Thexder/Levels 11 - 16

Level 11

 * No, your game is not broken. Level 11 employs the exact same level layout as Level 9, but with faster and stronger enemies.  Therefore, the strategy for getting through this level is pretty much the same as Level 9.
 * You start by defeating the two Skylons beyond the destructible wall, and then destroy the next wall. Again, as a robot, your laser may be attracted to the three Yugazogy waiting for you below, so you'll have to transform into a jet in order to poke a big enough hole for you to fly through.  Take care when destroying the Yugazogy.
 * Head right, past one more Skylon, until you get to the area with destructible blocks. Choose whether to simply pass through the area with out conflict, or allow your lasers to be attracted to the two Proton Fences, this time holding back a flood of Blokders, three Jumpers, and two energy providing Tophats.  Fight the Tophats if you very low on energy.  Otherwise, conserve you energy and pass through.
 * The next section is the maze of moving walls. The goal is to climb up to the top and back to the left, but the left most walls will prevent access to the rest of the area until you lure them far enough to the right to pass.  Again, be mindful of the two walls on the right side since you don't want to die after coming so far if you get stuck between either set.
 * Beyond the walls, deal with the next Card and poke another hole in a wall so that you can advance. When you make it through, you have a choice.  You can continue left, or you can drop down.  If you drop down, you will have to face three Bauas in order to earn an opportunity to discover three Bellmetas and a tophat for more energy.  But these Bellmetas are once again just as hard to reach as before, so you may wish to skip this route altogether.
 * Continue to the left, and up a shaft to a higher level. During a long flight to the right, you will encounter three Cards.  Eventually you will arrive at a floor that you must shoot through to continue.
 * Once on the other side, you may optionally travel along the top path to the right, and proactively destroy another pool of Blokders and some Tophats. If you do it now, you won't have to worry about them dropping on you later, although they won't drop unless you actively cause them to, the choice is yours.
 * To continue, decend to the lowest level. Along the way, you will encounter the dangerous Brix, as well as some Cards.  Brix take a long time to destroy, but it might make your pathway a little safer if you destroy a few of them before continuing.
 * Once you're past the Brix, you're almost done. You will encounter the area underneath the pool of Blokders that you could have optionally destroyed.  If you wish to face them down here, you need to shoot the Proton Fences, but it's generally not recommended.  It's better to continue on your way to the exit, which is a short trip from where you are.  Destroy the Skylon on the way for more energy, and watch out for the last two Cards.

Level 12

 * Level 12 has a rather confusing layout, and it's easy to get lost here. Fortunately, there aren't too many airborn enemies.  Instead there are a lot of Jumpers which are usually harmless until they block your way in the tunnels.  Carugos replace Baffins as the primary source of energy, but don't let the sight of them lure you off-track and get you lost.
 * After you drop down, you will have some choices to make. When you proceed to the right, the first vertical tunnel that you arrive at leads to a couple of Jumpers and Carugos, but no exit, so it's not a recommended path.  Likewise, if you fly as far to the right as you can without taking any major tunnels up, you can double back through the lowest path, and fight some more Jumpers in order to earn energy from Carugos.
 * The correct path is through the second vertical shaft that you encounter, right near the reinforced walls that two Carugos are located besides. Of course, traveling through this tunnel will ensure your encounter with several Jumpers, which are best taken care of with a slow patient approach so as to minimize the damage you receive.
 * Eventually you will exit out underneath a bar, from which you can travel right or left. If you head right, you will end up in several dead-ends with a couple of Carugos, one guarded by several Cards.  It is better to head to the left and travel up and around the bar.  Navigate Thexder to the highest pathway to continue.
 * The high pathway will wind around a great distance, but ultimately deposit you in front of a large complex object. Due to the fact that the pieces you free will swarm to attack you, your best bet is to fly in, firing as you go, and turn around to fly back through the tunnel.  Repeat this process until a safe enough landing space has been cleared to the left of the object.  The Energy Mines attached to the object will provide you with a substantial energy boost, but it's still recommended that you activate your shields at this point, since it only takes one object to fly over to you and end up drain far more energy from you than you anticipate.
 * Again, you don't have to completely destroy the object. It is sufficient to simply be able to pass it.  Whenever you decide to proceed, there are only two short dead end paths that you might head down before finding the exit from the level.

Level 13

 * Level 13 is by far the most dangerous cavern level. The abundance of enemies in wide open areas makes Thexder very vulnerable to getting surrounded by a swarm.  Even right when you begin, two Hexeips and a Butterfly make life difficult for you, but the Carugo below will help a little.
 * After dropping down to the bottom, head left and fight the Butterflies waiting there. You won't be able to stand in all places, so make sure you stop and transform when the tunnel is wide enough to make fighting easier as a robot.  Continue until you see thee Carugos.  Defeat them and jump over to the wall.  The ledge there is just big enough to stand on so you can jump up and fire through the wall to reveal a Yamato (i.e., Space Battleship Yamato) which provides a huge energy boost.
 * Head back to the right. Follow the path all the way, taking special care of the Wasps that you encounter.  When you rise back up to the top, head left again to find more Yamatos (not shown on the map above).  After you pass one Hexeips, you will enter another chamber with two more Hexeips.  Your laser will be attracted to the floor and you will reveal two Yamatos that are worth the effort.
 * When you're ready, brace your self for a difficult section. You will travel to the right along the top path until you reach an open section.  The number of Wasps, Hexeips, and Butterflies can easily overwhelm you.  The recommended strategy is to activate your shield and fly through the area as fast as possible.
 * Where you end up is just as important, as you don't want to become trapped in the dead-end along the top and have to reverse your steps. It's important that you end up flying into the lower pathway, and manage to keep the majority of your enemies behind you, pushing them off screen.
 * When it's safe, transform and prepare for the remainder of the stage. You are about to enter another open area.  There are a number of Hexeips in this area, so proceed slowly so that you don't attract too many too quickly.  You can't progress farther right without dropping down to the bottom of the level.  When you get down there, you can travel back to the left to destroy one Bellmeta, but there are Hexeips and Wasps along the way, so you may wish to skip it.
 * You have to fly through a tunnel with water along the floor. The first Arbalest can be destroyed from the ground before you enter the tunnel, but a subsequent Arbalest, located behind a Bellmeta, is more difficult to fire on unless you transform and take damage from the water.  Beyond that, you'll reach another barrier wall and you need to double back to the left.
 * The remaining pathway leads directly to the exit. You will face a series of Arbalest which you should try to take out from below.  Only a few enemies remain between you and the exit.

Level 14

 * You will be greeted by a few Hexeips when you enter the level. Ultimately, the path you want to take is down below the Bellmeta holding up a collection of Brix.  Before doing that, you could choose to continue to the right.  There are two paths, one high, and one low.  The high path yields nothing, but the low path ends with four Bellmetas.  However, to reach them, you must face a number of enemies while you are still flying over water, so really it isn't worth the effort.
 * It's difficult to destroy the Bellmeta holding up the Brix without getting hit a few times by the Brix as they fall. So, you'll have to sacrifice some energy when the Brix drop down.  After they fall, you can fly down to the junction where there are gates to either side.  There is little value in destroying the three gates on the left, so focus your fire on the right gates.  Remain a jet as much as possible to cut down on the amount of damage you take (though it's easiest to fire on the gates in walking mode).
 * Blast through the right gates and enter the passage. There are three Wasps to deal with before you exit the tunnel.  Two more Wasps are waiting for you on the other side.  Once you deal with them, fly to the left.  In addition to the Bellmeta, there are two Yamatos hidden on the same ledge.
 * Now you have to make a decision. You can choose to clear the open space to the right of all the attacking enemies before droping down into the lower cavern on the right, or you can try to fly directly through the area and blast past the enemies.  You will have to deal with them on your return trip.  Neither choice is easier than the other.
 * Once you make it to the end of the lower right cavern, you will find three Bellmetas. It's better if you can destroy them while flying low to the ground.    If you do not, they will attract your laser in the next step.  Situate yourself on the far right side and start firing at the ceiling.  You will target the ceiling as well as any remaining Bellmetas.  Eventually you will destroy the three blocks that hold up the Proton Fences and Brix in the chamber above.  You need to make this chamber empty in order to exit the level.
 * Once all of the Brix have fallen, you don't need to destroy them. Just fly back to the left where you will encounter more Brix falling out of the chamber that you passed earlier.  Wait for it to be safe before continuing out of the cavern, and fly up and back to the right.  There are a few more Hexeips and Wasps to deal with before you get to the chamber that you recently cleared out.
 * Fly through that chamber, and the remainder of the level will take you directly to the exit.

Level 15

 * Once again, Level 15 is a more difficult recycled version of Level 7. Therefore, the strategy for getting through this level is pretty much the same as Level 7.
 * The top path again gives you access to a little bit of energy and one Max Energy boost opportunity, but you should be pretty close to 500% now, if you're not already, and the effort it takes to secure that energy may be wasted.
 * Ultimately, you need to drop down to the lower pathways. You will find yourself doubling back to the left, where you will encounter a number of Wasps.  Eventually, you will enter a carved out room that contains three Carugos as well as three Lorbsters.  Clear out the Lorbsters before continuing on to the right through the lowest tunnel.
 * Eventually you will reach a clearing with water on the floor, and a stationary Wasp up above. If you destroy the Wasp, a deluge of Octagons will fall from the compartment above.  Let them fall and stay safe, either as a jet floating above, or shooting at the as a robot.  When the deluge stops, fly up into the chamber to defeat two Bellmetas and reveal baby Bino.
 * Now you must fly through two chambers occupied by a couple of Hexeips. It's best to fly past them instead of stopping to fight.  You will lose a lot of energy in the time it takes to transform.  Once you get beyond the chambers, you will climb up to a welcome sight of four Bellmetas.  Destroy them before continuing.
 * There are four Blue Missiles to deal with. Then continue to the right and you will find a Carugo and the Bino hiding behind it.  Destroy them both, then double back to the left.  This section is much harder than the ending of Level 7.
 * First remove the two Lorbsters waiting for you in the tunnel on the way to the exit. The bottom chamber is set up in such a way that you will be swarmed if you attempt to fly directly through it.  One option is to use your shield.  You don't need a lot of energy for Level 16, so you don't have to worry about the no-shield energy bonus.  You don't want to die getting through this area when you're so close to the end.  Keep your shield activated for as long as it takes you to get through to the exit.
 * But it is possible to defeat all Hexeips without using the shield. Some of them will fly into the entrance tunnel.  These can be destroyed while in jet mode, flying in the tunnel.  Any remaining Hexeips which are sticking to the room's left wall will then fly into the tunnel as well once they are on-screen with Thexder.  Other's, hugging the room's ceiling, need to be coaxed into flying down to the left wall, and then into the tunnel.  There is a trick to this:
 * While in the tunnel, fly to the right just enough so that the Hexeips which are stuck to the ceiling near the room's entrance are just off-screen. Then, a careful back-and-forth motion can be employed to cause them to fly over to the left wall.  Once there, they will fly into the tunnel when they detect Thexder approaching.  Once enough of the Hexeips have been cleared from the area surrounding the room's entrance, you may fly into the room and immediately turn right, flying along the ceiling, where the remaining Hexeips are clinging.  Fire your laser as you do this.  You can pick off a few Hexeips before having to turn around and retreat to the tunnel.  Some Hexeips jump off the ceiling, only to come back a little closer to the tunnel.  Use the same trick as before to lure them into the tunnel and destroy them.  Then return to fly along the room's ceiling to pick off more.  You will eventually detroy them all.  Then you are free to exit to the final level.

Level 16

 * This rather anticlimactic final level only has two features -- a pocket of Bellmetas that is difficult to access, and a heap of machinery held up by two Bellmetas. You don't even have to fight anything in this level if you don't want to, it's simply there for you to revel in its destruction.
 * In order to access the pocket of Bellmetas, you have to transform as a jet and rock back and forth, firing your laser overhead for as long as possible. Eventually you will poke a sizeable enough hole to climb through.  It needs to be at least three squares wide to fit through.
 * Should you choose to destroy the computer, destroy the two gated doors and stand in the tunnel. Your targeting computer will fire your laser over every bit of the machine until it is all destroyed.  You receive a small point bonus for this accomplishment, but nothing else.  The next level, Level 17, will start over with Level 2.