How to Play Beetle Mania

Learn how to unlock and play Beetle Mania, a fun Space Invaders clone in Super Mario RPG (2023). Get tips to beat the high score and earn extra lives!

Alright, so you've wrapped up the Marrymore section of the story and you're back in the Mushroom Kingdom. There's a little side activity waiting for you that's a blast from the past, kind of like a mini-game within the game! It's called Beetle Mania, and it's a fun little distraction. Here's how to get it and how to play.

How to Unlock Beetle Mania:

First things first, you gotta head back to the Mushroom Kingdom. Once you're there, make your way into the inn. In the back right corner, you'll find a kid totally engrossed in his Gameboy. Chat him up – you'll need to talk to him three times. After the third chat, he'll have beaten his game and will offer to sell you his system for 500 coins. Go ahead and buy it! Once you snag it, just open your menu, and you'll see Beetle Mania added as a new option. You can play it anytime from there!

How to Play Beetle Mania:

Think of Beetle Mania as Super Mario RPG's take on the classic Space Invaders. You're playing as a little beetle, and your main goal is to blast away incoming red shells. These shells will come at you in waves, and you've got three hits before the game is over. The current high score to beat is 5,000 points, set by that kid you bought the system from.

To dodge those shells, just move your beetle left and right. Keep an eye out for hearts that sometimes pop up – shoot them, and you'll get an extra life, which is super handy!

Here's a neat trick: when you shoot the shells, they explode into stars. These stars can actually take out other shells, racking up more points for you. Just be careful not to shoot shells that are too close to your beetle, because those exploding stars can still damage you!

So yeah, it's a pretty straightforward mini-game, but it can be a fun way to pass the time and maybe even snag a new high score. Enjoy!