Easiest Gradius?

jpolz · Post by **jpolz** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:03 pm

I picked up the PSP Gradius Collection the other day, but really haven't had much time to mess around with it. It looks to be a nice way to get exposure to some of the Gradius titles that never made it stateside.

My experience with Gradius is pretty much the NES version of Gradius and the SNES version of Gradius III (which I know is "dumbed down" quite a bit from the arcade version) and Gradius V.

So out of the whole franchise, which installment did you find to be the least taxing?

Kiken · Post by **Kiken** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:14 pm

jpolz wrote:I picked up the PSP Gradius Collection the other day, but really haven't had much time to mess around with it. It looks to be a nice way to get exposure to some of the Gradius titles that never made it stateside.

My experience with Gradius is pretty much the NES version of Gradius and the SNES version of Gradius III (which I know is "dumbed down" quite a bit from the arcade version) and Gradius V.

So out of the whole franchise, which installment did you find to be the least taxing?

Well, if you're including some of the odd homeports, I'd say Gradius II for Famicom is certainly the easiest. However, if you're going with the main 5 games plus Gaiden, I'd have to say something of a tie between the original Gradius and Gradius Gaiden. Arcade Gradius III is undeniably one of the most difficult examples of our genre (some parts of Gradius IV are also less than fair...). Gradius II and Gradius V are perhaps the most well-balanced.

LoneSage · Post by **LoneSage** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:53 pm

I'd say Gradius IV; like its graphics, it just felt really simple.
Love that Kenny G-ish music, tho.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:13 pm

Myself, I've gotten farthest in Gaiden, so that'd be my pick...

Post by **Ghegs** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:17 pm

LoneSage wrote:I'd say Gradius IV; like its graphics, it just felt really simple.
Love that Kenny G-ish music, tho.

Insanity. I've never managed to pass the bubble stage on that one when playing on defaults.

My vote goes for the original Gradius. Granted I haven't tried the arcade one in a while, but the NES and PCE ports are rather easy to loop a few times.

Gaiden isn't too hard either, and it's more fun.

benj · Post by **benj** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 6:24 pm

The first Gradius was the only one I could 1CC without too much problems. I actually think it's easier than the NES port. Including ports it's definitely GII for the Famicom, like Kiken said. Easiest 1LC you'll ever achieve.
Gradius Galaxies isn't that hard either.

J-Manic · Post by **J-Manic** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:33 pm

The easiest Gradius for me to beat was Gradius III. They became insanely difficult for me after the SNES port, which is the version Iam referring to. Gradius III was just good old easy fun, just like the original Gradius, which I owned for the NES. The original was kinda easy for me too. But I just flew through Gradius III when I first bought it. I actually just beat it again recently.

MSZ · Post by **MSZ** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 9:03 pm

LoneSage wrote:I'd say Gradius IV; like its graphics, it just felt really simple.
Love that Kenny G-ish music, tho.

Simple? It took me 6 full years to just beat the first 5 stages in one credit...

Gaiden is the easiest game in Gradius Portable. If you are including all different ports/versions, I would say Nemesis II(GB) and Gradius II(Famicom).

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 9:15 pm

J-Manic wrote:The easiest Gradius for me to beat was Gradius III. They became insanely difficult for me after the SNES port, which is the version Iam referring to. Gradius III was just good old easy fun, just like the original Gradius, which I owned for the NES. The original was kinda easy for me too. But I just flew through Gradius III when I first bought it. I actually just beat it again recently.

The arcade version is fucking hilarious in difficulty.

And by hilarious i mean "kill me now"

Sly Cherry Chunks · Post by **Sly Cherry Chunks** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 9:22 pm

Everytime somebody says Gradius I is easy, I just get more and more confused.

I breezed through Gaiden with a week's practice though.

Shalashaska · Post by **Shalashaska** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:56 am

My vote goes to Gaiden as well, by a long shot.

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:04 am

Gradius 1 is easy in the sense that you can clear the game easily by not dying or dying in good spots, but Gaiden is easy in the sense that it's much more forgiving on death.

The Coop · Post by **The Coop** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:22 am

My vote goes to Gradius. I can blow through that game without any problems. Gradius III (arcade) on the other hand...

Edge · Post by **Edge** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:37 am

Gradius 1 on NES/PCE or Arcade, I think they are all on the easier shmups side.

And Gradius 3 on Arcade is just unfair, I don't think this game is fun to play. At least I couldn't enjoy this one. The SNES version is pretty nice though.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:53 am

In order of ease to me:
Gradius
Gradius II
Gradius V
Gradius III
Gradius IV (not sure, III might be harder ... it's a tossup as they both kick my ass)

Kaiser · Post by **Kaiser** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:28 am

I beat gradius gaiden first loop on one credit

for me easiest was V
anyone beat heaven's gate in gaiden? that was pain in the *** i lost there 5 continues!

MSZ · Post by **MSZ** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:13 am

Kaiser wrote:I beat gradius gaiden first loop on one credit
for me easiest was V
anyone beat heaven's gate in gaiden? that was pain in the *** i lost there 5 continues!

Heaven's Gate is overrated.

With some practices this thing is pretty much beatable in one life.

superhitachi4 · Post by **superhitachi4** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:33 pm

Kaiser wrote:I beat gradius gaiden first loop on one credit
for me easiest was V
anyone beat heaven's gate in gaiden? that was pain in the *** i lost there 5 continues!

New rule: Everyone who says Gradius V is easy needs to provide a game play video. I handle the game quite well, but I won't go as far as saying it's "easy".

WarpZone · Post by **WarpZone** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:38 pm

superhitachi4 wrote:New rule: Everyone who says Gradius V is easy needs to provide a game play video. I handle the game quite well, but I won't go as far as saying it's "easy".

To be fair, he never said it was easy, just his "easiest" of the series. I can understand this; I think it's the most "playable" Gradius game - demanding and challenging but in a "well-rounded" and "fair" way. Others may be technically easier, but I don't have the patience to fiddle with awkward hit-boxes and memorize checkpoint recovery strategies, and as a result Gradius V is the only one (I think) that I've 1CC'd.

zaphod · Post by **zaphod** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:52 am

Gradius NES is MUCH easier than gradius arcade. MUCH. THe laser and force in nes gradius are both insanely UBER compared to the arcade versions.

Gradius 3 for SNES is not dumbed down. More like balanced.

Another easy clear was life force for NES.

I really want gaiden but can't seem to get is.

icycalm · Post by **icycalm** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 1:47 am

WarpZone wrote:... as a result Gradius V is the only one (I think) that I've 1CC'd.

How can you 1CC games and not be sure whether you did? Or not remember afterwards?

Do you clear games when you are drunk?

WarpZone · Post by **WarpZone** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:23 pm

icycalm wrote:How can you 1CC games and not be sure whether you did? Or not remember afterwards?

My statement was a little ambiguous...to clarify, I've definitely cleared GV, but couldn't remember if I had cleared SNES Gradius III on defaults, so I'd err on the side of GV only.

Sonic R · Post by **Sonic R** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:02 pm

The first Gradius is the easiest by all means. This goes for the NES and the Arcade(as seen in the Collection) I am able to 1cc both these, and I can't 1cc much of anything nor am I super good at any shooties.

Gradius III (arcade) is unfairly difficult. I have been playing this as of late on the collection and can manage to get to the 3rd stage with one life before shortly dying a cheap death. I then quit and start over. The game is not fair but something in me keeps me playing again. I guess i just love the torture, the punishment.

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Easiest Gradius?

Easiest Gradius?

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