Can you believe we're already halfway through the game?
Stage 4: Towering Catastrophe
Love the music in this stage. Just thought I'd say that.
If you keep going back and forth at the beginning, you can get a health power-up at the beginning and also an infinite loop of monsters that will (slowly) give you as many lives as you need.
When you're ready, jump on the fencing until you reach the top. On your way left, you'll fight off some monsters as well as sets of nails that act as spikes that you'll have to jump over.
You'll eventually reach the hook of what appears to be a construction crane. (Who knows?) Jump onto it, and it'll take you across the spikes. You'll have to fight off some enemies on the way, and you'll find a health power-up below the hook if you need it - just take care not to get hit by enemies or step on the nails while getting it.
The guys on the narrow pillars are tricky and take three hits to go down. They blink their eyes four times before they lower their arm for a brief instant and extend it. Pay close attention to them and jump at the correct moment - if you fall into the bottom of the screen, you'll lose a life.
You'll then reach the bottom of another area of the construction site. There are lions that breathe fire before they charge at you. Hop over the fireball, then hit them when they're close to you. The guys that slide on the slopes that you traverse to reach the top above take two hits, but if you mash the buttons as soon as they jump forwards, they won't be too much trouble.
When you reach the top, you'll meet some more lions and also find two more health power-ups. Go to the right and you'll eventually trigger an elevator. Once it starts going up, stay in place. Those flying enemies that you saw at the beginning of the stage as part of that loop will show up again, coming from either the left or the right. Here's where to face during this time, in order of appearance: Left, Left, Right, Right, Left, Left, Right, Right, Left, Left, Right, Right.
The elevator slows down when you fight the last twelve monsters. When it stops, keep going right and you'll collect two more health power-ups...and meet the boss!
Boss
The boss here is a monster on a hook similar to what you just rode on during the beginning of the stage. Yes, you do take damage if you touch the hook. He'll zoom in, throw some balls at you, and them zoom back out. He always follows a specific pattern, too:
Down, Up
Right, Right
Left, Left
Down, Right
Right, Up
...and then it loops. It's pretty easy to learn once you get the hang of it, so after a while, you'll know when to jump.
The balls are easier to dodge when they're coming down.
If you double-jump over him when he's going left or right, you can secure more hits. Just be sure to dodge those balls he throws!
Stage 5: Oriental Illusion
This is where the game can get difficult, especially if you're going for a deathless or hitless run.
The red guys that walk towards you take two hits, and the flying green lizards dive towards you as part of their attack. Hit those guys when they get close.
Your double jumping skills have to be flawless when jumping over the pits, or else you'll be losing some much-needed extra lives.
The sharp edges of the barbed wire can hurt you if you touch them. The flying red creatures will shoot lasers at you when they're in range, so keep an ear out for the sound of their lasers firing and be ready to double-jump. If you jump to the top of the fence, you'll fight less enemies than you would if you stayed on the ground. You'll also be able to find two health power-ups if you can stay on top after reaching the top of the fence, too.
The next enemies you'll see are gold statues that take two hits and run quickly towards you when you turn your back (and walk away when you look at them). You'll see more of them and the flying red enemies here before you make it to the next section.
The next section starts with a gate of some sort. If you jump to the top of the fence, you'll be able to fight all the enemies. But if you stay at the middle, you'll find a bolt that could prove useful in the house.
The house is a bit tricky at the beginning. The dogs that throw the bones at you don't start attacking until you're exactly in range, and some of them run at you from behind at the most inconvenient time. They also take two hits, which makes their attacks even worse. If you have the bolt, though, it makes it slightly easier.
Once you're past those pillars that hide those enemies, though, it's easier. You'll find a health power-up, and the rest of the dogs will run towards you from the right side of the screen. You'll then run past a rice wall, with monsters popping out of it ready to charge at you. Luckily, those guys take only one hit. You'll still see dogs charging at you while you're dealing with another enemy near the end, so be careful.
You'll find another health-power up near the end of this section. If you managed to keep the bolt on you throughout this section, you'll be able to use it against the boss if you're still carrying it with you.
Boss
Medusa is annoying, but still simple. Five Medusas will fly out from the top of the screen, but only one of them is real. One of them will fire a beam that petrifies you if you touch it, and the other four will disappear soon afterward. The real one will then fly at you in an attempt to attack you. If you can take the time to double-jump upwards and hit the real one just by pure luck, you can get some hits in before it fires that beam and make the battle a lot easier. Just remember to get away so that she doesn't fire the petrifying beam at you.
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