Ok played it last night for the first time and my first credit made it to Stage 10. This game is harder than 1943 but only if you don't get the shotgun. Shotgun does crazy damage and has autofire (Just hold the firebutton down thats it) and pretty much makes everything in front of you worthless as it cant hurt you since shotgun kills the enemy bullets as well. Shotgun in Kai is 1000 times better than the shotgun in 1943.
Here are some strats:
1. The plane "boss" levels give you 100% if you beat them fast enough. That is a 50,000 bonus vs just 10,000 so its worth at least trying for. Only way to do it is to have the Laser weapon. If have high health its worth going for it but if not just keep shotgun its a guaranteed kill for 90%
2. Regardless of the weapon you have ALWAYS do the weapon "cheat". Basically press these buttons and hold them down at the start of each round. I just hold them down when its playing the animations from the previous clear until I see I have it.
3. The POW cycle with 3 way, POW, Shell, POW, Laser, POW, Fighters - I recommend get shotgun first and then fighters second. Fighters are almost like an extra health pill as they eat damage from side impacts and bullets as well if they are high vs you.
4. Random items will appear for shooting. A "Barrel" in the water, Cows, etc. Get all of them! The only thing that can random appear is a Cat that will flash randomly across the screen. This is the laser weapon and you don't want it.
5. Shoot the ships after you get the 100% destruction bonus its worth points and allegedly a mobi-chan appears for an additional 100,000. Do not be directly over it when you destroy it as it can kill you from the explosion. Kill the ship and then move away for sec and then move back and shoot.
6. The Star gives you full 80 seconds of weapon. Basically you can choose to just get POW/Health or the Fighters vs the Shotgun renewal if you know its coming up at the end of that stage. I'll summarize here. This is my 2.37 million where i died with just 3 guns to go
so you can watch if you want for some tips/etc. I just did and tried to annotate what each level has so you can make some decisions on what to get and when if these are indeed consistent. (Thought more Yaschichi appear so i may have missed them some)
http://www.twitch.tv/danman123456/v/78988001 (Starts at 2:15)
Pressing both buttons causes you to use one of your Loops. (The RR on the screen).
A button Fire
B button Special (Its what i tend to use fighting the boss or getting a shotgun renewal. Its the lightning or wave that appears)
Stage 1: → (Shotgun) - Has health pill at end of first half. No Star or Yashichi for full health or Fire so be aware. Don't need to change weapons.
Stage 2: ↖ (Laser) - This is a plane stage. Yaschichi appears so does the small Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet from the left side. Shoot this for a star and 80 seconds of laser. (I messed up and switched to shotgun). Having side fighters doubles the laser firepower as well.
Stage 3: A (3-way) - Health Pill
Stage 4 : ↙A (3-way) - Star, No health bonus and no intermission.
Stage 5: ← (Shell) - Health Pill. Use Loops to get pass formation of 5 medium sized ships right at end of midway point
Stage 6: ↙B (Laser) - Health Pill, Plane Stage - Lots of red ships come out to mess with you around halfway. Just get them as POWs or ignore altogether. You don't want to risk losing Shotgun until the end where you switch to laser for 100% if possible if you have high health.
Stage 7: ↓AB (3-way) - No health or Star at halfway mark. Be mindful of health. Health pill after killing large ships stage begins.
Stage 8: ↙B (Laser) - Health pill. Lots of spawns from bottom with smaller ships. Star also. Large Plane Stage get laser if can but shotgun is guaranteed kill.
Stage 9: ↖B (Shell) - Yaschichi appears
Stage 10: ↑A (3-way) - Yaschichi appears first half twice.
