This game is incredibly simple to play, and I've never made one of these "how to" things before but eh, here goes nothing. Like any other game, "X" (or B in the case of SNES/SFC games) is always your "inspect/accept" button. Basically, whatever you want to do, you're gonna hit X (again, X would be for ZSNES users, B for SNES/SFC users). When I refer to a button, I will be using the SNES/SFC ones. Here's a table for easy reference:

So, yes. B is used to choose an option from a list, to open chests, to talk to people, and in menus to choose items/battle options. The arrow keys are for moving the character around, and to move between options in the menus. A is used to cancel (i.e., get out of a menu), and also to run when walking around areas. X lets you access the menu, and Y is used while making link techs (explained in the Tech Skills section of this walkthrough, linked to at the top of this page). The Start button takes you in and out of the Make Up Link menu (again, explained in the Tech Skills section). The Select button takes you to the Options menu, where you can change things like the sound, text speed, background (bg) colour, and so on. Also, you can save at any Luna-P you find: ... ph33r the weird spinning kitty-head... ^.__.^;;

The battle screen is below.

At the bottom is where the party members are shown. At the beginning of the game, you only have Sera Muun in your party. HP stands for Hit Points, and it tells you how much life you have left. The numbers turn pink when you're running low on HP. The purple diamondish things under that show you how much EP (I guess it stands for Energy Points) you have left. EP allows you to use the character's special attacks, and each attack uses up a different amount of EP. Also, an arrow () points to the character whom you are choosing the action for (second picture).

This option allows you to physically attack the enemy. The amount of damage done depends on the defense the enemy has, and the strength your character has. A physical attack usually does significantly less damage than a special attack, but costs 0 EP. You also have to choose which enemy to use a physical attack on, designated by the infamous arrow ().

Choosing this option from the battle screen opens up a menu with all of the character's tech skills (special attacks) listed in them. The example above shows Sera Muun's menu. The menu has the attack name, a description of the attack indicated (i.e., the one the arrow is pointing at) at the top of the menu, and how much EP it costs (next to the description). Skills in pink are ones that you do not have enough EP to use.

Link techs can only be used later on in the game, when you have more than one character in your party. How to get link techs are described in the Tech Skills section of this walkthrough (linked at the top of this page). When you choose this option, it's just like the Special Attack menu (name, description, etc.), cept the arrows point to the characters involved in the link tech. Also, the EP gets drained from both characters, but the attacks are usually stronger than individual special attacks.

Same as the two above, except that it involves all five senshi (can only be used by the five inner senshi, Sera Muun, Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter, and only when they're all in the party). You have to choose the same option (or choose it for one senshi, and choose anything that doesn't use up EP for the other senshi) for it to work, but it's well worth the wait, as the attacks are devastating if you choose the senshi to do the attack wisely (this will be explained later on under Formation). Most of the attacks are available only when their respective formations are being used (i.e., if your part is in shoot formation (formations will be explained later), then only then does the Sailor Shoot Attack become available. The Sailor Planet Attack is always available, no matter what formation you chose.

Choosing this option allows you to use items during battle (only certain items are allowed to be used during battle). The items in the game are all listed and explained in the Items section of this walkthrough (linked at the top of this page).

This option allows you to have your character defend, which results in that character taking little to no damage when attacked.

... well... obviously this option allows you to run away from a battle. This is quite useful if you need to heal or want to leave the area or anything to that effect. Unfortunately (maybe), this option does not work during boss battles. Sorry!

The menu screen is shown below. On the top of the left side are your option, on the top of the right side is your current luck and how much Yen you currently have, and on the bottom of both sides are your current party members and their stats.

Choosing "Items" takes you to this menu (first picture):

You have three choices. The first choice allows you to use any of the items in the menu that is already shown on the right side of the screen, as long as the item is shown in brown. The second option just rearranges the same menu. The third option shows you what rare items you've collected (second picture). Most of the items are in your inventory since the beginning of the game (like the Space Sword and the Disguise Pen), even if the character that the item belongs to isn't in your party (i.e., the Space Sword belongs to Sailor Uranus, even though she doesn't join your party til later on in the game).

The "Accessories" option lets you choose a senshi (with the arrow buttons), and then it takes you to this screen (first picture):

On the left side are the accessories you already have equipped (in the above picture there are none), and under that are your character's stats. On the right are the available accessories you have in your inventory, and how many there are of each. Press X on the slot (you only have three available slots) that you want to put an accessory in or on the accessory you want to replace, and the arrow goes over to the right side of the screen. Choose the accessory you want (you can see how equipping the item will affect your character's stats by looking at the second row of numbers that appears next to the first row on the left (second picture)), and press Z to get back to the left side of the screen.

Formation lets you choose in which positions your party members are going to be in battle. The same rules apply, no matter how many people are in your party (yes, even if there's only one). The Shoot formation is the default, and Cluster formation is the one that should be used. The "rules" and all of the formations are shown and explained below.

Choosing "Status" lets you choose which senshi you want to check status on with the arrow keys, then it takes you to a screen with the character's picture, name, and stats (level, status, HP, EP, whatever the hell Lap is, EXP, and how much EXP til level up) on the left side of the screen, and real name, birthday, and other miscellaneous facts about the character, along with stats like Attack, Defense, etc., on the right side of the screen. Sailor Moon's status page is shown below.