Kid Icarus/Stage 2-1

Now that you've escaped from the dungeons of the Underworld, you must trek across the open plains of the Overworld in an effort to reach the fortress at the end which leads to the beginning of Skyworld. Here, the screen scrolls horizontally and you must continue to advance to the right to reach your goal. You will encounter a great number of rooms along the way. Be very careful to avoid falling into any pits or pools from which Pit cannot escape with an Angel Feather.

Part A


 * Your first encounter in this stage will be the Shemums that drop out of the pots in groups of four. A little further on, you will be suddenly rained upon by groups of Rokmen.  Do your best to pluck them out of the sky and collect the large hearts they leave behind.  Enter door A to spend your hard earned hearts at the shop.
 * More Rokmen fall from the sky as you approach door B. Stick around and do your best to eliminate as many as possible before stepping through the door.  This door leads to a new experience; the chance to restore your health in a Pool of Recovery outside of a fortress.  Take advantage of this.  If you collected your first enchanted weapon in Stage 1-3, and it hasn't started working yet, this will certainly activate it.
 * If you've collected the Crystal Rod and activated it by using the Pool of Recovery, you will find that you have an entirely new weapon with which to defeat many enemies. Shemums will die as soon as they crash into one of the crystals.  And if you stand one square to either side of a falling Rokman, there's a good chance that you'll kill it without even shooting at it.

Part B


 * As you approach door C, a new enemy, the Girin, will appear. Have no fear, however, as these enemies are no more difficult to deal with than McGoo from the Underworld.  In fact, with the Crystal Rod, they're even easier; simply squat down while standing one square to either side of them, and let the crystals kill them while their bullet sails harmlessly over your head.  Door C leads to a Specknose nest.
 * Two new enemies make their appearance here, the Minos and the Micks. Minos leap out of the ground and hit their peak about two thirds of the way up the screen, before descending back down to the bottom.  At their peak, they move very slowly and can be easily picked off from a high location.  Try to predict where they will appear so that you don't get struck by them as they rise.
 * The Micks will appear just before you arrive at door D. Micks are relatives of the Monoeyes, and they behave very similarly.  Only instead of appearing from the top of the screen, they appear from the right.  Their patterns makes them quite easy to kill if you are standing on a low or slightly elevated platform.  Door D leads to a Black Market.

Part C


 * Rokmen will fall out of the sky, and Minos will leap out of the ground as you attempt to leap over a series of crevices. Since the enemies appear a specific intervals, you should only leave the safety of a platform between their arrivals.
 * When you reach door E, you have a choice to make. If you take the lower road, you can collect a Cup of Life, or if you take the high road, you can take a shot in a treasure room.  The one thing you can't do is have both.  Since you just visited a Pool of Recovery, you shouldn't be in desperate need of the cup at this time.  Note that the patterns for treasure rooms changes from the Underworld to the Overworld, so the original solution does not apply here.
 * Along the lower road, you will have to avoid lava pool and pots full of Shemums. Either way you go, you will also have to contend with a new enemy, the green winged frogs known as Kerons.  Kerons hop across the stage from the right to the left, and never double back.  Either pick them off as they get close to you, or let them hop off the screen as you advance.

Part D


 * If you took the high road, you will also gain access to door F, which can provide you with quite a bonus if you've played exceptionally enough. If you have been very thorough in your extermination of Rockmen, Minos, and Micks, and have collected many hearts, you are likely to impress the gods enough at this point to be granted a new arrow of power.  If you obtained the first one in Stage 1-2, this will bring you up to level 3 in strength.  If you aren't rewarded, don't fret; there's one more opportunity to impress the gods before the stage is over.
 * More Minos will hop out of the ground on the way to door G. This group of Minos can be difficult to deal with since you're stuck on the ground and can only attack them when they are rising up and dropping down.  Door G is a shop.
 * Kerons are prepared to attack you on your way to the final portion of the stage. Be on guard.

Part E


 * A wide variety of enemies will appear to stop you in your tracks on the way to door H, which is perched way up high on a platform that can be a challenge to reach. Girins crawl out of the ground, Rokmen drop from the sky, and Minos leap into the air, especially while you are trying to get a foot hold on the tiny blocks that create the only staircase to door H over a long pool of lava.  Your effort is rewarded by the second training room of the game.
 * If you've seen the first training room, you'll know what to expect. If you already have the Crystal Rod, take your pick between the Flame Arrow and the Sacred Bow.  Both are equally useful, and neither is better than the other.  However, if this is your first opportunity to collect an enchanted weapon, be sure to grab the Crystal Rod.
 * Just before you reach the end of the first Overworld stage, door I lies in wait of visitors who may have been disappointed by finding an empty room behind door F, or if they missed door F entirely. This is the last chance to earn the praise of the gods before advancing on to the next stage.  If you've done well (and haven't already been rewarded in door F), you may earn a new arrow of power and increase Pit's strength.