My 2nd try for a game run, I haven't really finished it yet though it took me 2 days already, cause I guess I need motivation or some comments about it to actually finish it up >_< (it drains my energy quite fast too)
By upgrade, do you mean those upgrade that increases my speed or weapon? If it's weapon, there is, but I didn't collect them cause I did not plan to shoot at any enemy (except the one you saw at 1st and 2nd stage, cause it's unavoidable to die without shooting at them, my bad >_<), if it's speed then I dun think there's any, or rather there isn't any. I try to make it look like the enemy's gotta hit me, and I escape from it... (it is real during making but the outcome is not impressive at all :/ )
I certainly believe mine is not as impressive as minamoto's gradius or tviks' gradius 3 for those stages you've seen, but I've no idea if I can push the physics to the limit at a later stage, cause those bullets either flew slowly (probably 2 or 3 times around it perhaps), or too fast (not even half a round... ) and my ship is limited to the 4 speed bar, I'll try my best >_<
And no, you're not crazy :D The game have a top view background, which i think it's cool :D though I prefer Thunder Force 4 (which I'm still a noob at it) ^_^;;