Stella's Walkthroughs - Tomb Raider: Legend for Nintendo DS

WARNING: The save system in this game is broken. Autosave checkpoints appear to register, and if Lara dies the game usually resumes at the last checkpoint. However, at least for some of the checkpoints, if you quit the game and/or turn off the DS, the game will resume at the beginning of the level, rather than at the most recent checkpoint. If you can't make it all the way through a level in one sitting, pause the game and close the DS so it goes into hibernation. Plug in the DS charger so it doesn't lose power while you're away. Then, when you return and open the DS, it should start up where you left off, with the game paused.

LEVEL 3: JAPAN

Updated: 2/8/11()

NISHIMURA'S PARTY: The first CHECKPOINT registers after the movie. Mince your way along the hall and down the stairs. Go around the dance floor to the bartender, who tells Lara that Nishimura is waiting for her in his office. Go to the right and down the hall to meet him.

In another cinematic, Lara speaks with her friend and confronts Takamoto. Then she must fight a band of Yakuza goons—2 on the dance floor, 2 in the other hallway off the dance floor and 2 at the top of the stairs. They drop several items, possibly the shotgun or SMG, health and/or grenades. When the fight is over, there's another brief cinematic, after which you can find a bronze reward at the top of the stairs. Follow the hallway to the right of the stairs (the one that doesn't lead to Nishimura's office). Get into the elevator and ride up to the roof.

NISHIMURA'S ROOF: Go to the left through the glass doors. Outside, run around to the left toward the broken footbridge and get another bronze reward. Return to the glass door and shoot the nearby propane tank from a safe distance (when the 'A' icon appears on screen). Climb the pipe and jump off on the left. Then jump to the next ledge and climb onto the roof.

Pick up the silver reward to the right. Then stand on the left side of the skylight and use the magnetic grapple to pull the sliding window open. Drop in through the opening. Go down the stairs and get the bronze reward before approaching the motorcycle.

The game is saved at a CHECKPOINT as Lara starts to drive across the roof. When she reaches the broken footbridge and tries to jump the bike across, you need to press the buttons that appear on screen—X then B twice—in order to avoid crashing. There's another CHECKPOINT after you make the jump successfully.

CONSTRUCTION ZONE: Climb down on the left to the lower level of scaffolding. Go to the end, jumping the gaps as you go. When you see the 'A' icon on screen, shoot the dangling window to make it fall down. This will clear a path for Lara when you make your way across the scaffolding above. Pick up the bronze reward and then return to the right. Climb up and jump to grab the horizontal bar. Swing around and jump onto the scaffolding. Make your way across to the left, this time on the upper level. Slide down the angled cable to a ledge across the street where there's a CHECKPOINT.

Move to the left edge. A cut scene shows the path ahead. Step back from the edge a few steps and use the grapple to pull the hanging platform toward Lara. When the cable releases, wait for the platform to swing back toward Lara and then jump onto it. Take a running jump off the left edge of the platform and press X to attach the grapple to something above. While hanging from the cable, hold Y and press Pad Left to pivot so Lara is facing around the corner. Swing to the next stationary platform. Stand a few steps from the left edge, so Lara has space to run and jump. Then grapple and pull the next moving platform toward Lara and jump onto it as it swings back toward Lara. Take a running jump to the next stationary platform. Take a running jump off the left edge and press X to grapple. While hanging from the cable, turn left, swing over to the rooftop garden and the next CHECKPOINT.

TAKAMOTO'S OFFICES: Take out the 2 thugs on the terrace, pick up the grenade and health pack (or whatever they drop) and then enter the building. Go downstairs for a silver reward then all the way to the top of the stairs for a gold reward. Come back down to the middle level and follow the hallway to a set of doors. Enter.

Shoot the 2 security guards, pick up anything they drop, and get the bronze reward in one of the cubicles and the silver reward in the raised area to the left. On the right side of the room press A to shoot the bracket holding the video screen up. Then use the grapple to pull it down. Go through the door that had been concealed by the screen.

ROOFTOP WITH NEON SIGNS: Once outside, head to the right. A cut scene shows the path up the side of the building. Climb the vertical pipe and jump to the ledge on the left. Attach the grapple to the neon sign on the left and pull it down. Take a running jump onto it. Run across and jump to the ledge on the left. Climb the ladder then turn to face right.

Grapple and pull down another sign. Jump to grab the horizontal bar on the sign you just moved. (This jump is a bit tricky. It's easy to overshoot the bar, so you may want to hang from ledge near the top of the ladder, adjust Lara's position so she's hanging at the middle of the ledge, halfway between the ladder and the front edge, and then jump to the right to grab the bar.) Swing and jump onto the platform behind the sign. Run behind the sign and jump to grab the vertical pole. Climb to the top, jump to the platform on the left, cross over it and jump to grab the chain. Another cut scene shows the path from here.

Climb to the top of the chain. Jump to the right to grab the horizontal bar. Lara's weight pulls the neon sign down. Swing around and jump back to the chain. Climb until Lara is level with the top of the sign and then jump onto it. Take a running jump to the next ledge on the right.

Stand close to the back wall and then jump to grab the vertical pipe, climb to the top then, when you hear a creaking sound, quickly jump to the left to grab the first horizontal pole before the pipe breaks. Swing around the pole and jump to grab the next one. Repeat for the third. Then swing and jump to the balcony. Enter the building and cross the next CHECKPOINT.

TAKAMOTO'S PRIVATE OFFICES: Downstairs are 2 goons with SMGs. You can shoot them from the balcony above or run right down and deal with them. Get the silver reward on the chest to the left. Then go through the doors below the balcony to another CHECKPOINT.

Grab the ornate carved ball and push it along the hallway to the right to protect Lara from the gun turret.

In the next room 3 thugs try to block your progress. Shoot them and take any items they drop. To get the gold reward on the chest, you'll have to excavate it by tapping the touch screen. (I guess Takamoto's cleaning staff quit a long time ago.)

Climb onto the table and stand beneath the tail of the dragon statue. Use the grapple to pull the statue toward Lara. When it swings back to the left, it breaks a window. Climb through that opening and approach the elevator to ride up to Takamoto's lair.

FIGHTING TAKAMOTO: The basic strategy involves dodging left and right to avoid the energy blasts from his staff and shooting whenever you get a clear shot (red targeting reticle).

If you don't have health to spare, there is a fairly safe spot on the far right side of the room, between the big statue and the gray walkway at the right edge. If you wedge Lara into that corner, Takamoto won't be able to hit her. Shoot at him when he moves onto the ledge above her. If he won't leave the left side of the ledge, you may need to move out to the left to get his attention, then run back behind the statue. Then, when he comes toward the statue, you should see the red reticle again and be able to get in a few shots. This can take a while, but works. When he falls, a movie plays and it's on to the next level.

CROFT MANOR: Completing Japan opens another of the doors leading out of the main hall in Lara's home. If you like, you can explore there and pick up a few more rewards.

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UPDATE HISTORY: 1/4/07 - Walkthrough first posted. 2/8/11 - Tweaked the section on the tricky jump while climbing the neon signs to hopefully make this a little easier.


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