Ghosts 'n Goblins/Stage 4

Part 1

 * The first section of this stage presents itself as a jumping challenge. You must successfully ride the floating platforms from the left to the right, and jump from one to the next in order to progress across the stage.  There are some bottomless pits to avoid, but there are occasional breaking points along the way in the form of plateaus.  Unfortunately, getting out of these plateaus and back onto the platforms can be a bit of a pain itself.
 * Jumping horizontally from one platform to the next doesn't pose too much of a challenge. Your momentum continues with the motion of the platform (in the arcade version, not in the NES version), so leaping straight up can actually make you leap in the direction of the platform.  Jumping up from a lower platform to a higher platform can be difficult, however, if the next platform is rather high.  Try jumping straight up and late as the higher platform cross above you in hopes that it snags you just as you are about to fall.


 * The safest best is to take the highest platform available in any given section. Time your jumps carefully.  If you don't feel that you can clear the gap between two platforms, just wait for another cycle to try it again.  Chances are that the platforms will line up better the second time.  Platforms that cross in front of one another at the same level have a tendency to push you from one platform to the other.
 * When you reach the end of the platform segment, you will see a Red Arremer just waiting for you to land and fight. Take the time to fight it carefully.  If you took the highest platform, you should easily be able to jump over it and land far to its right before attacking it.  When it is defeated, you can advance towards the bridge of fire.

Part 2

 * The bridge of fire is very aptly named for the lava jets that fire columns of lava into the vicinity of the bridge. You never have to worry about the structure of the bridge, as it will always stay in tact.  You simply have to time your crossings over the lava jets.  Jumping over a single column isn't difficult to do, but jumping over an entire set might be a little trickier.  You may wish to wait until one or two of them die down first.
 * You first faced the Blue Imps in the chill of the Ice Palace. Now you must face them again in the devastating heat of the fire bridge.  They emerge from the fiery lava beneath the bridge, and hover just high enough to be out of your reach.  Then they swoop down in an effort to attack you.  If you're fast enough, you can turn around and fire at them and dispatch them before they even get close to you.  But don't let them control the space above your head, or you'll be forced to back track.


 * Starting on this stage, you can collect the Shield/Cross weapon. If you wait patiently enough, a pot bearing Blue Imp will rise from the lava, and a Shield/Cross will be inside.  In the arcade, it pays to collect this weapon early and hang on to it, since opportunities to collect it are rare, and possession of it is required in order to get into stage 7.  It's not a great weapon however, and if you would rather try your luck and hope to collect it later, then move on.
 * Once more, a Red Arremer stands between you and a dragon boss. Naturally, you will want to deal with it before you proceed to the boss fight.  But you must continue to be aware of any lava jets positioned beneath your feet.  There aren't many by this time, and you should be able to keep Arthur positioned along a safe stretch of the bridge while you fight.

Boss
The battle with the second dragon is very much the same as the battle with the first. Remember to trail safely behind the head and avoid giving it an opportunity to dive down and land on top of you. You can chip away at the tail to reduce its size, but the head is what you must ultimately fire at. You can use the positioning of the bridge for minor protection, as the dragon will rarely dive down low enough to hit you there. However, it might very well hover at the level of the bridge and run you over. Remember that in the NES version, some bosses are immune to certain weapons, and the Dragon is immune to the Lance. If you some how manage to come back in possession of the Lance, you have no choice but to die and start over, collecting a new weapon in the process.

Arcade
There's a trick to get the key without battling this stage's boss. After defeating the Red Arremer, walk to the right and listen carefully to the music. As soon as it changes into boss music, walk to the left. When the message "Take a key for coming in!" appears, walk again to the right and collect the key to advance to next stage.