Submission #4894: £e_Nécroyeur's NES Xexyz in 23:43.62

Xexyz is a hybrid scrolling platform/scrolling shooter/tube shooter game created by Atlus and published by Hudson Soft for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 under the title Kame no Ongaeshi: Urashima Densetsu. Kame no Ongaeshi: Urashima Densetsu is loosely based upon the Japanese legend of Urashima Tarō, and features more cutscenes and endings than the North American localization, though gameplay is the same between the two versions. Fascinating as turtles and dancing princesses are, they require a great deal of additional Frames, and so the North American localization has been chosen for this TAS. Xexyz is a lesser-known title for the NES, being hindered by cultural differences, a lack of a European release, and an awkward title. Despite (or in thanks to) all this, the game has maintained some degree of cult notoriety outside of Japan. The game itself is quite fun, and features some great music.

Levitation:

This technique requires Foot Wing. Tapping the A button after Apollo has made a jump or High Jump further slows his descent. While the screen is not scrolling, pressing the A button for 1 Frame on every other Frame allows Apollo to maintain his current altitude. While Apollo's movement is scrolling the screen, pressing the A button for 1 Frame once per each 3 Frames allows Apollo to maintain his current altitude. If Apollo approaches within 2 pixels of ground level while he is Levitating, he will Snap To ground level and Levitation is cancelled.

Double Tap:

Press Down and the B button for 1 Frame, release the B button but hold Down for 1 more Frame, and then press the B button again. Apollo will fire 2 projectiles in just 3 Frames. Note that Crouching causes Apollo's weapon recycle timer to stop decrementing. When Apollo fires a crouching shot, he is forced to remain in the crouching posture for 8 Frames. As such, it is futile to repeat the Double Tap sequentially by waiting for Apollo to stand up again; as the weapon recycle timer will still have 7 Frames remaining before the weapon can be fired again.

Press Down for 1 Frame, press the B button for 1 Frame, press the A button for 1 Frame, delay for 1 Frame, and then press the B button again. Apollo will fire 2 projectiles in just 4 Frames.

Triple Tap:

The simplest method to follow a Double Tap is to continue with crouching shots, as they have a faster recycle time. This allows Apollo to fire 3 shots in 10 Frames, but he must remain at his current X position. However, the forced crouching posture caused by a crouching shot can be canceled with a Jump or High Jump. Depending on circumstances, it may be best to Jump or High Jump after using Double Tap in order to force the weapon recycle timer to resume decrementing. Using the Jump method allows Apollo to fire 3 shots in 12 Frames, and allows Apollo to move, but the target must be large, and it takes time to land from a Jump.

Rapidly Attack Elevated Enemy:

Vertical shots are slow to recycle because only 1 projectile is allowed on the screen at a time. If an enemy is at a higher elevation, it can be difficult to land sufficient shots on the enemy without losing momentum. Start by using a jump or High Jump on the earliest possible Frame that allows Apollo to hit the target 2 times before landing. After landing, fire vertically when the enemy is overhead. Finally, jump or High Jump on the earliest possible Frame that allows Apollo to fire the final shots vertically and destroy the enemy while Apollo is ascending toward it. By jumping while the enemy is overhead, the travel time of the vertical projectiles is minimized, allowing more shots to be fired within a limited time.

Mini Surface Zip:

At Speed Level 2 or above, it is possible for Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider to enter within a surface by 1 or 2 pixels by pushing against a surface. Depending on the specific location that the surface was entered, Apollo may be "zipped" forward or backward several pixels instantaneously.

Faster Hangar Navigation:

When Apollo is entering a Hangar while he is using a Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider, press Left for 1 Frame on the first Frame after entering the Hangar, rather than simply holding Right. Pressing Left for 1 Frame forces Apollo to be instantaneously pushed to the right by 8 pixels, thereby saving 7 Frames. After pressing Left for 1 Frame, hold Right for 12 Frames until Apollo is clear of the ledge. On the first Frame that Apollo is clear of the ledge, press Down for 1 Frame, press Down and Left for 1 Frame, and then resume hold Down and Right until Apollo lands. Pressing Left for 1 Frame after clearing the ledge and moving down 1 pixel forces Apollo to be instantaneously pushed to the right by 2 pixels, thereby saving 2 Frames. Using these 2 techniques saves 9 Frames overall in each Hangar. This technique also applies to exiting a Hangar into a Shooting Mode Area, and to exiting one Shooting Mode Area into another Shooting Mode Area, though these are of course less Frame-critical. When this technique is used upon entering a Shooting Mode Area, it also allows Apollo to begin moving up or down 1 Frame earlier.

Cancel "Damage Taken" Posture:

When Apollo takes damage, he is forced into the "damage taken" posture. Apollo will remain in this posture, unable to take any action, until the top or bottom of his collision box collides with a surface. Furthermore, the weapon recycle timer does not decrement while Apollo is in this posture. Normally this means that Apollo will be bumped upward and back a bit, and the "damage taken" posture is canceled when he lands. However, if Apollo is near enough to the ceiling or other surface above him, such that the push is sufficient to cause the top of his head to collide with the ceiling, the "damage taken" posture is canceled. Note that Apollo's sprite will not indicate when the "damage taken" posture is canceled, but input can again be entered. This technique is used during each time Apollo takes damage.

Snap To Surface:

If Apollo approaches within 1 pixel of a vertical surface, he will be instantaneously be moved toward the surface, skipping over the remaining 1 pixel. If Apollo approaches within 2 pixels of ground level while he is Levitating, he will Snap To ground level and Levitation is cancelled.

Corner Snap To:

When Apollo is using Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider to exit a Hangar, it is possible to Snap To the corner near the Door on the way out, without losing momentum. Snapping To this corner causes Apollo to move 2 pixels for 1 Frame, instead of just 1 pixel, thereby saving 1 Frame.

Preemptive Jump:

If Apollo jumps or High Jumps just prior to entering a Door, he will immediately jump or High Jump after the transition to the next Area. This is used in several Hangars in order to board a Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider on the earliest possible Frame.

The "Foot Wing Wiggle":

Apollo must be using Foot Wing while the screen is not scrolling in order for this to work. Press Left and the A button for 1 Frame to start a jump. Press Right for 1 Frame to begin moving to the right. Hold Left until the jump lands. Holding Left after pressing Right for 1 Frame will actually cause Apollo to continue moving to the right, while facing left. While Apollo is in the air, alternately pressing Left and Right on each Frame will cause him to "wiggle" back and forth while continuing to move in the original direction of the jump, without losing momentum. This can also be done while using Levitation by pressing the A button for 1 Frame every other Frame each time the original direction of the jump is pressed.

Backward Jump:

After landing in a Hangar, immediately release Right. Apollo will jump to the right while facing left.

Jump into a wall:

Apollo can jump up into the wall in an area that has an exit in the lower left. Stand under the wall near the exit. Face left at X 19 for a non-scrolling "room" area, or face right at X 35 for a Mechanic Castle area. Jump straight up. Apollo will land partly within the wall. Jump again and Apollo will land even higher. Continue jumping to "climb" the wall to the ceiling. This technique is not used in this TAS.

Walk through walls:

Jump into a wall by using the "Jump into a wall" technique. Once Apollo is within a wall, press the A button for 1 Frame, and then press the joypad in the direction of the wall for 1 Frame on the Frame prior to Apollo landing. This allows Apollo to turn and face the wall without being pushed out by it. Once Apollo is facing the wall, press the A button for 1 Frame, press the joypad in the direction of the wall for 1 Frame, delay for 2 Frames, and repeat. This can also be achieved at a slower rate by pressing the A button for 1 Frame, delaying for 1 Frame, pressing the joypad in the direction of the wall for 1 Frame, delaying for 1 Frame, and then repeating. This technique does not work if Apollo is using Foot Wing. Unfortunately, there is no situation in the game where use of this technique is beneficial, though it is gratifying to have found a way to do so on both of the platform games I have TASed.

Midair Moon Ball Whip:

Press the B button 1 Frame before Apollo takes damage, and the Moon Ball whip will extend as he is knocked backward. Note that this technique will not work if Apollo takes damage on the same Frame that he lands on a surface. This technique is not used in this TAS.

To complete the game, Apollo must complete 12 Areas and defeat Goruza's Mechanic Fortress. Areas alternate between Action Mode (scrolling platform) and Shooting Mode (scrolling shooter).

Energy Balls are the currency of Xeyxz. They can be used to purchase information, Items, and Weapons, for gambling, and for boarding a Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider. Apollo begins the game with 50 Energy Balls. An Energy Ball (small "E") is worth 1 Energy Ball, and is left by certain enemies when they are destroyed. An Energy Box (large "E") is worth 5 Energy Balls, and is left by certain enemies when they are destroyed, and also found in various preset locations in Action Mode Areas. Apollo begins the game with 50 Energy Balls. Apollo must spend a minimum of 200 Energy Balls in order to advance through the game to the final Area. Part 3 of Area 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 is a Shooting Mode Area which requires Apollo to spend 20 Energy Balls to enter. Part 2 and part 3 of Area 12 are Shooting Mode Areas which require Apollo to spend 50 Energy Balls to enter. The only thing worth purchasing that saves Frames is the Laser in Area 12. This requires 90 Energy Balls. Logistics is tightly managed throughout the game, such that Apollo acquires the last necessary Energy Balls moments before entering the Item Shop, with minimal deviation from the ideal route. Only 4 of the Energy Boxes collected required deviation from the ideal route, and the maximum deviation (to collect Energy Box 1 in Area 11-1) required only 5 Frames.

If Apollo has full horizontal momentum on the first Frame of a Jump, he will be able to resume that momentum after he collides with a vertical surface by pressing Right or Left after he has cleared the surface vertically. As such, if Apollo must jump over an obstacle to which he is standing directly adjacent, it is best to press the joystick away from the obstacle for 1 Frame before to build momentum before pressing the A button. After the A button has been pressed, the joystick can again be held toward the obstacle, and as soon as Apollo has reached a sufficient height, he will begin to move over and past the obstacle, with full momentum. Otherwise, Apollo will only move at 1 pixel per Frame after clearing the obstacle until the Jump has landed.

If Apollo moves into collision range on an even-numbered Frame, the effect of the collision will occur 1 Frame later than if he moves into collision range on an odd-numbered Frame. This applies to a collision with an enemy, an Item, or a surface. An excellent example of this effect can be observed in Area 1-1, where a row of Moai drop projectiles as Apollo walks past them. If Apollo begins walking past the Moai on the correct Frame, each projectile will collide with Apollo on an even-numbered Frame, causing them to miss due to the additional Frame of delay, and allowing Apollo to move past the entire row of Moai unharmed. If Apollo begins walking past the Moai on the wrong Frame, the first projectile will collide with Apollo on an odd-numbered Frame, and Apollo will be hit by it. This effect is exploited during every Devil battle, and once in Area 5-1.

Boarding Cyborg Rider from a location farther to the right causes Cyborg Rider to spawn farther to the right after Apollo has boarded it. This is particularly useful considering the slow speed of Cyborg Rider within a Hangar. Note that this does not apply to Cyborg Rider or Mobile Armor in an Action Mode Area.

When Apollo's Hit Points are reduced to 0 in a Shooting Mode Area, he falls slowly downward and is destroyed when he leaves the screen. While Apollo is falling thus, it is possible for him to enter a Door. If Apollo enters a Door in this manner, the next Area will load. Apollo does not lose a Life, and he can again be controlled, though his Hit Points remain at 0. However, because his status indicates being dead, he cannot enter a Door in an Action Mode Area. Thus, when he enters the Hangar at the end of the Shooting Mode Area, he will become permanently stuck.

When Apollo reaches the center location of the screen (X 144) in an Action Mode Area, there is 1 Frame of delay before Apollo moves to X 145 or the screen begins to scroll.

Only 1 enemy can be damaged on any given Frame.

A projectile can only collide with an enemy once per each 2 Frames. As such, an enemy can only be damaged once per each 2 Frames. This can also cause a projectile to pass through an enemy, particularly when projectiles are fired in rapid succession against a small, fast-moving enemy.

A transition at the end of an Action Mode Area can only begin on every other Frame.

Apollo cannot fire on the same Frame that he lands from a jump or a fall, except with the Laser.

A total of 288 Energy Balls can be acquired on or near the ideal path throughout the game.

Areas 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 12 are Action Mode Areas. Areas 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 are Shooting Mode Areas.

There is a total of 45 Energy Boxes throughout the game along the main route. 31 of these Energy Boxes are on or near the ideal path. These 31 Energy Boxes are worth a total of 155 Energy Balls.

Certain dialogs can be closed 1 Frame earlier by pressing the A button 1 Frame before the prompt arrow appears. An example of this is the first dialog in a Devil battle. Other dialogs can be closed 1 Frame earlier by pressing the B button 1 Frame before the prompt arrow appears, rather than the A button. Note that pressing the B button to cancel a dialog may cancel a transaction.

In a Shop, the joystick can be pressed Down 1 Frame before the cursor appears. Note that the A button cannot be pressed until the cursor has appeared.

Apollo must be standing on a surface in order for a Devil to deliver him Force Star. Force Star itself emerges from the head of a Devil and floats toward Apollo. Until Force Star reaches Apollo, no action can be taken. As such, it is imperative that Apollo be as near as possible to Force Star as it emerges, in order to minimize the transit time of Force Star. Apollo must be located between X 211 and X 213 in order to acquire Force Star on the earliest possible Frame.

In a Shooting Mode Area, the spawn location of certain types of flying enemies is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns. Flapper in Area 1-2 Shooting Mode Area 2 is an example of this behavior. Once such an enemy has spawned, Apollo may begin moving up or down without disrupting the spawn location of the enemy, but not before the enemy has spawned.

In a Shooting Mode Area, if 2 projectiles are fired in rapid succession, a projectile may penetrate within an obstacle surface by 1 or 2 pixels. This can allow for earlier destruction of an enemy.

If a Bomb is fired at the corner of an obstacle, the Bomb may penetrate within an obstacle surface by as many as 6 pixels. This can allow for earlier destruction of an enemy.

Holding the Frame Advance key to unpause and advance several Frames can produce different results than pressing the Frame Advance key to increment Frame by Frame, or simply pressing the Pause key to unpause.

A maximum of 4 Items is allowed on the screen simultaneously.

In an Action Mode Area, Apollo's normal center screen location is X 144 while moving to the right, or X 111 while moving to the left.

Apollo's normal horizontal speed is 1.5 pixels per Frame (1-2 pattern).

Apollo's walking speed through water is .5 pixels per Frame.

In a Shooting Mode Area within an Action Mode Area, the screen scrolls at a fixed rate of 1 pixel per Frame.

In a Shooting Mode Area, the screen scrolls at a rate of 1 pixel per Frame until the segment just prior to the Boss, when the scrolling rate is increased until the Boss transition is reached.

In an Action Mode Area at normal speed, Apollo can traverse 1 screen per each 171 Frames.

In a Shooting Mode Area within an Action Mode Area, the screen scrolls at a fixed rate of 1 screen per 256 Frames.

If the A button is pressed to jump without Right or Left being held, and then Right or Left is pressed after the jump has started, Apollo will move horizontally at only 1 pixel per Frame. If Apollo walks off of a ledge, rather than jumping off, he will move horizontally at only 1 pixel per Frame.

Mobile Armor and Cyborg Rider speed is 1 pixel per Frame while Apollo is in the Hangar.

Mobile Armor and Cyborg Rider normal speed is 1.5 pixels per Frame while Apollo is in a Shooting Mode Area. Acquiring 1 Speed Capsule increases the rate of speed to 2 pixels per Frame. Acquiring 2 Speed Capsules increases the rate of speed to 3 pixels per Frame. Acquiring 3 or more Speed Capsules increases the rate of speed to 4 pixels per Frame.

Flying Saucer speed is 2 pixels per Frame horizontally and 1.5 pixels per Frame vertically (1-2 pattern). Because Apollo spawns at X 32 and moves horizontally by increments of 2 pixels, his X location is generally an even-numbered value. However, if Apollo jumps, he can occupy odd-numbered X locations instead.

Jump height is consistent, determined only by whether Up is held or not. Only 1 Frame of input is necessary to start a jump, and anything more is extraneous.

Apollo's Normal Jump height is 53 pixels at a maximum vertical speed of 4 pixels per Frame. On a flat surface, this requires 38 Frames total.

Apollo's High Jump height is 88 pixels at a maximum vertical speed of 5 pixels per Frame. On a flat surface, this requires 51 Frames total.

Jumping with Foot Wing, Apollo's horizontal speed is 2 pixels per Frame.

Using Foot Wing, Apollo's Normal Jump height is 84 pixels at a maximum vertical speed of 4 pixels per Frame.

Using Foot Wing, Apollo's Normal Jump height is 132 pixels at a maximum vertical speed of 5 pixels per Frame.

Apollo's projectiles do 1 Hit Point of damage, regardless of the weapon he is using. Against a Boss, Apollo's projectiles do 2 Hit Points of damage, regardless of the weapon he is using. A maximum of 1 projectile per each 2 Frames can hit an enemy, with the exception of a Boss. If Apollo is using Mirror or a Weapon that fires 2 projectiles simultaneously, and hits a Boss with 2 projectiles simultaneously, 1 of the projectiles will do only 1 Hit Point of damage, for a total of 3 Hit Points of damage for that shot. This effect can be avoided by firing from a different location. In an Action Mode Area, Mobile Armor and Cyborg Rider projectiles do 1 Hit Point of damage, regardless of their Power Level, with the exception of Cyborg Rider Jennex. Cyborg Rider Jennex normal projectiles do 1 Hit Point of damage regardless of their Power Level, and Bomb does 2 Hit Points of damage. In a Shooting Mode Area, Cyborg Rider normal projectiles do 1 Hit Point of damage regardless of their Power Level, and Bomb does 2 Hit Points of damage.

Apollo is allowed a maximum of 8 projectiles on the screen simultaneously.

Apollo is allowed only 1 vertical projectile on the screen at any time. The exception to this is when Mirror is being used, in which case a maximum of 2 vertical projectiles is allowed on the screen simultaneously.

A projectile fired vertically will also move horizontally if the screen is scrolling. The rate of horizontal movement is equal to the rate of scrolling.

A projectile fired vertically remains on the screen for a maximum of 14 Frames. The weapon recycle timer lasts for only 8 Frames. As such, there may be several Frames after the weapon recycle timer has reset during which such a projectile may remain on the screen. If Apollo attempts to fire a projectile vertically after the weapon recycle timer has reset but while such a projectile is already present on the screen, a projectile will not fire, and the weapon recycle timer will begin to decrement. If this occurs, no projectiles can be fired until the weapon recycle timer has again reset.

Apollo can only possess 1 Magic Item at any given time, as with a Weapon.

Weapons and Magic Items are removed from Apollo when a Boss is destroyed.

An Action Mode Area Boss's Hit Points are determined by the weapon that Apollo is using. For example, if Apollo is using Hand Beam, Area 1 Boss Braiza has 90 Hit Points. If Apollo is using 45B Ball, Area 1 Boss Braiza has 100 Hit Points.

Apollo must be standing on a surface in order to enter a Door or to exit a room. Apollo need not be level with the Y location of a door in order to enter a door. Provided Apollo is standing on a surface, and his collision box bisects the collision box of the door, Apollo may enter the door.

Foot Wing does not function while Apollo is in the Hangar.

If Apollo has collected 2 or more Speed Capsules, he can move faster than his own Bomb. This somewhat limits the effectiveness of Bomb, as Apollo can generally be within range to fire his normal weapon before a dropped Bomb has even arrived at an enemy.

Apollo must be at X 9 or less in order to exit a room.

Apollo must be at Screen X Major 9 Screen X Minor 223 or greater in order to exit an Action Mode Area.

In a Shooting Mode Area, Apollo cannot hit an enemy if he is too far to the right on the screen. This is because an enemy must have at least 7 pixels horizontally on the screen in order to be vulnerable to attack. If Apollo were at X 240 at the extreme right edge of the screen, his projectile would actually spawn behind an enemy by the time the enemy became vulnerable. Using Mobile Armor Gardex at X 234, Apollo can attack an enemy on the earliest possible Frame without being too close to an enemy to hit it. Note that at X 234, projectiles fired straight forward will not be visible because they leave the screen too quickly, but they will still damage an enemy. The specific X location from which to attack is dependent on the specific Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider being used. For enemies that move faster, it is necessary to either use Bombs or to attack from X 232. Cyborg Rider Zebox can attack from X 239 or X 237 for faster enemies.

In a Shooting Mode Area, it is possible to move beyond the right or left screen boundary. Unfortunately, unlike an Action Mode Area, moving beyond the right boundary does not allow Apollo to enter a Door on an earlier Frame.

Horizontal momentum is maintained when Apollo exits a room, but not when he enters a room. Vertical momentum is never maintained following a transition.

Acquiring a Power Capsule allows a Mobile Armor or a Cyborg Rider to have 1 additional projectile on the screen simultaneously. Acquiring 2 or more Power Capsules allows a Mobile Armor or a Cyborg Rider to simultaneously fire at a different angle, in addition to the forward angle. The specific angle of fire is dependent upon the type of Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider being used. For example, Mobile Armor Gardex becomes able to fire upward at a 45 degree angle, in addition to the forward angle. These additional shots are limited to 3 on the screen simultaneously, just as are the forward angled shots. Note that both the forward projectile and the additional projectile must be destroyed or leave the screen before another shot can be fired.

If Apollo takes damage while he is standing on a flat surface, he is pushed upward by 22 pixels and backward by 9 pixels. The push has a maximum vertical speed of 4 pixels per Frame and a constant horizontal speed of .5 pixels per Frame (1-0 pattern) and requires a total of 17 Frames before input can be entered again. Apollo will always be pushed away from the point of collision, regardless of which direction he is facing when he takes damage. If Apollo moves into collision range on an even-numbered Frame, he will take damage 1 Frame later than if he moves into collision range on an odd-numbered Frame. When Apollo takes damage, he is forced into the "damage taken" posture. Apollo will remain in this posture, unable to take any action, until the top or bottom of his collision box collides with a surface. Normally this means that Apollo will be bumped upward and back a bit and the "damage taken" posture is canceled when he lands. However, if Apollo is near enough to the ceiling or other surface above him, such that the push is sufficient to cause the top of his head to collide with the ceiling, the "damage taken" posture is canceled. Note that Apollo's sprite will not indicate when the "damage taken" posture is canceled, but input can again be entered.

Turning to face the opposite direction while standing on a surface requires a minimum of 1 Frame. To do so while jumping requires a minimum of 2 Frames.

When Apollo takes damage, he becomes invulnerable for 64 Frames.

Entering a door causes all enemy spawns in the main Area to reset.

While standing or jumping, Apollo can fire Hand Beam horizontally once per each 9 Frames. While standing or jumping, Apollo can fire Hand Beam vertically once per each 14 Frames. While crouching, Apollo can fire Hand Beam once per each 8 Frames.

When a Star Block has taken 5 Hit Points of damage, a Hidden Door is revealed. The exact location where the Door spawns is based upon the location that the 5th projectile hits the Star Block.

Apollo can enter an Air Well from below by pressing Up, provided he is within 4 pixels of the ceiling. This works even if Apollo has Foot Wing, and is Levitating near the Air Well within 4 pixels of the ceiling.

Apollo's Hit Points are fully restored at the beginning of each Action Mode Area.

When Apollo boards a Flying Saucer, his Hit Points are fully restored.

When Apollo boards a Cyborg Rider at the beginning of a Shooting Mode Area, his maximum Hit Points increase by 4, and his Hit Points are fully restored. This does not apply to a Shooting Mode Area within a Mechanic Castle.

Apollo does not like to push against, or be pushed by, obstacles in Shooting Mode Areas. This is avoided where it does not require additional Frames.

Near the end of a Flying Stage, when the screen scrolling rate is increased, an enemy which moves from right to left may move too quickly for a projectile to collide with it. When this occurs, the enemy is destroyed on the first Frame that it becomes vulnerable. This can be observed on many occasions in Area 6, where a Lobster or Horn Head is destroyed on a later Frame than would apparently be necessary.

Gambling requires a minimum of 407 Frames. Maximum profit is 80 Energy Balls. That's .196 Energy Balls per Frame, or 1 Energy Ball per each 5.08 Frames.

Acquiring something from an NPC for free without Foot Wing requires a minimum of 286 Frames.

Acquiring something from an NPC for free with Foot Wing requires a minimum of 264 Frames.

Acquiring Foot Wing for free requires a minimum of 264 Frames. 22 Frames are saved on the way out of the room by using the Foot Wing after it has been acquired.

Acquiring a Magic Item from a Shop without Foot Wing requires a minimum of 497 Frames.

Acquiring a Magic Item from a Shop with Foot Wing requires a minimum of 475 Frames.

Acquiring Foot Wing from a Shop requires a minimum of 475 Frames. 22 Frames are saved on the way out of the room by using the Foot Wing after it has been acquired.

When Apollo exits an Air Well into a higher area, or exits Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider, he is forced to jump. If Right is not pressed after the jump begins, Apollo will perform a jump to the right while facing left. By pressing Up for 1 Frame 1 Frame prior to Apollo exiting an Air Well or Mobile Armor or Cyborg Rider, he will perform a High Jump instead of a normal Jump.

If Apollo enters a door before a sound effect has finished playing, the sound effect will be distorted by the transition to the next area. Jumping or High Jumping just before entering a Door provides an interesting sound. In a Shooting Mode Area, dropping a Bomb just before entering a Door provides an interesting sound.

The Operation Manual states that Apollo can possess a maximum of 99 Energy Balls. This is not correct. Apollo can possess a maximum of 999 Energy Balls.

The Operation Manual states that upon using Continue after a Game Over, remaining Energy Balls are reduced by half. However, if Apollo possesses fewer than 100 Energy Balls when Continue is used, Energy Balls is set to 50.

There is a Life Ball Item described in the game's Operation Manual, but no such Item appears in the game.

Boss Battle Strategy:

When a Boss is destroyed at the end of an Action Mode Area, Apollo is moved to X 128 Y 208, and the transition to the next Area is then continued. The nearer Apollo is to X 128 Y 208 when such a Boss is destroyed, the faster the transition will be completed. The same principle applies to a Boss of a Shooting Mode Area, except that Apollo is instead moved to X 32 Y 128 before the transition is continued. As such, it is more important that the last shot fired at a Boss be fired on the earliest possible Frame than to destroy a Boss on the earliest possible Frame, because firing the last shot earlier allows Apollo to begin moving toward the transition location earlier. To this end, the first shot fired at an Action Mode Area Boss is fired from the maximum distance that will damage the Boss on the earliest possible Frame, while still allowing Apollo to maintain optimum firing rate throughout the remainder of the battle. Using the Hand Beam, the first shot must be fired from X 190, 6 Frames before the Boss spawns. This ensures that the first shot is fired on the earliest possible Frame, allowing each subsequent shot to be fired on an earlier Frame. Finally, the last shot fired at a Boss is fired from the maximum distance that will still allow Apollo to maintain optimum firing rate, and thus the last shot is fired on the earliest possible Frame. This in turn allows Apollo to begin moving toward the transition location on the earliest possible Frame, and have the maximum number of Frames to move toward the transition location before the final projectile hits a Boss. This is less of an issue with a Boss of a Shooting Mode Area, because a Cyborg Rider's weapons are less limited than Apollo's, and its speed is far greater than a Flying Saucer.

Lag:

If 4 or more objects are present on the screen, the game may generate "internal" Lag Frames as needed to compensate. The emulator does not register these "internal" Lag Frames, they are all managed by the game itself; this makes them eminently more difficult to identify and remove. In addition to slowing progress, this can cause an Item or enemy to fail to spawn, and can cause projectiles to pass through enemies. A Lag Frame can also cause various Memory Addresses to misreport their status. In Lag-prone conditions, it is generally best to destroy enemies on the last possible Frame in order to minimize the number of Frames that a projectile is on the screen. Under certain circumstances in an Action Mode Area, a Lag frame which has prevented the screen from scrolling for 1 Frame will be compensated for on a later Frame by scrolling the screen by 3 pixels for 1 Frame. Under certain circumstances in a Shooting Mode Area, a Lag frame which has prevented the screen from scrolling for 1 Frame will be compensated for on a later Frame by scrolling the screen by 2 pixels for 1 Frame. Moving to an X location shared by another object, either by jumping or by moving up or down in a Shooting Mode Area, may also cause Lag. Controller input may also cause Lag, even if the input does not affect Apollo. Pushing against an obstacle may also cause Lag. Firing a projectile several Frames prior to a Lag Frame can prevent the Lag Frame in certain circumstances.

Item Drop Queue:

The Items that enemies drop are determined by a queue, but the enemies that drop them are not. This queue is based upon the value at Memory Address 05A2, which indicates the current position in the queue. The range of the value is 161-203. Each time an Item is dropped by an enemy, the value is increased by 2. When the value advances beyond 203, it is reset to 161, and the cycle is repeated. The value is also reset to 161 if the Kill Counter advances beyond 39 in the first part of an Area, when a Mechanic Castle is first entered, when a new main Area begins, or if Apollo is destroyed. This means that the Item to be dropped cannot be manipulated, but any enemy will drop the Item, provided the queue has scheduled an Item to drop. The queue itself cannot be manipulated; the schedule of Item drops is always identical. Most notably, 1 Box Item drops per each 10 drops, with the 3rd of each 4 Box Items being a Life Box, and all other Box Items being an Energy Box.

The queue consists of 40 entries, arranged in a repeating pattern thus:

e e 0 e 0 0 e e E 0 e 0 e e e e 0 0 0 E 0 e e 0 e 0 0 0 e L 0 e 0 0 0 e e 0 E 0

0 = No Drop

e = Energy Ball

E = Energy Box

L = Life Box

Mechanic Castle Item Drop Queue:

The Mechanic Castle Item Drop Queue works is the same as the main Item Drop Queue, except that there is also a preliminary queue. After all the Items in the Mechanic Castle Item Drop Queue have been dropped, the game resumes using the main Item Drop Queue, starting at Kill 0. The Mechanic Castle Item Drop Queue consists of 1-21 entries. The number of entries in the Mechanic Castle Item Drop Queue is based upon the number of Kills in the previous Area.

The queue consists of 1-21 entries, arranged in a pattern thus:

e e e e e E e e e e e E e e e e L e e e E

0 = No Drop

e = Energy Ball

E = Energy Box

L = Life Box

Hand Beam is allowed a maximum of 2 projectiles on the screen simultaneously, plus 1 vertical projectile.

45B Ball is allowed a maximum of 2 projectiles on the screen simultaneously, plus 1 vertical Hand Beam projectile. When a 45B Ball projectile collides with a surface, it is deflected at a 45 degree angle. A projectile can deflect a maximum of 4 times. When a projectile collides with a 5th surface it is destroyed.

Moon Ball is allowed a maximum of 8 projectiles on the screen simultaneously, plus the Moon itself. Weapon Level 2 provides an additional Moon. The Moon itself does 1 Hit Point of damage per Frame that an enemy is in contact with it. The Moon will not damage a Star Block or a Boss.

Wave Ball is allowed a maximum of 2 projectiles on the screen simultaneously, plus 1 vertical Hand Beam projectile. At Weapon Level 2, 2 projectiles are fired simultaneously. Both projectiles must either move off of the screen or collide with an enemy in order for the weapon to be fired again. A Wave Ball projectile can penetrate any obstacle except an enemy.

Laser is allowed a maximum of 8 projectiles on the screen simultaneously. Holding the B button will fire a rapid burst of 3 projectiles, at a rate of 1 projectile per each 3 Frames, after which there is a delay of 27 Frames before the cycle is repeated. At Weapon Level 2, holding the B button will fire a rapid burst of 6 projectiles. Additionally, Laser has the strange effect of removing the weapon recycle timer from Apollo's vertical shot while Apollo is moving, and also provides rapid fire functionality when Up and B are held. This means that while Apollo is moving, a vertical shot can be fired as soon as the previous vertical projectile has been destroyed, without the normal minimum 7 Frame delay between shots. Wonderfully, Laser's rate of fire can be enhanced further by pressing the B button every other Frame. Furthermore, rapidly pressing the B button, rather than holding the B button, allows up to 8 projectiles to be fired in a burst. It also allows Apollo to fire continuously at optimum rate: provided there are not 8 Laser projectiles on the screen, the game will always allow the Laser to fire a projectile. This technique negates the need for Laser Level 2, and even supersedes its capability! It is the ultimate power in the universe.

Foot Wing increases the height of Jump and High Jump by approximately 50%, and decreases the rate at which Apollo begins to descend after making a Jump or High Jump. Tapping the A button while Apollo is in midair further slows Apollo's rate of descent. Tapping the A button rapidly enough allows Apollo to Levitate at a constant altitude. If Apollo is Levitating, and he approaches within 2 pixels of, but not below, the level of a surface beneath him, Apollo will be drawn down to the level of the surface and Levitation is canceled. If Apollo collides with a surface above him while using Foot Wing, horizontal momentum is canceled for 1 Frame. If Apollo has Foot Wing, and walks off of a ledge, rather than jumping off, the game considers him to still be standing on a surface. This allows Apollo to jump while he is falling. Apollo can also jump while he is falling down from an Air Well or from an elevated door. This does not apply if Apollo is not using Foot Wing. If Apollo is using Foot Wing to Levitate at the correct Y location, he can pass through solid a platform.

Mirror creates a mimic Apollo that acts as Apollo does. Mirror doubles the maximum simultaneous projectiles allowed for a Weapon.

Paratrooper Ship has 10 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage (ouch!), and is worth 10,000 points.

Paratrooper has 2 Hit Points, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 1,000 points.

Hopper has 1 Hit Point, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 400 points.

Bomber has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 600 points. Bomber projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Ground Bot has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 450 points.

Star Block has 5 Hit Points and is worth 0 points. Star Block has no attack value.

Devil has 10-30 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 points. Devil projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage. As the game advances, each successive Devil has 5 more Hit Points than the previous Devil, starting at 10 Hit Points in Area 1, to a maximum of 30 Hit Points in Area 9. When a Devil is defeated, Apollo is granted a Force Star. Apollo can land just in front of a Devil's head without touching its damaging collision box. The nearest safe location from the left is Y 127 X 189. There is also a safe area to the right of a Devil's head. The nearest safe location from the right is X 226. A Devil can only be damaged by hitting it in the head. The head of a Devil can be passed through, but it is surrounded by a damaging collision box. When a Devil takes final damage, the head loses its damaging collision box, and can be passed through safely. This can allow Apollo to move a bit closer to the Force Star spawn point at the center of the head after the Devil has taken final damage, meaning earlier collection of the Force Star.

Moai cannot be destroyed. Moai projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Floating Head has 10 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 10,000 points. Floating Head projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage.

Sentry Bot has 1 Hit Point and is worth 950 points.

Trooper Robot has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,400 points. Trooper Robot projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Pop Up Turret has 2 Hit Points, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 600 points. Pop Up Turret projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage.

Blue Flyer has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points.

White Divider Tank has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,200 points. If Apollo approaches Divider Tank, it divides into 2 enemies, White Divider Tank Turret and White Divider Tank Track. Destroying these 2 enemies after Divider Tank has divided is worth 2,800 more points than simply destroying White Divider Tank. White Divider Tank will not fire if both it and Apollo occupy the same Y location at ground level. White Divider Tank may not divide if both it and Apollo are located at Y 207 at ground level. Apollo must be located at X 144 or nearer in order to trigger White Divider Tank to divide on the first possible Frame. Because dividing causes the creation of a new enemy, White Divider Tank may not divide if there are too many objects present on the screen on the Frame on which it would normally divide.

White Divider Tank Turret has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,000 points. Divider Tank Turret projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

White Divider Tank Track has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,000 points.

Divider Egg has 10 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 30,000 points. If Apollo approaches Divider Egg, it divides into 2 Divider Egg Half enemies. Destroying Divider Egg before it can divide is worth 24,000 more points than destroying the 2 Divider Egg Half enemies after Divider Egg has divided. Because dividing causes the creation of a new enemy, Divider Egg may not divide if there are too many objects present on the screen on the Frame on which it would normally divide.

Divider Egg Half has 10 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 3,000 points. Divider Egg Half always spawns with 10 Hit Points, regardless of any damage that Divider Egg sustained prior to dividing.

4-Way has 2 Hit Points, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. If Apollo approaches 4-Way, it divides into 4 projectiles. These projectiles cannot be destroyed. Apollo must be no nearer than X 170 in order to destroy 4-Way before it divides. 4-Way 1 and 4-Way 2 in upper formation can both be destroyed from Y 104. 4-Way 1 and 4-Way 2 in lower formation can both be destroyed from Y 92.

Blue Flapper has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points. Blue Flapper appears in a formation of 3 enemies. The spawn location of a Blue Flapper formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo. If Apollo is at the top or bottom of the screen when a Blue Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn at Y 80 or Y 160 respectively, such that no enemies in the formation spawn off-screen. However, if Apollo is only very near the top of the screen (e.g. Y 88) when a Blue Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn as high as Y 65, in which case the top enemy will spawn off-screen. Due to the shape and speed of the formation, strategic options for destroying all 3 enemies on the first possible Frame are somewhat limited, but they are at least consistent. Provided Apollo has collected at least Speed Level 1, and there are no other mitigating factors, it is always possible to destroy all 3 enemies on the first possible Frame. All 3 enemies should be destroyed within 9 Frames. At Speed Level 1, begin from no lower than Y 186 and no farther right than X 210 by firing a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation. At Speed Level 2, begin from X 234 by firing a normal shot at the center enemy in the formation, and then move down and left to fire a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation.

Wall-Mounted Cannon has 2 Hit Points, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 750 points. Wall-Mounted Cannon projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage.

Obstacle does 2 Hit Points of damage and cannot be destroyed. In later Areas, Obstacle can fire projectiles. Obstacle projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage. Obstacle is encountered only in a Shooting Mode Area.

Tentacled Weaver has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 600 points.

SAM Launcher has 1 Hit Point, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. SAM Launcher projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Combiner Core has 16 Hit Points, does 5 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 50,000 points. Combiner Half has infinite Hit Points and does 5 Hit Points of damage. Typically when Combiner components spawn, all other enemies on the screen are removed. If the Combiner Core is destroyed before the 2 Combiner halves combine with it, all 3 Combiner components are destroyed. If the top half and bottom half of Combiner combine with the Combiner Core, the enemy becomes a Combiner.

Combiner has 10 Hit Points, does 5 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,000 points.

Split Wing Fighter has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 650 points. Split Wing Fighter projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage. Split Wing Fighter appears in a formation of 4 enemies. The spawn location of a Split Wing Fighter formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo. If Apollo is too high or low on the screen, the upper or lower Split Wing Fighters in a formation will spawn at a location where they cannot be attacked.

Air Mine has 1 Hit Point, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 800 points. If Apollo approaches Air Mine, it divides into 4 projectiles. These projectiles cannot be destroyed. Because Air Mine has only 1 Hit Point, it can be destroyed from the right edge of the screen before it has time to divide. During accelerated scrolling, Apollo must be no nearer than X 171 in order to destroy Air Mine before it divides.

Seeking Air Mine has 6 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Seeking Air Mine spawns at the left edge of the screen. It is 1 of only 2 enemy types in the game that spawn in this manner, the other being Air-to-Air Missile. Seeking Air Mine attack will always damage Apollo, regardless of his location on the screen. Seeking Air Mine does not fire a projectile; when it attacks, the screen flashes red and 2 Hit Points of damage are inflicted.

Spider has 3 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Spider projectile has 3 Hit Points, does 3 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 points. If Spider projectile hits Apollo, he will be held in place for 128 Frames. Being hit by Spider projectile does not contribute toward cancelling Foot Wing.

Leaper has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,400 points.

Flying Scorpion has 3 Hit Points, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 600 points. Flying Scorpion projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Sea Serpent has 3 Hit Points, does 3 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 600 points.

Inchworm Cannon has 3 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 750 points. Inchworm Cannon projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Helicopter Robot has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 650 points. Helicopter Robot projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Tank has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points.

Roller has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Roller projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage.

Bouncing Head has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 850 points.

Wasp has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,200 points.

Mask Statue cannot be destroyed. In later Areas, Mask Statue can fire projectiles. Mask Statue projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage.

Purple Face has 3 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 850 points. If Apollo approaches within 78 pixels of Purple Face, it attacks. When Purple Face attacks, its first movement is to the right. Because of this, attacking from minimum range causes Purple Face to move to the right off of the screen just in time to evade a 3rd projectile. As such, Purple Face can be destroyed 4 Frames earlier by destroying it from outside its alert range. Note that this requires that at least 1 Power Capsule be collected, in order that 3 projectiles can be fired with optimum efficiency. Apollo must be no nearer than X 173 or X 175 in order to destroy Purple Face before it attacks. A Purple Face at the top of the screen can be destroyed starting from Y 89.

Mosquito has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 750 points. Mosquito appears in a formation of 3 enemies. If Apollo approaches Mosquito, it will charge toward him horizontally. However, if Apollo approaches Mosquito before it is fully on the screen, it will charge away from Apollo instead. This can be prevented by avoiding the Y location of an enemy's spawn point until the enemy is fully on the screen. This allows for more points to be scored.

Angelfish has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 750 points. Angelfish appears in a formation of 3 enemies. The spawn location of an Angelfish formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo.

Shark has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points. Shark appears in a formation of 4 enemies. The spawn location of a Shark formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo. If Apollo is too high or low on the screen, the upper or lower Sharks in a formation will spawn at a location where they cannot be attacked.

Jellyfish has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 600 points.

Stalactite has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Apollo must be at X 231 or nearer to Stalactite in order to cause it to begin moving down on the earliest possible Frame.

Stalagmite has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Apollo must be at X 231 or nearer to Stalagmite in order to cause it to begin moving up on the earliest possible Frame.

Googly Eyes has 1 Hit Point, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 800 points. Googly Eyes projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Bipedal Robot has 3 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 950 points.

Red Rain does 2 Hit Points of damage and cannot be destroyed.

Gray Weaver has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points. Gray Weaver appears in a formation of 3 enemies.

Alien Android has 3 Hit Points, does 3 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Alien Android projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Alien Android at the beginning of Area 7 and at Area 7 Castle entrance has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,750 points. Alien Android projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage. These specifications match that of Armored Trooper. These enemies were likely intended to have a different graphic than Alien Android (or vice-versa), but in the game they share the same graphic.

Pinwheel has 4 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 600 points.

Winking Hopper has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 500 points.

Bouncing Head has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 400 points.

Purple Leaper has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points.

Wall-Mounted Cannon has 3 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 450 points. Wall-Mounted Cannon projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Horn Head has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 750 points.

Antenna Blob has 3 Hit Points, does 3 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points. Apollo must be located at X 160 or nearer in order to cause Antenna Blob to begin to descend on the earliest possible Frame.

Lobster has 2 Hit Points, does 3 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,250 points. Lobster projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage. Lobster appears in a formation of 3 enemies. The spawn location of a Lobster formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo. If Apollo is too high or low on the screen, the upper or lower Lobster in a formation will spawn at a location where they cannot be immediately attacked, though this cannot be manipulated in every case.

Fighter Craft has 1 Hit Point, does 1 Hit Point of damage, and is worth 1,550 points. Fighter Craft spawns at the bottom center of the screen and then moves up and left. Apollo must be located at X 57 or farther right in order to cause Fighter Craft to spawn on the earliest possible Frame. Apollo must be located at X 131 or farther left in order to destroy Fighter Craft on the earliest possible Frame with a normal shot. Apollo must be located at X 156 or farther left in order to destroy Fighter Craft on the earliest possible Frame with a Bomb.

Hover Disc has 3 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,400 points. Hover Disc projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Green Circler has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,050 points. Green Circler projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Armored Trooper has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,750 points. Armored Trooper projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Cylinder Robot has 4 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,250 points. Cylinder Robot projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Red Weaver has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 850 points. Red Weaver appears in a formation of 4 enemies.

Red Face has 3 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 850 points. If Apollo approaches within 78 pixels of Red Face, it attacks. When Red Face attacks, its first movement is to the right. Because of this, attacking from minimum range causes Red Face to move to the right off of the screen just in time to evade a 3rd projectile. As such, Red Face can be destroyed 4 Frames earlier by destroying it from outside its alert range. Note that this requires that at least 1 Power Capsule be collected, in order that 3 projectiles can be fired with optimum efficiency. Apollo must be no nearer than X 173 or X 175 in order to destroy Red Face before it attacks. A Red Face at the top of the screen can be destroyed starting from Y 89.

Armadillidium has 4 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,400 points. The latest possible Frame on which to begin firing and still collect a dropped Item is 5 Frames after the earliest possible Frame. If the Item is an Energy Box, the latest possible Frame is 6 Frames after the earliest possible Frame, due to the larger collision box of the Energy Box.

Red Flapper has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 750 points. Red Flapper appears in a formation of 3 enemies. The spawn location of a Red Flapper formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo. If Apollo is at the top or bottom of the screen when a Red Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn at Y 80 or Y 160 respectively, such that no enemies in the formation spawn off-screen. However, if Apollo is only very near the top of the screen (e.g. Y 88) when a Red Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn as high as Y 65, in which case the top enemy will spawn off-screen. Due to the shape and speed of the formation, strategic options for destroying all 3 enemies on the first possible Frame are somewhat limited, but they are at least consistent. Provided Apollo has collected at least Speed Level 1, and there are no other mitigating factors, it is always possible to destroy all 3 enemies on the first possible Frame. All 3 enemies should be destroyed within 9 Frames. At Speed Level 1, begin from no lower than Y 186 and no farther right than X 213 by firing a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation. At Speed Level 2, begin from X 234 by firing a normal shot at the center enemy in the formation, and then move down and left to fire a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation.

Drill Launcher has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 850 points. Drill Launcher projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage. Drill Launcher appears in a formation of 4 enemies. If Apollo approaches within 94 pixels of Drill Launcher, it will jettison its engine and launch its drill bit forward. If a drill bit is launched, it cannot be destroyed. A jettisoned engine can be destroyed. Apollo must fire from no nearer than X 144 and then move left in order to destroy a Drill Launcher on the first possible Frame while remaining out of trigger range. At Speed Level 2, it is (just barely) possible to destroy the vanguard Drill Launcher from minimum range and then move left to remain beyond the trigger range of the remaining Drill Launchers in the formation. After a Drill Launcher is fully on the screen, its trigger range decreases to 92 pixels.

Drill Launcher Engine has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 850 points.

Red Divider Tank has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 950 points. If Apollo approaches Divider Tank, it divides into 2 enemies, Red Divider Tank Turret and Red Divider Tank Track. Destroying these 2 enemies after Divider Tank has divided is worth 3,050 more points than simply destroying Red Divider Tank. Red Divider Tank will not fire if both it and Apollo occupy the same Y location at ground level. Red Divider Tank may not divide if both it and Apollo are located at Y 207 at ground level. Apollo must be located at X 144 or nearer in order to trigger Red Divider Tank to divide on the first possible Frame. Because dividing causes the creation of a new enemy, Red Divider Tank may not divide if there are too many objects present on the screen on the Frame on which it would normally divide.

Red Divider Tank Turret has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,000 points. Divider Tank Turret projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Red Divider Tank Track has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,000 points.

Volcano Ejecta does 3 Hit Points of damage and cannot be destroyed.

Green Face has 3 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 850 points. If Apollo approaches within 78 pixels of Green Face, it attacks. When Green Face attacks, its first movement is to the right. Because of this, attacking from minimum range causes Green Face to move to the right off of the screen just in time to evade a 3rd projectile. As such, Green Face can be destroyed 4 Frames earlier by destroying it from outside its alert range. Note that this requires that at least 1 Power Capsule be collected, in order that 3 projectiles can be fired with optimum efficiency. Apollo must be no nearer than X 173 or X 175 in order to destroy Green Face before it attacks. A Green Face at the top of the screen can be destroyed starting from Y 89.

Tarantula has 6 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 3,150 points.

Space Fighter has 2 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Space Fighter appears in a formation of 3 enemies.

Bomber Flapper has 2 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,500 points. Bomber Flapper appears in a formation of 3 enemies. The spawn location of a Bomber Flapper formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo. If Apollo is at the top or bottom of the screen when a Bomber Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn at Y 80 or Y 160 respectively, such that no enemies in the formation spawn off-screen. However, if Apollo is only very near the top of the screen (e.g. Y 88) when a Bomber Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn as high as Y 65, in which case the top enemy will spawn off-screen. Due to the shape and speed of the formation, strategic options for destroying all 3 enemies on the first possible Frame are somewhat limited, but they are at least consistent. All 3 enemies should be destroyed within 8 Frames. At Speed Level 1, begin from no lower than Y 186 and no farther right than X 213 by holding Up and firing at the center enemy in the formation, and then fire the normal weapon and a Bomb simultaneously. At Speed Level 2, begin from X 234 by firing a normal shot at the center enemy in the formation, and then move down and left to fire a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation. At Speed Level 3, begin from no lower than Y 186 and no farther right than X 213 by firing a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation.

Defense Tower has 5 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 8,950 points. Defense Tower projectile does 4 Hit Points of damage.

UFO has 2 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,550 points. UFO appears in a formation of 3 enemies.

Seahorse has 2 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,750 points. Seahorse projectile does 2 Hit Points of damage.

Red Jumper has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points.

Air-to-Air Missile has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points. Air-to-Air Missile appears in a formation of 2 enemies. Air-to-Air Missile may spawn at the left edge of the screen. It is 1 of only 2 enemy types in the game that spawn in this manner, the other being Seeking Air Mine.

Spiked Crusher has 2 Hit Points, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points.

Gray Flapper has 1 Hit Point, does 2 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 800 points. Gray Flapper appears in a formation of 3 enemies. The spawn location of a Gray Flapper formation is based upon Apollo's Y location during the Frame on which the enemy spawns, such that the formation spawns directly in front of Apollo. If Apollo is at the top or bottom of the screen when a Gray Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn at Y 80 or Y 160 respectively, such that no enemies in the formation spawn off-screen. However, if Apollo is only very near the top of the screen (e.g. Y 88) when a Gray Flapper formation spawns, it will spawn as high as Y 65, in which case the top enemy will spawn off-screen. Due to the shape and speed of the formation, strategic options for destroying all 3 enemies on the first possible Frame are somewhat limited, but they are at least consistent. Provided Apollo has collected at least Speed Level 1, and there are no other mitigating factors, it is always possible to destroy all 3 enemies on the first possible Frame. All 3 enemies should be destroyed within 9 Frames. At Speed Level 1, begin from no lower than Y 186 and no farther right than X 210 by firing a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation. At Speed Level 2, begin from X 234 by firing a normal shot at the center enemy in the formation, and then move down and left to fire a Bomb at the lowest enemy in the formation.

Queen Cecile is held in the Mechanic Castle.

Devil has 10 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 points. Devil projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Acquiring Foot Wing requires 264 Frames, but using Foot Wing saves 301 Frames, thus saving 37 Frames overall for Area 1.

In Door 9, Foot Wing may be acquired for free.

Apollo must have 20 Energy Balls in order to board Mobile Armor Gardex and advance to Area 1-3. The 20 Energy Balls are subtracted from Apollo's current total.

Boss Braiza has 90-100 Hit Points, does 5 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 150,000 points. Braiza projectile does 4 Hit Points of damage. Braiza Spawn has 3 Hit Points, does 3 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points.

The first shot at Braiza is fired from maximum range on the earliest possible Frame. This saves 7 Frames compared to firing the first shot from minimum range.

In the Hangar, the platform can be jumped through from underneath, allowing Apollo to board Cyborg Rider Zebox very quickly.

Boss Jeliza has 220 Hit Points, does 5 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 150,000 points. Jeliza projectile does 4 Hit Points of damage.

It is not necessary to fire the first shot at Jeliza from maximum range. This is because Apollo is able to reach X 31 Y 127 before the transition is triggered, regardless of the range from which the first shot was fired. This is just 1 pixel distant from the transition point at X 32 Y 128, meaning Apollo must travel for just 1 Frame to reach the transition point. Note that due to the speed of Cyborg Rider Zebox, it is impossible to stop on exactly at X 32 Y 128, so a minimum of 1 Frame of travel is required. The first shot may optionally be fired from longer range on an earlier Frame, but at best this can only equal the time required to begin the transition had the first shot been fired from shorter range on a later Frame.

Queen Emilia is held in the Mechanic Castle.

Devil has 15 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 points. Devil projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Collecting the Energy Box from Kill 8 causes 2 Frames of Lag, and so Kill 8 is avoided. This means 1 less Energy Ball for the Area.

Acquiring Level 2 Wave Ball requires 572 Frames. Using Level 2 Wave Ball saves 74 Frames saves against Devil, and saves 418 Frames saves against Stinza, but overall, a minimum of 80 Frames would be wasted acquiring Level 2 Wave Ball in Area 3.

Acquiring Foot Wing requires 475 Frames, but using Foot Wing saves 540 Frames, thus saving 65 Frames overall for Area 3. However, by forgoing the 6 Energy Boxes required to acquire Foot Wing from a Shop, a total of 92 Frames can be saved. Furthermore, using Foot Wing would limit the number of enemies which could be destroyed, and thus interfere with the collection of Energy Balls from enemies. As such, acquiring Foot Wing in Area 3 would waste a minimum of 27 Frames overall.

Clipping the Star Pillar causes Apollo to Clip To X 146. Apollo's normal center screen location is X 144. This causes the screen to begin scrolling on an earlier Frame after exiting the Devil room.

Jumping on Frame 13524 causes Apollo to clip the corner of the Star Pillar, thus causing 1 Frame of delay compared to the next fastest alternative. This in turn causes the Devil battle to be on an "even" Frame, which saves 2 Frames compared to the next fastest alternative. 1 more Frame is saved after the Transition out of Devil room because Apollo lands 1 Frame earlier. Thus, 2 Frames are saved overall compared to the next fastest alternative.

Apollo must have 20 Energy Balls in order to board Cyborg Rider Demex and advance to Area 3-3. The 20 Energy Balls are subtracted from Apollo's current total.

Destroying Kill 1 (Kill Counter 99, Bouncing Head) causes several Frames of Lag, but saves a minimum of 8 Frames compared to jumping over it. Firing as late as possible minimizes this Lag.

Boss Stinza has 160-170 Hit Points, does 5 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 150,000 points. Stinza projectile does 3 Hit Points of damage. Stinza Spawn has 3 Hit Points, does 3 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 1,000 points.

In the Hangar, the platform can be jumped through from underneath, allowing Apollo to board Cyborg Rider Dolfix very quickly.

At Power Level 2, Cyborg Rider Dolfix is able to fire additional projectiles vertically. However, due to the limited rate of fire at Power Level 2, Power Level 1 is maintained throughout Area 4-1. This saves at least 8 Frames during the battle with Megaza, because Apollo is able to move toward the transition point on an earlier Frame, due to the higher rate of fire of Power Level 1 shots.

Boss Megaza has 220 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 300,000 points. Megaza projectile does 4 Hit Points of damage.

Queen Mary is held in the Mechanic Castle.

Devil has 20 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 points. Devil projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Destroying Optional 3 (Bipedal Robot) would cause Lag. The Item dropped by Optional 3 would require 1 Frame to collect.

Delay 1 Frame on Frame 26101. This ensures that Apollo's nearest approach to Purple Leaper occurs on an even-numbered Frame, thereby preventing collision. This saves 2 Frames compared to moving left for 2 Frames during the jump onto the next Star Pillar.

Acquiring Foot Wing requires 475 Frames, but using Foot Wing saves 543 Frames, thus saving 68 Frames overall for Area 5. However, by forgoing the 6 Energy Boxes required to acquire Foot Wing from a Shop, a total of 92 Frames can be saved. Furthermore, using Foot Wing would limit the number of enemies which could be destroyed, and thus interfere with the collection of Energy Balls from enemies. As such, acquiring Foot Wing in Area 3 would waste a minimum of 24 Frames overall.

Acquiring Mirror for free requires 286 Frames, but using Mirror saves 505 Frames, thus saving 219 Frames overall for Area 5.

Acquiring Moon Ball requires 286 Frames. Using Moon Ball saves 118 Frames against Devil, but using Moon Ball wastes 314 Frames against Shelza, and overall, a minimum of 482 Frames would be wasted acquiring Level Moon Ball in Area 5.

Acquiring Level 2 Moon Ball requires 572 Frames. Using Level 2 Moon Ball saves 118 Frames against Devil, and saves 347 Frames against Shelza, but overall, a minimum of 107 Frames would be wasted acquiring Level 2 Moon Ball and Mirror in Area 5.

Acquiring Level 2 Moon Ball and Mirror requires 858 Frames. Using Level 2 Moon Ball saves 118 Frames against Devil, and using Level 2 Moon Ball and Mirror saves 678 Frames against Shelza, but overall, a minimum of 62 Frames would be wasted acquiring Level 2 Moon Ball and Mirror in Area 5.

Foot Wing and Mirror cannot be possessed simultaneously. Mirror saves more Frames overall, even after adding the 68 Frames which would not be saved by using Foot Wing. Using Mirror thus saves 151 Frames overall compared to using Foot Wing for Area 5. Foot Wing could be acquired first, and Mirror then acquired from a Shop at a point nearer to the Boss to allow Foot Wing time to save Frames, but to acquire Mirror from a Shop requires nearly twice as many Frames as to acquire it for free in Area 5-1.

Apollo is immediately swarmed by 4-Ways. Destroying these 4-Ways causes several Frames of Lag. Each of these Lag Frames has been carefully manipulated to be compensated by scrolling the screen by 2 pixels on a later Frame. This saves 3 Frames overall compared to destroying each 4-Way on the earliest possible Frame, though unfortunately it prevents 1 4-Way from spawning. Thankfully, this is 1 of only 2 scenarios in the game wherein Apollo must attack maximum complex spawns at maximum distance with minimum Power and minimum Speed.

Opa-Opa appears as an enemy.

Apollo must have 20 Energy Balls in order to board Cyborg Rider Jennex and advance to Area 5-3. The 20 Energy Balls are subtracted from Apollo's current total.

In the Hangar, a preemptive High Jump allows Apollo to enter Cyborg Rider Jennex very quickly.

At Power Level 2, Cyborg Rider Jennex is able to fire 2 horizontal projectiles simultaneously in the same direction. However, because only 1 projectile per each 2 Frames can hit an enemy, the additional projectile will pass harmlessly through the enemy, and many Frames would be wasted waiting for a projectile slot to become available. As such, Power Level 1 is maintained throughout Area 5-2.

Apollo finally has an opportunity to destroy an intact Divider Egg. 30,000 points! Due to the more powerful Bomb of Cyborg Rider Jennex, Apollo is also able to destroy both halves of the next Divider Egg and still reach the Door on the earliest possible Frame.

Boss Shelza has 175-230 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 300,000 points. Shelza projectile does 4 Hit Points of damage.

In the Hangar, the platform can be jumped through from underneath, allowing Apollo to board Cyborg Rider Doorax very quickly.

Boss Gidoza has 250 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 300,000 points. Gidoza projectile 1 does 8 Hit Points of damage. Gidoza projectile 2 does 8 Hit Points of damage.

Queen Helena is held in the Mechanic Castle.

Devil has 25 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 points. Devil projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

Destroying Pinwheel 4 requires 1 additional Frame, but it would drop an Energy Box which cannot be easily collected.

After exiting the Devil Room, do not destroy Winking Hopper to prevent Pinwheel from spawning. This allows a clear path to High Jump and land near the next Alien Android with just enough time to destroy it.

Acquiring Mirror from a Shop requires 537 Frames. Using Mirror saves 96 Frames against Devil, and saves 652 Frames against Loboza, thus saving 211 Frames overall for Area 7. However, by forgoing the 10 Energy Boxes required to acquire Mirror from a Shop, a total of 237 Frames can be saved. As such, acquiring Mirror in Area 7 would waste 26 Frames overall.

Clipping the Star Pillar causes Apollo to clip To X 145. Apollo's normal center screen location is X 144. This causes the screen to begin scrolling on an earlier Frame after exiting Devil room.

Jumping on Frame 38550 causes Apollo to clip the corner of the Star Pillar, thus causing 1 Frame of delay compared to the next fastest alternative. This in turn causes the Devil battle to be on an "even" Frame, which saves 2 Frames compared to the next fastest alternative. 1 more Frame is saved after the transition out of Devil room because Apollo lands 1 Frame earlier. Thus, 2 Frames are saved overall compared to the next fastest alternative.

Destroying the first Alien Android on the long platform toward the end of the Area generates 2 Frames of Lag. However, not destroying it would generate even more Lag. These Lag Frames are minimized by destroying Alien Android from closer range.

Destroying Armored Trooper would cause 3 Frames of Lag. Taking damage from the Armored Trooper instead saves 1 Frame overall. This also means 1 less Energy Ball.

Apollo must have 20 Energy Balls in order to board Mobile Armor Vardex and advance to Area 7-3. The 20 Energy Balls are subtracted from Apollo's current total.

Collecting Speed Capsule 3 before backtracking to destroy Red Weaver 4 allows Red Weaver 9 to be destroyed 10 Frames earlier. It's also more interesting to watch.

At Power Level 2, Mobile Armor Vardex is able to fire additional projectiles backward. However, due to the limited rate of fire at Power Level 2, Power Level 1 is maintained throughout Area 7-2.

Boss Loboza has 210-254 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 450,000 points. Loboza projectile has 255 Hit Points, does 4 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 Hit Points.

In the Hangar, the platform can be jumped through from underneath, allowing Apollo to board Cyborg Rider Shrix very quickly.

At Power Level 2, Cyborg Rider Shrix is able to fire additional projectiles backward. However, due to the limited rate of fire at Power Level 2, Power Level 1 is maintained throughout Area 8-1.

Boss Jawza has 250 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 450,000 points. Jawza Fin has infinite Hit Points and does 10 Hit Points of damage. Jawza projectile does 8 Hit Points of damage.

Due to Jawza's low profile and large Fin projectile, it is necessary to take damage in order to maintain an optimum rate of damage. Out of principle, Apollo is hit by the less-damaging projectile, rather than the Fin.

Queen Esther is held in the Mechanic Castle.

Devil has 30 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 0 points. Devil projectile does 1 Hit Point of damage.

1 additional Kill would drop an Energy Box, but this would require additional Frames.

Acquiring Laser for free requires 286 Frames. Using Laser saves 171 Frames against Devil, and saves 725 Frames against Horrza, thus saving 610 Frames overall for Area 9.

A jump from the Phantom Platform at the beginning of this Area, rather than falling from the Star Pillar first, allows for 1 additional Kill, but this would require 3 additional Frames.

Falling from the Star Pillar near Energy Box 1 requires 1 additional Frame compared to jumping off of the Star Pillar. However, falling from the Star Pillar allows Energy Box 2 to be collected without delay, which saves 2 more Frames overall compared to jumping off of the Star Pillar.

Due to using the Laser, this Devil battle is 15 Frames faster than the Devil battle in Area 1-1, despite this Devil having 25 more Hit Points, and Apollo not being located at the Force Star spawn point when the Force Star spawns.

In Door 3, Laser may be acquired for free.

Apollo must have 20 Energy Balls in order to board Cyborg Rider Demex and advance to Area 9-3. The 20 Energy Balls are subtracted from Apollo's current total.

In the Hangar, a preemptive High Jump allows Apollo to enter Cyborg Rider Demex very quickly.

At Power Level 2, Cyborg Rider Demex is able to fire additional projectiles vertically. However, due to the limited rate of fire at Power Level 2, Power Level 1 is maintained throughout Area 9-2.

On Frame 58629, a 4-Way divides and thus cannot be destroyed. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided without generating Lag. Thankfully, despite the projectiles generated by the dividing 4-Way, the remaining enemies are destroyed without losing a Frame. Apart from Divider Eggs, this is the first enemy in a Shooting Mode Area to escape justice.

2 more intact Divider Eggs. Yes!!

Boss Horrza has 200-250 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 600,000 points. Horrza projectile does 4 Hit Points of damage.

In the Hangar, the platform can be jumped through from underneath, allowing Apollo to board Cyborg Rider Cammex very quickly.

At Power Level 2, Cyborg Rider Cammex gains an Option in the form of a smaller turtle. Thus, Apollo is able to fire 2 horizontal projectiles simultaneously in the same direction. However, because only 1 projectile per each 2 Frames can hit an enemy, the additional projectile will pass harmlessly through the enemy, and many Frames would be wasted waiting for a projectile slot to become available. As such, Power Level 1 is maintained throughout Area 10-1.

Boss Cavuza has 250 Hit Points, does 8 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 600,000 points. Cavuza Fist does 12 Hit Points of damage. Cavuza projectile does 8 Hit Points of damage.

Cavuza has 4 arms, each of which is armed with a Mazinger-style launching Fist. When Cavuza has sustained 20 Hit Points of damage, it will launch its first Fist on the first Frame on which it is capable. Thereafter, Cavuza launches 1 Fist per each 275 Frames until all 4 Fists have been launched. Not that he has time to do so...

Queen Maria Star is held in Goruza Castle in satellite orbit.

Armadillidium 3 causes Lag. These Lag Frames are minimized by destroying Armadillidium 3 from closer range.

Armadillidium 4 causes Lag. These Lag Frames are minimized by destroying Armadillidium 4 from closer range.

Armadillidium 5 causes Lag. These Lag Frames are minimized by destroying Armadillidium 5 from closer range.

Armadillidium 6 causes Lag. These Lag Frames are minimized by destroying Armadillidium 6 from closer range.

The Armadillidium on Frame 68785 generates the same amount of Lag whether it is destroyed or not. As such, it is avoided in order to later allow 2 Cylinder Robots and a Hover Disc to be destroyed without disrupting the collection of an Energy Box. Destroying these 2 Cylinder Robots and the Hover Disc prevents several Frames of Lag without generating any Lag Frames in the process.

The last 3 Bipedal Robots cause Lag. These Lag Frames are minimized by destroying these Bipedal Robots from closer range.

Destroying the last Trooper Robot causes 1 Frame of Lag. This is necessary and unavoidable.

In Door 2, Laser may be acquired for 90 Energy Balls. However, this would require significant deviation from the main route. It is more time effective to acquire Laser in Area 12-3.

Apollo must have 50 Energy Balls in order to board Mobile Armor Gardex and advance to Area 12-2. The 50 Energy Balls are subtracted from Apollo's current total.

Taking damage from the last Trooper Robot requires 3 Frames. However, doing so saves 10 Frames compared to the fastest alternative that collects the Energy Box, and saves 7 Frames compared to the fastest alternative that does not collect the Energy Box.

In the Hangar, a preemptive High Jump allows Apollo to enter Cyborg Rider Jennex very quickly.

Apollo must have 50 Energy Balls in order to board Cyborg Rider Jennex and advance to Area 12-3. The 50 Energy Balls are subtracted from Apollo's current total.

Collecting the Energy Ball from Kill 1 (Bouncing Head) causes 2 Frames of Lag, and so Kill 1 is avoided. This means 1 less Energy Ball for the Area.

Acquiring Laser from the Item Shop requires 624 Frames, and collecting the 18 Energy Boxes to buy it requires 3 Frames more. Using Laser saves 469 Frames against the 3 Guards, and saves 1,663 Frames against Goruza, thus saving 1,505 Frames overall for Area 12-3.

In Door 2, Laser may be acquired for 90 Energy Balls.

Guard has 50 Hit Points, does 10 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 2,000 points. Guard projectile does 3 Hit Points of damage.

3 Guards must be destroyed in order to cause the Door to the Flying Saucer room to appear. Taking damage from a Guard, rather than jumping over it, saves about 6 Frames. The Guards may be destroyed in any order. The Guard just beyond the Item Shop Door is destroyed first, as it is necessary to visit the Item Shop to acquire Laser before destroying the Guards, and this prevents backtracking. The Guard on the center level is destroyed next, and then finally the Guard on the upper level is destroyed. Destroying the Guard on the upper level before destroying the Guard on the center level requires 6 more Frames due to the resultant configuration of jumps needed to reach the Guard on the center level. Furthermore, moving down through Air Well 3 causes Apollo to spawn at X 184. If Apollo moves to the right from here, he will remain at X 184. Apollo's normal center screen location is X 144. The result of this is that Apollo must be much farther right in order to cause the center level Guard to spawn, and thus much farther from Air Well 4, the next destination. This would require several more Frames in addition to the 6 Frames added by the less efficient configuration of jumps.

Boss Goruza Hand has 10 Hit Points, does 32 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 5,000 points. Goruza Hand projectile does 8 Hit Points of damage. If Apollo collides with Goruza Hand, he is instantly destroyed. Unlike other Bosses, Apollo's projectiles do only 1 Hit Point of damage to Goruza Hand, and the Moon Ball Moon can damage Goruza Hand. When the 2 Goruza Hands have been destroyed, Boss Goruza appears.

Boss Goruza has 200-250 Hit Points, does 10 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 500,000 points. Goruza projectile does 8 Hit Points of damage. When Boss Goruza is destroyed, Boss Goruza Head detaches from Boss Goruza, and the battle continues.

Boss Goruza Head has 200-250 Hit Points, does 10 Hit Points of damage, and is worth 500,000 points. Goruza Head projectile does 8 Hit Points of damage. When Boss Goruza Head detaches from Boss Goruza, it moves to X 208 Y 104, and then charges at Apollo. After Boss Goruza Head has charged, it will return to X 208 while remaining at the same Y location.

Final Boss Mechanic Fortress has 20 Hit Points and is worth 0 points. Mechanic Fortress projectile does 8 Hit Points of damage.

A projectile fired from Y 84 or Y 171 requires 4 more Frames to hit Mechanic Fortress than a projectile fired from any other Y location within range.

Final Frame of input is Frame 85557.

The final Score is 6,669,400 points.

This TAS is dedicated to my best friend Steve, who recommended that I create this run after we recently played Xexyz on the NES console. This TAS completes the game in 8,633 fewer Frames, and scores 1,217,700 more points, than #1470: God-Hand's NES Xexyz in 26:09.83.

ars4326: Judging!

ars4326: Hi, £e Nécroyeur (impressive amount of content on the submission comments!). As for the run, this was an overall enjoyable watch with a good sense of "crispness" in technical quality. I especially liked how you performed the shooter stages and strove for the max amount of kills. The boss fights were nicely done and stylized, as well. Tell Steve to check out your run when it's published on the front page :)

Accepting for publication to Moons!

fsvgm777: Publishing.