Pink Sweets->Ketsui

[EOJ]

Well, my old one was definitely fixed and the sticker definitely didn't look like it was removed, but the Kanji were as on the unfixed version. I'd bet Cave just used up the old ROM stickers then switched to the new ones when they ran out of the old stickers. I don't know any other explanation for it.

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have sold my old PCB. :oops:

[EOJ]

I got my fixed ROM in the mail today, popped out the old one and put this one in - and I can finally enjoy freeplay again and no more glitches!

[rtw]

I got my fixed ROM in the mail today, popped out the old one and put this one in - and I can finally enjoy freeplay again and no more glitches!

Good

Played a bit of Ketsui last week and got thoroughly thrashed.

rtw

[drboom]

I know how that feels. I have kind of hit a wall at around 35-37 million. For the first couple runs when I sit down to play it, I get smoked trying a few tricks on stage 1 and 2 and then when everything is going good, I can get to the 3rd stage end boss, but have yet to defeat him on 1cc.
This game definately kicks my butt. But I kind of like that.

[gsl]

I'm kindof at the same problem that you're having.  Granted, I don't have the PCB myself and so only get to play 2 or 3 times a week when I hike to the arcade, but I'm stuck at about the same spot.  I've been doing reasonably well in stage 1, getting usually 8,500,000-10,000,000 for the level, but I'm still pretty inconsistent and half the time end up getting my ass kicked when I try something new.  The enemy shot patterns are much more standardized in Ketsui than in other Cave shooters, it seems, in that they seem to react less to what the player's doing and simply fire in predictable patters.  I think that's what makes it so frustrating is by now I should know where most of the shots on the stage are coming from.
After watching MrMonkeyMan's videos, I'm finding out that not only am I ending up with about 1000 less chips by the boss, he does something funky during the boss encounter itself to gain a bunch more chips, something I've not been able to duplicate.  Also, after destroying the little side wings and whatnot, when the boss transforms into the helicopter, it has two completely different and seemingly totally arbitrary attack patterns, one that's frustratingly difficult and one that's a lot easier.  I have no idea how to trigger the two.
Stage 2 is my big stumbling block.  I pull a lot more chips in, but there are some big gaps where I just can't manage to get anything other than 1s.  Also, the boss sucks--I've got his patterns mostly figured out, but I get into such a rhythm that if I die once, I can expect to lose another ship soon after just because it doesn't give you a single breather in the fight.  Stage 3, well, I can make it sometimes, and sometimes I'll even get to the boss, but not consistently.  My best score so far has been something around 36mil, and I'll usually be sitting around 23-26mil when I bite it at the stage 2 boss.

[zakk]

The patterns are randomly chosen, you can't influence it one way or the other. So focus that energy on figuring out a way to get consistent at the one you're weak at.

Also I'd not worry about the stage 1 milking, worry more about your overall progress right now. What's going on for that boss is some of the timing based 'A+C' stuff I described above.

[CRI]

here a tip mrmonkeyman wrote at the shmups forum at how to get more boxes after the stage 2 midboss:

I lock on when he's in the middle of the screen, and then wait in the bottom right corner. He will move back to the left and then start heading to the right where he'll release those mines, and this is when I sweep under him destroying the front section and then I start camping out in the bottom left corner. When he's almost destroyed let go of the lock (he should be on the right side of the screen) and then turn your laser back on and you can dodge bullets in the bottom left corner safely without locking on to him until he comes back to the left side of the screen, where you can then figure out the perfect timing to finish him off.

I made a video because that's a big blob of text.
http://www.mrmonkeyman.com/videos/k2_midboss.avi

[rtw]

My previous one was a fixed one, I bought it from a Japanese PCB shop. They didn't advertise it as fixed, and it had the original ROM, but there was no demonstration bug.

Fixed...

http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m49925546

rtw