NEEDLE GUARDIAN　Instruction Manual

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― COVER・P.1 ―

INSTRUCTION BOOKLETMANUAL
Plush allies around a needle-bearing guardian, with the glowing heart Core in the middle.

Unravel the cotton walls.
Protect the plushies' Heart. ― Never let the intruders take the Core ―

MANUAL
NEEDLE GUARDIAN 針の番人
Sheep Sprite Bear Soldier
PC / Steam
NEEDLE GUARDIANGREETING

G Greeting ごあいさつ

Thank you for playing Needle Guardian. Before you begin, please read this instruction manual carefully so you can enjoy the game the right way. We recommend you bookmark this page so you can come back to it at any time.

MofuruI'm Mofuru! Please read all the way to the end!

Mofuru

BaguriruNo skipping. ...Especially the warning below.

Baguriru
Health Precautions
  • Play in a well-lit room and sit as far from the screen as you can.
  • When playing for a long time, take a 10–15 minute break every hour.
  • Avoid playing when you are tired or short on sleep.
  • If screen shake bothers you, turn it down or off with "Screen shake" under Options → Controls.

[Photosensitivity] A very small number of people may experience muscle twitching or loss of awareness when exposed to flashing lights or patterns on a screen. If you have ever had such symptoms, consult a doctor before playing. If any of these symptoms occur while playing, stop immediately and see a doctor.

* Screens shown in this manual are from development and may differ from the final game.
* Printing this page produces an A5 booklet.

1

― P.2・P.3 ―

NEEDLE GUARDIANCONTENTS

C Contents もくじ

  1. 01Greeting & Health Precautions1
  2. 02Story3
  3. 03How to Play4
  4. 04The Screen5
  5. 05Controls6
  6. 06Emotion Skills7
  7. 07Raising & Evolution8
  8. 08Plush Allies9
  9. 09The Intruders11
  10. 10Chapters & Extra Dungeon12
  11. 11Hints13
  12. 12Memo14

MofuruSo many pages... Where do I start?

Mofuru

BaguriruWhen in doubt, start with "How to Play."

Baguriru
2
NEEDLE GUARDIANSTORY

S Story ものがたり

Silhouettes of plushies gathered around a warm light.

A world lives within every heart. There, creatures woven from warmth and kindness — the plushies — lived in quiet peace.

Then one day, that peace came unraveled. Intruders of Reason, who would cut the heart away, came pouring through the gate. Their target: the Core glowing at the center of the world — the heart itself. If it is snatched and carried off, everything is lost.

There is only one thing worth protecting. You are the Needle Guardian. Unravel the cotton walls to shape a path, and guard the Core together with the plush allies born from the feelings stored inside those walls.

The warm plush world clashing with a cold corridor of Reason.

Stitch? Or lose?

3

― P.4・P.5 ―

NEEDLE GUARDIANHOW TO PLAY

P How to Play あそびかた

Each stage flows through three steps.

  1. 1
    Prep

    Before time runs out, unravel cotton walls with your needle to build the path the intruders will walk. Each wall costs 1 needle, and the feelings stored inside become plush allies.

    The Prep screen
  2. 2
    Open the Gate

    Path ready? Press "Open the Gate" to end Prep early and start the invasion.

    The Open the Gate button at the bottom right
  3. 3
    Invasion (WAVE)

    Intruders follow the path toward the Core. Your allies fight automatically — support them with Emotion Skills and more unraveling.

    The Invasion screen

WINSurvive every WAVE and defeat all intruders to clear the stage. A boss awaits at the end of each chapter.

LOSEIf the Core is snatched and carried out through the rift, it's game over. Defeat the carrier to take it back.

The screen glowing red after the Core is snatched
When the Core is snatched, the screen flashes red. Get it back fast!
4
NEEDLE GUARDIANTHE SCREEN

D The Screen 画面の見かた

The game screen during an invasion, in the ice chapter. (The screenshot shows the Japanese UI.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  1. 1Phase　Prep = build the path. Invasion = they attack.
  2. 2Intruder list　Incoming intruders and their HP.
  3. 3Speed / Pause / Give Up　x1→x1.5→x2. Pause / Give Up:Mouse only(pad: START)
  4. 4Stage & gimmick　Stage number and name; the gimmick below.
  5. 5Allies　Current allies / the limit.
  6. 6Cotton wall　Unravel it to make path — and allies.
  7. 7Path　Intruders walk it to the Core; allies fight here on their own.
  8. 8Core (Heart)　Protect it. If it's carried out, you lose.
  9. 9Emotion Skills　①Field Stitch ②Weighted Mire ③Spare Needles, with cooldown.
  10. 10Needles　Held / max. Unraveling uses them.
  11. 11WAVE　The current WAVE and its status.
ONE-POINT ADVICE
Baguriru

BaguriruLonger path, easier to stop. Make them take the long way.

Mofuru

MofuruFriends fight on their own — we just build the path!

5

― P.6・P.7 ―

NEEDLE GUARDIANCONTROLS

K Controls 操作方法

Gamepad

Y X B A L1 R1 D-pad SELECT START L stick R stick Y B A X
D-padMove the needle one tile
L / R stickMove the camera
AUnravel the selected cotton wall (hold to repeat)
BStop repeated unraveling
XSkill ① Field Stitch
YSkill ② Weighted Mire
L1・R1Zoom
L1＋R1Press together to Open the Gate (end Prep)
STARTPause / skip dialogue
SELECTChange speed / skip dialogue, tutorial, boss intro
R stick clickSkill ③ Spare Needles
L stick clickBring the needle back to screen center

Mouse & Keyboard

123 Left click Right click Wheel
Left clickUnravel a cotton wall
Right clickUse an Emotion Skill
Left dragMove the camera (it glides a little on release)
WheelZoom
1・2Cast skill ① / ② at the cursor (Invasion)
3Skill ③ Spare Needles

* Pad buttons can be reassigned under Options → Controls.

6
NEEDLE GUARDIANEMOTION SKILLS

E Emotion Skills 感情スキル

From stage 1-2 on, three Emotion Skills sit at the bottom right. Use them as often as you like once their cooldown (CD) ends.

① Field Stitch

Heals every wounded ally around the target tile at once, by 50% of max HP (60% at Lv2, 75% at Lv3).

CD 20sNo costInvasion only
② Weighted Mire

Slows intruders around the target tile and wears them down with poison. The slow lasts 4.5s (5.5s at Lv2, 6.5s at Lv3), and longer on a Core carrier.

CD 16sNo costInvasion only
③ Spare Needles

Turns Upgrade Points (★) into needles: ★3 per needle, up to 20 per use (25 at Lv2, 30 at Lv3). No aiming — just press.

CD 25s★3 / needleUsable in Prep
Skill levels　Skills grow with use: Lv2 after 8 uses, Lv3 (max) after 60. If nothing is in range, the cooldown doesn't start.
Mouse
Pick a skill, then right-click (or press 1 / 2 / 3)
Pad
X = Field Stitch / Y = Weighted Mire / R stick click = Spare Needles
ONE-POINT ADVICE
Mofuru

MofuruStitch and Mire work around the tile you aim at. Aim where friends or intruders are bunched up!

7

― P.8・P.9 ―

NEEDLE GUARDIANRAISING

R Raising 育成と進化

EXP & Levels

Clearing a stage gives EXP to the allies born in it (even on a loss, you get half for the WAVEs you survived). EXP items earned from clears — Memory Cotton, Yarn Ball of Feelings and Heartstitch Crystal — can be given to any ally in Raise Plushies.

Evolution

Sheep Sprite
▶
Fluffy Sheep Sprite
▶
Squeezer Sheep Sprite

When an ally reaches its level cap, evolve it in Raise Plushies using Evolution materials. Evolving raises the cap.

Evolution IFrom Lv20 — Frayed Thread ×3
Evolution IIFrom Lv50 — Suture Orb ×5
AwakeningFrom Lv80 — Heartcore Crystal ×8

* Evolution materials are earned the first time you clear each stage.

Upgrade Points (★)

Earned from stage clears, ranks, beating your best WAVE, and a leftover-needle bonus at chapter ends. Spend them on Spare Needles, or to revive after losing a boss fight (up to 2 times).

Plushie Team

Pick one ally each for wall Lv2–4. Your picks appear more often (others still show up). Lv1 walls always give a Sheep Sprite. When an intruder falls, nearby walls soak up nutrients and grow.

8
NEEDLE GUARDIANPLUSH ALLIES

A Plush Allies 仲間しょうかい 1

Plush allies born from the cotton walls. Which one appears depends on how grown the wall is (its Lv).

WALL Lv1
Sheep SpriteTough front-liner that heals itself. From the start.
WALL Lv2
Rabbit LancerFast, charging front-liner. From the start.
WALL Lv2
Cat HealerHeals and cleanses allies. From the start.
WALL Lv2
Bear SoldierShield-bearing front-liner. From the start.
WALL Lv3
Owl MageRanged, area damage. From the start.
WALL Lv3
Plush SnakeMid-range poison and slow. Joins after Chapter 1.
WALL Lv3
FoxLong-range attacker. Joins after Chapter 2.
Each kind of ally levels up as a group, and evolving changes its name and look. See detailed stats in the "Stats" tab of Raise Plushies.
9

― P.10・P.11 ―

NEEDLE GUARDIANPLUSH ALLIES

A Plush Allies 仲間しょうかい 2

WALL Lv4
Baby DragonAttack-minded front-liner. Joins after Chapter 3.
WALL Lv4
Plush GolemExtremely tough front-liner. Joins after Chapter 4.
WALL Lv4
Plush UnicornHealing and support. Joins after Chapter 5.
FOUR GODS
Azure DragonBinds and controls foes. Joins after Chapter 6.
FOUR GODS
Vermilion BirdBurns a wide area. Joins after Chapter 7.
FOUR GODS
White TigerSwift attacker. Joins after Chapter 8.
FOUR GODS
Black TortoiseTough and suppressive. Joins after Chapter 9.
The Four Gods are born from the most grown walls (Lv5). Which one appears depends on the wall's shape — they can't be picked in Plushie Team.
10
NEEDLE GUARDIANTHE INTRUDERS

I The Intruders 理の者しょうかい

Agents of Reason who come through the gate. Each one has a name, and the lineup changes every chapter.

CH.1
Rookie SwordsmanMarches straight at you.
CH.1
Needle-Arrow ArcherShoots from the back line.
CH.1
Little CaptainA sturdy shield-bearer who leads the squad.
CH.2
Ice SwordsmanSwings a freezing blade.
CH.2
Penguin ChargerComes rushing in.
CH.2
Ice WitchChapter 2's captain.

Chapter Bosses

CH.1
The Patchwork Cat King
CH.2
The Frozen Stitch Princess

* Every other chapter has a boss of its own.

11

― P.12・P.13 ―

NEEDLE GUARDIANCHAPTERS

S Chapters ステージ

Nine chapters, four stages each. A boss waits at the end of every chapter.

  1. 1Cavern of the Heart— The First Loose Thread —　Where it all begins, wrapped in soft light.
  2. 2Frozen Memories— The Cold Seam —　A cold world frozen white.
  3. 3Mirror Labyrinth— Wavering Mirror Threads —　Corridors of endless reflections.
  4. 4Shrine of Night CriesAn old shrine at the end of an unlit road.
  5. 5Sea of Sinking MemoriesThe deep seabed, washed by salty waves.
  6. 6Gravestones of OblivionA graveyard where names lie buried in sand.
  7. 7Pulse of Black IronA black-iron factory of ever-turning gears.
  8. 8The Unraveling HourWhere time frays and the second hand creaks.
  9. 9Castle of ReasonThe final castle, where the intruders wait.
Extra Dungeon　After you see the main ending, "To the dungeon" appears on the home screen. Choose 25, 50 or 100 layers and fight one long run with a single heart. Feeling bold? Try Brutal mode.
* Full version only (not in the demo).
12
NEEDLE GUARDIANHINTS

H Hints 攻略のヒント

Baguriru

BaguriruSpend all of Prep on the path. A longer path means more time for your allies to fight.

MofuruWhen an intruder falls, nearby walls soak up nutrients and grow. Unravel a grown wall and a stronger friend comes out!

Mofuru
Baguriru

BaguriruOut of needles? Use Spare Needles. ★3 per needle — works during Prep, too.

MofuruDon't give up if the Core gets taken! Defeat the carrier to get it back. Slow them with Weighted Mire.

Mofuru
Baguriru

BaguriruEvolution materials only drop on a stage's first clear. Pushing forward is the fastest way.

MofuruAllies you pick in Plushie Team come out of walls more often. Try changing picks to suit the stage!

Mofuru
13

― P.14・BACK COVER ―

NEEDLE GUARDIANMEMO

M Memo NOTES

14

Stitch the warmth in place,
and guard the heart's core.

Platform
Windows (Steam)
Languages
Japanese, English
Input
Mouse / Gamepad

NEEDLE GUARDIAN / 針の番人

Credits for in-game assets are available from
Title → Options → Credits.

Manual heading font: PixelMplus12 (itouhiro / M+ FONT LICENSE)

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