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UFOs
In order to obtain powerups, one option is the collection of UFO tokens. If three UFO tokens of the same type, or one of each type is collected, a UFO is summoned. The player then has a limited amount of time to defeat the summoned UFO in order to collect a powerup specific to each type. An additional powerup is awarded if the player allows the UFO to collect a large number of powerups from defeated enemies before destroying it. A ring surrounding the UFO is an indicator of its satiation with items; as soon as it becomes filled, the UFO releases an additional reward.
If a UFO token has a white outline, it will change color every few seconds. During dialog, UFOs and tokens will vanish off the sides of the screens. It is possible to prevent these tokens from changing colors (e.g. a token is currently blue but you want to wait a few seconds for a large enemy attack before summoning a blue UFO) by staying about 1 character sprite away from it. The timer used to change colors stops when you are this close. This is incicated by the UFO temporarily losing its white outline. The color changes work as follows: Blue -> Green -> Red -> Blue
Summoning any UFO will clear enemy bullets around the UFO. The UFO will then begin drawing in all point and power items on the screen; you will be unable to collect items by going above the POC while a UFO is summoned, but you can still manually collect items by flying over them. This is usually not necessary, except perhaps to prevent some point items from being converted to power items by a blinking UFO. Destroying a UFO will clear all of the bullets on the screen, release a Multi UFO token that begins as the same color as the UFO (i.e. a Red UFO will release a Red UFO token, after a few seconds it will become Blue), and create an item bundle of every item in the UFO that is automatically collected by your character. Because UFOs can be used to automatically collect items and cancel bullets, even a Blue UFO can be of benefit to a player that is ignoring score.
Types and rewards
- Green type
- Summoned when the player has collected three green UFO tokens.
- Maximum multiplier: x2.0.
- Destruction reward: a bomb fragment that grants a player 1/3 of an additional bomb.
- Item satiation reward: a full bomb item.
- Blue type
- Summoned when a player has collected three blue UFO tokens.
- Maximum multiplier: x8.0.
- No other rewards.
- Red type
- Summoned when a player has collected three red UFO tokens.
- Maximum multiplier: x1.0.
- Destruction reward: a life fragment that grants a player 1/4 of an additional life.
- Item satiation reward: an additional life fragment.
- Flashing/multicolored type
- Summoned when a player has collected three UFO tokens: one of each color.
- Maximum multiplier: x4.0. Swaps power items for point items and vice versa.
- Destruction reward: a UFO token that changes color.
- Item satiation reward: an additional UFO token that changes color.
Usage scenario
- For scoring
Summoning UFOs is the key element of the game's scoring system. First and foremost, it allows multiplying the point items' point worth by as much as 8x, giving a sizable boost to your score. Another key advantage is the ability to collect freefalling items at maximum value without the need to cross the POC, which becomes especially prominent on high difficulties.
As such, UFOs shouldn't be summoned at every opportunity, but at exact places with a large amount of items or enemies that drop them. There are several critical points in the game with high point item density; they must be memorized in order to take advantage of blue UFO multiplier.
The game also has a lot more power item drops than any prior installment of the series. While normally useless in a high score attempt, they can be converted into point items when collected by a multicolored UFO. Likewise, there are critical points with high power item density that must be memorized as well.
- For survival
Green and red UFOs, while generally useless in high score runs, are able to provide a less experienced player with a sufficient life and bomb supply, as well as clear the screen of bullets in a bomb-like fashion. Be wary that they should still be satiated with items before destruction in order to take full advantage of their summoning.
Also note that it is generally more beneficial to summon green UFOs compared to red:
- 1 green UFO = 1.33 bombs. 1 red UFO = 0.5 lives.
- Each green UFO gives at least one immediately useful full bomb item.
- 6 green UFOs = 8 bombs. 6 red UFOs = 3 lives (6 full bombs).
- If a player uses all of their bombs before dying, going for green UFOs potentially gives them 33% more full bombs.
Barring some exceptions, a character's bomb is generally powerful enough to quickly deplete the HP of most spellcards. By methodically summoning green UFOs, a player should be able to bomb through (nearly) every problematic attack, allowing an easier victory. Green UFOs also allow a marginally better score increase, although it's pointless to use them for that purpose. However, if a player is inexperienced with both deciding a good bombing opportunity and using bombs reactively (deathbombing), going for red UFOs instead may have its merit.
UFO Appearance Sequence
Here is the list of UFO-attached fairies appearance in sequence order:
- Stage 1 - Red + B-Multi, R-Multi, Blue + G-Multi, B-Multi, Red + B-Multi (Drop from boss), Green, G-Multi
- Stage 2 - Blue, B-Multi, R-Multi + B-Multi (Hidden), B-Multi * 2, Blue + B-Multi (Drop from boss), R-Multi + B-Multi, R-Multi + B-Multi
- Stage 3 - R-Multi, Blue + B-Multi, Green, G-Multi, B-Multi, R-Multi + Blue, R-Multi, R-Multi, B-Multi, G-Multi
- Stage 4 - R-Multi, Green, Blue, Red, Blue, B-Multi + Blue, G-Multi, B-Multi, Blue * 2, B-Multi + G-Multi, Red, B-Multi, Red + Blue, G-Multi, G-Multi, G-Multi, Green
- Stage 5 - R-Multi * 2, R-Multi, Red + Green, Blue, R-Multi + B-Multi, R-Multi + B-Multi (Drop from boss), Green * 2, Red * 2, Blue * 2
- Stage 6 - Green * 3, G-Multi + R-Multi, B-Multi + G-Multi, Blue, Blue, Blue, G-Multi, Blue, G-Multi, Blue
The appearance of different colored UFOs from enemies that enter the screen at the same time are listed as they show up from left to right.
Increasing base point item value
There are two ways to increase the base point item value beyond its default: grazing and collecting UFO tokens while an UFO is on screen.
Grazing
Not unlike Subterranean Animism, grazing increases the point value in increments of 10 for each 10 graze points. Although the game doesn't provide as many opportunities for supergrazing as some of the prior installments, it offsets it with a more significant value increase per bullet grazed. Good opportunities for grazing include Nazrin's spells #3/#4, boss Ichirin's opening attack, as well as any other attack involving slow-moving lasers or grids of bullets.
Cancelled Bullets
When a bullet is cancelled as a result of a UFO being summoned, destroyed, or a boss attack ending, it will turn into an item that is automatically collected. Collecting large numbers of these items will increase the point value in increments of 10 points. Note that Grazing and cancelled bullets will increment the same counter, so 5 grazes and sufficient bullets will increase the point value by 10.
UFO tokens
Picking up an UFO token during an active UFO combat increases the point value by 1,000, allowing to boost it by several thousands per stage. However, it is always a compromise, as it also denies an opportunity to summon more UFOs.
- Boosting base point item value vs. cashing in on UFOs
As the critical UFO summoning spots (over 100 point/power items during a single UFO's lifetime) don't start until post-midboss stage 3, it is generally advised to maximize the point value until that point using all means available (on Easy mode, it is possible to increase the value up to as much as 30,000 by stage 3 boss). Collecting a single UFO token while a UFO is already summoned is equivalent to 1000 graze points, and can be done within the first minute of stage 1. Because of this, Blinking UFOs are significantly better for scoring in early stages than Blue UFOs, as on satiation a Blinking UFO will release a UFO token that can be immediately collected to increase the point value by 1000.
TODO: Elaborate.
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