If the stage is missing
Reach level 20 in Mad Forest to unlock Inlaid Library and Stage Selection. Check that this edition owns and has installed the DLC, then look down the stage list. The old browser demo cannot host this expansion.
Open the castle in stages
| Checkpoint | Action | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Stallion Gate | Defeat Giant Bat and collect its relic | Further castle access, teleport and Heart Refresh pickups |
| Scorpion Gate | Defeat Puppet Master and collect its relic | Further access and Karma Coin pickups |
| Capra Gate | Defeat Paranoia and collect its relic | Further access and Mirrors of Truth |
| King’s Gate | Defeat Abaddon and collect its relic | Further access and Neutron Bomb pickups |
Fight the boss and pick up the relic it drops. A combat win with the relic still on the floor leaves a different state from having the gate unlocked. Use the unlocked warps on later runs while working on character conditions.
Work toward Richter
Check the locked characters’ conditions between runs. The later chain includes Shanoa and Juste, completing a stage with each to unlock Maria, then evolving Maria’s Guardian’s Targe to unlock Richter. These are progression requirements, so buying the DLC does not make Richter immediately selectable.
The character guide below supplies the earlier branches. For Sonia’s independent weapon task use our Sonic Whip route.
Normal-stage showdown and Black Disk
With Richter selected, reach the Throne Room at the top of the eastern Clock Tower. Other characters reaching the room do not trigger the same confrontation. After the scripted loss of powers, prioritize avoiding projectiles and surviving the sequence. Its conclusion grants the Black Disk and opens further progression.
This is a checkpoint guide for the normal DLC stage. Adventure has separate objectives, and an instruction naming a particular weapon, time or Adventure stage must be followed in that mode. The 30-minute base-game Reaper is also a separate encounter. See the Red Death build.
After the Black Disk
Return to the Unlocks list for the newly revealed character conditions and castle areas. Later relic gates include Pile of Secrets. This page covers entry, the initial gates and the showdown checkpoint, with spoilers. It does not provide every later secret or Adventure completion route.
Sources & verification
- poncle · official DLC ↗ (external website, opens in a new tab) — Identity and full-game dependency.
- Nintendo Life · character and showdown guide ↗ (external website, opens in a new tab) — Gate pickups, Richter chain and survival sequence.
- Wiki · Unlocks ↗ (external website, opens in a new tab) — Gate and Black Disk conditions from indexed text; direct fetch restricted.
- Steam discussion · accessing DLC ↗ (external website, opens in a new tab) — Stage-selection access question and level-20 answer.