Famicom Mini 07 - Xevious (Japan) (En)

Mastering Famicom Mini 07 - Xevious starts with understanding its core unique mechanic: you have two separate attacks, and learning when to use each is the key to survival. On the GBA port, the directional pad moves your Solvalou across the screen, the A button fires your blaster to take out airborne enemies, and the B button drops bombs to destroy ground-based targets. First, prioritize targets by threat: enemy anti-aircraft installations on the ground will fire at you constantly, so clear these as soon as they come into view before focusing on other ground targets or weaker airborne foes. Many new players make the mistake of chasing every ground target for extra points, which leaves them open to surprise attacks from fast-moving airborne enemies. Next, learn the patterns of common enemies: the small, fast flying drones called Bacceroids move in erratic patterns, so lead your shots to hit them before they can cross your path. The large black Zolback zeppelins that spawn occasionally are high-priority targets: take them out quickly before they can release swarms of smaller enemies that will overwhelm you. When you face the game’s signature boss, Andor Genesis, don’t rush to attack the core first. Take out the two side energy cannons first to eliminate most of the boss’ incoming fire, then focus all your blasts on the central core to destroy it quickly. Keep your Solvalou moving constantly at all times – standing still makes you an easy target for enemy fire. For extra points, keep an eye out for hidden Sol symbols on the ground: bombing these symbols gives you massive score bonuses and can help you earn extra lives faster. Extra lives are awarded at every 100,000 points, so practice memorizing enemy spawn positions to clear waves faster and rack up higher scores over time.