RQ: Akai Katana Shin auto-bomb requirements?

[SuperSoaker360]

I can't seem to figure out how to activate auto-bomb. I'm playing on Shin and sometimes when I get hit, I'll unleash an auto-bomb that completely depletes my bomb stock. Other times, I'll get hit and die right off the bat. Could someone please shine some light on this?

[BulletMagnet]

When you're down to your last life, if you get hit and have one or more bombs in stock they'll all be spent on a last-ditch "auto-bomb": if you have more than one life left only manual bombs work. Not very efficient but it can keep your game going a bit longer if you're caught off guard.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

When you're down to your last life, if you get hit and have one or more bombs in stock they'll all be spent on a last-ditch "auto-bomb": if you have more than one life left only manual bombs work. Not very efficient but it can keep your game going a bit longer if you're caught off guard.

^

Note that this applies to all three game modes, not just Shin/Slash. The autobomb seems to work the same way regardless of which game mode you're playing. When you're on your last life segment, notice that your bomb icons have a bluish tint to them: that's to let you know it'll autobomb if you get hit. Also, if you get down to your last life, then gain an extra life via one of the two point-based extends, the autobomb status will go away until you're back down to your last life. It's only active when you're one hit away from a gameover and have at least one bomb stocked.

Keep in mind that unlike something like DaiFukkatsu, the autobomb isn't a weakened version of a normal bomb; it appears to do full bomb damage regardless of how many bombs you have remaining. So if you're on your last life, you can use two bombs manually and keep the last reserved for the autobomb while you make risky dodges.