With Gradius 3 & 4 you get two shooting games on one disc!
Gradius 3 starts with a dazzling intro movie and then settles
into a side-scrolling shooter. You must shoot your way against
numerous alien ships hurtling toward you while picking up
different power-ups--such as speed tune-ups, missile weapons,
lasers, and shields--to keep your end up in an ever more intense
battle. Also, you can pick up the husks of burned-out foes for
more rewards.
Gradius 4 is essentially the same type of game, but the
side-scrolling action often breaks up and allows you to move in
less restrictive ways. Of course, that newfound freedom doesn't
necessarily work to your advantage; wild enemies can now come
sweeping at you from all angles.
.com
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Every console system pays homage to the past, even as consumers
leap into the future. The Dreamcast hosted various Midway and
Namco arcade packages, and there was the famous (or infamous,
depending on how you feel about 2-D space shooters) GigaWing.
Sony and Konami are getting into the act by bringing the Gradius
series to PlayStation2--at launch, no less. While it gives many,
if not most, people a significant "warm, fuzzy" feeling to
revisit the past, one can make a strong case that developing a
PS2 version of Gradius III & IV was more about padding the
launch lineup.
If you're a fan of the side-scrolling-shooter genre, however,
this edition likely will please you. It has almost everything
that a trigger-happy arcade hound could want: rapid-fire
framerate, lots of color and animation, and that wonderful '80s
feel. It also has some of the glitz that younger video game fans
demand, such as two completely new CG intro videos that look
pretty dang cool.
Konami has pulled out all of the stops in revamping the look of
the gameplay, too. The two games now are quite polygonally
charged and texturally sophisticated. The graphics now use
environmental ping, and polygon morphing makes the animation
very smooth. Another nice feature, especially for a game like
Gradius is that a stage-selection mode and a continue feature
have been added to allow players to go back to wherever they
want to start over, revisit, and/or practice a tricky spot.
While it might not register in the minds of those of us who are
addicted to high-profile launch games like Dead or Alive 2:
Hardcore, Gradius III & IV might be good to buy for casual
gamers of all ages and skill ranges, since Konami has added
modes for beginners and advanced players. Everyone from granny
to baby brother should be able to pick up this title and th
right out of the box. --Todd Mowatt
Pros:
* Enhanced gameplay nostalgia
* New stage-selection and continue features
Cons: * Appealing to casual gamers and fans of the genre only
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Review
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The popularity of retrogaming is unquestionable. Between the
remakes of old franchises and the repackaging of old arcade games
into "best of" console compilations, it's obvious that today's
game players have a huge soft spot for recent nostalgia. With
this in mind, Konami has brought Gradius III & IV, a name that no
doubt warms the memories of many NES players, to the PS2.
The Gradius series is one of the unsung heroes of the gaming
world. All of the now-standard conventions of side-scrolling
shooters - screens filled with enemies and enemy fire, gigantic
bosses, and a large, multifaceted weapons system - were
popularized in the Gradius series. For the PS2 release, Konami
has skipped any sort of augmentation of these titles and instead
has opted for straight emulation. Gradius III & IV are both
identical to their arcade counterparts, down to such minutiae as
imitating the same slowdown found in the originals. The
world-famous Konami code is included as well. All of this will
either light up the eyes of players jonesing for some y
retro gaming or be a wicked disappointment to gamers looking for
something new.
Since the release of the original Gradius in 1985, and the
subsequent releases of Gradius II, III, and IV in 1988, 1989, and
1998, respectively, not much has changed in the world of Gradius.
Aside from a few slightly different enemy types and weapon
configurations, III & IV play identically to Gradius circa 1985.
But what's even more interesting than the games' similarities is
that gameplay-wise, this old horse is able to keep up with the
likes of Silpheed and other new-school side-scrolling shooters
without breaking a sweat. The gameplay is still top-notch for the
genre, and it will not disappoint shooter fans. One of the
trademarks of the Gradius series, and a good portion of the
side-scrolling shooters out there, is a high level of difficulty.
Gradius III & IV are hard, and out-of-practice players will
likely be jostled by their extreme difficulty - so be warned.
Gradius III & IV show their respective ages, though with a
certain a of pride. Gradius III looks like the 16-bit 2D
wonder that it is, while IV includes a smattering of polygonal
effects and higher-resolution sprites. The reception of their
antiquated presentation is dependent on the players themselves;
the flat 2D graphics and tinny sound effects will either evoke
bucketfuls of nostalgia for older players or come off as
unimpressive and dated to players not raised on the series.
While some consider it a cashing-in tactic by game companies,
Konami has done a graceful job of repackaging and rereleasing
Gradius III & IV. Both games represent their arcade counterparts
flawlessly, to the point of including the flaws. Konami's s
may be locked dead on the retrogaming audience, but Gradius III &
IV are both excellent, albeit incredibly difficult, games in
their own right. Anyone looking for a solid side-scrolling
shooter would do well to pick up this game.
--Ryan Davis--Copyright © 2000 GameSpot Inc. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium
without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. --
GameSpot Review
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- 1 or 2 Players.
- Digital or Analog Control.
- Vast array of weapons and enemies.
- All new C6 movies for both Gradius III & IV.
- Added options not found in the arcade versions.