Table of Contents Show
This guide is a list of some interesting things in Shenmue that most people miss or are easily missed hence could be called secrets.
Other Shenmue I & II Guides:
- Shenmue I & II Capsule Toy Checklist
- Shenmue I 100% Achievement Guide
- Shenmue II 100% Achievement Guide
Contents
1. The Bad Ending
2. Infinite Winning Cans
3. Beating Chai At The You Arcade
4. Conversation’s With Nozomi
5. Winning At The Slot Machines
6. Translating The Chinese Moves Scrolls
7. How To Win At The Pool Shot
8. 70 Man Free Battle
9. Actual 1986/87 Yokosuka Weather
10. Staying Up Beyond The Curfew
11. Ryo’s Friends Coming Round To Visit
12. Nozomi Brings Flowers
13. The Hidden Enoki Free Battles
14. Chinese Legends And The Mirrors
15. Goro’s Phone Call
16. Drunkard QTE
17. Flashbacks Of Iwao
18. Nozomi’s Cutscenes
19. Cutscenes With The Kitten
20. Infinite Days At Work
21. Christmas And New Year’s Day
22. Yuriko And Kurita-san
23. Sparring With Fuku-san
24. Yong, Wu, And The Three Blades
25. Wang-san And Translating The Letter
26. The J-Pop Motorcycle Song
27. Ren In Yokosuka?
Listen to cassettes without using batteries. Go to Tom’s Hotdog van in either Dobuita or the Harbour and look at the cassette player. You will then be able to play your music collection without using batteries.
1. The Bad Ending
There is an alternate ending to Shenmue, commonly called the “bad
ending”. To get it, simply last through to 15th April 1987. A simple
way to get it by yourself is on the sneaking into the Old Warehouse
District part on disc 2. When you try and sneak in, there is a one
button QTE where you have to catch a flashlight. Simply fail this QTE
and a day progresses, so simply put the controller down, stroll away,
and by the time you have come back to the Dreamcast, it should have
progressed a fair few days. It will ask you to save before you see the
bad ending. Then enjoy.
2. Infinite Winning Cans
To get infinite winning cans, simply collect some in the game, then save
your game in the bedroom. Then save a resume file. You can then load the
resume file on your passport disc and use the winning cans to get “Shenmue
Characters”. Then load your game again, and save a new resume file. Repeat
the trick.
3. Beating Chai At The You Arcade
It is possible to beat Chai, the first time you fight him, in the You Arcade.
I have found the easiest way is to train the Crawl Cyclone move, available
from the Bunkado Antiques shop, to moderate level and then set it to the R
button. Then, when facing Chai, do not start an attack, defend his attack,
then hit the R button. Of course, you can vary your attacks, however, punches
and combos he generally blocks and high kicks go over his head; therefore use
low kicks, and possible throws if u can utilise them properly. Learning how
to defend successfully is the most important aspect. I recommend saving the
game just before you meet Chai, so you can repeat the fight over. Once Chai
is defeated, you have to free the Arcade owner and go on a search for Chai,
which leads you to the Asia Travel Co as usual, however, Ryo’s attitude changes
after he beats Chai and is quite cool.
4. Conversation’s With Nozomi
Tired of Ryo not caring for Nozomi? Well try phoning her. You can learn all
sorts of things, and it adds much to their relationship. I recommend phoning
every day. Of course, sometimes, especially on disc one, you simply get messages
like “my grandmother needs to use the phone” and “oh, the cooking is burning”,
but don’t let this put you off, there are rewarding conversations to be had.
The most rewarding is the final one with Nozomi. The day after you rescue her
on disc three, in your last bit of free time, the notebook says “I should check
with everybody”. Listen to this advice, if you phone Nozomi, Ryo almost, he was
so close, to telling Nozomi that he loves her. Also, if you run to the bus stop
after leaving the work office, you should be able to catch a bus and meet Nozomi,
where they get very close as well.
5. Winning At The Slot Machines
The slot machines may offer top quality prizes for getting 777 but they are
extremely hard to get. So, here’s a tip to make you win more easily. Simply go
to the Lapis Fortune Teller, and ask for her to tell you the “gamble”. It will
cost you 300 Yen, but it gives you the lucky slot machine number for that day.
So, simply play on that machine to win easier on that day.
6. Translating The Chinese Moves Scrolls
There are two scrolls in Chinese you acquire in the game. The Stab Armour in the
Hazuki Basement and the Mysterious Scroll behind the “Yin and Yang” scroll in the
Hazuki Dojo. To translate these simply phone Master Chen and agree to meet Gui
Zhang; then head over to him and he will translate one per visit. The Stab Armour
is a powerful move whereas the Poetry Scroll, as it is then known as, is a move
written in code, which the original master will need to decode.
7. How To Win At The Pool Shot
To sink the pool shot in the MJQ Jazz Bar the first time you go there and they bet
you, simply tap right 17 times and you will sink it. After that, there are 4
different shots when you visit again.
8. 70 Man Free Battle
When you have completed the game, put in disc three and enter the options screen,
you now have the option of replaying the “70 Man Free Battle”, without Gui Zhang
but fighting against the clock. As with the other mini-games, times can be posted
on the Shenmue Passport disc.
9. Actual 1986/87 Yokosuka Weather
After your first time through completing the game, a new option is available on
the main and in-game option menus. It lets you choose between the actual weather
in Yokosuka in 1986/87 as researched by AM2 or the “Shenmue Weather” which is
the pre-programmed weather, making it snow on certain days, like Christmas, and
so forth.
10. Staying Up Beyond The Curfew
Yes, there is a way to get around Ine-san’s strict 11:30 curfew, however, it
can only be utilised at a certain point in the game. Whilst you are searching
for Heartbeats Bar, you can stay up as long as you want throughout the night.
You can still entermany bars and places in the “red light district” of Dobuita
in this time. The You Arcade closes quite early, however the Slot House remains
open most of the night. The Tomato Mart is also open 24hours and you can always
train up your moves in the training areas.
11. Ryo’s Friends Coming Round To Visit
This is a cut scene that most people seem to miss. Your friends, Naoyuki Ito
and Ichiro visit you at your house and you chat in the lounge. To get it you
need to go to Yokosuka Bar after 7pm the day after Nozomi’s cut scene in the
Sakuragaoka Park on disc two. This is around the time you are learning and trying
to get in the New Warehouse #8. In the Bar, Akemi will tell you that Fuku-san
called and that your friends are waiting at your house. Then you are taken
there and the cut-scene starts.
12. Nozomi Brings Flowers
It isn’t much, but it’s a nice little touch showing how much Nozomi cares.
On disc two, around when you are trying to get a boat ticket to Hong Kong, enter
the altar room in the Hazuki Household and Ine-san will tell you that Nozomi
brought Iwao’s favourite flowers and you can look at them.
13. The Hidden Enoki Free Battles
There are two free battles with Enoki and Nagashima that a lot of people
miss. The first occurs on disc one and in it Ryo saves Nozomi. Simply go to
Sakura Park before 7pm the first sunny (or snowy, this happens to me which was
odd) day after the Heartbeats event. What is important is that it’s a sunny day.
I suggest changing to both weather modes to see if you can get a sunny day.
If you get this free battle, the cut scene is added to the passport disc, as
is the music.
The second free battle also occurs on disc one. It occurs after
Ine-san gives you the letter and Charlie ambushes you in Sakuragaoka. You will
only receive this free battle if you completed the previous one. After 7pm, you
have to go to a patch of grass at the Wakaba Apartments in Dobuita. This is on
the path from Sakuragaoka nearest the You Arcade and if you go there normally
at night, you will see Enoki and his “gang” hanging out there.
14. Chinese Legends And The Mirrors
To get more information about Chinese culture and the legends behind the
mirrors you need to take the mirror to certain people once you have found it.
The people are: Liu Senior in Suzume Park, Dobuita; Yamagishi-san in Sakuragaoka
Park; Keizo-san in Bunkado Antiques; and lastly Xia-san in The Russiya China
Shop, this scene features Sha Hua and will be added to the passport disc.
15. Goro’s Phone Call
Goro phones you in the game. This occurs on disc two if you fail to meet him
at the Harbour when he says he will get you a job. If you fail two days in a
row, you get an extra note, and I guess if you keep missing the appointment
he keeps phoning you. The weird thing is when he phones, it doesn’t sound
quite like Goro, also he seems disappointed in you, especially since Ryo is
his new role model.
16. Drunkard QTE
There is a small QTE which you may not have seen on disc two. Near the
beginning of the disc, whilst still searching for a way into the Warehouse,
simply walk around the Dobuita “Red Light District” at night, in the direction
from the Slot House to the Yokosuka Bar. You can experience this QTE every night
and if you lose, Ryo will get injured, you’ll see why.
17. Flashbacks Of Iwao
At the beginning of the game, there are many flashbacks in which Ryo remembers
his father. It is easy to miss them, so I’ll list them here. The first one,
isn’t really a flashback, but is interesting, go to Iwao’s room at the start
of the game and look at his desk. You will see a farewell letter from Iwao
to Ryo.
You can look at this as often as you like. The first flashback proper
occurs if you go into the kitchen and lock on to the food on the table, it’s
a nice moment about Ryo’s dislike of vegetables as a youngster. The one that
appears on the passport disc as “Drifting Blossoms” occurs if you go to the
cherry tree outside the Dojo, and contains Iwao teaching Ryo his martial arts
skills.
The final one occurs if you lock on to the “Eight Principles of Yin
and Yang” scroll in the Dojo. This is high on one of the edge walls. It is
a nice piece with Iwao lecturing Ryo after a fight and telling him the
virtues of friendship.
18. Nozomi’s Cutscenes
There are a couple of cut scenes with Nozomi that appear in the passport and
may be missed. They are very good and everyone should see them. The first
occurs near the start of disc two. Whilst at home, after 7pm, Nozomi will
call you, then you arrange to meet in the park, and lots of love is shown.
The second will only occur after 26th December. So, the best way to get past
this date is the old “keep failing at trying to sneak into the Old Warehouse
District” trick. On disc two or disc three, you may meet Eri hanging on the
street corner outside the Arcade. She will say Nozomi is depressed and wants
to see you in the Park, so then, go to Sakuragaoka Park for another good cut
scene.
19. Cutscenes With The Kitten
There are a few cut scenes involving Nozomi and the kitten which may be missed.
The first occurs on disc two near the start; simply, on a nice day, pass by
the shrine in Yamanose and you will find the kitten’s leg is healed. Nozomi
will be there with medicine for the cat.
The second occurs later on in disc
two, whilst you are searching for travel to Hong Kong. Again, pass by the
Shrine, and the kitten will be missing. You have to find it, this is easy,
to find if you listen to where the cat sounds are coming from, and also
because Yamanose is very small. Once you find it, Nozomi will arrive. The
third occurs near at the beginning of disc three. Simply pass by the Shrine
again at the beginning of the disc and you will find the kitten has climbed
atop the Shrine, and again, Nozomi is involved. A few days after, in fact,
just before you start your job, go to the Shrine and you will learn that Megumi
has been allowed to adopt the kitten.
20. Infinite Days At Work
You can get infinite days at work if you want. This is useful to build up
money, however the maximum wage you get for delivering a crate only goes up
to 600 Yen. What you do is simply miss an important event that occurs after
work. For example, simply do not show up in front of the Harbour Lounge when
you have to go there to get a cut scene with Shozo Mizuki, or do not show up
at the central pier when Gui Zhang is meant to meet you there to teach you a move.
21. Christmas And New Year’s Day
At Christmas and New Years, there are decorations all around Dobuita. Also,
a “Santa Claus” appears walking round Dobuita, advertising the shops. On
New Year’s day, a few girls will be wearing traditional kimonos. Your
friends will be hanging around Yamanose to show off these.
Noriko and Eri
are both in Yamanose in kimonos, talking to Naoyuki and Ichiro. Also, Mayumi,
in ordinary costume, and Yuji will be talking in Sakuragaoka Park. I have
noticed a couple ofother girls wondering around Dobuita in kimonos as well.
Around Christmas, three seasonal songs will play around Dobuita, Jingle Bells,
Silent Night, and an Xmas version of the Sha Hua theme. These all become
available on the passport disc.
22. Yuriko And Kurita-san
Mai and Goro are not the only couple in Shenmue among Ryo’s friends. There
is also Yuriko, the girl at the Smiley Flower Shop, and Kurita-san, of the
Military Surplus Shop. Throughout the game by speaking to them you can see
their relationship develop. There are a couple of exciting things happening
to them throughout the game.
23. Sparring With Fuku-san
Every morning until you get a job you can spar with Fuku-san in the Dojo.
You can do this any day after he teaches you the Pit Blow move. Simply go
there first thing in the morning to spar. It is a free battle and is a good
opportunity to train your throws as well as beat up Fuku-san.
24. Yong, Wu, And The Three Blades
The normal route to learn about the Three Blades is to follow simply the
Liu-san route. However, if you first go to Manpukuken Ramen after going to
Ajiichi you will be pointed in the route of Yong and Wu who are the frequent
customers of the Yokosuka Bar. If you do talk to them about the Three Blades
you learn a lot about their history and also of Itoi-sans.
25. Wang-san And Translating The Letter
Contrary to popular belief, there is a payoff to buying Wang-san those drinks
from the vending machines. When you are looking for a translator to the
letter, most people simply speak to Gao Wen, but there are two other routes.
You can also meet that old woman who was lost at the beginning of the game in
Sakuragaoka and she will lead you to Xia-san.
The longer route is to go to
Ajjichi Chinese Restaurant, who will point you in the direction of Wang-san,
who is out on deliveries. You can ask people to get clues to where he is,
such as the ladies at the Sakuragaoka phone and the taxi driver, Nomura-san.
You will find Wang-san at his traditional place of the vending machine though.
Go there and if you bought him drinks before, he will try and translate it for
you. If you didn’t buy him drinks previously, he will not help you.
26. The J-Pop Motorcycle Song
On the passport disc, go to the Dreamcast’s main menu and enter the “Music”
icon, track 5 is a proper CD audio track of the J-Pop song “Wish…” played
during the Nozomi motorcycle scene at the end of the game. You can listed to
it on your normal CD player, although, heed the warning that track 2 gives,
the game tracks can damage your speakers.
27. Ren In Yokosuka?
In the You Arcade in Dobuita, the top scorer on the Hang On game is Ren.
This is interesting because he has appears in an old Shenmue II screenshot
watching Ryo playing Hang On, so this name leading the high score chart could
be foreshadowing something.
Easter Eggs
Meet Mr. Yukawa
It is a possible to meet very famous (in Japan at least) senior executive officer of SEGA Yukawa-san in Shenmue as a hidden event.
To see him you must get the ‘happi’ and ‘suit’ figures of him at Abe Store in Sakuragaoka’s raffle. The best way to get to see him is if you have only one of eatch statue. It is reccomend you save as soon as you get one, and then keep trying to be sure you don’t get the same one twice.
When you have them go to Takara Sushi on the 9th of any month after 8pm. He will be sitting in the bar eating. In the Japanese version of the game, Ryo used to talk to him, afterwards he would run away. If you want to see him again go outside and back in again. You can do this as many time as you like between 8 and 9. On the international versions, Mr. Yukawa is not interactable.
Mr. Yukawa was the main subject of the Japanese playable demo: “What’s Shenmue”.