Oh, it counts. In fact, I'm impressed with stage 53. I've been able to pull 50 on a non-rapid fire machine once. People don't realize how much easier Galaga is with rapid-fire. Precise timing is such an issue in the regular game that it is better to just get double ships and fly really carefully with them. If your timing is off on the regular game, you're screwed after about stage 12 because the missiles get insane and the fighters speed up their descent after the first run. If your timing is off on rapid-fire, no problem, because you can fill the screen with shots at such a quick rate that anything on screen can get mauled before it descends.
I'm still proud of breaking stage 200, but man, I wish I could do it on a regular machine. |