#Gradius gaiden shield options how to

The laser has a very broad hitbox that extends quite a bit beyond the visible thin line, it should definitely be exploited. Especially if you're using the laser in the fourth stage (which is certainly a valid strategy although I like to pick double there myself) in which case it helps tremendously to have all four options to build a column in order to easily reach the turrets and walkers on the top without getting in harm's way. I'd say that's ultimately the ideal approach, yes. I guess, if you take advantage of the volcanos and the amoeba you're talking about, it's feasible to get more than two extends in any given playthrough? That makes sense, and that'd help out too.

#Gradius gaiden shield options how to

I guess I just have to figure out how to manage stage 4 with a full arsenal then? I didn't realize speedups don't affect the rank (although I only occasionally take the second one anyway) that's helpful. The only sort of rank control that is worth considering in Gradius games is refraining to pick a fourth option in Gradius II & Gaiden to avoid the option hunter altogether in my opinion. You're also not able to get the massive amount of points from the volcano in stage 1 as well as the cosmic amoeba in stage 6 which leads to a smaller stock of lives, too. Options and missiles only affect the rank by a negligible amount (and speed-ups don't matter at all, unlike in Parodius Da!), yet they provide invaluable support in taking out all the enemies. And I suppose you can skip the shield, but everything else is only detrimental. It's always identical when you're trying to recover because the rank will be the same in every case - you got no power-ups and are in the same stage, after all. If you're powered up, that stage is significantly harder than the moai statue bit, and much harder to recover from, so I want to try to manage my item usage to keep it reasonable.