Hot off the heels of the Genesis version, I have decided to look into this game and validate Dannit's research and provide commentary of my own.
First, a completed damage chart.
| Normal|Upgrade|Magic
| S D | S D |
----------+-------+-------+-----
Lance | 6 9 | 9 10 |2pf
Dagger | 4 6 | 7 10 |2pf
Bow | 3 4 | 6 9 |
Sickle | 6 9 | 9 10 |6
Torch | 7 8 |10 8 |3
*Flame | 3 3 | 3 3 |
Ax | 6 9 | 9 10 |2pf
Blade | 6 9 | 9 10 |6
**Bracelet| 3 6 |12 18 |
*Rate seems uncertain; approximately
per frame; early flame does more damage
**Damage is dependent on distance
and nothing else; closer = more
S= Standard
D= During double-jump ascent
pf= per frame
Sickle and torch magic are, as stated before, every so often; I've seen it range from 5 to 12 twelve frames. Tri-blade magic hits everything once. Absolutely pathetic.
Walking and second jump speed is 256; first jump and damage recoil is 286.
Most of the weapons, assuming you can clear the screen fast enough of the ones with only one permitted on screen, can be fired at a rate of one every 12 frames. The torch and the dagger, on the other hand, can be fired once a frame, since you are given two attack buttons. Also note that the double-jump attack has some pretty significant cool down.
May I be so bold as to suggest that to torch is worth considering? Sure, it sucks for normal playing, but at close range it's powerful, has a fast firing rate, has magic that encourages getting close, and the flames themselves can be devastating.
Failing that, though, there's always the daggers.
Edit[/b]: The ending gives you the BWH of the princess. Alrighty...
