XDR: X-Dazedly-Ray - Gameplay

Gameplay

Players piloted the titular ship through six different checkpoint-heavy levels, blasting various ground and sky forces. Rather than having Bomb weapons, the ship was equipped to fire a variety of different shots and smaller bombs. Players could collect power ups such as different firing weapons, ground-force bombs, a shield and Options, all of which were upgradable to three levels. Players could also change the ship's speed through four variations. Many of the end-level bosses required timed shots in exact hit points similar to Gradius.

The XDR can use three different weapons from item pick-ups including its standard upgradable shot, missile pick-ups and Options. The ship can collect the Wide Beam/Vulcan shot, Laser and the Wave Shot. The missile pick-ups actually fired as ground force bombs that would fire in four directions once fully upgraded. The ship's Options powered up strangely in that the first selected Option would encircle the ship, but the second and third power-ups caused the Option to follow the ship from behind rather than encircle it as well as multiply. The ship could also collect items such as a temporary shield and 1 Up icons.