And I'm at the boss of stage 6. This game's haaaard, but at least when you die there are enough powerups to get strong enough to offer some resistance if you live for just a bit.
You're talking R-Type, correct? Yes, you just gotta survive long enough for a few power-ups to get an edge (Gradius series is just like this). Simply getting a Speed-Up feels wonderful (in both games). Ha!
Super Raiden CD. So far I get stuck at the end of level 3. Man the boss is hard to hit.
Until you figure out a strategy, you can always go crazy with well-timed bombs. But, once you realize the hit-box on your ship is smaller than you'd think, well, you gain a bit of hope.