Stage layout
Each stage is divided in to six sections, although each of the sections are generally identical. Signs written in Japanese are posted on pillars to denote the current section. The signs are ordered from 1 to 6 and appear as 一, 二, 三, 四, 五, and 六. Floors 1, 3, and 5 advance from right to left. Floors 2 and 4 advance from left to right.
Floor 1
Floor one features only Grippers and Knife Throwers before Thomas encounters the floor boss, the Stick Fighter. Get in to the habit of stopping every time an enemy appears in front of you. It is much safer to stand still and let the enemy walk up to you before you strike it. When enemies appear behind you, continue to walk forward until the enemy is just about to grab you. Then stop, turn around, and strike the enemies until it is safe to proceed. One or two Knife Throwers will appear by the time you reach section 3. Duck or jump the knife that they throw at you, then proceed to attack. Two strikes are required to remove him.
When you reach the Stick Fighter, remember to move in as close as possible so that you are inside his strike range. The best way to move forward is by utilizing a jump kick as you rush toward him. A jump kick allows you to jump over his crouch stick attack (should he attack low) and it allows you to force him to absorb a blow before attacking you with a high stick attack. If done properly, you will never incur a loss of health when attacking him. A high kick attack also gives extra damage to him, so once you're in close to him, you'll only need to crouch kick him one series of 3 kicks to defeat him. Attack until he is pushed away from you and close the distance again before continuing your attack.
Floor 2
The first three sections of this floor are unique. Throughout these sections, snake pots, dragon balls, and confetti balls will fall from the ceiling. Ignore dragon balls and confetti balls that appear behind you. Watch out for snake pots that land on the floor and be prepared to jump over snakes that appear from them. Punch dragons only if you have enough time to reach them before they breathe fire. Jump kick confetti balls whenever you have the chance. Once you pass section three, Grippers and Tom Toms will begin to appear. Charging Tom Toms can only be defeated with low attacks; if they leap toward you, stand or jump up out of a crouch to knock them out.
Approach the Boomerang Fighter with caution. Try to avoid the two boomerangs he is going to throw, and begin to attack while the boomerangs are still in flight. Keep an eye on them and watch out for the boomerang's return.
Floor 3
Floor 3 is much like Floor 1 with the addition of Tom Toms. Enemies appear far more frequently and it is especially important to wait until every enemy is defeated before moving forward. Two Knife Throwers should appear shortly before you arrive in section three. Special care must be taken to remove the enemies that walk past the throwers while still advancing on them so that you can remove them before proceeding.
The Giant is an especially dangerous boss. Jump kicking his head from a distance is the most recommended strategy to use against him, but low kicks can also be useful as long as he is backing away from you.
Floor 4
Much like Floor 2, the first half of Floor 4 is marked with a unique characteristic. The first three sections of this floor contain holes in the walls from which poisonous moths are released. The moths fly in a predictable pattern, but are still difficult to avoid since they move nearly as fast as you, and they're height off of the ground is constantly changing. It is best to avoid the moths as much as possible, ducking under or jumping over moths when possible, stopping only to attack when necessary and proceeding as quickly as possible. The moths will never pass the pillar which marks section 4. The Grippers and Tom Toms, and even a Knife Thrower will return until you reach the Magician.
Since you can not predict which direction the Magician will throw a fireball, it is safest to assume he will throw it high, so duck. Continue to use crouching punches, and stay low when he reappears so that his next fireball will (hopefully) fly over your head before you continue to attack him. Also, keep in mind that the fireballs can be destroyed by kicking them. One should try to kick the fireballs when at a distance and then approach for the crouch punch attack. Once the magician disappears, walk backwards and crouch, be prepared to jump over the snake attack the magician may use. Of course, the main goal is to back the magician against the staircase. At that point, do not move away after crouch punching. Rather, hold your ground with a flurry of blows, the magician will never get a shot off if he is backed all the way to the staircase.
Floor 5
Floor 5 consists of the same enemies at Floor 3, but at their highest frequency. This floor can overwhelm even the best players. You may find yourself defending your position through the assault of up to 20 enemies before you can proceed. Knife Throwers also appear more frequently, showing up a bit more randomly then before. It's not a bad idea to let a Knife Thrower follow behind you since his presence can severely cut down on the number of enemies you face. Just remember to dodge the knives he throws. Also remember that if a Tom Tom jumps in the air, stand up quickly to negate his attack and remove him at the same time. If you find that you are getting pinned between groups of enemies of Knife Throwers, only patience and quick reactions will save you. Rely on kicks more than punches since the range is better. If a Knife Thrower is following you by the time you reach Mr. X, be sure to dispatch the thrower before you take on Mr. X.
Mr. X's defense is nearly impenetrable, and the only way to land an attack on him is to make him drop his guard just before he attacks you. Alternating between high and low attacks is one good way, but try to watch his movements as closely as possible. He is usually most vulnerable to the attack that he's about to use on you, but he's so quick, it can be hard to determine which attack that will be in time. If you move forward throw a high standing punch then a low crouching once then back away, you'll be able to see his posture reset...then do the same move again...move forward throw a high (standing) punch then a low one (in rapid succession) and move away for him to reset. Do this over and over until he is defeated. Using this strategy, you will seldomly incur any health damage.