The first five stages of Dan the Man serve as your introduction to the game's world, mechanics, and enemies. Do not underestimate them — mastering these stages sets the foundation for everything that follows. This walkthrough covers every room, every enemy encounter, and every hidden collectible.
Stage 1: The Village Outskirts
Enemies: Grunt soldiers (melee), one archer near the end.
Layout: A linear path through a village under attack. The stage is broken into three sections separated by short transition areas. Each section contains two to three groups of two or three grunts. The groups are spread out enough that your combo will drop between encounters unless you actively maintain it.
Secret: In the second section, there is a house with a partially open door on the right side of the screen. Attack the door to break it open and enter. Inside, you will find three coin caches and a health pickup — invaluable for new players learning the game.
Three-Star Strategy: Maintain your combo between enemy groups by attacking breakable objects between encounters. The barrel next to the second group provides just enough combo extension to reach the third group. Do not take any damage — Stage 1 enemies are slow enough that this is a reasonable goal even for beginners. Clear time should be under 2:00.
Stage 2: The Marketplace
Enemies: Grunts, one shield bearer (new enemy type), knife throwers.
Layout: A bustling marketplace with narrow alleyways and open plazas. The narrow sections funnel enemies toward you, making crowd control easier. The open plaza at the midpoint throws four enemies at you simultaneously — your first real crowd fight.
Secret — Golden Chicken: At the start of the marketplace (immediately after the first transition), a chicken wanders near the fruit stand. Stand next to it without attacking for 10 seconds to receive a golden egg worth 500 coins. Repeatable once per play session.
Three-Star Strategy: Use the narrow alleyways to your advantage — enemies approach single-file, letting you dispatch them one at a time. For the plaza fight, use kicks to keep enemies at a distance while you whittle down their numbers. Shield bearer priority: jump behind and attack from the rear. The shield bearer is the most dangerous enemy here if you do not know how to handle them.
Stage 3: The Castle Gates — Boss: Captain Grunt
Enemies: Grunts, shield bearers, two elite soldiers (tougher grunts with more health).
Layout: A fortress approach with two distinct sections: the outer courtyard (enemy waves) and the inner gatehouse (elite enemies and the boss). The outer courtyard features barricades that funnel enemies but also restrict your movement. Fight near the barricades to limit enemy approach angles.
Boss: Captain Grunt. Three-punch combo, ground slam AOE, charging tackle. Refer to the Boss Fight Strategies guide for detailed breakdown. Key points: bait the charge, jump over, counter from behind. The fight should take 2-3 cycles with Level 2 Punch Damage.
Three-Star Strategy: Clear the courtyard without taking damage — the enemies are predictable and the barricades help. For Captain Grunt, patience is the path to three stars. Do not rush; wait for his charge, counter, retreat. A 3-minute boss fight with zero damage taken scores higher than a 1-minute slugfest where you trade hits.
Stage 4: The Dungeon Depths
Enemies: Grunts, archers (more frequent), bats (new flying enemy type).
Layout: Underground dungeon with narrow corridors and crumbling floors. The narrow corridors turn archers from nuisance to threat — their arrows fill the corridor width, forcing precise jump timing. The crumbling floors add environmental hazard: certain floor sections collapse after you stand on them, dropping you into a lower level with bonus enemies and rewards.
Secret — Breakable Object Bonanza: After the second checkpoint, there is a storage room with 15 breakable crates and barrels clustered together. Smash everything. This room alone can yield 80-120 coins and occasionally a health pickup. Memorize this room and smash everything every run.
Bats: These new flying enemies hover at head height and swoop down to attack. Jump and punch to knock them out of the air. Bats have low health but are hard to hit with ground attacks. Prioritize them over ground enemies in mixed encounters — a bat interrupting your combo is more annoying than a grunt you can see coming.
Stage 5: The Rooftop Pursuit — Secret: Underground Arena
Enemies: Grunts, archers, ninja assassins (new: fast, teleporting)
Layout: A chase across the castle rooftops. The stage is more vertical than previous stages, with frequent platforming sections between combat encounters. The rooftops offer environmental kills — kick enemies off the edge for instant eliminations regardless of their remaining health.
Ninja Assassins: These new enemies are significantly faster than anything you have faced. They teleport short distances and attack from unexpected angles. Do not chase them — stand your ground and attack when they reappear near you. Their teleport has a brief vulnerability window after they materialize. Punch them during this window for free damage.
Secret — Underground Arena: After the second checkpoint, a cracked wall on the left side hides the entrance to the Underground Arena. Use a charged heavy attack on the wall to break through. Survive five waves for the Gladiator's Belt (+40% combo timer). See the Hidden Levels guide for full details.
Three-Star Strategy: Environmental kills count toward your score but do not break your combo. Use kicks near edges liberally. For the ninjas, anticipate their teleport and attack preemptively — your hitbox will catch them as they appear. The Underground Arena is optional but highly recommended for the Gladiator's Belt reward.