Thunder Fox (Arcade/Japan) 2.569.500 1CC

Thunder Fox (arcade/Japan)
played by Judgment Storm
Score: 2.569.500
1 Credit all clear
Defaults: Difficulty Medium, Timer On, and 3 lives at start.
No extra lives (and there is no setting to enable them)

Happy new year! Here is my first video for 2021, a 1CC of Thunder Fox's Japanese arcade version. This is not too different from other regions' ones. TF's arcade version is better than the Mega Drive one and has a little extra content.

Here's a speedkill trick on the first boss. Carry the flamethrower that you find early on, then take the jeep. A bazooka soldier is just ahead. Go get him and time your approach just so the bazooka falls on the jeep. You can cruise through most of stage 1 pretty easily, but as you approach that taller building you'll have to slow down a bit. You wouldn't want to run into that red barrel or the small robot near the end. One of those falling bombs will also total it. When the tank warning appears, jump out and take the bazooka. After shooting the tank with the bazooka, get your flamethrower for the coup de grace. Time is money here. 219 x 1.500 = 328.500. And holding that flamethrower at the end is good for another 100.000. Most of your score is from the end stage bonus.

Stage 3 has a nice and easy 100.000 no damage bonus. Just learn the pattern and it will come to you. I could have had another 50.000 during the air battle in stage 2 if I didn't get hit.

Stage 4 is actually easier than the one before it. The debris falling from the ceiling isn't too hard to find an opening in, and taking out the wrecker is actually quite simple. Six somersaults at its weak point is all you need. Keep that flamethrower.

For stage 5's last boss, you should bring grenades. When you meet him, toss one his way and the floor should give out. Hang on the pipe and approach him so he jumps at you. Jump down and then smack him with your somersault. Now don't you take too long, because your time will not be refilled after this battle. You will still have your health topped up though.

The end game 1 credit bonus says it's giving you 100K per life left. You're actually getting 400K for each one. I'm not complaining about that.