In this mode, each of the sixteen stages is surrounded by a ring of fire (and has the text "VERY HARD" flashing on it!) on the stage selection screen, and if you are using MAME to play this game, you may wish to enable game cheats, and reduce the "Overclock CPU1" percentage to slow the game down in this mode to make it easier; the virtual lightguns still move with the same speed and sensitivity determined by the settings in the "Analog Controls" menu.
Stage 1 (1st block, top-left)[edit]
Welcome to Very Hard Mode. In this stage, you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the car; if you manage to shoot it seventy times before the timer runs out, it shall explode and you will receive a bonus of 30 points for every hit you landed on it, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 3000 points (for quick shot). However, if you don't manage to shoot the car seventy times before the timer ran out, you shall fail the stage.
Stage 2 (1st block, top-right)[edit]
In this stage, you will have an infinite amount of bullets, to fire at the cardboard ninjas that are popping out of the ceiling, wall and floor of the dojo; if you manage to shoot over twenty of them before the timer runs out, you shall receive a bonus of 200 points for every one you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage), and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you did not manage to shoot over twenty of them, you will fail the stage.
Stage 3 (1st block, bottom-left)[edit]
In this stage, you shall have sixteen bullets to shoot the numbers 1 to 16 in order; if you manage to do so before the timer runs out, the text "CLEAR" will appear where the numbers had been and you will receive a bonus of 250 points for every number you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you either miss or shoot the numbers in the wrong order, you will automatically fail the stage.
Stage 4 (1st block, bottom-right)[edit]
In this stage, you shall have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at your own targets (red for 1P, blue for 2P) as they fall down into view from the top of the screen and bounce down the two metal bars; however, you should not shoot the other player's targets, as you will lose one life at the end of the stage for every one you accidentally hit. If you manage to shoot over sixteen of them, you will receive a bonus of 220 points for every target you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage), and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot) - but, if you could not shoot over sixteen of them, you shall fail the stage.
Stage 5 (2nd block, top-left)[edit]
In this stage, you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the head of the Chinese dragon (who looks like the Ryu from Namco's 1986 beat 'em up Genpei Tōma Den, only with a moustache) as he flies around the screen; once you have shot his head twenty-eight times, he shall explode, and you will receive a bonus of 180 points for every hit you landed (on his head!), a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage), and a maximum of 1700 points (for quick shot). However, if you did not manage to shoot his head twenty-eight times and make him explode before the timer ran out, you shall fail the stage.
Stage 6 (2nd block, top-right)[edit]
In this stage, you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the cardboard criminals that are popping up in the doors and windows (and on the roofs) of the buildings, as the camera pans to the right; however, you shouldn't shoot the cardboard civilians when they pop up, for you shall lose one life at the end of the stage for every one you accidentally hit. If you manage to shoot over twenty-six criminals before the timer runs out you will receive a bonus of 200 points for every one you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1700 points (for quick shot) - however, if you did not, you shall fail the stage. This is also the last stage to feature the cardboard criminals (and as a result, it is also the last to feature the cardboard civilians).
Stage 7 (2nd block, bottom-left)[edit]
In this stage, you shall have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the animal that matches the one displayed in the window (which has the text "SAMPLE IS THIS" on both sides); for the original Japanese version, the Kanji text mihon (見本) is displayed on its right side whenever a new set of twelve animals pops up on the shelves below it, but in the US version, the text "SAMPLE" is displayed instead. You should also not shoot the bombs when they pop up, for you shall lose one life at the end of the stage for every one you accidentally hit - and, if you manage to shoot over eleven animals that match the one displayed in the window, you will receive a bonus of 380 points for every one you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage), and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you could not shoot over eleven animals that matched the one displayed in the window, you shall fail the stage.
Stage 8 (2nd block, bottom-right)[edit]
In this stage, you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the rocks that the volcanos are spewing out towards Dr. Don and/or Dr. Dan as they run back and forth at the bottom of the screen; if you manage to survive the full twenty seconds you will receive a bonus of 120 points for every rock you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage), and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you miss even one rock, it will hit the ground and explode, sending lava flying everywhere and killing Dr. Don and/or Dr. Dan immediately (and causing you to automatically fail the stage as a result).
Bonus Stage[edit]
In this stage, you will have a single bullet, to fire at one of four falling treasure chests; one contains a heart (an extra life), another contains twenty coins (10000 points), the third contains a heart and twenty gold coins, and the fourth contains nothing. If you shoot the empty one, you shall not be penalised.
Stage 9 (3rd block, top-left)[edit]
In this stage, you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire through the window at the targets as they pass into view from the left and right sides of the screen; however, you shouldn't shoot the bombs when they pass into view as you will lose one life at the end of the stage for every one you accidentally hit. If you manage to shoot over sixteen of them before the timer runs out you shall receive a bonus of 400 points for every target you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage), and a maximum of 1600 points (for quick shot) - but, if you did not manage to shoot over sixteen, you will fail the stage.
Stage 10 (3rd block, top-right)[edit]
In this stage you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at your sides of the double-sided rotating targets (red for 1P, blue for 2P) as they pop up on the shelves, and rotate in an anticlockwise direction; however, you should not shoot the other player's sides of the targets, for you will lose one life at the end of the stage for every one you accidentally hit. If you manage to shoot over thirty-five of your own target sides you will receive a bonus of 100 points for every one you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot) - but if you don't you'll fail the stage.
Stage 11 (3rd block, bottom-left)[edit]
In this stage (which is similar to the "high-score" stage), you shall have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the keys of a QWERTY keyboard and spell the three-letter words displayed at the top of the screen (but, unlike in the "high-score" stage, it doesn't display an X on the inactive player's side); if you manage to spell over six of them before the timer runs out you will receive a bonus of 180 points for every word you spelled, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you did not manage to spell over six of the words, you will fail the stage.
Stage 12 (3rd block, bottom-right)[edit]
In this stage, you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the cans on the bench when the green lights behind them turn on; however, you should not shoot a can when the green light behind it is not turned on, as you shall lose one life at the end of the stage for every one you accidentally hit. If you manage to shoot over eight cans when the green lights behind them are turned on, you receive a bonus of 500 points for every one you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot) - but if you could not shoot over eight of them, you shall fail the stage.
Stage 13 (4th block, top-left)[edit]
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In this stage you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the beehives hanging from the branches of the tree and the bees that emerge from them; if you manage to shoot over twenty bees, you will receive a bonus of 150 points for every one you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you couldn't manage to shoot over twenty bees before the timer runs out, you shall fail the stage.
Stage 14 (4th block, top-right)[edit]
In this stage, you will have six bullets to fire at the flashing mark on your own bull (red for 1P, blue for 2P); however, you should try not to shoot the other player's bull, as you will lose one life at the end of the stage for every time you accidentally hit it. Once you have run out of bullets (or the timer runs out), your bull will be brought up to the camera - and if you manage to score over 520 points, you will receive a bonus of your score multiplied by ten (for hits) and a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage). However, if you didn't manage to score over 520 points, you will fail the stage; you should also refer to the image below, which is taken from the stage's introduction (on the first player's side), to find out how much each part of the bull is worth when shot.
Stage 15 (4th block, bottom-left)[edit]
In this stage, you shall have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the torches that are being thrown out of the statues' eyes on the left side of the screen (Dr. Don and/or Dr. Dan are tied to a stake at the bottom of it); if you manage to survive the full twenty seconds, you shall receive a bonus of 120 points for every torch you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you miss even one of the torches, it shall hit Dr. Don and/or Dr. Dan, setting them alight and killing them instantly (and causing you to automatically fail the stage as a result).
Stage 16 (4th block, bottom-right)[edit]
In this stage (which is similar to the second stage of the Training Mode), you'll have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the tanks which are driving over the sand dunes towards Dr. Don and/or Dr. Dan as they march left and right; if you manage to survive the full twenty seconds, you shall receive a bonus of 130 points for every tank you hit, a maximum of 2000 points (for hit percentage) and a maximum of 1000 points (for quick shot). However, if you fail to shoot a tank before it reaches Dr. Don and/or Dr. Dan, it will shoot them, killing them instantly and causing you to automatically fail the stage as a result.
Last Stage (castle)[edit]
In this stage you will have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the targets on the twenty-one cannons and light their fuses; once the timer has run out, eight red- and blue-uniformed soldiers will run into view from the left and right sides of the screen, and blow their trumpets as the camera pans upward and the cannons whose targets you shot launch fireworks into the air. All twenty-one cannons (including the ones you missed) will then launch sixteen more fireworks into the air, which will explode into the text "CONGRATULATIONS" at the top of the screen as your stage score is calculated (hit: 510). The text "VERY HARD COMPLETE!" shall then appear at the top of the screen and you'll receive 10000 points for every life you have remaining - and the highlighter shall run down five more phrases a few times before slowing down and stopping on one (again, based on how many stages you failed):
The text "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU RANK AMONG THE ELITE PLAYERS!" shall now appear at the bottom of the screen and the credits shall start:
After the credits have finished, the game will go into "high-score" mode; it's again depicted as an extra stage with the objective ENTER INITIALS IN 10 SECONDS. and in it you have an infinite amount of bullets to fire at the keys of a QWERTY keyboard and enter your initials at the top of the table with pride, regardless of which way around they are positioned (for your scores shall most likely be the two highest ones on the cabinet to date!). Once you have done so, the curtain with the text "GAME OVER" on it shall come down from the top of the screen, and the game shall go back into attract mode.