What shmup are you playing now?

[G-Darius]

Still playing Gynoug (Wings Of War), and Glay Lancer on Megadrive and a very old game called Encounter at L-5 on the Atari 2600

[Erik_Twice]

It took me less than two minutes to realize Gradius III complete lack of playable checkpoints is true. On the very first stage* you already have to outrun dozens of bullets in a narrow space without any speed-ups.

*It was supposed to be the game's fifth stage according to the developers.

[dunpeal2064]

Yeah, I look at Gradius III as a game where you only get one life, and when you lose that one life, you have a few chances to try to pull yourself out of hell to reclaim that one life.

Usually a checkpoint game will at least let you recover pretty easily on the first stage, but like you said, that first stage is no first stage.

[pierrot]

I can actually get out of stage 1 if I take a death in the corridors, now, but it is pretty ridiculous for a first stage. I think Gradius II stage 3, and Gradius III stage 2 are the worst in terms of checkpoints, though.

[ExedExes]

I'm guessing all this Gradius III talk is the arcade original and not the SNES port? Were the stages shuffled between the two?

[Erik_Twice]

I think Gradius II stage 3, and Gradius III stage 2 are the worst in terms of checkpoints, though.

I think all the checkpoints in Gradius II stage 3 are fine. There's one that is very difficult just before the big wave of crystals. You start without speed-ups and you need to nail the two enemy drops if you want to have an easier time but the checkpoint itself is fine.

The stage is simply very easy if you have four options and laser. I beat it on my first try.



Now, I haven't gotten any further in Gradius II. I die way too often in Stage 2, I don't really have a strategy for the boss beyond "put options above and under you" and it shows. The Crystal stage is fine but I've yet to beat Crystal Core a single time.

So if you guys have any tips, I'm more than willing to read them because I'm stuck.

I'm guessing all this Gradius III talk is the arcade original and not the SNES port? Were the stages shuffled between the two?

I think the stage order is the same, with some omissions (No Crystal Cube Rush in the SNES versions). The game was simply rushed into release and what they designed as fifth stage ended up being the first one.

[Erik_Twice]

I FINNALY BEAT CRYSTAL CORE!

The safe spot right in the boss face is pure genious! Makes you suffer on every small movement he does.


I didn't survive for long in stage 4. I beat Crystal Core with only two speed-ups and wasted my power-ups on laser instead of getting missile and saving for options. Increasing rank when you face the volcanoes wasn't a smart move.

[alexkidd401]

I'm playing Space Megaforce at the moment. Great game

[Erik_Twice]

It has only been a couple of days but I went from barely getting through Gradius II first three stages to beating them without a problem.

Now, the fourth one is where things get hairy because it's a volcano stage and the moving artilleries (Duckers) always make it very difficult. You also can't die right at the beginning of the stage because the checkpoint looks terrible, as if you were supposed to appear a bit earlier.

[dunpeal2064]

Anyone here interested in the Shoot Em Up Tournament over on shmups forum? I'm wanting to join, but I don't really want a random team mate.

Playing Galuda throughout the graveyard shift at work. Playing on a keyboard is a nightmare, but I'm slowly getting used to it.