Basic Gameplay Mechanics

So Macross, how do you run it? There are some very simple game mechanics involved, and some deeper ones that involve RNG..

Energy: Servers as the ship's hitpoints, and also slowly decrease in all levels past 5. 
Basic movement: 3 different modes, in detail, each with different velocities and shooting modes.

Cruise mode: Fastest, has the slowest vertical velocity in the game, manual shots, default.

Pistol mode: More vertical velocity, less horizontal velocity, automatic shots. Use this one to farm for points early and to clear the core. 

Mecha mode: Slowest horizontally, both in scrolling and velocity, automatic shots and can shoot in both directions, not viable for speedrunning since the pistol already gives us automatic shooting with a smaller hitbox. 

As for the enemies, there are several:

Basic: A ship with two legs, 500 points, basic shooting.
Green: A cruise ship that is harder to kill than the basic, hits harder.
MissileBasic: A variation of the basic, shoots missiles that drain tons of energy. 
Mecha: A large mecha with strong area of effect shots, avoid. Only appears in stages past 5.
Core Turrets: Only found near the end of the level, on the green platform, heavy hitting shots. Only appears past 5.
Space Mines: RNG bombs in space. Appear past level 3, moderate damage.
Space Turrets: Yellow shots coming from core, avoid. Heavy damage near end of the stage is not good.
Core: 1x1 sprite that can be shot down, destroy all to proceed to the next level.

As for powerups: Only one, refills about 1/2 of the ship's energy, drop is entirely based on rng.

Levels are straightforward autoscrollers, the game is infinite, so any% is beating the first level with the high score as fast as possible.

akaTrickster

Choujikuu Yousai - Macross

Famicom

NTSC_J

Veston

Overswarm

Reidood

Zarc0nis

USA / NTSC

JPN / NTSC

Macross

100K

Request to change the platform from NES to FC

update?

NES Framerate

Davy's new WR

Bro3256

Cutui

NickCapricorn

Zeta0087

DarthTyrael

HosteL

RyuHayabusa89