Ghosts 'n Goblins/Stage 1

Part 1

 * After donning armor, you will start out in the far left end of the cemetery. You must begin your trek to the right.  Zombies will crawl out of ground and march towards you in an attempt to feed on your brains.  Shoot steadily at them to dispatch them.  Some will carry pots with them, so collect the contents they leave behind, unless it happens to be a weapon that you don't want.  Daggers are a nice upgrade from the Lance, with their improved speed.
 * Shorty after you start, you will arrive at a ladder which gives you the option to take the high road or stick to the low road. If you prioritize safety, you should take the high road so that you can dispatch the Green Monsters that live up above.  If you prioritize speed, you should take the low road so that you can continue running to the right without interruption.  Just be careful of the eyeballs that the plants spit out at you.


 * There are tombstones strewn about the cemetery. Naturally, you will hit a few in the midst of your battles.  But if you happen to hit the same tombstone a total of 15 times, a Magician will appear and attempt to blast you with a spell that will turn you into a frog.  If you get hit by it, do your best to survive the next few seconds before you turn back into a human.  Don't forget that zombies will eventually dive back in to the ground, so they won't chase you endlessly.
 * After you pass the end of the high ledge, there activity will die down as you travel across an empty stretch of cemetery. After a money bag comes into view on the right, it's only a few steps further before you have your first encounter with the dreaded Red Arremer.  Some players never make it farther than this point on their very first game.
 * To deal with the Arremer, throw a weapon, and immediate jump up and throw a few more into the air. One of them should hit the Arremer as it rises off the ground.  The Arremer likes to hover in the air until it feels like it's safe to return to the ground.  It will leap back off the ground, or rise even higher if weapons approach it.  You have to hit it while it charges at you, either in the air, or on the ground.  If it swoops down at you, be sure to run away from it so that it can't catch you and kill you.

Part 2

 * After you defeat the Red Arremer, you must jump on a floating island to get across the lake and start the second part of Stage 1. Time your jump carefully, and don't fall in the water or you will lose a life and be forced to start from the beginning of the stage.  Don't assume that the island will complete the trip all the way to either bank, watch it closely.
 * For the first portion of the second half, you'll have to advance carefully while you dodge the flying knights. The knights cross the screen in a wave-like pattern.  Up to three knights will cross the screen at one time, and it's rare for them to be moving along the exact same path, so you have to watch each one independently to determine the best place to pass beneath all of them.  You can stop and turn around to shoot them after they pass if you want the points or the contents of any pots they carry.


 * After a couple more jumps over water, you will be close to the fort at the end of the stage. At this time, a few Green Monsters will occupy the ground while Wraiths replace the Flying Knights in the sky.  Wraiths are easier to deal with since they can be hit from the front as well as behind.  You only have to watch out of the green onion spears that they throw at you.
 * Be extra careful about jumping up when a Wraith is overhead. You can never be certain if they will continue to fly above you, or if they will choose that moment to turn around and drop lower to the ground.  Take the time to clear them out of the way if they are flying low enough for your weapon to hit them.

Boss
A single Unicorn guards the key that grants you access to the fortress doors and the stage beyond. As tough as he is, he is easier to deal with than the Red Arremer. He will jump up and down a number of times as soon as you start attacking him. Be sure to jump up and down with him and attack from a fairly safe distance. If he seems to pause for a moment, be prepared for one of two things: a fireball or a rush attack. The fireball is easily avoided simply by jumping over it. The same cannot be said of a rush attack. If you know that you have very few times left to hit him before he dies, you can try to kill him before he reaches you. Otherwise, run as soon as you realize that he's coming, because it's not possible to jump over a Unicorn. Your only hope is that he runs out of steam before he hits you. If you're still wearing armor, sacrifice it if it means gaining the opportunity to kill him. You'll get new armor when you collect the key.