Although all of the six
fighter type varieties will help you earn a high score, some fighters require more commitment. It is up to
you to find which one suits you best. Consider the following
points:
Fighter speed
When the fighter is moving but is either not firing a weapon or
firing the powered weapon, type A is faster than type B, and type B
is faster than type C. When the fighter is moving and the laser is
fired, laser-powered fighters are faster than shot-powered
fighters. It has been unconfirmed whether the shot-powered fighters
are faster than laser-powered fighters when the fighter is moving
and the shot is fired rapidly.
Fighter speed is not much of a concern when you're trying to
string together a massive chain and collect bonus items. It is a
concern, however, when you're trying to evade bullets. Much of the
game throws bullets that aim for your fighter instead of those that
spew in random directions or orderly patterns. A fast fighter would
evade these aimed bullets easily. Later in the game, however, the
game begins to mix aimed bullets with the other mentioned ways the
enemies spew bullets. A slower fighter would be more suitable for
squeezing through such a bullet mess.
When I began playing DoDonPachi rigorously, I started with the
type C-S and found that I had trouble evading aimed bullets. I
switched to type A-L and found that fighter to be better suited for
my skills. Thus, I recommend to begin with a slow fighter, and as
you experience more of the game, consider whether a faster fighter
is more suitable.
Powered weapon
Shot-powered fighters have stronger shots, but they have a small, weak aura and a laser that
is unable to cut through rows of small enemies quickly.
Laser-powered fighters have a larger aura and a strong laser capable of cutting
through these small enemies, but they have
weaker shots.
Since DoDonPachi mixes weak enemies and stronger enemies
throughout the game, choosing which weapon to strengthen depends on
how much you want to move. Shot-powered fighters are for those who
prefer to sit in a small area while letting the bullets quickly
destroy smaller enemies in a larger field. Laser-powered fighters
are for those who like to move around and destroy the larger
enemies quickly.
A powered weapon is only effective if the option formation
complements it. The type A fighter has a limited shot range so
powering its laser would be more useful than powering its laser.
The type B and C fighters have a larger shot range so powering
their shots would be more useful.
Option formation and behavior
The option formation you choose greatly depends on the way you
would like to attack DoDonPachi. Type A is best for those who want
to string together long chains. Its powerful forward-firing shot
can pick off enemies one at a time, so there is less of a chance of
cutting off a chain too early. Type C is best for those who want to
survive, because its firing range can destroy multiple enemies
quickly. Type B is best for those who wants versatility. Careless
piloting of the type B fighter will result in chains cut off too
early and options firing at nothing, but one who harnesses its
strong shot power effectively will enjoy its type-A-like power with
type-C-like range.
I prefer type A. Once I learn to live with the limited range, I
can rack up humongous scores from both living long and connecting
enemies together to continue a chain. Yet it is possible to learn
how to chain well with type C and to do anything good with type B,
so it is up to you to decide which aspect of DoDonPachi you would
love to exploit.
Fighter ranking
If you remain unsure of which fighter to use, the following is how
I rank the fighters from the best one to the worst one. Note that I
have yet to use types A-S and B-L rigorously enough to rank them
properly. (I would rank the B-L higher than the B-S just because
the Arcadia record for the type B uses it.)
1. A-L: Once you practice squeezing through tight bullet masses,
this fighter's speed and power will help you earn the highest of
scores. It's fast enough to evade bullets and connect enemies to
continue a chain, plus it can destroy bosses quickly with its
laser. A fun ship to use!
2. C-S: It's more difficult to learn to chain with this slow ship,
but once you do, you can endure through the many bullet fights
you'll have to put up throughout the game. It can cover the screen
with bullets so lots of enemies can die quickly when you need them
to die quickly. Lots of DoDonPachi players use this ship so
receiving help for using this fighter well is readily
available.
3. B-S: It takes more practice to control this ship properly, but
once you master this ship, you will enjoy the shot power and range
that this ship packs. And since barely anyone uses this fighter,
fellow DoDonPachi players will commend your efforts.
4. C-L: Survival is important in DoDonPachi, and covering the
screen with weak bullets is a weak way to survive. Connecting
enemies is difficult since small enemies can sustain two hits and
surviving is tough with only the laser being the powerful weapon.
Plus, the ship remains to be slow. Have fun...
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