D. D. Crew (set 5, Japan, 4 Players, FD1094 317-0185)

When playing the 4-player Japanese set 5 version of D.D. Crew, start by prioritizing balanced team composition if you are playing with friends: pick a mix of characters to cover different playstyles. Heavyweight wrestler Buster has the highest health and melee damage but slow movement, ideal for players who prefer tanking large crowds of goons, while former boxer Fong is fast with quick combo chains perfect for picking off fast-moving knife-wielding and Molotov-throwing enemies. All-rounder protagonist King and gun specialist Roth complete the roster, with Roth’s default handgun offering consistent long-range damage to take out enemies that spawn off-screen. Always make a habit of smashing every destructible object you pass, including crates, vending machines, and parked cars, as they regularly drop health pickups, extra weapons, and bonus points that will help you progress through later levels. Save your special screen-clear attack for when you are completely surrounded by 5 or more enemies, or during challenging boss fights, as it consumes a chunk of your health to use, making it a high-risk, high-reward move. For the first three levels (downtown, docks, factory), avoid sticking too close to the top and bottom edges of the screen, as enemies regularly spawn from these areas to ambush unsuspecting players. When fighting the dock level mid-boss, stay out of water puddles that slow your movement and make you an easy target for his long-range chain hook attack. For the final syndicate tower boss fight, focus fire on his spawned minions first before attacking the boss directly, as he will keep summoning new goons to distract your team if you ignore them. If you are playing solo, stick to the center of the screen as much as possible, and use throw moves to toss enemies into groups of other goons to deal area-of-effect damage without wasting your special attack.