Crazy Cop arcade 1cc

A 1-credit clear of the arcade game Crazy Cop [crazycop], played with WolfMAME 0.268. Score: 2,207,200. A fun cops-and-robbers game! The game was also released in the US as Gang Busters. Some strategy notes below.
Strangely, the key to high scores in this game is the rock! You can kick the rock, a little like dribbling a soccer ball. The rock damages enemies that touch it, but after killing too many enemies the rock is destroyed. If you manage to escort the rock through to the next stage you get a hefty point (and life) bonus, and that bonus gets bigger and bigger each stage. At the start of stage 3 of this run I suddenly jump from 4 to 7 lives (one for the rock, two more lives from score-based extends from the score bonus from the rock). It's all very silly. The rock escort is essential for top scores (and very useful for survival). My score is the top score on MARP as of right now - but if anybody can manage to shepherd the rock one stage further, they can blow my score out of the water.
You start out with slow movement and slow weak shots, and you power up by shooting and then grabbing the bank robber dudes. You also get one bomb for each bank robber you throw into the paddy wagon. In the late game I deliberately keep dragging them with me so that I have a handy supply of power-ups if I die, as well as an occasional power-up after one breaks free and can immediately be recpatured.
The rockfalls in stages 4 and 5 are the difficulty peak. The final boss is trivial if you bring in a bomb and fire it off from just high enough on the screen to center the explosion near him. The enemy rushes that make up boss battles 1-4 are challenging but memorizable.

[@Skuttie]

gg