Psychic 5/Gameplay

Controls

 * : Use the joystick to guide the Espers throughout each level. Press left or right to make the Espers run or fall through the air in either direction.  Press down to make an Esper squat.  Hold the joystick up while falling through the air to make them hover, which slows down their fall.
 * : Press the first action button to make the Espers jump through the air. Hold the button down to make the Espers jump higher.
 * : Press the second action button to make the Espers swing their weapon, usually a hammer.
 * 1~2 Players: Press either button to begin a one or two player game.

Naoki
The two kids, Naoki and Akiko, are the characters with the best balance, and they are the primary characters used by most players. Although the character stats screen (shown after you insert coin, before you press start) seems to indicate that Naoki is the more balanced among the two, most good players feel that Akiko is the best overall character, because hovering is such an important function in this game. Naoki is used instead of Akiko for the speed in areas where hovering isn't much needed or when going for the broom, when the player needs just that boost in jump height, or when he has to force a door which Akiko has difficulty opening because of enemy interference. Some experts may use primarily Naoki rather than Akiko, but that is after they have become very familiar with the scenes and enemies so that they no longer have to rely on Akiko's hovering.

Akiko
Akiko is the best overall character, with excellent hovering and a good balance in other abilities. However, she may be too slow to hit Zara the witch reliably, especially when she doesn't have the P power.

Bunta
Bunta specializes in forcing doors. In many scenes there is a section with so many doors in a row that no one else except Bunta will be able to force them all in time. Bunta has also got good attack strength, but being a large-sized character with poor speed and hovering is a significant liability for the purpose of general fighting.

Makoto
Makoto is fast, but at that speed he too easily runs into enemies, and being a large-sized character with no more than minimal attack strength makes matters worse. This usually limits his use to very few sections, when the player does not expect to do much fighting, or when he has a dire need to reach a high place. However, Makoto is the best weapon against the elusive Zara, and he is the most powerful character when on the broom.

Genzoh
Though Genzoh's speed and power are horrible and his jump is far from being impressive, his attack strength of 8 is incredible. This, combined with excellent hovering and small size, makes him the ideal character for shattering Satan the devil. It's a good idea to always use Genzoh agaist the devil once you've got him. Although slow, Genzoh is also useful in regions with tough, threatening enemies when one doesn't have the P power.

Getting the Espers
The player starts the game with 2 Espers, Naoki and Akiko. The remainders are found inside magic jars.

Normally, the player gets Bunta in scene 1, Makoto in scene 3, and Genzoh in scene 5. However, when certain conditions are fulfilled, you'll find the last 2 Espers sooner. To get Makoto in scene 1, you need to get the Secret Bonus in scene 1 (before opening the magic jar). To get Makoto (or Bunta if you have got Makoto already) in scene 2, you need to get All Gold Bonus in scene 1. To get Genzoh in scene 3, you need to get both Bunta and Makoto in scenes 1 and 2, and get the Secret Bonus in scene 3. To get Genzoh in scene 4, you need to get All Gold Bonus in scene 3.

Because Genzoh is incredibly powerful against Satan the devil, it is advantageous to get him as early as possible. Therefore, it is advisible for intermediate players to at least try to get All Gold Bonus in scene 1 and Secret Bonus in scene 3, even if they are just trying to clear the game rather than going for a high score.

Changing Espers
You can freely select an Esper when starting a scene and after game over and continuing. To change Espers otherwise in the middle of a scene, you need to find a telephone booth and stand in it. You'll automatically cycle through the available Espers. Note that it is not always safe inside a phone booth: small enemies may enter and kill you!

ESP Powers

 * Jump: The Espers can jump super high. Just press the jump button to jump. Push up on the joystick and hold it for a high jump. Push down on the joystick when you start jumping for a low jump. Push down on the joystick in mid-air to stop the rise and avoid hitting dangers overhead. (The duration for which you hold the jump button has no effect on the height of the jump.)
 * Hover: Hovering is a very important ability. It is the mastering of hovering controls which tells a good player from a novice. To hover, simply push up on the joystick while in mid-air. Pushing in a diagonal direction allows you to travel horizontally in mid-air.
 * Power (Force Door): Sometimes a large, heavy door stand in your path. To force it open, press the joystick left or right to push against it. Forcing a door takes some time, during which you must not take any other action (no hammering, jumping, or moving around) or you'll have to start all over from scratch.
 * Attack: The Espers attack by producing a large hammer, except for Genzoh which attacks by swinging his staff. To attack, simply press the attack button.