Burning Force (Japan, old version)

Mastering Burning Force (Japan, Old Version) takes practice, especially with its higher default difficulty, but these tips will help you clear all six stages and set high scores. First, prioritize long-range enemy units before targeting fast-moving melee enemies: floating turrets and missile-launching drones fire predictable, high-damage projectiles that can catch you off guard if you ignore them, while rushing melee enemies are easy to dodge if you keep moving. If your weapon is already upgraded to the max dual laser + homing missile loadout, skip picking up extra POW power-ups if they require you to fly into a cluster of enemies or dangerous terrain—losing a life costs far more progress than the extra 500 points from the power-up. During ground phases, keep your hover bike at mid-height as much as possible: this lets you quickly dodge both low terrain obstacles like crystal spires and high-flying enemy fire without making large, unpredictable movements. When you enter the airborne boss phase at the end of each level, save all your homing missiles for the boss’s weak point: for example, the stage 3 mechanical crab boss is only vulnerable on its glowing red eyes, so firing all your missiles directly at the eyes will take it down in less than 10 seconds, avoiding its high-damage claw attack. A hidden bonus tip: if you take no damage and eliminate 12 consecutive enemies in a row, you’ll unlock a secret 2,000 point bonus, which is perfect for climbing the leaderboards. Avoid staying in the same spot for more than half a second at any time, as the game’s enemy AI targets your current position, so constant small movements will let you avoid 90% of incoming fire.