the player's direction. These enemies can quickly prove to be very annoying, as they often come in duos and rapid-fire their shots against the player. Hitting their balloons will cause them to quickly plummet to their doom, however, so disposing of them should be rather simple.(Location: Zeppelin Fleet · These squirrels were promised a load of edible acorns if they can shoot you down.)
Index No. #19Falcon Gunner 	
Falcon Gunners are stuffed falcons protected with heavy metal armor, with the imagery of Endal's face plastered on their sides. They are kept airborne through their balloons, and wield machine guns that are designated to blast away in the player's direction. Unlike Slingshot Squirrels, they continuously fire bullets, but don't make the player flinch and occasionally they'll have to reload. Their balloons can be popped, too.(Location: Zeppelin Fleet · Their metal prevents them from getting scorched, but their balloons don't compensate.)
Index No. #20Kitty Float 	
Kitty Floats are moderately-sized unpoppable balloons carrying sleeping stuffed kitties atop them, all of which are armed with long nails. If the player makes noise, they will become disturbed and leap at them with their nails out, ready to shred them to pieces! The player can whip the kitty to burst them apart instantly, but if their nails hit a balloon or string of them, they'll all pop! Beware!(Location: Zeppelin Fleet · They were put to sleep beforehand so they wouldn't accidentally burst their platform.)
Index No. #21Clownish Freak 	
Clownish Freaks are a unique breed of enemies; these scary-looking realistic clowns will make rebounding balloon animals and send them out at the player, attempting to push them off towards the pitch darkness below, creepily laughing at it does. They appear to be illusions, for attempting to whip one will simply make it disintegrate into dust, never to return. That technically defeats it, I guess?(Location: Zeppelin Fleet · Are Clownish Freaks even from this world, or are they from another dimension?)
Index No. #22Origamodino 	
Origamodinos are huge red dinosaurs made exclusively from origami, based upon what appears to be the tyrannosaurus rex. It will rush forward when it sees the player and swing its head down to chow them down with its teeth, but it can be disassembled by simply whipping at its base. The Origamodino is infinitely more troublesome in encountered in pairs, as a pair can easily corner the player and form a deliberate inconvenience.(Location: Origamopolis · Thought to have a balanced diet, consuming Springy Toads and Fishy Fish.)
Index No. #23Springy Toad 	
Springy Toads are common origami-based enemies throughout Origamopolis, but they're not quite as painful to deal with as Origamodinos are. They will leap around in hopes of springing atop the player, but if the player jumps on their backs, they will sprung a rather high distance into the air, allowing them to access places they likely wouldn't be able to otherwise. If whipped from the front, they will croak and fall apart.(Location: Origamopolis · Every time they trounce, their behavior goes through a full cycle of changes.)
Index No. #24Fishy Fish 	
Fishy Fish will swim around slowly in seas of lethal Inkura, occasionally jumping out to try and sink their teeth into the player, especially if they're crossing over bridges. They will be seen crossing from the foreground into the background as leap over the bridges, before hiding themselves again in the pools of Inkura. Their tail tips can pass through bridges to try and catch the player off guard- whip them to destroy them.(Location: Origamopolis · Though the bottom of the food chain in Origamopolis, they still like biting off teddy booty.)
Index No. #25Hot Rod 	
Hot Rods are not made from origami, unlike the former three enemies, but rather steel and plastic. These futuristic-looking cars will streak across the stage on their four wheels. They come in two varieties; a green type that will just pass by once, and a deranged red type that will make u-turns to try and hit the player again. Whip them thrice to destroy them, which will make their parts scatter across the floor.(Location: Origamopolis · They're so shiny and valuable, drawing men and women alike... only for it to proudly flatten them.)
Index No. #26Timburner 	
Timburners are miniature woodsmen soldiers that will stand at corners on the streets, typically near miniature forest parks in the region, chopping up trees to hurl logs at the player if they come by. If given enough time, they will spark up a miniature fire and escape to make the park burn! These fires can spread over the origami streets, so be sure you whip these Timburners apart before they make big problems!(Location: Origamopolis · They personally consider deforestation and desertification to be of no concern.)
Index No. #27Origamorhino 	
Origamorhinos are much rarer enemies than the aforementioned five above, being huge origami monsters that occasionally chase the player down long roads like in Indiana Jones movie sequences. They will attempt to spike the player up with their horns, and are indestructible in every way- the player must run away to survive. When they crash into walls, they will split apart, letting the player roam free.(Location: Origamopolis · They like to pose for the camera and boast about how they can steamroll their enemies.)
Index No. #28Neon Lion 	
Neon Lions are one of Diamond Carnival's only three enemies, being made wholly from rubies and amber, its complex lighting system lit up with neon. They cannot be whipped at any angle, breathing out electric breath to try and finish the player off. When their mouths are open, however, that's the time to strike. The player can manipulate their breath to switch on devices and rides that were previously off.(Location: Diamond Carnival · They're so proud because they don't have to be locked in cages, unlike other lions.)
Index No. #29Haunted Prize 	
Haunted Prizes are the second enemy present here, being ragged and tarnished stuffed animals that seem to have been left behind at the carnival. They will take on the forms of frogs, owls, or hamsters, but they will all function the same: being slow enemies wielding long scythes, striking at anything that moves too close to them. They usually appear alone, leaping from the shadows when they see their opportunity to strike.(Location: Diamond Carnival · They joined Endal's army under the promise of being returned to their friends.)
Index No. #30Notorious Barrel 	
Notorious Barrels are washed with grey and red colors, moving in predetermined patterns and functioning largely as crushers, found in tight corridors closer to the stage's bottom. They have angry eyes and huge frowns. Pressing up or down on them will instead bring them to filthily grin- if the player don't get off quick, the barrel will head directly upwards into a ceiling to kill them! Should the player whip their eyes enough, it'll momentarily explode- they should run away!(Location: Diamond Carnival · They seem particularly fit for smashing teddy bears and hedgehogs alike.)
Index No. #31Nurse Needles 	
Nurse Needles is an upright-standing mouse that can be found commonly throughout the Voodoom Railway boxcars. She will attempt to throw several waves of needles at the player for as long as she's alive, retreating further back towards the vehicle's front. If she takes a hit, she'll quickly retreat. If she's hit enough, she'll explode, dropping a loot of Raisins as the player's reward for keeping up with her.(Location: Voodoom Railway · They're the main source of aid and assistance in Endal's army of fiends.)
Index No. #32Spookchu 	
Spookchus are undead mice that will pop out of the chewed up walls of the train's insides, stunning the player temporarily with their long tails before attempting to strike them, even though the player can always move out of the way in time. They can be detected quickly by watching the holes in the walls, which occasionally show pairs of glowing golden eyes. They prefer to strike alone, and will run away from others of their kind.(Location: Voodoom Railway · Spookchus chew away at the wires keeping the carts together, at their expense.)
Index No. #33Voodude 	
Voodudes are upright-standing sloths that are filled to the brim with voodoo needles. They will pace back and forth, releasing spikes from their bodies in all directions at regular intervals. They are incredibly annoying when found in groups, which the player will have to put up with occasionally. The player should use their whip to make them explode, though that will make them explode their needles in eight directions.(Location: Voodoom Railway · Transported from far-off lands to become new village-crushing soldiers.)
Index No. #34Zombear 	
Zombears are slow-moving, but huge undead teddy bears that will let out little cries of hunger upon spotting the player, attempting to crush them with their heavy, super-powerful arms. If the player moves too far away, they will dissipate into the ground and trail them as multi-colored slime. They mostly guard the entrances to train boxcars; if broken apart, the player can quickly slip by them. They will eventually then resurrect, ready again for battle.(Location: Voodoom Railway · Also thought to be transported from overseas as a model soldier.)
Index No. #35Elite Monkeybot 	
Elite Monkeybots are the upgrade to ‘Stache Monkeybots, being severely more competent and useful than their older counterparts. They will attempt to shoot the player down with their corkguns, firing five corks in a row, and shoot lasers from their eyes if the player is at close-enough range. They may also clumsily hurl around boxes of TNT, attempting to back away from the explosions as they do. Just whip them hard enough to bring them down.(Location: Voodoom Railway · Always make persistent, annoying quips on how they're superior to the past models.)
Index No. #36Elephlex 	
Elephlexes are really rowdy, dangerous enemies that are encountered commonly throughout the hollow Mosaic Caverns. They will stomp in anger upon seeing the player, then brutally charge at them! If they get close enough, they will use their trunk to grab onto the player before smashing them into the floor, effectively suplexing them. Their horns will block whip attacks from the front, so striking these fluffy baddies from their backsides is ideal.(Location: Mosaic Caverns · They really prefer to live alone, because they're secretly xenophobic.)
Index No. #37Vampy Lens 	
Vampy Lens are an unusual breed of enemies, being fluffy vampire bats with camera lens found lodged in their throats. If they lock onto a player via crosshairs, they will attempt to focus their lens on them before snapping a photo- this will paralyze the player, forcing them to become open to attacks from other enemies. To eliminate these enemies, the player has to strike their opened throats to make them gag.(Location: Mosaic Caverns · They spy on other species to figure out the dos and don'ts of life.)
Index No. #38Boa King 	
Boa Kings hang from horizontal bars near the ceilings from time to time in varying rooms, most frequently appearing in squads of five. They will descend immediately when the player passes underneath them, attempting to snatch up a player and squeeze them before releasing them. Simply dodge them, then leap up with the rebounding yarn below to give the enemy a well-deserved whip to their face.(Location: Mosaic Caverns · They reportedly enjoy swallowing teddy bears whole, weekly for their dinners.)
Index No. #39Guardian Golem 	
Guardian Golems are very uncommon throughout Mosaic Caverns, but usually fit the archetype of stretching vertical chambers throughout the level. These huge humanoid golems will have their platforms and parts spin about as the player attempts to scale them or move down- if struck at the right timing on its core compartment, it will stop moving altogether, then self-destruct- move way out of the way, fast!(Location: Mosaic Caverns · They're supposedly capsules filled with countless TNT, for reasons unknown.)
Index No. #40Slot Zapper 	
Slot Zappers are thin robotic models remotely based off of the daddy long legs creature, but heavily colored with golden stripes and possessing azure feelers. They will crawl around the enormous pinball tables, attempting to latch only any slot space it can find. If the player falls into one possessed by a Slot Zapper, they will be electrocuted and take damage- whip to defeat, or simply avoid.(Location: The Ironworks · They really like to give visitors bad luck on luck-based machines.)
Index No. #41Thunderbird 	
Thunderbirds are ideal falcon models that are the only other enemy to populate the casino-inspired section of the casino. They will fly recklessly about overhead, then duck and make a horizontal dive on the y-axis it was locked onto just moments before. They will do three swoops before disappearing, and release bursts of thunder in the player's direction when moving around. Whip their bodies to bring them down.(Location: The Ironworks · Patrol the zone for litterbugs, machine tamperers, and unwanted intruders alike.)
Index No. #42Snatcher Devil 	
Unusual enemies known as Snatcher Devils frequently appear in the Ironworks' interior, being squiggly and slimy yellow hands that crawl across the ground, connected to a cube-shaped time bomb that triggers whenever the player crawls nearby. It will try to grab the player with its elastic body so it can pull them to its bomb, killing itself and hurting the player in the process. Whip the hand to stun it.(Location: The Ironworks · Continuously question the point for their existence and their unholy design.)
Index No. #43Magnet Sphere 	
Magnet Spheres are a dangerous, non-sentient defense mechanism designed to defend Endal's fortress. They will attempt to gravitate all fluff towards themselves, pushing enemies away from itself conversely. If the player makes contact with it, they will be electrocuted- whip it to reverse its direction, but strike it so many times it can't keep up- that will make it shatter! They are commonly found around Snatcher Devils and Trampo-Saucers.(Location: The Ironworks · They were built to not think whatsoever, only to control chaos and havoc.)
Index No. #44Trampo-Saucer 	
Trampo-Saucers are another common enemy found in the Ironworks' mechanical interior. These are trampoline-like figures that will hover around, especially in low-ceiling corridors, waiting for a player to bounce right on them into a spiky ceiling. They commonly come in groups, and are indestructible except from their bottoms. If the player can do a well timed rebound jump in the right place, they can flip all of the saucers over.(Location: The Ironworks · Another lifeless drone patrolling Endal's Ironworks, attempting to slaughter intruders.)
Index No. #45Prototype Android 	
Prototype Androids appear to be rusty, mass-produced clones of Bowie that almost look nothing like him, having half-hollow brown shells and jagged geometry that really does not make him look kid-friendly. They are rather trained, however, capable of moving back and forth and tossing sheriff badges, also capable of roping the player around. Just whip them enough times to bust them apart.(Location: The Ironworks · They have nowhere as much soul as the original deal, and are no match for them.)
Index No. #46Angelic Archer 	
Angelic Archers will randomly pop out from underneath clouds or otherwise descend from out of nowhere from time to time. These sad, powder-white teddy bear angels will pull out a bow, firing waves upon waves of arrows at the player's teddy bear that won't stop coming until the enemy is whipped apart. Performing such a sinful action will attract its many friends, however! Run for your life, or fend for yourself!(Location: Fractured Heaven · Depressed since they lost one of their loved ones down to the world below.)
Index No. #47Spinning Cross 	
Spinning Crosses are one of those odd breeds of enemies. These golden enemies will wait for the player to come by, before quickly rushing at them and thrusting at their body with the southern tip of its cross shape. It can also spin around like a tornado and fly freely through the air, attempting to spin into the player's side. Really annoying in tall vertical shafts, where it's hard to shatter.(Location: Fractured Heaven · They seem to possess creepy hypnotic powers, but it's ineffective on golden souls.)
Index No. #48Winged Cowboy 	
Winged Cowboys are just another strange entity that the Fractured Heaven is responsible for. These overtly cute, butterfly-winged cowboys will wield two corks at a time, attempting to shoot in the player's direction. Though they may not appear to be overly special, they can trick the player by throwing a shot into a Spinning Cross, intended for it to backfire on them! Break them down through whipping, as always.(Location: Fractured Heaven · They seem to patrol the heavens to punt out those not worthy of the clouds.)
Index No. #49Monkeybot Admin 	
Administrative Monkeybots are the most trusted rank of Endal's army, appearing rarely through the level. In some of the gauntlet arenas, an Administrative Monkeybot may sic some of its Stache or Elite soldiers on the player, while it goes all out with its explosive array of attacks- from TNT crates to barrages of missiles. Make it retreat by ripping up all of its enemies, or blow it up to blow everyone else up.(Location: Fractured Heaven · They know they cannot fail, for Endal's schemes are on their last legs.)
==Bosses==
Think of bosses as oversized enemies, just with a much wider pool of attacks and requiring much more memorization to be beaten. Bosses typically have lots of health and are usually affiliated with themselves, but some bosses have a direct link to Endal and are thus recognized as major bosses (especially in the Sega CD port of the game). They are typically found at the end of each level, but Expert Mode introduces a few mini-bosses and some more are entirely exclusive to Butcher Mode.
Enemy 	Information
Boss Index No. #01Saguaro DevilWestern Village 	
In spite of his intimidating name, this cacti-armored teddy bear bandit loves to dance and taunt more than he loves to fight! The cactus man will commonly charge across the ground all curled up into a spiky ball, sometimes doing a u-turn and coming back. Alternatively, he may leap across the screen in that same shape, throwing a wave of cacti needles below himself at the apex of his jump. After each charge, he will briefly taunt before throwing a wave of three spreading shurikens, right before returning to his charging pattern.
The key to hitting the Saguaro Devil is to whip him out of his ball form and then immediately bound off of the nearby wall to charge him into a spike-lined wall; doing so will make him get stuck for a few seconds, allowing the player to get a few hits in before he bounces back into battle. As he loses health, pieces of his armor will fall off, making it so that he won't get stuck for as long. Note that for every bit of damage you take, he will laugh at you, giving you an opportunity to hit him- except at half-health, where he ceases this nonsense.
The Expert version makes him throw more cacti needles, throw five spreading shurikens, and will never taunt if he successfully hits you. He will also roll faster and make more curveball turns in his strategy.
Boss Index No. #02Marie's MirrorPicasso Heights 	
Hung up in the chamber's center is a massive oval-shaped mirror with a rainbow-painted border, which hides the spirit of a ghostly, sad-looking white teddy bear inside! Upon the battle's start, Marie will escape her mirror, slowly floating around the room and targeting the player with a dozen masks surrounding and circulating her body, preventing her from taking any damage. Occasionally, she will stop in place and let these masks expand outwards from her body as projectiles before forcing them to rubberband back to her. At other times, she will instead create thin laser beams from her eyes, which will ricochet off of at least one or two walls before disappearing.
If she floats in front of her mirror, she will latch onto it and create a black hole, attempting to suck the player in with a moderate gravity pull. Should the player venture too far from her, she will spit acidic teardrops from her mouth, which will venture towards them like missiles. To damage Marie, the player will have to whip her protective masks away, then use the rebounding yarn to whip at her vulnerable body. After taking enough damage or after a few seconds, she will retreat away, regenerating masks. Once she takes enough damage, she will let out a shriek as her body- as well as her mirror- shatters.
The Expert version has her form sixteen masks and makes them expand outwards across the whole length of the stage. Her lasers will also last much longer, her black hole is stronger, and more acidic teardrops will spawn.
Boss Index No. #03ClaymateCastle Crockery 	content=
This dangerous entity is an animated clay model of a muscular great ape, capable of shrieking and beating his chest to emphasize his power! The room he's fought in has seven evenly-spread pottery wheels on shifting pillars spread out over a pit of quicksand-like orange clay, with this monster perfectly capable of hopping between any of them in a jiffy. He may only attack when he's grounded on one of these pottery wheels; he will either spit out blobs of harmful clay in the player's direction or windmill his arm to throw out a huge fist their way. He may also jump and ground-pound against any pottery wheel, sinking it down into the quicksand and forcing the two pillars next to it to rise up into the ceiling as crushers. Sometimes, he will spin around on the pottery wheel to regenerate his body, though slowly.
Striking the Claymate will not damage it, instead it will split him into chunks of clay on the floor before he recollects and reassembles. However, the player has one of the boss's advantages; rebounding off one of the pillars will sink it down into the quicksand, bringing the ones right next to it to rise right up into the ceiling as crushers! If the player can trap pieces of the Claymate between risen pillars, they will fall into the quicksand and be destroyed, drastically reducing the Claymate's size. Once every bit of it falls into the quicksand, it will be destroyed entirely. This battle can be either quite short or last a long time, depending on your strategy.
The Expert version makes more pillars rise up into the ceiling whenever the Claymate ground pounds, and even faster as well. The Claymate will also spread into more chunks that are more evenly distributed across the stage.
Boss Index No. #04FortoiseInkura Falls 	
Fought in the deepest pits of Inkura Falls, this levitating metallic tortoise blocks all the cavern exits! This big boy is equipped with a spinning hard shell, with several cannons protruding from underneath and a bomb-dropping head that can retract into its body as well as its legs. Using the rockets attached to its body, Fortoise will float below the ceiling, periodically dropping bombs from its mouth that will explode upon meeting the player's vertical position, spreading waves of fire to the left and right. After dropping a few bombs, it will retract its head and legs into its shell as it sweeps across the ground, firing out eight missiles that will auto-target the player- these can be whipped apart.
As it swoops back up, the player can jump right atop of it and whip it right down into the ground, damaging it from the combined strength of the whip and the impact from the fall. However, if the move isn't performed quickly enough, the teddy bear will be crushed against the ceiling, damaging them. After being knocked into the ground, the player can whip the boss' exposed head to damage it. It will follow up by not just hovering up, but thrashing around the ground in diagonal directions until it calms down, repeating its bomb attack pattern. As it takes damage, the boss behaves faster and faster- eventually losing its shell, rendering it vulnerable to any attacks.
The Expert version has the boss drop bombs seamlessly after the last, blasting away 20 missiles as opposed to just 12 in its sweeping attack. It will also attempt to thrash into the player when it gets angry, and its shell will last longer than usual.
Boss Index No. #05Katana KatakirauwaSumie Splash 	
Right before the player can access the ramp to take them to the next level at Sumie Splash, a stuffed-up black one-eared pig standing upright with a katana in their “hand” will challenge them! This porkchop will pace back and forth on the flat terrain, never coming too close to the player but never going too far, either. Should the player try to approach him, he'll either do a lightning-fast front flip over them or backflip towards a wall- the player has to either wait for an opening or plot their ambush attack. If left alone, he will either make a quick flash of the blade if he's close, or do a diving strike across the floor if he's further away. Don't be fooled, one isn't perfectly safe in the air either; if he detects the player in the air, he will make a lunge in their direction with his katana after “locking on”, front flipping afterwards and landing back on his feet.
What the player must do is dodge his attack, then near-immediately strike him to send him into a temporary frenzy. He will actively chase down the player to slash away at them, enraged that he got hit, and damaging him during these frenzies (he won't make anywhere as strong of efforts to dodge) will make him lose a lot more health than normal. Once he cools down, he'll return to his usual battling strategy.
The Expert version is more precise and aware than before, playing even safer against the player and making his strikes play out faster. When he's enraged, he will try and play safer than before and guard against attacks better.
Boss Index No. #06Inkura Dragon #1Zeppelin Fleet #1 	
Flying neck to neck with the Zeppelin Fleet is an enormous Chinese dragon-like beast, complete with a mechanical exoskeleton and an inky organic body! Flashy and stunning, decorated with glowing lightning-blue ridges all over its body and similarly colored scales, the Inkura Dragon is unfinished but tough. This lightning-fast dragon is first fought right atop the Zeppelin itself, right atop the platinum bridge leading to the front, and it absolutely means business! This dragon will spend nearly all its time flying about, breathing out jets of water to push the player off the stage or otherwise spitting out lethal Inkura onto the battlefield to limit their footing. Occasionally, it will stretch out one of its claws by a massive distance to grab and squeeze the player in its talons. When it moves from side to side, it will do so by quickly snaking across the ground like a serpentine, attempting to bite the player as they do so and forcing them to jump over.
To damage and beat this boss, the player has to whip the dragon's central armor and pull on its electrical compartment (its heart) to damage it, forcing it to lose nuts and bolts in the process. But to make doing such a harsh task much easier, the player needs to first whip the dragon's head thrice, forcing it to stay shut for ten seconds. Once the boss has lost enough nuts and bolts, the player can suplex the dragon into the floor, making it lose its first fight.
The Expert version will breath out twice the jets of water, spit out more Inkura than before, and reach longer with its intimidating talons. The dragon's head will only stay shut for seven seconds, as well, making for an even tougher overall challenge.
Boss Index No. #07Mayor LayerOrigamopolis 	
The greedy corporate owner of Origamopolis takes the role as the stage's boss, being a paper mache monster connected to the sentient city! This old monkey fella will ride around on his wheelchair, attempting to ram the player against a wall whilst throwing around cutting-edge dollar bills around the room to slice them with. Sometimes, he will have his seat move up and down from its wheels as he performs his ramming attack, requiring the player to jump between the seat and wheels at the right timing. Mayor Layer will sometimes stop at the edge of the stage, spinning around rapidly in his seat as he sends forth a volley of crumpled up sheets of paper that will bounce across the ground, requiring the player to dodge them or whip them away.
At other times, he will send forth sheets of paper across the arena that move left and right in sync as they descend, forcing the player to carefully dance back and forth and left and right and jump through any gap between them as Mayor Layer races over to them. Sometimes, he will stop in the stage's center to send a volley of sharp paper prisms across the floor, which quickly slot up and then down as they spread away from him. This can also happen if he's at the edge of the level. To beat Mayor Layer, the player simply has to whip him when he's charging in his wheelchair- making him one of the easiest bosses to hit. Every ten seconds, the stage will be struck with an earthshock, tripping the player for a second and rendering them open to a charge attack. The player can clear room for jumping by whipping away papers.
The Expert version is significantly more challenging, with Mayor Layer moving around even quicker as his volleys of paper become less spread out, with the paper prisms moving slower and being trickier to dodge. Earthshocks also occur every 8 seconds.
Boss Index No. #08Platinum ScaleDiamond Carnival 	
This shiny, libra scale machine is made wholly from platinum, with gems of varying colors, shapes and sizes embedded into its structure. It is controlled by a stuffed rabbit wearing a masquerade mask and a top hat, who eagerly controls the mech from its elevator-like base. It is fought on a stretchy tightrope, being the first boss battle to take advantage of the yarn rebounding mechanic the game features. The rabbit will cackle as it moves the machine's invincible cockpit up and down in its little elevator shaft, firing off lasers from its sides that will rebound off of walls before disappearing within seconds. It will also occasionally send shockwaves through the yarny terrain, which will travel around the stage in the player's direction before also disappearing eventually. Occasionally, it will unscrew its spiny top to launch a weight cube towards the player's horizontal position, with them exploding after seven seconds if left untouched. If they explode, they will send a searing series of fireballs across the screen, so it's recommended to act fast.
If it lands on one of the two scale platforms, it will weigh it down by a significant amount; the player must use the rebounding yarn to strike it from underneath to knock it into a high position, also forcing the explosive weight to trounce high into the air. The player needs to quickly advance to the other side and use the rebounding yarn to stand on the lowered scale; when the weight comes back down on the other side, Bowie will be catapulted high into the air, letting him strike the machine's power core located on its top. They need to get off fast, however, or they'll get hit with a powerful explosive and get knocked right off the mech anyway! Once the core takes enough damage, the player just has to use the rebounding yarn on the walls to smash into the now-vulnerable cockpit, destroying the mech and letting the player move on.
The Expert version has the Platinum Scale drop explosives that don't last as long, blast out thicker and wider beams that last much longer, and release bombs much faster so that the player has less time to hit and break its weak spot.
Boss Index No. #09Omega MonkeybotVoodoom Railway 	
The prime example of an elite Endalian soldier, this mustache monkey bandit is incredibly bulky and tough to take down, especially under the time limit provided. He is fought in a yarn-made cage shortly after sabotaging and destroying the trains. The first thing that should be noted is that the Omega Monkeybot cannot be damaged initially, being completely invulnerable to the player's attacks due to the player's whip and other weapons being unable to shatter his unrivaled armor. Instead, the player has to knock him over onto his belly by using the rebounding yarn to spring up high, then come crashing right back down to trip the Monkeybot with the shockwaves- exposing his vulnerable backside momentarily.
However, the player must put up with this boss' persistent antics of frantically hopping around the playing area first, along with the fact that nearly all of his jumps make shockwaves when he hits the ground. After every few bounces, he will flip two cork guns and then fire them off in the player's direction, before hopping around again. Sometimes, he will grab onto a wall and hurl explosives around the arena, sometimes hurling packs of TNT to make holes in the yarn. The player must respond by whipping these explosives right back at him, prompting him to drop to dodge, giving the player a chance to fake him out with a shockwave attack. Once his back takes enough damage, he will brutally explode, with the player free to progress onwards.
The Expert version moves around quite a bit faster, landing on the floor quicker and therefore shaking it much more. He will also blast several more corks out at a time, and hurl more packs of TNT across the arena. He is also less vulnerable.
Boss Index No. #10Paul the Teddy BearMosaic Caverns 	
Fought late-game and determined to showcase his superiority to Bowie and his gang, Paul presents something of a challenge to the player and their selected character. He will pace back and forth on the battlefield, never coming too close to the player but never going too far away from them, either. When he's ready to make an attack, he will warp away and return right next to the player, giving them a split second to react before channeling off a burst of lightning across the screen. He can also flip into the air, thrusting out a series of small lightning bolts down in the player's direction for a few seconds before descending back down to the ground. Occasionally, he may clap his hands to form stormclouds overhead, creating bursts of thunder to keep the player gravitified to the floor as he attempts to shoot them down with lightning. Paul is also capable of levitating around in the air and ignoring any and all efforts to trip him over.
To beat Paul, the player must either wait for him to warp to make his attack, or ramp up enough speed to hit him before he can warp out of harm's way. If he makes an attack, the player should dodge it and then strike him with their whip or weapon of choice immediately afterwards. If the player decides to build speed, the player must wait for the path to be clear, and then bounce off of the wall to get a running start towards pushing their rival down to the ground. After enough hits, Paul falls down.
The Expert version of Paul has him behave faster, forming stormclouds more often while channeling off bursts of lightning far more frequently. He can also levitate and warp around in the air to fake out the player, if necessary.
Boss Index No. #11ArmorachnidThe Ironworks 	
This hideous, enormous mecha-arachnid was made from cutting-edge technology, and ferociously and intimidatingly guards the entrance to the Ironworks' airport. This beast is fought in an auto-scrolling horizontal corridor, which takes the player around the rusty turnpike leading to the exit. The Armorachnid will clunkily jump its way around the hallway, knocking away building blocks as it does, attempting to crush the player flat underneath its eight legs of steel. Sometimes, it will attach itself to the ceiling and crawl around, dropping the moment the player drops right underneath it. When holding still on the ground or ceiling, the boss will release long strings of sticky webbing from its spinneret to create floor-to-ceiling barricades, which may be vertical or diagonal. Either way, they may only be destroyed if they're whipped enough with the player's rope or if the spider chooses to slice them up to make way for itself. If the player touches the webbing, they'll become stuck to it, and allow the boss to get in a free hit or two. At other times, the boss will instead charge horizontally across the screen with a series of slashes from its scythe-like legs, or leap forwards to bite them with its poisonous fangs.
The boss will swipe the player away if they attempt to strike its head while it's on the ground, so they have to do it while it is on the ceiling. Using the rebounding yarn, the player must spring up and whip its face to make it lose its grip on the ceiling, short-circuiting it and bringing it down to the floor on its back. The player must whip continuously at the armor on its belly until it can get back on its feet- with enough hits, it will shatter, revealing its engine. Once the engine is destroyed, the whole boss will shut down- but the player must quickly get away, as it will violently self-destruct!
The Expert version of this boss jumps around significantly faster, forming sticky barricades more frequently and now being capable of falling during its air-slashing animation. The webbing also lasts much longer, making the player fully vulnerable if they land in it.
Boss Index No. #12Inkura Dragon #2Zeppelin Fleet #2 	
Though the Zeppelin took a lot of damage from its previous flight, its destroyed bits and pieces were devoted towards repairing and perfecting this mechanical monstrosity! It was noticeably redesigned as well, now bearing the wings, core and tail of a European dragon, a sapphire battle mask, and the new concept of “Zodiac Magic”- this dragon's got it all for this fight! Now battled in the damaged hull of the Zeppelin, again on a platform with bottomless pits to its sides, it absolutely looks forward to sparring with you again. This dragon will spit out lethal Inkura and spray water like before, but with less talons and a weakened neck, more priority is instead granted to its other attacks. It can now draw lethal Inkura shapes in mid-air with its hands, which bear the symbols of the Chinese Zodiac on them, sending them after Bowie in hard-to-dodge waves. If it sends out just one, it will flash red before exploding in an insta-kill wide radius, prompting the player to check where they're standing. With its new wings, it is capable of swooping around much more efficiently, capable of forming gusts to push the player away and into its dangerous hazards. It can use its tail to sweep the ground, stab it, and defend the dragon from close-range attacks.
To beat this boss, the player must whip its head ten times in a row, which will short-circuit it and limit all of its movement. It will do naught but spew slowing water as it tries to come back online, so one must be quick to reach its core and whip it apart, pulling on its heart again. When it sustains enough damage, it will power down, allowing Bowie to climb it and hold its reins to cross the bottomless gap ahead of him- he can dive it down into a field of explosives on the ship, letting go and jumping just before it happens.
The Expert version will again spit out more water and Inkura than before. However, its zodiac projectiles will spread out much further, and its gusts are much more efficient and effective. Its core is also less vulnerable to damage.
Boss Index No. #13Endal the MonkeyZeppelin Fleet #2 	
Fought in the control room of the exploding Zeppelin battleship, Bowie's real arch-nemesis will show no mercy whatsoever in this battle of wits! His primary weapon is a golden mechanical baton with a glass orb on the end; this allows Endal to use his signature psychic abilities. Endal will frequently hop around the playing area, usually performing short hops but doing high leaps if he does a front flip first. As Endal's moving around, his seething hatred for the player's character will become visible in the baton's orb, taking on the form of violet flames- these will soon burst from his baton in a wave of fiery spears, so the player needs to keep their distance so they can reliably fit between the psionic bursts! Occasionally, he will instead warp right behind the player, typically between every 8 or 16 hops, and strike them right with the baton- sometimes he'll fake the player out before legitimately warping, in front of them instead! If Endal touches any wall, he will kick off of it and levitate freely in the air, pointing his baton to face the other side as a series of psionic explosions occurs on the player's x-axis. Sometimes, he'll instead slide towards the ground as crosshairs appear on the player's current location- if they're not quick enough to move, Endal will blast that spot with hard-hitting stars!
To beat Endal, the player has to wait for him to make and miss an attack- this leaves him vulnerable for a split second, giving the player just enough time to whip him. Once he's whipped, he will yelp and fall to his knees, letting the player mercilessly whip him for a few seconds until he gets back up, warping to resume his strategy.
The Expert version has Endal jump around much more frequently and randomly, making him tougher to predict atop the fact that he can fake out the player TWICE now. He will also form curved series of psionic explosions and send out more hard-hitting stars.
Boss Index No. #14Millennium KitsuneFractured Heaven	
Just when you thought you could settle the score once and for all with your escaping nemesis, a gorgeous and ferocious fluffy kitsune blocks your path! This Kitsune will magically fly about, zipping around the battlefield in bolts of lightning, sending eight auto-aiming fiery feathers in your direction per sweep! Occasionally, she will swoop down and breathe a huge blast of fire across the screen, requiring the player to use the rebounding yarn to get just enough air to evade the whole attack. On other occasions, she will rise all nine of her tails, causing the screen to flash white- Bowie or another teddy bear will be cast into stone, requiring them to break free fast. This move is unavoidable, but it never damages the player and there's always enough time to evade the next attack.
Sometimes she may head into the background, forming eight transparent pillars of flames that won't damage the player just yet- one of them will be different from the rest, looking less real than the others. The player must stand in that fake space quickly, as the rest of the battlefield will be engulfed in realistic flames! They must dodge these flames until she decides to charge into the foreground, requiring the player to move very quickly towards their next destination. Perhaps most iconic is her ability to slow down time for the player, but not herself; if the player is slowed down, they need to have near-perfect timing to dodge attacks until time is resumed to normal five seconds later. She may also speed up time, making the player's character much harder to steer. To blow a hole in this guardian of the heavens, the player must simply attempt to whip her to the best of their ability… but given how sturdy she is, it might take a while.
The Expert version of this boss is inarguably much harder, sending out twice the feathers, having an even harder blast of flames to dodge, having a harder-to-escape petrification attack, and striking the player during the illusion flame attack.
Boss Index No. #15Emperor EndalFractured Heaven 	
===Sega CD exclusives===
Enemy 	Information
Boss Index No. #10 (B)Bowie the Teddy BearMosaic Caverns	
It'd make no sense if Paul fought himself, right? Bowie is equally as strong as the aforementioned boss, but boasts a wholly different pattern and strategy. Instead of doing a wait-and-see type of approach to his battle, Bowie deliberately chases the player down in vain efforts to strike them dead, only backing away or flipping backwards when they attempt to approach him with an attack. Bowie will frequently attempt to strike the player with his signature whip, which inflicts solid and very harsh damage on Paul if it manages to land, so it needs to be skillfully predicted and dodged. If just the tip of the whip lands, Bowie will grab Paul and suplex him into the ground, dealing immensely high damage but being easy enough to dodge.
He can also throw out a sheriff badge to throw the player off their game, or a series of them instead. If they hit Paul, they will pin him to the ground or wall for a second, usually giving Bowie just enough time to hit them with his rope. If Bowie stomps towards the floor, Paul won't be knocked over, but it will temporarily stun him. Use your lightning bolts to harshly stun Bowie, then proceed to whip him until he's capable of moving again. After enough of a beatdown, Bowie admits defeat.
The Expert version of Bowie has him behave faster, spreading out more sheriff badges and stretching his whip out further to have a better chance of hitting Paul. His badges will also pin Paul for long sessions of time. Bowie will also have improved dodging ability.
Boss Index No. #16Celestial EndalEvil Mind 	
The player will be hurled into a clockface-like arena with twelve steel pegs surrounding a dangerous black hole; the player must continually swing from peg to peg without messing up, as there is no solid ground for them to stand on for the final confrontation. The stage and background will rotate when the player moves left and right, but the player themselves never does, helping with perception and movement. Celestial Endal is a godlike enhancement of himself, appearing like the imperial figure he's always wanted to be. With his imagination mostly blocked, Endal can't murder the player in a pure instant, but he does possess five huge attacks that can ruin the player's run.
His first is his ability to spit out three waves of dangerous psychic orbs, all of which are capable of homing in on the player, but spread out if they've gone far enough. Secondly, he can also create three enormous psionic bombs around himself and have them rotate around his body. He will send them off one by one, with each forming three temporary black holes upon exploding. Thirdly, he can curl himself up into a ball and freely bounce around the arena, attempting to knock the player into the black hole at the center of his thoughts. His fourth attack has him send out a straight line of shooting stars in the player's direction, rebounding off of the black hole if they land on it. Lastly, he can try and reach his hand forward; if he does this, he will squeeze the player, lift them up, and then smash them into the black hole.
The player can only beat him by timing a peg swing with a whip of their rope shortly after the ape has attacked; if they're too early, he will grab their rope and lethally suplex them, and if they're too late, Endal will simply warp away. Hurt him enough times, and Endal's mind will shatter. When Endal forces the player out of his head, his mind cracks up, and Endal lies defeated on the floor. As the heavens pour back out from his body and as the heroes leave the scene, one of his eyes opens up as the screen fades to black.
Boss Index No. #M1The Wicker ManZeppelin Fleet #1 	
In Expert Mode, the player will commonly encounter the Wicker Man midboss enemy! The Wicker Man is a towering, wooden teddy bear without a face, equipped with an immensely-long steel mace and combustible inner energy. This midboss can be found in multiple levels, freely chasing the player across stretches of land. It will bounce around haphazardly, freely swinging its mace around as it does, requiring the player to find a good opportunity to slip between it and its menacing weapon. Occasionally, it will hunch over, firing a bunch of flaming wooden needles from its back that will auto-aim onto the player like little rockets. It may instead crouch down from time to time, targeting the player with crosshairs before hurling its maceball right at them.
The Wicker Man must be whipped several times with the player's whip, with a limb coming right off with every three hits. If it loses one leg, it will have its speed halved, if it loses two, it will become stationary on the ground and attack twice as fast. If it loses one arm, its aim will be worsened, and if it loses both, it can't use its mace and will move around twice as fast. If it loses all of these, its chest compartment will be left, preparing to make an arena-wide explosion through churning fire in its body! The player will have to slash that several times to get the body to break apart, eliminating the threat of an explosive finale.
In the Onslaught mode, and in Zeppelin Fleet, where this obstacle is a boss instead, it mostly behaves the same, but will occasionally upchuck piles of wood from its body that need to be evaded, as they are projectiles. When they land on the ground, they will have to be given a few seconds before they explode.
Boss Index No. #M2Dark SaguaroMosaic Caverns 	
Enraged from his loss from all the way back at the Western Village, the bad bandit Saguaro Devil caught right back up to Bowie and friends, sporting an all-new color scheme and set of attacks! Now sporting super tight black latex, deviously spiky armor, and an imperial mask also adorned with spikes, Saguaro now means serious business. Dark Saguaro will frequently charge across the ground curled up into a spiky ball, like before, but he'll move much faster and will showcase his new ability to climb up walls. Once he reaches high enough on the wall, he will hang there and throw five to seven waves of hard-to-evade cactus needles before charging right down in the player's direction. Occasionally, he'll leap to the other wall in his ball form, sending sixteen cactus needles in all different directions the moment he crosses the very center of the screen. Finally, he'll occasionally uncurl from his ball form to juggle and toss three shurikens around the room, which will stick to the walls before exploding.
If the player attempts to whip him in his ball form, he will punish them by grabbing their rope and suplexing him- to beat him, the player will instead have to use the rebounding yarn footing to bounce him up into the spiky ceiling when he's in his ball form, causing him to stick and take damage. If the player immediately follows up by bouncing right into his uncurled body, pushing him against the spikes, he will take massive damage. Should Dark Saguaro be hanging high along the walls, the player can press against them to make him fall down, though he will attempt to dive at the player if they do so. Should he miss, he will be stunned momentarily, granting the player their chance. Once beaten, Saguaro is down for good.
Boss Index No. #E1Plastic FiendBonus Stage 	
This living doll will levitate around the playing area, attempting to snip the player's whip so they fall down into the darkness below while blowing harmful hearts in their direction. Sometimes she'll spin and twirl, forming windboxes that will push the player away from their destination if they're too close to her. When on the top balcony, she'll gain a more varied set of attacks. She'll now use her long legs to kick the player away from her; if they hit a wall, they will take considerably more damage. She'll also attempt to rush around the battlefield with her scissorhands, attempting to cut up the player by rushing into them.
The Plastic Fiend will still showcase her ability to cut up the player's whip if they try and prematurely hurt her; this will last for 5 seconds. She'll also blast lasers from her eyes and attempt to snap the player between her legs to deal damage. To beat the Plastic Fiend, they just need to strike her from behind, most easily done when she's dashing through the air or blowing off hearts. Once she explodes, she'll drop a ton of raisins.
The Expert version has her kick with longer legs and use her scissorhands much more frequently, blasting series of lasers from her eyes to fight the player off. Her heartblowing attack is much more erratic, more likely to land.
Boss Index No. #E2Floral PrincessButcher Exclusive 	
Boss Index No. #E3AztexicaButcher Exclusive 	
Boss Index No. #E4The IncineratorButcher Exclusive 	
==Achievements==
In the Steam and PlayStation ports of BowieQuest, there exists numerous achievements and trophies for the player to collect on their own time:
PSN Trophy	Achievement Name 	Requirements
 	Student Becomes the Master	Beat "Arcade Mode" with all four characters.
 	Broken, Beat & Scarred 	Beat "Expert Mode" for the first time.
 	One Hit Wonder 	Clear "Butcher Mode" on Expert without taking damage.
 	Adrenaline Rush 	Beat "Arcade Mode" for the first time.
 	Untouchable & Unrivaled 	Clear "Butcher Mode" for the first time.
 	Very Unholy Power 	Have a combined time of under 40 minutes in "Time Attack".
 	Master of the Whip 	Use your whip successfully 1000 times.
 	Clinically Insane 	Reach the end of Fractured Heaven... go back, then come again.
 	Breakneck Daredevil 	Beat Athena Hawkins' personal record on Story Mode.
 	Collector DJ 	Find all of the missing CDs hidden throughout the game.
 	The Challenge's Mounting 	Clear the Western Village for the first time.
 	No Remorse Ahead 	Clear the Inkura Falls for the first time.
 	Exercise Under Pressure 	Clear Origamopolis for the first time.
 	Almost an Impossibility 	Clear the Mosaic Caverns for the first time.
 	Conquering the Emperor 	Beat the Story Mode for the first time.
 	Hometown Olympics 	Clear the Western Village stage under 120 seconds.
 	Picasso Fiasco 	Take the highest path in the Picasso Heights.
 	All Fine & Dry 	Don't get wet or scorched when passing Castle Crockery.
 	Stealthy Sheriff 	Beat the Inkura Falls without getting detected once.
 	The Pacifist's Run 	Avoid all the Dojos in Sumie Splash and don't fight back.
 	Invincible in the Skies 	Don't get hit once throughout the Zeppelin Fleet.
 	Watch the World Burn 	Let Origamopolis get fully set on fire... then survive.
 	Valid Cowardice 	Don't take any of the rides found in the Diamond Carnival.
 	The Pest of the West 	Beat Voodoom Railway before half the train's carts detach.
 	Disappointing Rival 	Beat Paul/Bowie in less than a minute without taking damage.
 	Heaven & Hell 	Clear Fractured Heaven without touching Raisins or Fabric Balls.
 	Picasso Fiasco 	Take the highest path in the Picasso Heights.
 	Bargaining with the Reaper	Hold 3000+ Raisins in stock at any given point.
 	Flirting with Balance 	Purchase everything in Ace's shop at once.
==Reception==
The original Sega Genesis version of BowieQuest was only a modest success at the time of its release, being the system's second best-selling release from 1995 (after Vectorman) but not being successful enough to move sales of the Genesis, especially during a time where 32-bit and 64-bit technology were becoming increasingly popular. It sold about 1.36 million copies overall, with roughly a fifth of its sales attributed to the sales of the game's Special Edition released on the Sega CD. This does not count software downloads it received as part of the Virtual Console lineup on the Wii, Wii U, V², or Module. BowieQuest would go on to become part of Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and become available for purchase on Steam, whether standalone or as part of the Sega Genesis Classics.
In spite of its subpar sales, BowieQuest received warm reviews from critics and gamers alike, thought to be tied with Ristar and Vectorman as one of the best 1995 releases on the Sega Genesis platform. Brandon Black of GamePro appreciated the depth of the gameplay and mechanics as well as the precise detailing of the game's lore, going on to praise Endal the Monkey's character and the rebounding yarn mechanic. He stopped short of giving BowieQuest a perfect score when he criticized the game's "bland" and "clunky" menu design, however. Zach Houck of CVG praised the game for consistently performing at 60 frames per second and admired the smoothness and tightness of the controls, believing they balanced out the game's steep difficulty curve and made every death feel like the player's fault as opposed to the designers'. Mooch Float of EGM shared similar thoughts and additionally praised the appealing character designs, thinking the series "stood a chance" and could survive into the next generations of video gaming if its sequels showed just as much care and overall ambition. Lehaan Bluzen of Sega Power thought of BowieQuest as one of the better examples of well-constructed original platformers, believing the whip mechanic led to a lot of creative level design, and highly appreciated the lore and creative setting.
The game did receive some criticism, with complaints commonly surrounding the game's intense difficulty factor. Nathan Brown of Next Generation strongly disliked the game's sharp learning curve and found many of the levels to be frustrating, discouraging him from passing the fourth level. Three of the four Famitsu reviewers agreed with that resentment, all believing the game could have benefited from having a proper tutorial level or a beginner-friendly difficulty setting. Houck admitted that lowering the prices of Ace's items or at least death itself would have made the game more accessible for beginners. All of these reviewers were astonished to find that these levels were not fixed in the Special Edition port of the game, which instead carried the all-new Expert Mode, a decision that Brown referred to as "absolutely ludicrous". Black disagreed with these criticisms, singling out Houck and Brown as "cowards".
==Soundtrack==
The soundtrack was written and produced by Spencer Nilsen and David Young of the Sega Technical Institute, who had previously collaborated together on the soundtracks of Ecco: The Tides of Time and Sonic CD (US version). The tracks were designed to be theatrically fitting for the game's setting and stages, while also structurally having the focus of being catchy and memorable. As such, the game's soundtrack has gained a reputation for being very rich and highly complex, designed to take full advantage of the Sega Genesis' hardware. However, due to the limited success of BowieQuest, the soundtrack is not as well-known as that of the aforementioned Sonic CD's.
The Sega CD port of the game has an enriched, remastered version of the soundtrack and features one original song: "No Regrets", also composed by Nilsen and Young. All levels additionally have their own lyrics attached to them in the Sega CD version of the game, though this can be disabled if the player wishes. The composition team drew inspiration from traditional Mexican and Japanese music, as well as techno music and environmental noise around cities such as New York. Several tracks are known for combining Western themes with then-modern popular music, especially the Western Village and Voodoom Railway levels.
On the game's 10th anniversary on March 1st, 2005, the majority of the soundtrack was instrumentally performed by the San Francisco Symphony at the Berkeley Community Theatre in Berkeley, California. Notably, the track "No Regrets" was vocally performed by Sheryl Crow.
==Anti-piracy measures==
The developers of BowieQuest took numerous measures to make sure the game was always being played on legitimate hardware and that its region of origin matches that of the consumer's Sega Genesis or Sega CD. The game will refuse to boot under numerous circumstances if it's been pirated, such as if the game detects unusual coding within itself or if the game doesn't recognize the hardware it is being played on. Should the player bypass or crack these checksums, the game will appear to boot up normally, though notably only Arcade Mode is selectable.
The game appears to play normally until the player approaches the second level, the Picasso Heights. However, the game deleted its whole layout upon the player surpassing all of the checksums, rendering the level impossible to complete under any circumstance and forcing the player to die over and over again. Reaching that point in the game triggers hidden coding that make the game delete the Western Village's layout as well, making the whole game unplayable. If the coding that makes this possible is removed, code tied to each object and level in the game will make sure the game freezes immediately, making pirating BowieQuest a very tedious job.
When the player receives a game over, they will be given a message that urges them to not pirate games.
==Gallery==
===Official===
BowieQuest Box.png|Official Genesis boxart
BowieQuest Box2.png|Official Sega CD boxart
BowieQuest_New_Logo.png|Official logo
BQTitleCard.png|Title card for "Western Village" when playing as Bowie
BowiePyro.png|Japanese art of Bowie
AnnaPyro.png|Japanese art of Anna
SmithPyro.png|Japanese art of Smith
PaulPyro.png|Japanese art of Paul
Bowie by Drybones157.png|American interpretation art of Bowie
===Fanart===
BowiePuddle.png|Fan art by 
YeeMeYee_Bowie_Fanart_2.png|Fan art by 
==Trivia==
*There exists a cheat screen in BowieQuest, which hides a number of cheats that can be used to mess around with the game. If the player hits Left, Right, Up, Down, A, B, and C before pressing Start, the sound of a whip crack will be played. This will permanently unlock the hidden cheat screen, enabled by holding down B when pressing start.
**The player can access any level they wish if they hold down B, additionally being able to mess around with the sound test. If the player receives a game over in a level or otherwise completes it, they'll be returned to this screen. They can hold down C if they wish to continue going, however. Interestingly, the layout, font, and design of the level select menu is identical to that found in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, only with name replacements. Selecting the Special Stage crashes the game.
**The player can choose to switch on infinite health- this means they won't take damage no matter what. If they're slammed by a crusher, they'll just reappear next to it! If they fall into a bottomless pit, they'll be ballooned out of it! They can also disable the Time Limit and have a generally easier experience overall!
**On the other hand, the player can make it so that any damage they receive results in a one-hit knockout, and they can also make it so that all raisins are gone from the levels- the player will be given no Raisins at the start of the level, and only a generous handful if they start all the way from the Western Village!
**Other miscellaneous options include being able to make Raisins and/or Fabric Balls half or twice their usual value, making it so that items will never disappear from the player's inventory, and making it so that all bosses the player encounters can be destroyed in one hit (those with "phases" will take just one hit to end).
*The game was originally developed for a handheld system before being moved to the Sega Genesis. It initially had only Bowie as a playable character, there were only six fully fledged levels planned, and many of the game's mechanics would have worked way differently.
**The original selection of levels went as follows: Picasso Heights, Castle Crockery, Inky Falls, Voodoo Palace, Gemstone Vegas, and The Ironworks.
**It was rumored that the game was initially developed for the Game Boy before changes of plans moved it to the Game Gear, then towards a home console.
*Sketches for the game show a kimono-dressed monkey labelled "Savast" and a robotic duplicate of Bowie labelled as "Project X-Terminator". These characters would not make it into the final game for reasons unknown.
*The artwork for Bowie, Anna, Smith, and Paul are each courtesy of .
*R.I.P. Bowie the Teddy Bear, Panacea household item from 2001/2002 to 2018. Burnt to smithereens in a fire. R.I.P. Ashe (Smith) (2001-2018), Samantha (Anna) (2011-2018), Paul (2001-2018), Shelia (2011-2018), and Bananas (Endal) (2011-2018) as well. You may have each been inanimate objects, but you all still have a special place in my heart and I miss each of you dearly. If it weren't for you six, I wouldn't be nearly as inventive, creative, and passionate about my imagination as I am now. If there's anything I'd like to go back in time for, it would be to save your skins from the fire (as well as prevent my family members from losing everything else they had). This game, as well as its sequels, are dedicated to each of your respective memories.
**Here's an extra thank you to each of the teddy bears that were either thrown in the garbage, sold off to other kids, or completely destroyed. I do not remember all of your names, but I will never forget even the smallest members of the Panacea stuffed animal collection.
*If you're curious as to see how this article evolved, check out the /2014 revision/, /2015 revision/, and /2017 revision/ pages.
Category:Games
Category:Original Games
Category:Platforming Games
Category:Sega Genesis Games
Category:Sega CD Games
Category:TimeStrike Products
Category:1995
Category:BowieQuest (series)
Category:Fuchsia's Vault