While not a traditional 'side quest,' maximizing your score is an activity that directly benefits your progression by granting extra lives. You receive an extra life for every 20,000 points accumulated. Here's how to boost your score:
- Defeat Every Enemy: Each enemy defeated contributes to your score. Don't rush past enemies if you can safely defeat them.
- Collect All Items: Hearts, money bags, and other pickups add to your score. Even small hearts contribute.
- Destroy All Candles/Blocks: Every destructible object yields points, even if it doesn't drop an item.
- Sub-Weapon Efficiency: Using sub-weapons to clear multiple enemies at once can be very score-efficient.
- Boss Rush: In later playthroughs, if you're aiming for a high score, consider a 'boss rush' strategy where you try to defeat bosses as quickly as possible, as time bonuses contribute to your score.
While not always practical in a first playthrough, being mindful of your score can passively earn you extra lives, which are crucial for tackling the game's increasing difficulty. A higher score also reflects a more thorough exploration and mastery of each stage.