Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon walkthrough

About this walkthrough

This is a complete walkthrough for Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon.

Using this walkthrough will get you through the game, but may spoil the game and fun of exploring.

Following this walkthrough exactly as it is written should result in the score with maximum points.

Items which can be picked up as inventory items and items which can be constructed by combining or using other items are written with bold text for emphasis. Input commands that are typed into parser are written with CAPITAL LETTERS.

Garbage freighter

Garbage freighter.- Go to the small object on the ground.
- LOOK OBJECT
- Memorise the object location, and then go east.
- Go inside the tubular structure and keep going east.
- In the corridor with wires, stop where the first wires are hanging.
- GET WIRE (new inventory item: wire)
- Go east.
- Go stand next to giant robot head's eye.
- CLIMB
- LOOK SHUTTLE
- Memorise where open panel on the shuttle is.
- Go to the ladder.
- CLIMB
- Return to the place where your escape pod was.

- Go south.
- Go east.
- Go to the conveyor lift, and go on it to get to the upper level.
- Act quickly before you end up in the shredder.
- STAND
- JUMP
- Walk west on the light blue rail, until you come to a grabber machine that is hanging from the rail.
- CLIMB DOWN
- Ride the machine along the rail, not where you came from, but the other direction.
- In the first screen east, go to the middle of the screen (remember where the object was located). The correct position is right from the red support beam in the middle of the screen.

The right spot to grab the object.
- PUSH BUTTON
- If you were successful and grabbed the warp motivator, keep going east. If not, try to reposition and try again.
- Keep going on, until the track makes a U-turn and you start going westward again.
- Go to a position where you are on the right side of the screen (remember where the open panel was located). The correct position is right from the red support beam in the middle of the screen.

The right spot to release the object.
- PUSH BUTTON
- If you were successful and placed the warp motivator in the shuttle, keep going west. If not, try to reposition and try again.

- Keep going west, until you reach the platform where you can step off the grabber.
- STAND
- Walk into the blue chute to fall down.
- LOOK AROUND
- LOOK WIRE
- Follow the wire to left.
- LOOK HOLE
- GET REACTOR (new inventory item: reactor)
- Walk to the ladder.
- CLIMB

- Try to make your way back to the giant robot head (north, east).
- After the rat steals your stuff, go back to the same point where you just came up from the ladder.
- CLIMB DOWN
- Go the the same hole as before.
- GET REACTOR
- GET WIRE
- Go to the ladder.
- CLIMB
- GET LADDER (new inventory item: ladder)
- Go to the giant robot head.
- CLIMB

- Walk to the side of the shuttle (the part which is black).
- USE LADDER
- CLIMB
- Go to the hatch.
- OPEN HATCH
- LOOK PANEL
- USE REACTOR
- USE WIRE
- GO COCKPIT
- SEARCH SEAT (new inventory item: buckazoids)
- USE COMPUTER
- Activate necessary systems for take-off. 1 (Engines), 7 (Radar), 3 (Takeoff), 8 (Weapons System).
- F (Front Shields), fire.

- USE COMPUTER
- 2 (Navigation System), 1 (Scan).
- Keep scanning until you find Phleebhut.
- 2 (Set Course), 5 (Light Speed).
- Watch the cutscene.
- 3 (Land).

Phleebhut

Phleebhut.- STAND
- EXIT
- Go east, and then again east. From there go north, and then again north.
- Enter World o' Wonders.
- Wait for the alien to tell about items that he is selling.
- SELL GEM
- When the alien makes an offer for the gem, refuse it first, refuse the better offer again, but accept the third time.
- BUY STICK (new inventory item: orat on a stick)
- BUY HAT (new inventory item: Astro Chicken flight hat)
- BUY UNDERWEAR (new inventory item: ThermoWeave underwear)
(- For fun LOOK POSTCARD, repeat as many times as you get new ones.)
- EXIT.

- Next you need to get rid of the terminator that is after you. There are two ways to do this, one is a bit easier and fast but gives less points, one is a little bit trickier, but gives more points enabling full score finish for the game.

Fast solution

- Go west.
- Enter Mog's head.
- PUSH BUTTON
- When the elevator is up, walk up the stairs to the upper level with machinery. Go stand next to either one of the pulleys and wait for the terminator to arrive.
- PUSH PULLEY
- Go to the lower level where the terminator wreckage is.
- GET BELT (new inventory item: invisibility belt)
- Take the elevator down.
- Return to the shuttle.

Full points solution

- Walk to the desert, go south, and then again south.
- Go east. Note the pods that are hanging from the cave. DO NOT go under them, but stand behind them waiting for the terminator. Whoever gets under the pods gets killed.
- If the terminator doesn't show up, go somewhere, east or west, and walk until you see footprints appearing after you in the sand. Do not stop moving, just keep going to the cave with the pods, make sure that the footprints follow you there, and stand behind the pods to have terminator walk under them and get killed.

Terminator taken care of.
- USE STICK to get belt (new inventory item: invisibility belt)
- Return to the shuttle.

- GO COCKPIT
- USE COMPUTER
- 1 (Engines), 3 (Takeoff).
- USE COMPUTER
- 2 (Navigation System), 1 (Scan).
- Keep scanning until you find Monolith Burger.
- 2 (Set Course), 5 (Light Speed).
- Watch the cutscene.
- 3 (Land).

Monolith Burger

Monolith Burger.- Go to the counter.
- BUY FOOD
- Choose whatever you want, but be sure to order 7 (Monolith Fun Meal).
- PAY (new inventory item: bag of fast food)
- Go to the empty table at right.
- EAT (new inventory item: Monolith decoder ring)

- After the meal get up and go left where the Astro Chicken coin-op machine is.
- PLAY GAME
- USE COIN
- Land Astro Chicken safely on the pad as long as is necessary to get an encoded message to appear. You will need to land the chicken 10 times during one gameplay. Note that if you run out of coins, the game enters an unwinnable state, but since you have 350 Buckazoids, that is most likely not going to be a problem.
- USE DECODER
- Decode and interpret the secret message.

Secret message.
- If you can't figure it out, here's what it says (and yes, the incorrect apostrophe is indeed in the game):
Help us! We are being held
captive by ScumSoft on the
small moon of Pestulon. An
impenetrable force field
surrounds the moon. It must
first be deactivated. It's
origin is unknown to us.
ScumSoft security is armed
with jello pistols. We're
counting on you whoever you
are.
Two Guys in trouble
- Return to the shuttle.

- ENTER SHUTTLE
- USE COMPUTER
- 1 (Engines).
- 2 (Navigation System), 1 (Scan).
- Keep scanning until you find Ortega.
- 2 (Set Course), 5 (Light Speed).
- Watch the cutscene.
- 3 (Land).

Ortega

Ortega.- STAND
- USE UNDERWEAR
- EXIT
- Go south, and then go west.
- Enter the shaky bridge to south carefully.
- Stay hidden behind the rock formation and wait for the men to leave.
- After the men are gone, go to the telescope that they left behind.
- USE TELESCOPE
- Go to the green box that is on the ground.
- LOOK BOX
- GET DETONATOR (new inventory item: thermal detonator)

- Go east, and then again east.
- Go north along the path.
- Go inside the structure through the path between rocks.
- Inside, take the stairs down, then go east to the long ladder.
- CLIMB
- On top of the dome, go to the edge of the opening.
- DROP DETONATOR
- CLIMB DOWN
- Go back to the area where the telescope was.

- Go stand next to the wind meter.
- GET POLE (new inventory item: metal pole)
- Go north.
- USE POLE
- Go east, and then go north.
- Return to the shuttle.

- GO COCKPIT
- USE COMPUTER
- 1 (Engines), 3 (Takeoff).
- USE COMPUTER
- 2 (Navigation System), 1 (Scan).
- Keep scanning until you find Pestulon.
- 2 (Set Course), 5 (Light Speed).
- Watch the cutscene.
- 3 (Land).

Pestulon

Pestulon.- STAND
- WEAR BELT
- EXIT
- Go south.
- USE BELT
- EXIT (choose to ScumSoft)
- Go through the door into the building.
- Go to the red button next to the door.
- PUSH BUTTON

- Keep walking facing south the round, circular corridor, until you come to a door on the right.
- LOOK DOOR
- Keep walking until you come to a door on the left which is not the elevator door you used to enter.
- LOOK AROUND
- SEARCH CLOSET
- GET COVERALLS (new inventory items: coveralls, vaporizer)
- Walk right to come back to the corridor.

- Walk a little bit futher to come to a door on the right.
- Enter through the door.
- Go through the office maze, but there's a twist: every time you see a full trashcan, you need to empty it with the vaporizer. USE VAPORIZER with every trashcan you pass to avoid detection.
- The goal here is to get to the boss' office, which can basically be found by going west in the middle of the screen, then going a bit north, then going back east, until you can reach a straight passage to the office. The passage that leads to the office is clearly visible from the door you used to enter the maze.
- When you reach the office, go to the corridor behind it and wait for the boss to leave.
- Go to the office.
- LOOK DESK
- GET KEYCARD (new inventory item: keycard)
- Go back in the maze to the starting point.
- Take the lower path west this time and go to the wall that has the boss picture hanging on the wall.
- GET PICTURE (new inventory item: Elmo's picture)
- Go to the copy machine at the left end of the corridor.
- COPY PICTURE (new inventory item: a copy of Elmo's picture)
- Go back to the place where you took the picture from.
- HANG PICTURE
- Go back to the starting point and exit the office maze.

- Walk along the circular corridor again until you come to the door on the right which has the scanner.
- USE KEYCARD
- USE PICTURE
- Enter through the door.
- LOOK AROUND
- LOOK TWO GUYS
- PUSH BUTTON
- Walk to Two Guys.
- USE VAPORIZER
- Watch the cutscene.

- After the cutscene, you are in a robot duel. Play it to win it. Keep going forward delivering attacks, and move backward to avoid getting hit.
- Watch the cutscene.
- USE COMPUTER
- The light speed flight is not working, so you must fight.
- 6 (Attack speed), 8 (Weapons system). It is vitally important to engage attack speed, otherwise you are a sitting duck and will lose the space battle for sure.
- In the weapons system view you must manage the shields. If radar says target is in rear, activate back shields by hitting B. If radar says the target is in front, activate front shields by hitting F. This is the most important part of the space battle, as a single hit in an unshielded area will destroy the shuttle. Otherwise just align the target to the crosshair, and fire to destroy it. After destroying five enemy ships the enemies will leave.
- Hit O to turn off weapons systems.
- Watch the cutscenes and credits.

The game is finished!


THE GAME IS FINISHED. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Deaths

There are many ways to die in Sierra On-Line adventure games. Some players want to explore these, as Sierra used to have humorous deaths. For this game, here is a list of deaths. Note, this list may not be complete.

Walk into the chasm next to the giant robot head.	Walk into the chasm next to the giant robot head.   Restore popup menu title: Deceleration Trauma
Pick up the sharp metal plate.	Pick up the sharp metal plate.   Restore popup menu title: One way to Lower Your Blood Pressure
Fall into the shredder from the conveyor belt.	Fall into the shredder from the conveyor belt.   Restore popup menu title: It Slices, It Dices...
Step off the rail.	Step off the rail.   Restore popup menu title: Deceleration Trauma
Step off the curving part of the rail.	Step off the curving part of the rail.   Restore popup menu title: Deceleration Trauma
Get shot by the robot.	Get shot by the robot.   Restore popup menu title: Hole In One!
Fall off from the grabber platform.	Fall off from the grabber platform.   Restore popup menu title: Deceleration Trauma
Fall through the chute when the ladders are taken elsewhere.	Fall through the chute when the ladders are taken elsewhere.   Restore popup menu title: Rats!
Fall off from the top of the shuttle.	Fall off from the top of the shuttle.   Restore popup menu title: Deceleration Trauma
Try to fly the shuttle without activating radar.	Try to fly the shuttle without activating radar.   Restore popup menu title: Learn to Drive That Thing!
Turn off the shuttle engines after takeoff.	Turn off the shuttle engines after takeoff.   Restore popup menu title: Learn to Drive That Thing!
Fire lasers inside the garbage freighter with shields down.	Fire lasers inside the garbage freighter with shields down.   Restore popup menu title: Decompression Blues
Get eaten by a snake on Phleebhut.	Get eaten by a snake on Phleebhut.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Get stung by a scorpazpoid on Phleebhut.	Get stung by a scorpazpoid on Phleebhut.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Get caught by hanging pods on Phleebhut.	Get caught by hanging pods on Phleebhut.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Get struck by lightning on Phleebhut.	Get struck by lightning on Phleebhut.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Open the display case at World o' Wonders.	Open the display case at World o' Wonders.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Get caught by the terminator.	Get caught by the terminator.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Fall into the machinery inside Mog's head.	Fall into the machinery inside Mog's head.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Fall into the elevator shaft inside Mog's head.	Fall into the elevator shaft inside Mog's head.   Restore popup menu title: Deceleration Trauma
Try to enter alien ship twice at Monolith Burger.	Try to enter alien ship twice at Monolith Burger.   Restore popup menu title: Don't Trust Guys in Black Spacesuits
Lose in the Astro Chicken coinop game at Monolith Burger.	Lose in the Astro Chicken coinop game at Monolith Burger.   Note: this is a game within a game. Losing in Astro Chicken doesn't cause game over in Space Quest III. It is possible, however, to spend all available buckazoids on Astro Chicken which leads to an unwinnable state.   Restore popup menu title: none
Walk on Ortega without thermal underwear.	Walk on Ortega without thermal underwear.   Restore popup menu title: Sunbathing Not Recommended
Fall into a lava pit on Ortega.	Fall into a lava pit on Ortega.   Restore popup menu title: New, Improved Quick Tanning Method
Get noticed by ScumSoft team on Ortega.	Get noticed by ScumSoft team on Ortega.   Restore popup menu title: Just Like Mom Used to Make
Fall from the top of the dome.	Fall from the top of the dome.   Restore popup menu title: Deceleration Trauma
Try to cross the shaky bridge while carrying a detonator.	Try to cross the shaky bridge while carrying a detonator.   Restore popup menu title: Be More Careful With Explosives
Try to polevault across the schasm while carrying a detonator.	Try to polevault across the schasm while carrying a detonator.   Restore popup menu title: Be More Careful With Explosives
Get seen by the ScumSoft guards.	Get seen by the ScumSoft guards.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Touch the forcefield near ScumSoft entrance.	Touch the forcefield near ScumSoft entrance.   Restore popup menu title: Congratulations on Your Recent Death!
Enter the office maze wearing your own clothes.	Enter the office maze wearing your own clothes.   Restore popup menu title: Just Like Mom Used to Make
Walk past a trashcan in the office maze without using the vaporizer.	Walk past a trashcan in the office maze without using the vaporizer.   Note: your cover gets blown if you use the vaporizer missing the target too many times as well.   Restore popup menu title: You Have Blown Your "Cover"
Try to steal the boss' portrait from the office wall.	Try to steal the boss' portrait from the office wall.   Restore popup menu title: You Have Blown Your "Cover"
Fall into the pit that is surrounding jelloed Two Guys.	Fall into the pit that is surrounding jelloed Two Guys.   Restore popup menu title: You Have Taken the Big Plunge
Lose the robot fight.	Lose the robot fight.   Restore popup menu title: Down For the Count
Have shields down or activated in the wrong place during the space battle.	Have shields down or activated in the wrong place during the space battle.   Restore popup menu title: Decompression Blues
Have your shields depleted before the space battle is over.	Have your shields depleted before the space battle is over.   Restore popup menu title: Decompression Blues