Hi guys, I'm new on this board. Seems like a cool site you've got here! Anyway, I recently re-purchased Konami GB Collection Vol1 (which is a great collection by the way!). I've been playing Gradius ALOT, and have not cleared the second stage yet Am I crap or is it just really, really hard?! Also, any strategies or advise? Cheers.
The laser seems to be way better than the expanded shots. Use that. The shield is your best friend, use it a lot too. Be extra careful about running into walls and enemies, as the shield won't save you there - if you have to run into something, make it a bullet and not a wall. Also, don't get more than one or two speed-ups, as you'll start going uncontrollably fast.
Thanks for the tips guys. I did complete stage 2 last night-huzzah! I changed my strategy, making the force-field a priority. I was so glad to finish that damn level! It really is a wicked game.