Ok, like I said, this game is actually pretty simple and would be great for a first-timer. I'll give away some tricks I figured out in my little experiment. (
http://home.comcast.net/~f_amoroso/Shinobi-TheAxeMan.fcm)
-try to always attack while jumping
-use frame advance to pass the title screen and hit lists as fast as possible. Hit A on the frame the hit list appears.
-using frame advance, hit A one frame then B the next while holding down right. You'll shoot almost as low as if you were ducking without having to stop.
-it seems jumping slows you down by one frame, but it's necessary to get by enemies one way or another
-ducking costs a frame, even if you keep moving, and you can't fire without stopping either. Still might be useful in some situations.
-timeattacking 101 here: use your rerecording to anticipate what's ahead. In this game that means jumping early and shooting before the enemy is onscreen.
-the big jump up takes so much time that it should be avoided if possible.
-I don't even know if it's worthwhile to go out of the way to powerup-my faster first level beat the boss with shurikens. It seems the gun is the highest weapon, so the only disadvantage to only getting powerup babies on your path is that get you there later in the game. This might not be a problem, just consider which babies you will get and what weapon you will have on each boss.
-it seems that if you jump again too quickly after hitting the ground you lose forward momentum. The first frame to jump again without this happening is the first frame the ninja is standing again.
-taking a hit in the right direction seems to be just as fast as moving normally. Still, it's better to avoid if possible for a smoother look, not to mention being more in control.
-after firing you need to wait 8 frames to fire again, unless your shot is still in the air.
-timeattacking 102: When improving a run, keep track of your time for each level and compare to a previous run. This is best done with the frame counter and a spreadsheet. Get it down to the frame by using a definite point, like when the ninja disappears after each scene or the boss is dead. Use the spreadsheet to do the math and figure out how much time you've gained or lost on each level. In this case you've got MadHatter's full run and my first episode to compare with.
