SD: Mushihimesama Futari 1.5 Stage 3 (Original)

[JOW]

Mushihime-sama Futari 1.5 Original Stage 3 for the Rest of Us

Even if you’re an experienced player that considers the second half Futari’s Stage 3 to be straightforward STG fare, there’s no doubt that it can cause inexperienced players considerable problems – as evidenced by the topic being repeatedly revisited.

So, this thread is an attempt to pool strategies into one location and will hopefully become a useful resource for newcomers to this great game.

I’m by no means an STG expert but, even with modest skills, I’m pretty proficient at Original mode so will kick off with a general run through of how I approach this section of the game.

I hope some of you find it useful and of course further contributions are welcome and encouraged

[JOW]

Stage 3 Walkthrough (2nd Half)

This guide is based on this video: http://youtu.be/n7mxMJkhFcw which I refer to in the following text. Note that this is far from a perfect run – it was done after I’d not played the game for a few months. There are some mistakes in there that I’ll point out along the way.


STG Prerequisites
It helps if you are familiar with aimed patterns, fixed patterns and bullet herding.

I’m also a great believer in not moving more that you have to – i.e. stay cool and when making moves do it for a specific reason. (TBH I’m still working on this myself – when watching the video I can see I often overcook my movements).

Eaglet put it great in a recent post here


Overview
My general approach to the whole section from after the mid-boss ([1.55] in the video) to the end-of-level boss is to be aggressive.

Also, for this particular section you really don’t want to sit at the bottom of the screen like you’re playing Galaga ’88. You need to draw enemy fire higher up the screen by getting your craft (beetle, dragon, whatever) a third to half way up the screen in some places.

Put simply I try to take down enemies quickly so to reduce the number of bullets they can fire. That means moving quickly to intercept smaller enemies as they appear and getting in the faces of the larger ones to destroy them ASAP.
(Happily this coincides with the scoring system in Original mode – there is a proximity effect related to sucking gems in quickly (while they are still green)).
If you augment these attacking movements with purposeful movements (often up the screen) to misdirect aimed bullets this section should give you few problems.

Note: The walkthrough below is based on my own experience and may not be optimal for the play style of others. My goal is to explain the reasons as to why I take this route which will hopefully help others develop routes to suit them


Enter Wood Louse [1.55 – 2.10]
You’re reading this thread so you probably know where we’re going to start – just after the hives following the mid-boss.

I used to lack consistency in this 15 second section hence I developed a pretty strict routine as follows:

• While tackling the last couple of waves of ladybirds I try to position Reco centrally ready to take out the first ground beetle early
• I then immediately move slightly left to take out the first woodlice with spread shot…
• …then slightly back to the right taking out more woodlice with spread.
  During this movement I move down and line myself up to avoid the criss-cross of their fire – taking those guys out early gives me plenty of time to settle and adjust to avoid their fire
• For the first rolling woodlice I stay on the right and low which draws their fire that way - this gives me room to…
• …move left and up to towards more woodlice on the left.
  Note: the main purpose of this movement is not to shoot these guys at point blank range – it is to draw the fire of the guys rolling in from the right which…
• …allows me to be free to dodge the spread fire and move down and right to take the rollies out and immediately line up the ground beetle

Rinse and Repeat [2.10 – 2.38]
In contrast I don’t have a strict path for this section, I just use the same general pattern 3 times over. (I guess it’s a variation on the U-Shape pattern that’s effective for herding bullets - one that you should be familiar with for Stage 4 – but skewed to take out three large enemies on the right).

There are 3 large enemies that are all towards the right of the play area. So, following the philosophy to take all enemies down ASAP I try get below these quickly and take them out with laser (ideally releasing to shot if you’re in the 1-500 range).

The pattern is as follows (starting with the large enemy at 2.10):

• Previous movements mean I approach the enemy from the left – hence their fire goes left as I move right
• I then sit below them focusing laser – I move slightly to the right so fire from incoming pop-corn is drawn to the bottom right
• The large enemy should pop before any further bullets reach you – I then move quickly left strafing enemies and move upwards to draw fire high up the screen.
  I keep a close eye on the streaming fire – a gap will always open allowing you to drop back to the right for the next large enemy.
• Repeat x 2

Note: I make a few mistakes in that section:

• @2.23 I have to make an unexpected dodge here – I think it’s because I wasn’t quick enough moving right and upwards into the open area
• @2.25 I should have used shot here to get big gems
• @2.33 I usually take out the woodlice top right here – because I don’t they drop through the floor while firing more shots. Nothing major as the good positioning means the dodge is easy.

Finish 'Em [2.39-2.50]
TBH I think there’s room for improvement in this section – however the following seems to work reliably as long as you keep cool.

• I continue strafing right to take out the rollies quickly
• After moving far to the right (again to draw fire in that direction) I then slowly strafe left – this gives me time to destroy the woodlice at the top of the screen and I effectively tap dodge their fire
• Because I’ve maintained my position about ¼ up the screen I can them move down and left to avoid the ground beetle’s fire and quickly finish him off.
  (I have no idea why do that ridiculous dodge @2.43 when I didn’t need to – probably just enjoying the ride by this stage )
• I then take out the final rollies with my options which puts me in a nice position to misdirect the arthropod’s fire before moving beneath him to finish him off

Ok, almost there - now just the small matter of the 8-legged freak guarding the end of the stage


The Boss [2.52]

Phase 1.1 [2.57]

I must confess that for my first few attempts I despaired with this first pattern. Especially the flailing bright pink pattern – it just looked too fast and messy.

But, it’s actually much, much easier than it looks – the flailing pink bullet pattern always opens up by the time it reaches the bottom of the screen and there is quite a lot of room for error in terms of space between bullets and their minuscule hit-boxes.

I just make sure I start off directly below the spider (to simplify the angles) and then simply observe the pattern (i.e. I view the pattern as a whole a don’t focus on a specific location) and trust my technique to fit Reco into the gaps.
Edit: As moozooh points out, this actually becomes even easier if the movements are less exaggerated than those I use in the video.


Phase 1.2 [3.07]

I have a few specific movements that I always follow for this one:

• The spider will move to left or right and I always follow it
• I get close to the edge of the play area just as the spider starts firing aimed bullets in sets of 3.
  This gives me the whole play area to tap dodge the sequence of aimed bullets.
• I then move steadily in the opposite direction, concentrating on dodging the fixed bright pink bullets
  The continual movement ensures the aim bullets should always miss.
  As long as you progress across the screen slowly, the pattern will complete well before you reach the opposite side

Phase 1.3 [3.18]

Another one that looks tricky but, again, I just make sure I keep the angles simple by positioning Reco directly under the spider and observe the pattern for gaps.


Phase 1.4 [3.26]

In this pattern just ensure you move in the opposite direction to the central attack – it’s just a case of getting in the (large) gaps between the ‘balls’.


Phase 2.1 [3.33]

Perversely this simple looking pattern initially gave me grief and hence I play very mechanically in three steps:

• For the first attack I just tap right to get to the right of the spiky bullets and adjust a little further right for the circular bullets.
• I do exactly the same for the second attack.
• For the third I make a bigger movement back towards a spiky bullet on the left – this leaves a good size gap to sit out the end of the pattern.

Phase 2.2 [3.41]

I make a bit of a meal of this TBH – there are 6 central streams and I usually go left of it then right, right, left, left, right. On this occasion I went left, right, right, right, left, left so end up squeezed to the right a little.

There’s a far more elegant (and what appears simpler) alternative in Icarus’ run here. Although as of yet I’ve not actually tried and it may be a case of the Icarus making it look easy J


Phase 2.3 [3.50]

As long as you’ve been focusing laser sufficiently in phases 2.1 and 2.2 this should be over before it gets tough.

Again, get directly beneath the spider with laser on the go then:

• There will be wide 2 volleys of bullets with gaps in them – they are aligned slightly differently so a tap is required between these
• Then a volley of 3 bullets tightly grouped that is easy to dodge around
• This repeats faster and with more variations but as you can see in the video, it should be over after 3 volleys of bullets

Phase 3 [3.58]

After all that, bomb without shame

[cools]

Practice, get good, beat the stage.

[AntiFritz]

Good guide. I find the boss the most annoying part though.

[JOW]

The boss guide's drafted - I'll give it a once over and put it up soon.

[JOW]

Boss guide added.

I hope some of it's of use. Although after writing it all down some of it sounds a little lame, basically line yourself up with laser and dodge the bullets

[moozooh]

I must confess that for my first few attempts I despaired with this first pattern. Especially the flailing bright pink pattern – it just looked too fast and messy.

But, it’s actually much, much easier than it looks – the ‘flailing’ pattern always opens up by the time it reaches the bottom of the screen and there is quite a lot of room for error in terms of space between bullets and their minuscule hit-boxes.

I just make sure I start off directly below the spider (to simplify the angles) and then simply observe the pattern (i.e. I view the pattern as a whole a don’t focus on a specific location) and trust my technique to fit Reco into the gaps.

???

You make it so much harder on yourself you're going to be surprised: the entire pattern is dodged by a few very small taps to the side, a tap for every time you see a bullet coming too close for comfort™. Flailing actually destabilizes the pattern and gives you something to dodge—unless that's your goal. 1.2 and 2.1 are also easier the less you move around.

Another one that looks tricky but, again, I just make sure I keep the angles simple by positioning Reco directly under the spider and observe the pattern for gaps.

It can be completed much simpler, too. The second wave nearly trapped you in the vid, this can be avoided entirely.

The needle spray is loosely aimed at you, so you can avoid it entirely by sidestepping; start at one side of the corridor formed by the spiky bullets and move to the other. Then you will only have to dodge the spam spray that will only send like 5-7 bullets your way; they're slow and have gigantic gaps, so it's trivial.

[Icarus]

Phase 2.2 [3.41]

I make a bit of a meal of this TBH – there are 6 central streams and I usually go left of it then right, right, left, left, right. On this occasion I went left, right, right, right, left, left so end up squeezed to the right a little.

There’s a far more elegant (and what appears simpler) alternative in Icarus’ run here. Although as of yet I’ve not actually tried and it may be a case of the Icarus making it look easy

Protip: the stream of bullets are aimed at you, while the angle of the bullets coming in from the sides are affected by your position - the trick here is to stay central, sidestep the bullet stream using as minimal movements as possible. It doesn't really matter what order you move in, as long as you stay as centrally aligned as possible.

[moozooh]

sidestep the bullet stream using as minimal movements as possible

Funnily enough, this bit here is a workable solution for the vast majority of the game. The rest is mainly pointblanking things to kill them faster.

[JOW]

???

You make it so much harder on yourself you're going to be surprised: the entire pattern is dodged by a few very small taps to the side, a tap for every time you see a bullet coming too close for comfort™. Flailing actually destabilizes the pattern and gives you something to dodge—unless that's your goal. 1.2 and 2.1 are also easier the less you move around.

Thanks for the feedback - there's more of a problem with my phraseology here, I was actually referring to the 'flailing' bullet pattern (the pale pink one). On reading that section again I definitely need to re-write it to avoid the ambiguity.

I have just tried what you suggest though - i.e. using smaller movements and it worked a treat in this case and certainly 'feels' better - thanks.

Believe it or not I'm actually a great believer in what you suggest...

I’m also a great believer in not moving more that you have to – i.e. stay cool and when making moves do it for a specific reason. (TBH I’m still working on this myself – when watching the video I can see I often overcook my movements).

Eaglet put it great in a recent post here

...I just need to put it into practice more effectively

Another one that looks tricky but, again, I just make sure I keep the angles simple by positioning Reco directly under the spider and observe the pattern for gaps.

It can be completed much simpler, too. The second wave nearly trapped you in the vid, this can be avoided entirely.

The needle spray is loosely aimed at you, so you can avoid it entirely by sidestepping; start at one side of the corridor formed by the spiky bullets and move to the other. Then you will only have to dodge the spam spray that will only send like 5-7 bullets your way; they're slow and have gigantic gaps, so it's trivial.

Thanks. I'll work on this - it'll be nice to have more formal methods in the guide too.

Protip: the stream of bullets are aimed at you, while the angle of the bullets coming in from the sides are affected by your position - the trick here is to stay central, sidestep the bullet stream using as minimal movements as possible. It doesn't really matter what order you move in, as long as you stay as centrally aligned as possible.

...cool

I've just tried copying your method (prior to reading your post) and failed miserably

In spite of my lack of 'style' with the other phases (except 3 ) I'm pretty much okay, but I'm still a little inconsistent with this one so I'll be sure to persevere.