RQ: SNES Gradius 3 2nd loop practice?

[SuperXGamma]

Any way to play 2nd loop difficulty without getting there? Set the game to hard?

[CStarFlare]

Save states?

[mathman]

I play other Gradius games as practice. Loop 2 is not the same as Hard or Arcade mode at all. Assuming the same rank system from the arcade is used (it's on this message board somewhere), this makes a lot of sense.

[ZaKa-tokyobassist]

I made it to the final stage on Loop 5 on Arcade difficulty but if you die at the regen wall/turret checkpoint, you are fucked. Anything above Loop 2 you'll need to start "outrunning" bullets with 3 Speed Ups minimum.