The Mace (also known as Spiked Club in the PS3 trophies) is a secret weapon that can be found in the game ICO.
The Mace can only be acquired on a first playthrough of the game. On the New Game+, the player obtains the Light Saber instead.
It is a very powerful weapon and much more damaging than the many swords and sticks scattered around the castle. It can disperse shadows with only a few blows and is the best weapon apart from the Queen's Sword and arguably the Light Saber.
Guide to obtaining the weapon
The secret room where the Mace is obtained is in the Sluice area, during or following the section where Ico must hang and clamber on pipes from one side of a tall chamber to the other, and in the versions following the original US version, utilize the machine in the corner to jump to an upper window. In this chamber between the stairs, there is a section of wall on the lower level that is slightly lighter in color than the ones on either side of it; pushing on either edge of this middle section opens the secret room, which contains a ring on the ground that will activate when Yorda is lead to it.
In the courtyard outside the chamber, there is a tree near the switch that is used to open the door between the two areas. When this tree is struck by Ico, it will drop a metal ball. Pick it up and carry it all the way into the secret room. Once the ring on the ground is activated by Yorda, a stone basket will rise from the platform in the back of the chamber. Ico must throw the metal ball into the basket, which may take quite a few tries. Once this is accomplished, a short cutscene will play in which the Mace mysteriously flies through the window and onto the ground, where it can now be picked up and used by Ico.
It is also possible to skip Ico having to throw the ball into the basket, by placing the metal ball inside the square where the basket rises from before Yorda stands on the ring. When the ring is then activated, the ball should automatically drop into the basket. However, in some cases this may cause the ball to be lost without the weapon cutscene playing, requiring a reset to the last checkpoint if the player wants to try again.
The game | ICO ( Demo · Revisions from U.S. version · Ico HD ) | |
Characters | Ico · Yorda · The Queen · Shadows · Shinkan | |
The Castle | Idol Gates · Yorda's language · Saving Benches Altar • Warehouse • Spiral Stairs • Old Bridge • Stairs • Trolley 1 • Trolley 2 • Crane • Chandelier • Drawbridge • Main Gate • Graveyard • Dark Room • Sunbeams • Stone Pillar • East Crag • East Arena • East Idol Stairs • East Reflector • Waterfall • Sluice • Cogwheel • Gondola • Water Tower • West Crag • West Arena • West Idol Stairs • West Reflector • Cage • Pipe • Elevator • Wharf • Queen's Room • Sandy Beach | |
Other Media | Ico ~Melody in the Mist~ · Official Game Guide · Ico: Castle in the Mist |
Characters | Ico · Yorda · The Queen · Shadows · Guards |
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Locations | The Castle in the Mist |
Items | Stick · Sword · Mace · Light Saber · Queen's Sword |
Gameplay | Idol Gates · Save points · Runic Language · Watermelon |
Media | ICO ~Melody in the Mist~ (OST) · Official Art and Guide Book · ICO: Castle in the Mist (Book) · Interview Archive |
Releases | Demo · PS2 original · PS3 remaster · Credits |