NG1 5-1

Overview: Act 5, Stage 1
Timer Target: 118



The most difficult one-room long stage, stage 5-1 is packed with difficult tricks and plenty of options depending on your skill level. You must reach the end of the stage with as much Ninpo as possible: 45 Ninpo is ideal. Act 5 - especially stage 5-3 - makes extensive use of Spinslash for the fastest possible playthrough.

Hammer Brother Boost
A recent discovery, it is possible to adjust the spawn position of the first Hammer Brother such that you can jump into him and boost to the top platform. To do this trick, you must hesitate briefly the moment the Hammer Brother spawns, causing him to drop down a bit. Jump into his feet to get boosted to the top platform without having to wall climb.

Easy Strat: Don't hesitate at the beginning, and wall climb up like normal. You may take damage from the Hammer Brother.

Bird Boost I
After passing half way through the stage, you jump off of a high floating platform, and a Bird spawns behind you. You can use the bird to boost up to the next platform, and even keep the bird on screen to boost you later on. This is how you set it up:

After landing, slash the Clubber while on the ground. This hesitation will help manipulate the bird's position as it flies around. Jump over the Crackhead that spawns soon after, and then jump again immediately; the Bird should, at this point, be underneath you and boost you up top. You may need to adjust your position in mid air so that you boost properly.

Easy Strat: Kill the bird, and climb up using the small platform. Be careful not to get knocked off by the Hammer Brother.

Bat Kill
After the first Bird boost, jump up to the higher platform to the right. At the end of this platform is another big jump - if you attempt this without stopping and without a proper set up, a bat spawns and will send you to your death. With a precise setup, you can kill the bat and make the jump, all without stopping.

Once you land on the highest platform, you must jump once to manipulate the vertical spawn position of the bat to be higher up. Jump again once you land, which should be a few pixels before the edge. Slash the bat on your way down. If timed correctly, you should kill the bat and clear the jump. This is quite difficult and requires a lot of practice - study some of the more developed speedruns to see the timing and technique at hand.

If you did the first Bird boost and want to set up the second one, take care not to kill the bird that's still on screen while doing all this.

Easy Strat: Hesitate at the edge of the platform when the bat spawns, and then easily jump over it.

Bird Boost II
TODO

Easy Strat: Well, there's no bird to boost off of, so just wall climb the pillars like normal.

Do not miss the Orange Ninpo at the end of the stage. Fall off the ledge, slash the Item Orb for the Ninpo, and then jump over the Boomerang Brother when you hit the ground.