RQ: Gradius I (SOMEBODY HELP ME)

For posting and requesting strategic gameplay tips on shmups!
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Monkey_Man
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RQ: Gradius I (SOMEBODY HELP ME)

Post by Monkey_Man »

Since the very first time I played Gradius I, the game that had been described to me by many as "orgasmic" and "mindblowing" and "I get off to it, but don't tell anybody", I've been plagued with a horrible disease. I think I'm the only one who has it. There aren't any support groups or anything.

I've never beaten the first level.

And it's not even the boss that gets me. It's those stupid rocks next to those stupid rock volcano things. I don't really know what they are, but they pain me to no end.

So, is there something I'm missing, or is it just really hard?
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captain ahar
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Post by captain ahar »

generally (assuming lasers and options and missiles) you can pull all the way back, with options in front, firing just over the volcanoes. this should destroy the rocks being shat out. also, it is quite easy to cruise directly above one of the volcanoes, at the sacrifice of the missed points.
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Post by Monkey_Man »

captain ahar wrote:generally (assuming lasers and options and missiles) you can pull all the way back, with options in front, firing just over the volcanoes. this should destroy the rocks being shat out. also, it is quite easy to cruise directly above one of the volcanoes, at the sacrifice of the missed points.
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Post by BulletMagnet »

As an additional tip (possibly), are you playing it on an emu, or on one of the "deluxe packs" on PS or Saturn? If the latter, you might want to turn on the "full screen" option in the (duh) options menu, that gives you a bit more space to move around.
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Post by Monkey_Man »

BulletMagnet wrote:As an additional tip (possibly), are you playing it on an emu, or on one of the "deluxe packs" on PS or Saturn? If the latter, you might want to turn on the "full screen" option in the (duh) options menu, that gives you a bit more space to move around.
I'm playing on an emu. Thanks, though.
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Post by zaphod »

yeah, if you get enough options (you shouodl have 3) and have the laser weapon (which you should if you've one-lifed it up to that point) you can easily keep a constant stream of laser fire right above the volcanos and get 99.9% of all rocks fired out that way.maybe 1 in 10 games one will actually sneak thru and possible kill you, but it's very rare..
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Post by Monkey_Man »

zaphod wrote:yeah, if you get enough options (you shouodl have 3) and have the laser weapon (which you should if you've one-lifed it up to that point) you can easily keep a constant stream of laser fire right above the volcanos and get 99.9% of all rocks fired out that way.maybe 1 in 10 games one will actually sneak thru and possible kill you, but it's very rare..
I usually have two options by then, and I just move the options over my ship. Any rocks that do get through never actually get past the options.
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Post by zaphod »

what?? you must be missing powerups. you should have three, plus laser, plus missiles. there's enough powerups for that even if you miss TWO!
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Post by Monkey_Man »

I usually have two, plus missiles, plus a laser and a shield. Should I skip the shield?
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Post by captain ahar »

the shield probably isn't worth the time at that point. get the extra option instead.
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Post by BulletMagnet »

Is the original Gradius shield EVER worth it? :P
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Post by gs68 »

If you want to avoid the rocks, fly all the way up (your ship looks like it can hit the ceiling, but it won't) and to the right.
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Post by landshark »

BulletMagnet wrote:Is the original Gradius shield EVER worth it? :P
in gradius 1 it is.
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Post by zaphod »

In level 2 you can get the 4th option and the shield if you onelife level 1. If you keep dying in level 2 then get the siheld first before the 4th option, but I prefer getting the option first. I
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Edge
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Post by Edge »

I think only in the NES port of Gradius 1 is the shield protecting your whole ship.

Besides a very important strategy is: NEVER DIE IN STAGE 3!

This Stage with no Power Ups is harder than the last stage.
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Post by PFG 9000 »

Along that line, is there any particular strategy for Stage 3 (Moai)? I am okay at the Gradius series and I've 1cc'd Gradius on the PSX Deluxe pack on Easy difficulty (shame shame, I know :P ), but I always die on the Moai stage, every single game, without fail. I know how to get past it once I've respawned in the middle of the stage, but for some reason I can never one-life the game past the middle of the third stage. Should I be using Double instead of Laser? Does it matter which path you take through the level, or are they all equally cheap?
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Post by Ghegs »

PFG 9000 wrote:Along that line, is there any particular strategy for Stage 3 (Moai)? I am okay at the Gradius series and I've 1cc'd Gradius on the PSX Deluxe pack on Easy difficulty (shame shame, I know :P ), but I always die on the Moai stage, every single game, without fail. I know how to get past it once I've respawned in the middle of the stage, but for some reason I can never one-life the game past the middle of the third stage. Should I be using Double instead of Laser? Does it matter which path you take through the level, or are they all equally cheap?
I'm not sure if the PCE port is 100% accurate when it comes to difficulty, but in it I play with Double exclusively. One-lifed the first loop and got through two loops in total with it.
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Post by captain ahar »

PFG 9000 wrote:...but I always die on the Moai stage, every single game, without fail. I know how to get past it once I've respawned in the middle of the stage, but for some reason I can never one-life the game past the middle of the third stage.
same here, but i play on normal. :P

seriously though, i almost 1-lifed through it once, but ended up forgetting the enemy layout in the last stretch and ended up crashing into a popcorn enemy. :?

and yes... i do rule at gradius :)
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PFG 9000
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Post by PFG 9000 »

Yeah, I should've specified: The Moai stage is very 1-lifeable on Easy. It's on Normal that I can't get through without dying. :)

*goes to play Salamander 2*
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Post by Zach Keene »

Double gets a bad rap, but unless you're Ben Shinobi it's pretty much vital in the original Gradius. Stages 4 and 7 especially.

It's helpful in the Moai stage as it's much easier to take out top mounted Moai with Double than positioning your options right to get them with Laser. That and you can seriously pwn the rush of motherships at the end with double and missiles just by parking at the far right edge of the screen and watching them fly right into their doom.
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Post by zaphod »

I have no trouble pwning the ships at the end of stage 3 with laser. the problem with double is that it forces you to divide yur firepower between ahead and diagonalyl up.i can do the moai stage fine without double, it's stag 4 that gets tricky, due to the enemies attacking from above with large numbers of bullets, you really have to kill quickly tere, and laser just can't get them all.
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Post by durias »

I'm a shmup rookie. 'Nuff said.

I've only been past level three once. The stage right before the boss on level three (those amoeba things that shoot two rounds of three mini amoebas) is normally my dead end. And, the one time I got past it, I had nothing. No speed, missiles, double, laser, options, nor shield. So, the computer took it easy on me. Heh.

I'm typically well-equipped when I get to this stage and I can typically get past the first two amoebas but it's tight. The third and the fourth one own me. And, if I'm decked out with speed, laser, options, etc. they like to throw a fifth and a sixth one by me. Sheesh.

When I get to this part of the game I immediately engage them by flying to the right of the screen and work at avoiding the second round of amoebas if I'm able to destroy 'em.

Any advice?

Incidentally, the one time I got past it, I cruised through the next three levels pretty easily before I died.
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Post by Brett »

I'm playing this game on the Konami Classics Collection, and I'm trying to figure out if there's a rank system. It seems like there's a part in every level where turrets spam you with bullets. In level 1 it's right before the rock with the laser guns, in level 2 it's right before the big mass of pink dots before you get to the boss, you get the idea. And they seem to shoot less if I have fewer powerups, but they always seem to be shooting a little more than I'd like. :D

Is there a way to keep this game tame, or am I going to have to figure out some way to deal with the flood of bullets?
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Post by durias »

Brett wrote:Is there a way to keep this game tame, or am I going to have to figure out some way to deal with the flood of bullets?
I've been playing this game over the last couple o' weeks and I'm close to completing it. I'm not sure how much your version differs from the version I'm playing (on the Wii's Virtual Console) so this may or may not help.

The two examples you mentioned are manageable regardless of how you're outfitted (i.e. speed, options, laser, etc.). In my instance, it was just a matter of practice. Lasers are supremely helpful and, if you have one or two options, you can line 'em up to focus your shot thus giving you double or triple the fire power.

Also, this may be helpful: http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=14021

Two last things:

1. Lastly, I agree that if you don't have power ups in a stage, the computer does seem to take it easy on you.

2. Does anybody out there know how much difference (if any) there is between Gradius on Konami Classics and Gradius on the Wii's Virtual Console?
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Post by Edge »

I think the versions you two (durias and Brett) play are quiet different. :)
On Wii you can download the NES version of Gradius and if I am not mistaken the Konami Antiques collection has the Arcade version on it.

The NES version has smaller sprites and aternated stages and difficulty level, also hit detection is different. You can get 2 options, the shield protects the whole ship and rank is not so fierce and some secret bonuses have been added.

In the arcade version you have bigger sprites and some stages can scroll upwards and downwards, hit detection is different. You can carry 4 options and the shield only protects the front of your ship. Also the rank can get really mad.

@Brett:
I never try to control the rank, but on the arcade version I think some people avoid to get a fourth option and only play using 3 to tame the game a bit...

@durias:
I don't remember exactly how the "things" in the end of stage 3 behave, but I think it wasn't too dificult once you got the hang of their movement... you should use 2 speed ups, when they approach you so that you can fast go behind them, then they'll just leave the screen.

Otherwise maybe look at a gameplay movie maybe on Youtube:
I found one, but didn't watch it. :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUPWWuI2EY4
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Post by durias »

Edge wrote:@durias:
I don't remember exactly how the "things" in the end of stage 3 behave, but I think it wasn't too dificult once you got the hang of their movement... you should use 2 speed ups, when they approach you so that you can fast go behind them, then they'll just leave the screen.

Otherwise maybe look at a gameplay movie maybe on Youtube:
I found one, but didn't watch it. :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUPWWuI2EY4
Thanks TONS, Edge! This is super helpful.
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Post by Fu »

Does anybody know how to dodge the ennemies at the end of loop 2 stage 2 (just before the boss)?
I tried to memorize but it doesn't work. I think the only solution is to copy on a video.
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Re: RQ: Gradius I (SOMEBODY HELP ME)

Post by Master O »

Monkey_Man wrote:Since the very first time I played Gradius I, the game that had been described to me by many as "orgasmic" and "mindblowing" and "I get off to it, but don't tell anybody", I've been plagued with a horrible disease. I think I'm the only one who has it. There aren't any support groups or anything.

I've never beaten the first level!
In the arcade version of Gradius 1 at the end of stage 1, you can also put your ship in the upper-right hand corner of the screen and wait for the rocks to stop coming out of the volcanoes. No shooting required.

This doesn't work in the NES version though.
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Post by TLDragoon »

I've been playing the PSP version of Gradius 1. I'm slowly making progress (I've moved from Arcade mode to Arrange, and I can 1cc--like it's an option :roll: --Very Easy, and I can come close to 1cc'ing Easy). Maybe it's just me, but do the options seem a bit, well, sticky to anyone. They seem to want to clump up together, and they really don't space out too well unless I make big movements.

Has anyone else notice this, and if so, is it common to other versions of the game?
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Post by Zeether »

The more speedups you get the farther the options are spaced.
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