Wow Tenchi, now you're analyzing this just as closely as I am! Have you considered taking up playing the game yourself? The more the merrier. :D(posted 8762 days ago)Anyway, that definitely wasn't a good start right off the bat on that game. Obviously, I woulda gotten 52k more if those first two enemies dropped 30k gems instead of +8 life-ups (which are worth 4000 points). Note that those first two are pretty close together too, so it's not like I can get 11 shots on both of them.
The 500-point guys obviously aren't worth the effort on getting multiple shots, especially since they run away when you get close.
The 5000-point guys... they will "talk" to each other for a while, but then when they notice your character.... they will react in some way. Usually by shooting, but sometimes they'll run away. So it's another case where you have to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Usually I end up shooting one of them and push them back in the up-right direction, pushing him into the other one, and then I get the close-range kill on both at once. It's probably better to push the one that's lower at an up-left direction, then take out the other one from a right direction. The other important thing to consider is the guy fixing the tank, after a while he will stop to start firing at you too. Hence the reason I rush to take him out too. Also note that if too many stray shots get through and destroy the tank, it will kill him instantly... so that's a lot of points down the drain.
I've optimized the beginning of Stage 1 a lot from all the plays I've attempted lately, my score after taking out the rocket launcher guys around the two tanks usually ends up in the 1.9-2.0 milion range now... it used to consistently be about 1.7 mil... I think at least 7.7 million should be possible on Stage 1.
-BBH