Difference between revisions of "Popful Mail"
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==Gameplay== | ==Gameplay== | ||
| − | ''Popful Mail'' is a platform game with RPG elements. At the start of the game, the only playable character is Mail; however, as the game progresses, Tatt and Gaw become available, and the player may switch between them at any time through the use of the "character" option in the menu (except in the middle of dialogue). Each character has different attacks and armors, as well as differences in walking speed and jump. The player's character can be moved around with {{left}} and {{right}} and can jump with {{B}}. The character attacks with {{A}}. The character can duck and defend with {{down}} and can jump off platforms with {{down}}+{{B}}. The character opens chests, enters doorways, speaks to characters, and | + | ''Popful Mail'' is a platform game with RPG elements. At the start of the game, the only playable character is Mail; however, as the game progresses, Tatt and Gaw become available, and the player may switch between them at any time through the use of the "character" option in the menu (except in the middle of dialogue). Each character has different attacks and armors, as well as differences in walking speed and jump. The player's character can be moved around with {{left}} and {{right}} and can jump with {{B}}. The character attacks with {{A}}. The character can duck and defend with {{down}} and can jump off platforms with {{down}}+{{B}}. The character opens chests, enters doorways, speaks to characters, flips switches, and reads signs with {{up}}. The character can climb ladders with {{up}} and descend them with {{down}}. Additionally, the player can summon a menu with {{C}} to change the current character, use or equip an item, or save or load. |
The character encounters enemies as well as non-playable characters. Often, when encountering an important character, dialogue begins immediately, with the player having no control over it. These important dialogues are by default always voice-acted; however, text accompanies them, and the voiced speech can be turned off in an options menu if desired. | The character encounters enemies as well as non-playable characters. Often, when encountering an important character, dialogue begins immediately, with the player having no control over it. These important dialogues are by default always voice-acted; however, text accompanies them, and the voiced speech can be turned off in an options menu if desired. | ||
| − | The character has 100 health points, and attacks from enemy characters diminish it according to the strength of the attacker. Similarly, all enemies have a 100 health point bar that has to be brought down to 0 for the enemy to be defeated. How much damage is dealt depends on the strength of the character, although an attack always causes the same amount of damage to the same enemy. | + | The character has 100 health points, and attacks from enemy characters diminish it according to the strength of the attacker. Similarly, all enemies have a 100 health point bar that has to be brought down to 0 for the enemy to be defeated. Enemies are briefly stunned after being hit and can be hit again as they come out of the stun. How much damage is dealt depends on the strength of the character, although an attack always causes the same amount of damage to the same enemy. |
When an enemy is defeated, it typically drops a bag of gold or a healing item. Gold can be spent at shops in towns in exchange for weapons, armor, and other items. Each character can acquire up to five different weapons and various items. Each subsequent weapon is stronger than the preceding one, although the player may switch to any weapons possessed at any time if desired, through the menu. Weapons include a sword, dagger, boomerang, staff, fireball, and claw. Items, different from weapons and armor, affect either the health bar or the character's status, or are plot devices. They may confer invulnerability at a price, stability in snow, or replenish health, among other things. They can be obtained from other characters, treasure chests, shops, or bosses. | When an enemy is defeated, it typically drops a bag of gold or a healing item. Gold can be spent at shops in towns in exchange for weapons, armor, and other items. Each character can acquire up to five different weapons and various items. Each subsequent weapon is stronger than the preceding one, although the player may switch to any weapons possessed at any time if desired, through the menu. Weapons include a sword, dagger, boomerang, staff, fireball, and claw. Items, different from weapons and armor, affect either the health bar or the character's status, or are plot devices. They may confer invulnerability at a price, stability in snow, or replenish health, among other things. They can be obtained from other characters, treasure chests, shops, or bosses. | ||
| − | The character has a blue-grey bar that is depleted as a distance weapon or a magical attack is used. When the bar reaches 0, the character can still perform the weapon motion, but the magical or long range portion of the attack | + | The character has a blue-grey bar that is depleted as a distance weapon or a magical attack is used. When the bar reaches 0, the character can still perform the weapon motion, but the magical or long range portion of the attack fails. The bar regenerates quickly if given time to do so (if the character uses no attacks or switches to a melee weapon). Use of a distance weapon or magical attack while the bar is regenerating halts the regeneration, which resumes if no attacks that deplete it are made. |
| − | The game has a practical save game feature. Games may usually be saved and loaded at any point in the game (except during dialogues, world map travels, and the animated sequences); if a game that was previously saved in a room with a boss is loaded, the game resumes just before the battle, before the character has entered the room | + | The game has a practical save game feature. Games may usually be saved and loaded at any point in the game (except during dialogues, world map travels, and the animated sequences); if a game that was previously saved in a room with a boss is loaded, the game resumes just before the battle, before the character has entered the room. Three save slots are provided. |
===Characters=== | ===Characters=== | ||
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}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
| − | | title= | + | | title=Tatto |
| sprite={{sprite | Popful Mail, Players.png | 1.5 | crop_width=60 | crop_height=52 | crop_x=60 | crop_y=0}} | | sprite={{sprite | Popful Mail, Players.png | 1.5 | crop_width=60 | crop_height=52 | crop_x=60 | crop_y=0}} | ||
| − | | desc=Tatt is a magician, a former apprentice of Muttonhead. He wears a red hat and robe. He chases after his master, who has left him and his fellow students, in order to find out why and ultimately dissuade him from his path. Tatt is polite and somewhat timid. He is sometimes ridiculed for his agreeable nature. He meets Mail in the first level. His main weapon is a magical staff. | + | | desc=Tatto (or Tatt for short) is a magician, a former apprentice of Muttonhead. He wears a red hat and robe. He chases after his master, who has left him and his fellow students, in order to find out why and ultimately dissuade him from his path. Tatt is polite and somewhat timid. He is sometimes ridiculed for his agreeable nature. He meets Mail in the first level. His main weapon is a magical staff. |
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
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| title=Nuts Cracker | | title=Nuts Cracker | ||
| sprite={{sprite | Popful Mail, Characters.png | 1.5 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=56 | crop_x=320 | crop_y=0}} | | sprite={{sprite | Popful Mail, Characters.png | 1.5 | crop_width=64 | crop_height=56 | crop_x=320 | crop_y=0}} | ||
| − | | desc=Nuts Cracker, the first villain seen in the game, is the leader of a dangerous criminal gang known as the Gingerbread Grifter Gang. He specializes in manufacturing explosives, especially exploding dolls. Nuts Cracker appears to be human but is fashioned like a wooden nutcracker. He | + | | desc=Nuts Cracker, the first villain seen in the game, is the leader of a dangerous criminal gang known as the Gingerbread Grifter Gang. He specializes in manufacturing explosives, especially exploding dolls. Nuts Cracker appears to be human but is fashioned like a wooden nutcracker. He speaks in an exaggerated Italian accent in the Working Designs translation. When defeated, he often throws his head, which then explodes, while his body runs away. Mail has been trying to catch Nuts Cracker for a long time and faced him on many occasions, but he always escapes. |
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
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{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
| title=Elf Woods | | title=Elf Woods | ||
| − | | screenshot= | + | | screenshot=Popful Mail, Stages, Elf Woods 1.png |
| − | | desc= | + | | screenshot2=Popful Mail, Stages, Elf Woods 2.png |
| + | | screenshot3=Popful Mail, Stages, Elf Woods 3.png | ||
| + | | screenshot4=Popful Mail, Stages, Elf Woods 4.png | ||
| + | | desc=Mail meets fellow elf adventurers Slick, who has characteristically gotten himself into trouble, in the woods and Namo, who is also searching for the Gingerbread Grifter Gang, in a nearby village. She also meets Tatto, a former apprentice of Muttonhead, before fighting the Mad Bomber. | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
| title=Treesun | | title=Treesun | ||
| − | | screenshot= | + | | screenshot=Popful Mail, Stages, Treesun 1.png |
| − | | desc= | + | | screenshot2=Popful Mail, Stages, Treesun 2.png |
| + | | screenshot3=Popful Mail, Stages, Treesun 3.png | ||
| + | | screenshot4=Popful Mail, Stages, Treesun 4.png | ||
| + | | desc=Mail rescues Namo, who has been imprisoned by a group of wizards. She meets Mythia, whose wedding ring has been stolen by the Badger Gang. She fights the Thrashmaster+. | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | {{InfoRow | ||
| + | | title=Elf Woods | ||
| + | | screenshot=Popful Mail, Stages, Elf Woods 5.png | ||
| + | | desc=The player can return to the Elf Woods to defeat the Badger Chief and complete the quest to return the Gold Ring to Mythia in Treesun. | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
| title=Golem Tower | | title=Golem Tower | ||
| − | | screenshot= | + | | screenshot=Popful Mail, Stages, Golem Tower.png |
| − | | desc= | + | | desc=Mail fights the Wood Golem. After defeating the Wood Golem, Mail finds Muttonhead, but he escapes with a spell. Mail frees Tatt, who has been imprisoned by Muttonhead. Tatt joins the party and leads Mail to Muttonhead's hideout in the Wind Cave. |
}} | }} | ||
}} | }} | ||
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{{InfoRow | {{InfoRow | ||
| title=Panic Peak | | title=Panic Peak | ||
| − | | screenshot= | + | | screenshot=Popful Mail, Stages, Panic Peak.png |
| desc= | | desc= | ||
}} | }} | ||
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Revision as of 19:42, 25 January 2022
Contents
Gameplay
Popful Mail is a platform game with RPG elements. At the start of the game, the only playable character is Mail; however, as the game progresses, Tatt and Gaw become available, and the player may switch between them at any time through the use of the "character" option in the menu (except in the middle of dialogue). Each character has different attacks and armors, as well as differences in walking speed and jump. The player's character can be moved around with 
and 
and can jump with 
. The character attacks with 
. The character can duck and defend with 
and can jump off platforms with +. The character opens chests, enters doorways, speaks to characters, flips switches, and reads signs with 
. The character can climb ladders with and descend them with . Additionally, the player can summon a menu with 
to change the current character, use or equip an item, or save or load.
The character encounters enemies as well as non-playable characters. Often, when encountering an important character, dialogue begins immediately, with the player having no control over it. These important dialogues are by default always voice-acted; however, text accompanies them, and the voiced speech can be turned off in an options menu if desired.
The character has 100 health points, and attacks from enemy characters diminish it according to the strength of the attacker. Similarly, all enemies have a 100 health point bar that has to be brought down to 0 for the enemy to be defeated. Enemies are briefly stunned after being hit and can be hit again as they come out of the stun. How much damage is dealt depends on the strength of the character, although an attack always causes the same amount of damage to the same enemy.
When an enemy is defeated, it typically drops a bag of gold or a healing item. Gold can be spent at shops in towns in exchange for weapons, armor, and other items. Each character can acquire up to five different weapons and various items. Each subsequent weapon is stronger than the preceding one, although the player may switch to any weapons possessed at any time if desired, through the menu. Weapons include a sword, dagger, boomerang, staff, fireball, and claw. Items, different from weapons and armor, affect either the health bar or the character's status, or are plot devices. They may confer invulnerability at a price, stability in snow, or replenish health, among other things. They can be obtained from other characters, treasure chests, shops, or bosses.
The character has a blue-grey bar that is depleted as a distance weapon or a magical attack is used. When the bar reaches 0, the character can still perform the weapon motion, but the magical or long range portion of the attack fails. The bar regenerates quickly if given time to do so (if the character uses no attacks or switches to a melee weapon). Use of a distance weapon or magical attack while the bar is regenerating halts the regeneration, which resumes if no attacks that deplete it are made.
The game has a practical save game feature. Games may usually be saved and loaded at any point in the game (except during dialogues, world map travels, and the animated sequences); if a game that was previously saved in a room with a boss is loaded, the game resumes just before the battle, before the character has entered the room. Three save slots are provided.
Characters
Playable
| Mail is the main character. She is an unsuccessful female elf bounty hunter. Mail's main target, Nuts Cracker, always seems to escape after she defeats him. Mail has red hair; her elven ears stick outward from her head. She is tomboyish and good-natured but also capricious and confrontational. She is indefatigable in her goal of being a bounty hunter in spite of numerous setbacks. Her main and starting weapon is a sword; she can acquire a dagger and a boomerang as the game progresses. She is the fastest character but has the lowest jump. | |
| Tatto | |
| Tatto (or Tatt for short) is a magician, a former apprentice of Muttonhead. He wears a red hat and robe. He chases after his master, who has left him and his fellow students, in order to find out why and ultimately dissuade him from his path. Tatt is polite and somewhat timid. He is sometimes ridiculed for his agreeable nature. He meets Mail in the first level. His main weapon is a magical staff. | |
| Gaw | |
| Gaw is a small, round, winged, cave-dwelling purple creature. He is almost identical to all the others of his species, who both call themselves "Gaw" and often use the word as an interjection when speaking. Mail and Tatt meet Gaw in the second level, the Caves, but Gaw does not join them until later. Gaw's main attack is initially a fireball; subsequent attacks include a tail swipe and clawing. He is the slowest character but has the highest jump. |
Non-Playable
| Nuts Cracker | |
|---|---|
| Nuts Cracker, the first villain seen in the game, is the leader of a dangerous criminal gang known as the Gingerbread Grifter Gang. He specializes in manufacturing explosives, especially exploding dolls. Nuts Cracker appears to be human but is fashioned like a wooden nutcracker. He speaks in an exaggerated Italian accent in the Working Designs translation. When defeated, he often throws his head, which then explodes, while his body runs away. Mail has been trying to catch Nuts Cracker for a long time and faced him on many occasions, but he always escapes. | |
| Muttonhead | |
| Muttonhead was formerly a well-known and respected magician before unexpectedly disappearing from public view and turning to crime, a move that left his apprentices puzzled. He is dangerous and his goals are unknown. A 2,000,000 gold bounty is offered for his capture. | |
| Slick | |
| Slick is an elf acquaintance of Mail's. He often wants to tag along with Mail on her adventures, which, along with his bad jokes and obnoxious demeanor, annoys her to no end. He often causes more trouble than he solves, and is especially infamous for his use of home-made bombs, which his grandfather taught him how to make. | |
| Glug | |
| Glug is a kind-hearted but slow-witted dwarf artisan from the mines. Unlike everyone else, he enjoys Slick's company, and they are both friends. It is hinted that Glug suffers from mental problems as a result of a strong knock on the head, which might also explain his naiveté and short memory. |
Stages
Woods
| Elf Woods | |
|---|---|
| Mail meets fellow elf adventurers Slick, who has characteristically gotten himself into trouble, in the woods and Namo, who is also searching for the Gingerbread Grifter Gang, in a nearby village. She also meets Tatto, a former apprentice of Muttonhead, before fighting the Mad Bomber. | |
| Treesun | |
| Mail rescues Namo, who has been imprisoned by a group of wizards. She meets Mythia, whose wedding ring has been stolen by the Badger Gang. She fights the Thrashmaster+. | |
| Elf Woods | |
| The player can return to the Elf Woods to defeat the Badger Chief and complete the quest to return the Gold Ring to Mythia in Treesun. | |
| Golem Tower | |
| Mail fights the Wood Golem. After defeating the Wood Golem, Mail finds Muttonhead, but he escapes with a spell. Mail frees Tatt, who has been imprisoned by Muttonhead. Tatt joins the party and leads Mail to Muttonhead's hideout in the Wind Cave. |
Cave
| Wind Cave | |
|---|---|
| Fossil Rock | |
| Hot Springs | |
| Deviant Den | |
| Panic Peak | |
Mine
| Mine | |
|---|---|
| Zoth Shrine | |
| Fort Fryght | |
Chilly
| Icycal | |
|---|---|
| Mt. Rip | |
| Gyp Ship | |
| Crystal Palace | |
Castle
| Freaky Foyer | |
|---|---|
| Hassle Hall | |
| Maniac Mazes | |
| Orb Tower | |
Items
Weapons
| Short Sword | |
|---|---|
| Initially equipped. | |
| Dagger | |
| Costs 300 gold. | |
| Boomerang | |
| Costs 2,000 gold. | |
| Flame Sword | |
| Costs 3,000 gold. | |
| Aura Blade | |
Tatt
| Fire Cane | |
|---|---|
| Initially equipped. | |
| Dyno Cane | |
| Costs 300 gold. | |
| Electro Cane | |
| Costs 2,000 gold. | |
| Star Cane | |
| Costs 3,000 gold. | |
| Aura Cane | |
Gaw
| Fire Ball | |
|---|---|
| Initially equipped. | |
| Tail Attack | |
| Costs 300 gold. | |
| Iron Claw | |
| Costs 2,000 gold. | |
| Firebreath | |
| Costs 3,000 gold. | |
| Aura Breath | |
Armor
| Armor | |
|---|---|
| |
| Shields | |
|
Tatt
| Armor | |
|---|---|
| |
| Charms | |
|
Gaw
| Armor | |
|---|---|
| |
| Bands | |
|
Healing
| Herb | |
|---|---|
| Restores 5 health. Dropped by enemies, heals immediately rather than going into the inventory. | |
| Orange | |
| Restores 20 health. Costs 90 gold. | |
| Cherry | |
| Restores 40 health. Costs 180 gold. | |
| Apple | |
| Restores 60 health. Costs 270 gold. | |
| Banana | |
| Restores 80 health. Costs 650 gold. | |
| Melon | |
| Restores 100 health. Costs 1000 gold. |
Special
| Gold Bullion | |
|---|---|
| Can be sold for 500 gold. | |
| Elixir | |
| Restores all health, preventing death. Consumed automatically when the current character runs out of health. | |
| Amulet | |
| Provides invulnerability; however, the character cannot attack while invulnerable. This item is drained while active but can be toggled on and off to preserve it for later. Costs 1,500 gold. | |
| Ice Shoes | |
| Allows the character to walk on fire. This item is drained while active but can be toggled on and off to preserve it for later. Costs 250 gold. | |
| Spiked Boots | |
| Allows the character to walk on ice without slipping. This item is drained while active but can be toggled on and off to preserve it for later. Costs 500 gold. | |
| Stone Shoes | |
| Allows the character to walk on spikes. This item is drained while active but can be toggled on and off to preserve it for later. Costs 1,000 gold. | |
| Helmet | |
| Increases defense for a duration. This item is drained while active but can be toggled on and off to preserve it for later. Costs 300 gold. |