RQ: Gradius (1, AC) rank

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

I've started playing Gradius, and it seems pretty clear that the best way to safely make it through the game is to be careful about what powerups you take so you can keep the rank under control. But I'm not sure exactly what influences rank - sometimes I get to the tough moai segment with only two powerups (one option and one speedup) and things are pretty chill, but sometimes the moai heads are way more aggressive than normal. Is there some element of randomness, or is there another factor that determines your rank aside from your powerups (something like score, amount of enemies killed, or amount of shots fired)?

[Perikles]

I'm pretty sure the rank in Gradius is completely static. The determining factors are the difficulty setting, loop & stage and the power-ups you've activated. I believe the moai heads react a bit different depending on their line of sight with the ship, that just might be superstition, though. I would also strongly advise to NOT exert any rank control, it's not worth it in the slightest. You're much better off playing it aggressive, the laser cuts through the ion rings with no complications whatsoever. You can also hide behind the heads and scurry from cover to cover, both with a fully powered up ship and after a death.

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

Well, not to say I don't have issues in stage 3 too, but I just used that as an example of weird rank fluctuations (even on seemingly identical no-miss, low powerup runs, the shot speed of the metal ball enemy before the Moais seems to vary pretty wildly) but I'm trying to keep the rank low for stage 4. 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.

[Perikles]

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.

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. And I suppose you can skip the shield, but everything else is only detrimental. 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. 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. 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.

[SMC]

Rank also increments roughly every 32 seconds of survival, even if you get no powerups at all it will max out some time around stage 4.

[Perikles]

That's interesting! I'd imagine there is a specific cap for each loop so that you don't get suicide bullets in the first loop, then? I have the suspicion that the rank might be maximized by the beginning of the third loop, from what I've played from the fourth loop it seems to be almost identical to the third, if not completely so. The Famicom port seems to hit its peak at about the same time while the PCE port definitely gets harder even after that, it's very quaint.

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

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.

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. And I suppose you can skip the shield, but everything else is only detrimental. 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. 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. 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.

Hm, alright. 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.

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.

[Perikles]

Hm, alright. 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.

I'd say that's ultimately the ideal approach, yes. 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. The laser has a very broad hitbox that extends quite a bit beyond the visible thin line, it should definitely be exploited. You also benefit from the increase of missiles which are invaluable in taking out all the ground enemies in this stage in a fast & efficient manner. Another thing to note is that speed-ups not only make your ship faster, but they also provide added spacing between the options which can be just as important as the velocity.

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.

Quite so! It's possible to end a loop with a score as low as, say, 300,000 points or with a score of over 500,000 points. The latter is very tricky to do and requires a couple of chancy decisions, but it's definitely possible to acquire one or two extends more just by selecting every option and using them accordingly (the volcano in the first stage alone will net you more than 60,000 points).

[SMC]

Here's a replay that shows off all the scoring tricks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49f066DhuAU
Also make sure you aren't playing 'Nemesis'. The rank in that version is completely messed up, and some parts are almost impossible without a shield even in the first loop.

That's interesting! I'd imagine there is a specific cap for each loop so that you don't get suicide bullets in the first loop, then? I have the suspicion that the rank might be maximized by the beginning of the third loop, from what I've played from the fourth loop it seems to be almost identical to the third, if not completely so. The Famicom port seems to hit its peak at about the same time while the PCE port definitely gets harder even after that, it's very quaint.

I wouldn't have thought suicide bullets were directly related to rank. I assumed there was just a static difficulty increase for each loop including more suicide bullets.

Anyway, if anyone wants to know the specific rank increases for each equip:
Speed: +0
Missile: +1
Double: +0
Laser: +2
Option: +1 each for a maximum of +4
Shield: +2

[pegboy]

Here's a replay that shows off all the scoring tricks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49f066DhuAU
Also make sure you aren't playing 'Nemesis'. The rank in that version is completely messed up, and some parts are almost impossible without a shield even in the first loop.

That's interesting! I'd imagine there is a specific cap for each loop so that you don't get suicide bullets in the first loop, then? I have the suspicion that the rank might be maximized by the beginning of the third loop, from what I've played from the fourth loop it seems to be almost identical to the third, if not completely so. The Famicom port seems to hit its peak at about the same time while the PCE port definitely gets harder even after that, it's very quaint.

I wouldn't have thought suicide bullets were directly related to rank. I assumed there was just a static difficulty increase for each loop including more suicide bullets.

Anyway, if anyone wants to know the specific rank increases for each equip:
Speed: +0
Missile: +1
Double: +0
Laser: +2
Option: +1 each for a maximum of +4
Shield: +2

I know the playstation version has suicide bullets in the first loop if you play on the hardest difficulty. It also only lets you get 1 extend.

[SMC]

in AC you can have rank maxing out at 15 in the first loop with no suicide bullets
2nd loop has suicide bullets from the start even though base rank at the start is only 9 I think?