Cotton (set 1, Japan, Rev A, FD1094 317-0179a decrypted)) [Bootleg]

Mastering this decrypted Cotton bootleg is straightforward once you learn its core mechanics and level-specific tricks. First, familiarize yourself with basic arcade controls: use the 8-way joystick to move Cotton across the screen, press the A button to fire your primary magic shot, and press the B button to deploy a screen-clearing bomb attack. Your primary shot can be upgraded up to 4 levels by collecting pink star power-ups dropped by defeated enemies, and you will unlock up to two fairy companions as you level up, who fire supplementary shots and can even block small enemy projectiles for you. Always prioritize collecting blue crystal shards whenever they appear: each shard fills a segment of your magic bomb meter, and you can hold up to 3 bombs at a time. Avoid wasting bombs on small enemy waves, and save them for boss encounters or dense, unavoidable bullet patterns that you cannot dodge through. For early levels: the first forest level boss, a giant carnivorous flower, has a weak point at its center bloom – focus all fire there and dodge its slow-moving spore barrages by staying in the lower half of the screen to beat it in under 30 seconds. The second cave level boss, a floating crystal golem, fires rotating crystal bursts that leave small gaps on the left and right edges of the screen – position yourself in those gaps between bursts to avoid taking damage while continuing to fire. For hidden content: during the third cloud level, fly into the small opening in the top-left of the screen 20 seconds after the level starts to find a secret golden candy power-up that permanently boosts your shot to max level for the rest of your run. When facing the final Dark Witch boss, watch for her three attack patterns: stand at the far left or right edge to avoid her wide fan bullet bursts, move slowly and steadily to outpace her homing magic orbs, and hide in the top-left or bottom-right corners to avoid her full-screen laser attack. This decrypted bootleg has no anti-pi