While the merits of the other subweapons and ship types can be debated endlessly, from experience Type C and Bomb are the best to pick for Time Attack Mode, because in any and all time attacks you need width and a weapon that can be used without disrupting your main shot. Roll is powerful but you stop firing when you charge it up, losing you valuable seconds of time, and Lock-On is useless full-stop.
In this guide I'll be putting down only a skeleton strategy for Bomb use - the absolute minimum required to do well - as well as tips and tricks to help speed up your play in each segment.
Please note two things:
1) that this is a cross-post from the old namakoteam! forum.
2) this guide only covers techniques for C-Bomb, but the route itself can be applied to any other type/subweapon/speed combination with a bit of fiddling.
>> Demonstration - Player: Icarus - 2.21mil, C-Bomb-4 <<
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READY? GO!
- SECTION 01:
The first and most important thing to mention is the technique for dealing with these groups of four powerup carriers. They always appear in the same order:
When you anticipate them arriving, quickly move over to the right-side of the screen, about one or two ship-widths in, and drop a Bomb, then sweep over and destroy the first three with Shot. The Bomb you dropped should take out the last one as it appears, which saves you valuable seconds in the long run.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE: The guide will be split up into easy to digest "segments" that are seperated by groups of powerup carriers. This way, you can identify difficult sections that crop up and can work the resulting strategy into your own play. - SECTION 02:
After the initial group of four powerup carriers, two groups of drones appear from the top-left and top-right corners of the screen, moving towards the center. Sweep them with your Shot.
- SECTION 03:
1) Two sets of 2x6 drones appear from the top, first pair moving right-to-left, the next pair moving left-to-right. Quickly sweep them with Shot, but as you take the second set, move to the right side and drop a Bomb midway up the side of the screen.
2) Move back to center-left to meet the three large blue ships coming down from the top of the screen. The Bomb should take out the dart-shaped enemies coming in from the right side of the screen - use Shot to mop up any that survive.
3) Another two sets of 2x6 drones appear, moving in the same manner. As you destroy these, head to the left side and drop a Bomb halfway up the left edge of the screen.
4) Move to center-right to meet the three large blue ships coming down the screen. Mop up any stragglers, and wipe out the four powerup carriers that appear. - SECTION 04:
There are six small groups of drones that appear from the top and top-corners of the screen. While they can all be handled with Shot, be careful as these enemies fire long streams of aimed green bullets, that can quickly fill the screen and block off movement routes. You can use Bomb here to assist in destruction - sending one or two up the edges of the screen works quite well here.
After the large group of drones, four powerup carriers will appear. - SECTION 05:
1) Two sets of dart-shaped enemies appear from the top. They can be handled with Shot, but it is better to drop at least two Bombs up the center of the screen, near the top of the screen, in preparation for the next section.
2) About four large blue ships appear from the top of the screen, moving straight down, and are supported by groups of four dart-shaped ships. This bit is tricky, but is made a little easier by sitting near the center of the screen, quite high up, dropping Bombs and using Shot to quickly wipe out anything that appears. If you are fast enough, you should destroy everything before it has a chance to fire.
3) Three large ships appear from the top of the screen, and are accompanied by sets of small drones that appear from the right-middle of the screen edge:
There is no easy way of handling all this - my preferred method is to drop all three Bombs up the right side of the screen (to target the third large enemy), and use Shot to blitz everything that appears.Code: Select all
| 3 | | 2 | | 1 | | <------ | |
4) Small enemies appear from the top of the screen, spamming the large blue fourway pattern that covers most of the screen. While you can drop a Bomb up the top of the screen during the previous formation to prepare for them appearing, and tap-dodge through the fourway, usually I use a smartbomb to wipe out the whole lot, for safety.
5) Another three large enemies appear in a mirrored version of the formation in point 3:
Again, you can either target the large ships in order with your Bombs, or you can use up all three targeting the third one to appear, placing them so that you catch the drones as well.Code: Select all
| 3 | | 2 | | 1 | -------> | | | - SECTION 06:
1) As you're destroying the four powerup carriers, drop a bomb near the top of the screen (but not so high that it goes off the screen), then quickly dive back down towards the bottom-center of the screen. Your Shot should take out the dart-shaped enemies that come in from the sides.
2) That Bomb you dropped should destroy the large group of enemies that fire the really annoying green arrows pattern that fill the screen. Send more Bombs up the center of the screen as you sit in the bottom-center safespot. If you feel the need, drop a smartbomb here (which is what I normally do).
3) After a few more dart-ships, two large enemies appear, one hugging the left edge of the screen, the other on the right edge. Take them out at your leisure, and drop a Bomb up the center of the screen to catch more dart-shaped enemies here.
At this point, if you've been quick enough, the twin bridges should come into view. More dart-shaped enemies come in from the sides here, and when the bridges come into view, four powerup carriers appear. - SECTION 07:
Small enemies appear starting from the top-left corner, moving along the top of the screen to the top-right. These enemies are the ones that fire the large blue fourway when destroyed - as before, the fourway is aimed and is easily dodged through, so use your Shot to clear them.
Just before the enemies appear from the top-right corner, drop a couple of Bombs midway up the left edge of the screen. Two large laser gunners appear here (the annoying ones that fire a blue fourway), followed by a small group of drones from the top-left corner. The Bombs, combined with your Shot, should clear the enemies quickly.
Four powerup carriers appear after this. - SECTION 08:
This is a mirrored version of the previous section - enemies appear along the top of the screen from top-right to top-left, exploding into large blue fourway patterns, followed by two laser gunners from the right side of the screen and a group from the top-right. Take care of them in the same way, and clear the four powerup carriers that follow. - SECTION 09:
A set of fast moving drones appear, flying at speed straight down the screen. They don't fire, so you can bag them with Shot.
During this pattern, send two Bombs up the center of the screen to meet the large groups of drones that will appear from the top-center of the screen - the Bombs will cause a big chain reaction that'll clear this group at speed. Send one Bomb up each edge of the screen and prepare for the powerup carriers. - SECTION 10:
1) Sit near the lower-center of the screen, quickly drop a Bomb center of the screen, and use Shot to take out the incoming chain of drones from the left-center and right-center. The Bombs you placed earlier hopefully should hit, but if not, then placing yourself correctly should see you clear the chains without them firing back.
NOTE: If you're pretty quick up to this point, you should have the big tank on the left side of the screen. Be careful.
2) The Bomb you dropped earlier should meet the huge group of enemies coming in from the top-center. If it does, fly up to the top of the screen, drop another Bomb, and back off back down the screen.
If you have a Bomb or two handy, drop them along each edge of the screen...
3) ... and they should catch the chains of drones coming in from the left-center and right-center of the screen. - SECTION 11:
01) This is a long and challenging section, that is also key to getting a good score. You'll need to learn this part well, as it yields quite a lot of DM.
Two large laser gunners appear from the left-middle of the screen, with a couple of smaller enemies appearing from the top-left corner. Bomb both gunners and use Shot on the smallfry, then quickly get over to the right side of the screen...
02) ... and repeat for the two laser gunners appearing from the middle-right of the screen. As you pick off the small fry that follow, quickly get to the top-center of the screen and drop a Bomb, then back off towards the bottom-left corner.
03) The Bomb should clear the large group of ships that quickly dart in. Use Shot to pick off any survivors...
04) ... then drop three Bombs to meet the three large ships that comes in from near the bottom-left corner. Quickly move to the bottom-center of the screen and...
05) ... use your Shot to destroy the two chains of medium-sized enemies that appear from both sides of the screen. From here, edge your way to the right side of the screen to meet...
06) ...the large blue ship that appears.You'll have to try and point-blank it with both Shot and Bomb. Sit near the top-right corner to meet...
07) ... the large group of small enemies that appear. As you destroy them, move to the bottom-right of the screen and drop three Bombs to catch...
08 ) ... the three large ships that come in from near the bottom-right corner. After the third one, quickly move to the bottom-center of the screen to catch...
09) ... the two chains of medium-sized enemies that appear. As you destroy these, move to the bottom-left corner and meet...
10) ... the large blue ship that comes in from the bottom-left corner. Again, pointblank it with Shot and Bomb, and then move to the top-left-corner to meet...
11) ... the big group of small enemies that come in from the top-left corner. Phew! - SECTION 12:
1) Immediately after the last formation, this gigantic ship should appear on the left side, accompanied by several powerup carriers on the right. The best thing to do at this point is to let off a smartbomb and use the invincibility to clear the gigantic ship and all the powerup carriers in one go.
Stay near the top-right corner...
2) ... and once the powerup carriers are all clear, drop several Bombs to take out the large ship and the chains of enemies that come in near the top-right corner.
Start backing off to avoid crashing into...
3) ... the gigantic ship coming in from the top-right corner. Again, use a smartbomb and the invincibility to clear this ship and the powerup carriers from the screen.
Stay near the top-left corner as you destroy the powerup carriers...
4) ... and drop a few Bombs to take out the large ship and enemy chains coming in from the top-left corner. Quickly back off as you mop up...
5) ... and use Shot to clear the mass of drones coming in from the top. These ones are the ones that fire long lines of green bullets (the irritating ones), so tap-dodge to create space to move around.
Try and drop one Bomb either side of the screen, about a ship's length in...
6) ... to target these sleds coming in from the corners. You can also use your Shot to clear both sides, but you can save a few seconds by pre-empting them with Bombs beforehand. - SECTION 13:
1) This is probably one of the hardest segments in the game.
After you destroy the powerup carriers, a small group of drones will come in from the top-right corner. You'll use Shot to destroy them, but as you do, drop a Bomb into the bottom-left corner, about a ship's width in) and then move to the lower center of the screen.
2) Your aim is to use your Shot to clear both the group that came in from the top-right, and the two smaller groups that will come in from the sides. As soon as you destroy these two groups, move to the right side of the screen...
3) ... and use Shot to destroy the two large laser cannons that come in from the top-right side. Keep away from the center of the screen, as they like to fire large laser bolts down the center. Your Shot should take care of them easily. Move up the screen and then back down to the bottom-left corner, over the laser bolts and the bullets fired by the drones.
4) In a mirror-image, another group should come in from the top-left. As you destroy them with Shot, move to the bottom-right corner and drop a Bomb, then move back to the center of the screen...
5) ... and use your Shot to clear this and the two groups that come in from the sides. Once you destroy these three groups, move to the lower-left side of the screen...
6) ... and use Shot to destroy the two large laser cannons that appear from the top-left side of the screen. As you destroy these two, drop at least two Bombs in the center of the screen where the laser cannons were...
7) ... and quickly back away from the center of the screen as two more large laser cannons and a bunch of dart-shaped enemies appear. Your Bombs and Shot should take care of things here, but feel free to drop a smartbomb for safety here.
Try and return to the center of the screen as you clear up. - SECTION 14:
1) Two groups of drones appear here, one from each corner. Stay near the center of the screen and use your Shot to destroy them as they appear.
Drop a few Bombs up the screen...
2) ... and they should start quickly wiping out these enemies (the ones that explode into blue fourway shots). You can safely dodge through them, but I tend to destroy a few for DM, them smartbomb the rest for safety.
After you've cleared this formation, the stage "loops" from Section 1 again, so use the tips from above after this point.
