Section Z (NES)/Sections 0 - 19

Recommended progress

 * 1) Section 0 to Section 1, take top portal to Section 2.
 * 2) Collect a Megasmasher from Section 2, take bottom portal to Section 3.
 * 3) Defeat the two Crabs in Section 3, take top portal to Section 6.
 * 4) Survive Section 6, take top portal to Section 5, then take bottom portal to Section 8
 * 5) Collect the Flash Bomb from the secret room in Section 8, then take bottom portal to Section 11
 * 6) Destroy the Generator in Section 11, then take top portal to Section 9
 * 7) Find the secret room to regain energy, and collect the Barrier Shield from Section 9, then take either portal to Section 6.
 * 8) Survive Section 6, and take the bottom portal to section 12.
 * 9) Find the secret room full of Metaleaters in Section 12, and take the top portal to Section 13.
 * 10) Collect a second Megasmasher in Section 13 to get the Mega Buster, and take the top portal to Section 16
 * 11) Destroy the Generator in Section 16, take the bottom portal to Section 18, then take the bottom portal to Section 17.
 * 12) Survive Section 17, and pass through to Section 19.  Defeat the boss, and proceed to Section 20.

Section Notes

 * Section 0: You will begin each new game in this section. You advance toward the interior entrance over the surface of the planet.  You will encounter two waves of Leevas, followed by one wave of Leagos.  When you reach the end of the section, you have no choice but to fly down into Section 1.
 * Section 1: You start out by facing off with eight Cloud Eyes. The remainder of the section is a lot like Section 0.  You will face two waves of Leevas, and two waves of Leagos, but there will also be cannons on the floor and the ceiling.
 * Section 2: This is both an important stage, and a difficult stage to visit early on. This is your first opportunity to collect the offensively powerful Megasmasher.  However, throughout this section, Drones will be delivering Missiles on to the screen.  They can be very difficult to dodge when they accumulate.  Collect the Megasmasher, but don't activate it until you are safely through the section.  Mesas appear near the end, and can be a great source of energy or speed.
 * Section 3: This section is a very simple section, containing nothing more than two Crabs. Crabs only take three hits to defeat with the Megasmasher, but you must be careful if you're using regular bullets or the Flash Buster.
 * Section 4: Cloud Eyes greet you when you enter this section. The middle of the section consists of waves of Gromas, along with cannons mounted on the floor and ceiling.  You will find a Metaleater with a Flash Buster on the floor.  The section ends with two Leago waves.
 * Section 5: You will fly very quickly through this empty Section.
 * Section 6: This can be a dangerous section unless you adopt a safe strategy. If you don't have the Megasmasher, you should line yourself up with the bottom row of Missiles and shoot them down as they approach.  If you do have the Megasmasher, you can probably handle clearing the bottom two rows, but don't over extend yourself.  The lower portal to Section 12 won't open up until you destroy the Generator in Section 11.
 * Section 7: This is the first Vito/Mansa Section. In these sections, Vitos pour out from the bottom left of the screen and traverse the terrain to the right.  From time to time, four Mansas will appear and home in on you.  It is important to prioritize destroying the Mansas before you worry about the Vitos, since the Mansas will fly right towards you.  In addition to everything going on, this section hosts not one, but the first two hidden rooms in the game.  A secret entrance at the top will lead to a warp.  The left portal leads to Section 5 while the right portal advances you past the first Generator to Section 12.  A secret entrance at the bottom will take you to a room with four cannons and a Barrier Shield for you to collect.
 * Section 8: This is an important section to visit. After you begin, a large wriggly worm enemy known as a Spratter will appear from the left side.  It will take quite a few shots before being destroyed.  Eventually, Gromas will begin appearing, along with cannons.  Around this time, begin shooting near the floor of the section until you find the entrance to a secret room.  This room is your one and only opportunity to collect the Flash Bombs, so don't miss it.  The section will end with Kickers appearing from the left side along the bottom, middle, and top regions of the section.  Fly to the right and focus on shooting one of the rows until the portals appear.
 * Section 9: In this section, Drones will deliver Missiles to attack you. Not to long after you begin, there is an entrance to a hidden room that contains an Energy Refueling station.  Enter the left station to earn 10 units of energy.  Closer to the end, a Metaleater can be found on the ceiling that contains a Barrier Shield for you to collect.  A wave of Leagos end the Section.  Either portal will take you back to Section 6.
 * Section 10: This section is a slow moving section where the only enemies that you will encounter are four pairs of Crabs. The only benefit to visiting this section is the Megasmasher that you can collect early on.  In fact, if you still have the Megasmasher that you collected in Section 2, you will gain the Mega Buster at this point, which is useful for attacking Crabs at a safe angle.  The only draw back is that you can't fire it again until all three of the projectiles have disappeared.  Use it to defeat the eight Crabs safely.
 * Section 11: This is the first Generator section. First you must fly through a central tunnel.  Rippers will advance from the right.  If you position yourself almost entirely up to the right side of the screen and shoot continuously, the energy orbs that the destroyed Rippers release should bounce right around you.  The Generator room contains two small platforms above and below.  If you don't have a Barrier Shield, you can lure the heat seeking pulses into the platforms to get rid of them before resuming your assault on the Generator.  Repeat this strategy until the Generator is destroyed.  Then collect the Energy Capsule it leaves behind to continue.
 * Section 12: This section is another Vito/Mansa section like Section 7. Unlike Section 7, there's a lot less to concern yourself with.  There's no weapon to collect, and there's only one secret entrance near the top which leads to a room populated with a few Metaleaters.  Concentrate on removing the Vitos from the right side of the screen, only stopping to focus on the Mansas when they appear.
 * Section 13: The only thing better than an empty section is an empty section with a Megasmasher in it. Collect it without any enemies hassling you.
 * Section 14: There are no surprises in this section. It is nearly identical to Section 4, but there is no Metaleater to be found.  Instead, there is a secret entrance near the top which leads to an energy refueling station.  Enter the left station for 5 units of energy.
 * Section 15: This section is a rather dangerous section to investigate, and should be avoided. It moves extremely fast, and if you're not careful, you can get swept away by the terrain.  Cloud Eyes, Gromas, and Kickers all attack you in this lighting fast stage.  There are also cannons, but they whiz by so fast, they hardly have time to fire at you.  Both portals out of here lead to Section 18.
 * Section 16: This is the second Generator section. You can follow the same strategy that you followed in Section 11; advance rather close to the right side of the screen and blast away at the Rippers so that the orbs they release bounce around you.  The Generator room has one solid barrier in the back which won't help you very much.  You can use it to pull all of the heat seeking pulses into the wall, but that won't stop the stream of them that continue to pour out of the Generator.  Your best bet is to use the Barrier Shield if you have one, or if you're lucky enough to have the Mega Buster, find an angle where you can shoot it, but it can't shoot you.
 * Section 17: This is another Cloud Eye, Gromas, and Leagos section. There are plenty of cannons to shoot as well.  There is a secret entrance that leads to a warp zone, but if you made it to this section, you will have no desire to take either warp.  The left leads to Section 14, and the right leads to Section 18.  If you wind up here accidentally, simply exit back to the section through the bottom.  Don't miss the Metaleater which has a Barrier Shield for you to collect.
 * Section 18: This extremely short section is entirely empty. If you destroyed the Generator in Section 16, take the red portal down to Section 17.
 * Section 19: You have reach the section which is home to the first boss, Zamuza. Zamuza will appear on the right side of the screen.  From there it will advance to the left with it's shields open.  You can get a few shots at it while it flies across.  Over time, it will eventually shift to a pattern where it will only open its shields while it travels from the left to the right.  Once it adjusts to this pattern, it will never change back.  Whenever it launches from one side of the screen to the other, it sprays the room with bullets.  Do your best to avoid them, and try to position yourself even with the center of the ship to get your bullets down the middle and past the shield.  It can be difficult to hit properly with the Megasmasher or the Mega Buster if your speed is very high and it's difficult to make small corrections.  Once you hit it enough, it will explode and drop a Power Capsule for you to collect.  Grab it and you will be taken to a short bonus point scene before advancing to Section 20.