Startropics was a NES game that had a secret code hidden in its manual that you needed to complete the game. When it was re-released on Wii U there was a digital version of the booklet, so it was OK, but now that it’s back again on the Switch we have a problem.
The latest port doesn’t include the booklet—or even a scan of the page you need to progress—leaving anyone unsure of what to do, or perhaps unaware that video games used to ship alongside actual paper books, stuck.
The original, as this Reddit post points out, used to have a very cool trick where a seemingly innocuous letter had to be dipped in water, after which it would reveal some hidden ink that showed the answer.
The Wii U release included a scan of this information, but the Switch port has none of it, meaning that yes, for once in your life old-timer, you get to literally say “this game is unplayable without the manual”.
For the record, and in case you ever get stuck, the code is “747″.