Raiden Fighters 2 (Arcade) - All (Raiden mk-II, 90 millions)

Played on MAME 0.256

For the first 4 stages I deliberately avoid laser items as it makes it hard to achieve several quick shot bonuses, while the starting shot with missiles is more than enough. For example the midsize planes in stage 2, with upgraded laser you have to pointblank in a very awkward way and honestly fuck doing that lol. Playing like this makes the game different than usual, since the rank is lower enemies barely shoot and several zakos that would carry medals drop power up items instead. By the end of stage 3 the ranks goes back to normal somehow.

However, the laser is actually incredibly helpful for the sky stage, making a stage where most slow ships struggle into something completely mindless. But of course this brings the disadvantages of playing with the purple laser: low damage and hard to control. Like 9:57, how is this not obnoxious? I have to keep reloading the laser otherwise it would damage the boss. The first Miclus on the desert stage also is extremely annoying to get with this ship since both of your weapons target what you're not supposed to kill.

I accidentally died in the desert stage boss. I didn't practice the final stage without the purple laser and I wasn't gonna take any risks, for what it's worth the laser is pretty good there.