Ankoku Shinwa - The Dark Myth for Famicom / NES c. 1988
Original Story and Game Design c. Tokyo Shoseki 
and Daijiro Moroboshi

Translation patch by Boojum Snark.  c. 2010 
www.boojumsnark.com

***Beta Patch***

Please do not modify, distribute, or copy this patch or walkthru without
permission. Currently some of the word bank choices will be abbreviated or truncated but should 
not affect game play. The Title Screen is: Ankoku Shinwa /The Dark Myth/ Yamato no Takeru
/Yamato the Brave. Thanks to Pennywise and Gil Galad for extra technical info, 
and  to everyone interested in this game! :)

Story: An exciting Murder mystery  with esoteric Buddhism and Japanese history and legend.
1600 years ago Yamato the Brave dressed in woman's disguise defeated the Kumaso chief, who
swore vengeance upon Yamato and His descendants. 1600 years later, the Dark God and his minions
are manifesting to fill Kumaso's curse.In this graphic and text adventure, 
you are Takeshi, Yamato's descendent, a young man, who sets out to solve his father's murder 
at the hands of a  mysterious assailant. Your goal is to receive the eight chakra marks of the 
Serpent from the God Brahma,retrieve mystical items of the past, and fight horrifying Minions 
in order to solve the murder.  

Passwords: 

Receive Words of Brahma after defeating the Minions of the God of Darkness at the end
of every chapter. There are eight chapters in all. Enter the words at the title screen. 
 
Weapons: Takeshi will discover an Ancient sword(from a skeleton), Totsuka Sword 
(from Takeuchi as a priest) Bronze Sword (in a coffin), Asura Sword (from an idol of Asura) 
and finally the Kusanagi Sword (in front of Susanoo as a stone horse.) Each sword shoots
out stars at the enemy, and the Kusanagi shoots the most stars.

1.Nagano Museum/Tateshina Mountain
Takeshi as a young boy watches his father's murder. Years later he discovers
a letter inside his father's journal, marked from the Nagano Museum. 
At the museum, he meats Takeuchi the archaeologist. Speak with him about the 
Letter, Father, Murder at Tateshina Mountain, and go with him to the forest.
Move the Middle Buddha, to enter the cave. Examine and take the snake headed Gorgon 
figurine. Take the Skeleton's sword. Talk to Takeuchi about the door, 
look at the symbols. Ask about Atman, and consult the journal 
to open the door. Defeat the ancient armless creature. 

Password PJUSCF'LJYUFs

Items: Journal, Serpent Figurine, Ancient Sword


2. Izumo Shrine
Recieve the 1st Serpent Chakra Mark on the right shoulder from Brahma and go to Izumo, sacred
to Yamato and Susanoo.in the Past.  Enter talk to the crying woman, Princess Oto Tachiba
-whose name means Bouquet of Citrus Flowers.Talk to her about the mirror.  Talk to the Priest 
about the Totsuka sword, the Yamata serpent and your identity, as Yamato. Take the sword 
and defeat the Yamata serpent. 

Items:Totsuka Sword - a sword that places illusions into the minds of the enemy. 

Password: BEPM'TIiPCQQz'U

Boss: Yamata Serpent 

3.Tateshina Forest/Yamatai Land/Suffering Shrine/Mounds/Chibusan/Takehara/Hinooka

2nd Serpent Chakra Mark: Right Knee

Takeshi awakes confused at the Tateshina Mountains. He meets Miya Ooga the archaeologist.
Ask her questions about what you see, (she is impatient). Explore and talk to her about 
the pattern, the Horse Buddha, the jewel, the Yamatai, and the Yamatai Queen Himiko. 
Take the jewel. Consult the journal with Miya present. Place the jewel into Hayagriva
the Horse Buddha and enter the cave. Miya will accompany you, and be concerned about 
Himiko and the secret of immortality. Move ahead, move the casket lid, talk to 
Miya and take the seal half of Hiumiko and the bronze sword. Go ahead and examine the 
door. Look at the Door. (Try moving it for a laugh) and consult the journal. After the door 
is opened, talk to Miya first (If you want the game to end move up before talking to her.)
She will enter the spring. Move up, and then watch her transform into a hideous hungry ghost! 
Use the sword to stave her off and run to Takeuchi. Talk to him and enter the Shrine of 
Hungry ghosts. Leave and talk to him (if you want him to scold you), and re-enter. Dont 
fall in the hole. Look in the Hole and talk to Takeuchi about the Dark God and Dark Minions
and the hungry ghosts. Leave, look at his map and talk to him about Kikuchi. Go to the 
Kumamoto Burial  grounds. Move the rope, read the charcters, and go up. Talk to Takeuchi. 
Go down to Chibusan burial crypt. In the tomb look at the figure, the wall, and the pot. 
Take the parchment from the pot, talk to your trusty guide. Go to Takehara Tomb, talk and 
go to Hinooka. Look at the hypnotic rock swirls, talk, and go up into a trap. 
Defeat Spawning Minion.



Password:Qajb'YeKEPsFB

Items:  Jewelled Eye,Half of Seal, Bronze Sword, Parchment
Boss: Spawning Minion

4. Asuka/ Shiratori Tomb/Underworld

3rd Serpent Chakra Mark: Right Ankle

Talk to Takeuchi, and he tells you to find the other half of the seal in Yamatos tomb at 
Shiratori. Go up, Up and look at the mural of Princess Oto Tachibana. Look at the comb, Crown, 
and Peach, they will be handy later. Go right look around, and DO NOT enter the cave with 
the warm breeze and and someone lurking inside (unless you want the game to end). Go until you 
find an old bronze bell and take it. Go until you find a passage that goes deep into the tomb. 
Look at the rock fissure, and the rock, knock the rock in with your sword. Look and go down. 
look at the wall, the figure and consult your journal. Take the magic protective Helm!
Toll the bell. Go forward. Talk to Kikuchi, and give him the seal. Run from the Underworld 
Hell Hag. Talk to the Princess Oto Tachibana take the crown and throw it at the Hag. Go forward, 
,talk to the Princess abput the legend of Izanagi and Izanami, take the bamboo comb and throw 
it at the hag. Go up, talk to her again, take the peach, take the flowers if you want and use 
the peaches. As the Hag goes for them, go forward. Talk to the mural of the princess, and 
Go to fight the Hag.  


Password: LlmfTnHnVlC
Items:  Helm, Bell, Crow, Comb, Peach, Flower Bouquet
Boss Underworld Hag 

5. Nara, Kofukuji Temple 
4th Chakra Mark -Thigh 

From Brahma, venture to Nara, to the Kofukuji Temple, which contains sacred artwork, and 
mysteries to solve. Enter and look at the ink painting of Izanagi which contains his story 
about escaping Izanagi's frightful form, leaving the Underworld and washing himself in the River. 
Go back to the next painting of his three children the Sankishin: Amaterasu of the Sun, 
Tsukuyomi of the Moon, and Susanoo the Dark one. Go to the next door and spring the lock with 
the sword. Go forward. Look at the picture of the Horse Buddha and the Sun and Moon Buddha.
Go back and see the painting of Rahu, the celestial dragon of India that destroys the 
Sun, Moon, and Stars.Use the parchment to complete the painting. Read the caption. 
Go to the door with the broken knothole and use the figure. Go forward to the scroll. 
Look at the scroll which looks like Orion. Go to the painting of calligraphy which is 
similar to Hell Rock at Kumamoto. Look at it, and read the journal. Learn the word Rahu, 
and go to the next door, which should open. Look at the the Taizokai /Lotus World mandala, 
and  go to the mandala and move it. Look at the idol of Asura, and its jewelry. 
Take the Sword of Asura and watch it spring to life! Defeat the Asura Avatar. 


Password:JAeCLsbkP'Hmml'
Items:Asura's Sword
Boss: Avatar of Asura 

6.Kiyo/Mountains of Mystery 

Go to Kiyo and talk to the fortune teller, about your identity, lunar mansions,
and all topics. Take Genbu the turtle and go to the Mountains of Mystery. 
On the trail go ahead until the turtle vibrates, and then on the path to the man.
It is Kikuchi, the descendant of Kumaso again. Talk to him about the seal, 
and why he is fighting Takeshi.  When he places both halves of the seal into the 
statue, the earth will quake. Leave and face the Susanoo Horse statue. Take the 
Kusanagi sword and defeat the Dark Horse. 


5th chakra mark Abdomen
Items Turtle, Kusanagi Sword
Password
Boss: Susanoo Stone Horse
GfMllKCCYTIEsK's

7. Yaidzu Coast 6th Chakra Mark Abdomen 

Talk to Takeuchi about the Horse and Kikuchi and go to the shrine of Rocks. 
(or are they?) Look at the door and use the snake figurine to open it. 
Go inside, go to the left and right rock capsules, and crack them with a 
sword. Talk to Takeuchi about the skeletons for weirdness, and go forward.
Crack open the large boulder to reveal the princess Oto Tachibana. Talk to her
until she disintegrates (gruesome!) and take her mirror. Talk to Takeuchi 
about the Atman and the three treasure, Kusanagi Grass-cutter Sword, Mirror, 
and the Moon Jewels. Go To Mt Hiei Enryakuji Shrine. Go inside. Talk to Takeuchi, 
use the mirror, talk to him again and shine the figurine to awaken the Dark Horse
God that lives in Orion's nebula. Defeat it, and dodge fireballs. 

Password: jEABTDR'PBPK'ZsU

Items: Mirror 
Boss Dark Horse /Dark God

8. Musashino, Depot /Home /Park 
7th chakra mark: Left Shoulder 
Items: Moon Jewels 
Boss: Kikuchi 

Return to your home at Musashino. Talk to the smoking man at the Depot station, 
and go to your house. Look at the picture and talk to the smoking man. Go into 
your fathers room, talk to your mother about your fathers murder and his 
destiny to be the Atman. and take the crescent moon jewels. 
Leave. At the station, Go up, and talk to your mother who staves off the smoking 
Mr Ogata  who is wielding a knife. Go into her room. Take her scarf and coat.
Go to the Park/Depot to face your uncle Kikuchi. Go up and use your sword. 
Watch him transform into a three faced demon and defeat him for the finale. 

There is a bad ending if you take the coat but not the scarf. 
Kikuchi will see through the disguise and kill Takeshi. 

Good Ending:

After Defeating Kikuchi's green three headed form, Brahma speaks to Takeshi and 
takes him into the cosmos, giving him the 8th chakra mark and reveals the mysteries. 

8th Chakra mark -Head 

Kikuchi is defeated by Takeshi in the present day.  
Yamato defeats Kumaso in the past. Yamato and Oto Tachibana
are reunited. The Dark God roars in the volcano, Mt Hinomoto.   
Yamato and Takeshi merge as the same being. 
Takeshi nows understands the mystery of his father, his mother, 
Orion, the Dark Horse, the Dark God, and other mysteries in the game. 

There are numerous computer jokes and references to books and Japanese pop culture
which have been retained and rendered in English throughout the game. For 
example if you try to move the moat in Chapter four a message reads "Paging Ultraman 
7?" or in Chapter 3 trying moving the largest rock at the Kumamoto burial Mounds 
"The Rock is Sumo sized!" Find as many as you can! :)
 
Feel free to send corrections, any hidding endings or secrets, typos, or feedback on 
this beta patch or walkthru! Enjoy! :)



