#pc-engine

Scout levels for locations of power-ups and 1ups

You don't fall off the edge of platforms by walking, always remember that.

Some enemies respawn if you get them off-screen. Be aware which ones do that.

Firing off a bunch of uncharged projectiles is much more effective than charging a shot in most (but not all) situations. Charge shots are useful for sniping enemies safely from afar, as they kill pretty much any enemy in 1 hit, and they have longer reach than your non-fully-charged fire. However, due to the charge time, rapid-fire is much more useful when it comes to shooting on-the-fly or pretty much anywhen else - a lot of enemies die to one shot, anyway.

Do not try to kill green slime enemies, it's best if you just try to outrun them. Other slime enemies are fine.

Ice level has a power-up that stops you from slipping on ice. Get it and don't lose a life throughout the stage. Stage is easy if you have the power-up and will be a major pain in the ass if you don't.

Ice level has a 1up that only spawns if you backtrack, for some reason. Ice level bifurcates once, then both paths converge, then they bifurcate again. On the second bifurcation, take right all the way until both paths meet again, then backtrack, making sure to hug the top-left corners. There's going to be a 1up.

Take it slow on the river level, there's no power-ups or 1ups in the level, just focus on not dying and making sure you can cross safely.

Sky level has a speed-up and a jump-up power-up at the start that requires taking a different path for each. Get both power-ups, helps the rest of the stage immensely.

Take it incredibly slow on Mirror World, snipe every mirror from afar with charged shots, don't let them transform into Mirror Alices. Mirror Alices are incredibly annoying to deal with and are the only enemy in the game that shoots through gaps. Do NOT try to outrun them either, having more than one Mirror Alice on-screen is catastrophically BAD and they will not stop chasing you.

You need to take the green platform to progress through the level in Mirror World. Prepare your charge shots as the platform crosses over Mirror Alices, take them out before they can knock you off the platform. If you fall, that's OK, you just have to get to the platform again.