Ultimate Gradius Review Part 3.
(Covers Gradius I, II, III, Advance, V, Rebirth, GB Gradius I, GB Gradius II)
Greetings, Backloggers!! As we continue to dive into this month of June, I have another Gradius review up and ready for you to give a good read at, complete with a bit more rants and compliments galore! This time, we will be talking about the “final” entry in the series that Konami originally had expectations for: Gradius III: From Myth to Legend for the Arcade. Now of course, as time goes by, this was immediately proven to be false as Konami would release more Gradius Games within the span of ’89 and ’99 with Salamander 2, Gradius Gaiden and Gradius IV respectively, but as with the story and how the gameplay is, this honestly felt like the real ending to a good era of Gradius. This game continues to expand from the veins of Gradius before it (primarily II) and adds many more features to make the gameplay a lot better and more innovative than what II had to offer. This time for the first time in Gradius, you’re now able to fully customize the types of weapons you choose when you select certain elements on the slot bar. Missile can be the main missile from the OG Gradius, or it can even be a two-way missile! The laser can be the default one, Ripple, Twin, you get what I mean. This edit option also has its limits as you can't have some weapons from the set paths from the normal menu, so you got to use your items wisely, experimenting with what you’ve chosen. This adds a whole new layer of replay value because you’re able to finally play the game however you choose to be. And if you don’t want to do that, you can always stick to using the reused combinations featured from the Gradius Games prior. This game is also the longest Gradius game in terms of having 12 stages total! (two of which are extra stages that can be accessed by purposefully dying at the final boss). The only major drawback to this game is once again not only the Graphics, but the fact that the original arcade version is SO. DAMN. HARD. You think that Dark Witch 3’s entire existence ruined the franchise's easy accessibility? Think AGAIN… And just like that game (oh, and we’ll get to rererevirwing THAT series again coupled with the new form of Backloggd writing thanks to my improved way of doing things and you guys support), the difficulty curve is resulted within the same reason ls as this game: The fact that the characters are naturally harder to beat with confusing attack patterns, and the stage design is on your darker side. After the Pusedo-3D stage that you play, all of it is just hell after that point. The Cell, Fire, Plant stages and don’t even get me started on the Cube Rush… I mean if you know what you’re doing, the stage isn’t bad once you finally get into the mechanics of how the stage works, but the fact that the final part of the Cube Rush can go kick rocks. This game was extremely different to the point that the original Japanese version so didn’t have continues. HOW ARE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO PLAY THIS GAME????
I seriously don’t understand why this game was so difficult… Konami eventually had to put this version on shelves and a revision was created that added a new course that was much easier that contained 3 of the beginning stages and modified the difficulty overall. For the one I’m playing, I’m playing the PS2 collection with this and the stupid mistake named Gradius IV, and I honestly don’t think that this game wasn’t many to be. I’m paying on the EASIEST setting and the game was still too difficult.
So that’s why in this review I’m not just going to be covering the original Arcade version but also the SNES one! This one I have a good memory with, fun fact. In 2009, when I was still extremely young, I remember a conflict happening with my bigger but smaller brother and sister that I don’t recall, but I was unwell for a while to the point that my other brother called my mother (or was it that mom was calling us? Idk) to inform that I wasn’t feeling well, and that we could share the Wii. The first game that we’ve pyed on there was SNES Gradius III, and I remember not getting passed the first stave. My brother could, but we both stopped at around the 3rd or 4th. That’s al I got for the short memory though, so let’s talk about this game!
Now to say, the SNES one is different to which some stages have been moved around, some outright removed (Crystal Maze (thankfully) and the Pusedo-3D are some of them) and the difficulty has been entirely changed. This game is also made a lot easier because of the huge slowdown due to the limits of the SNES. Said people actually complained about this change, but that makes me question: Would you rather have a near impossible but more complete version of Gradius to play or a Easier but less packed Gradius game? keep in mind that while the changes between the Arcade and SNES versions are present, the game is technically still the same game. This game even has a whole set of bonus stages that aren’t present inside of the original Arcade version, which automatically makes this one superior. It managed to have a lot less content in favor of new ones to try out. But even at the end of the day, everyone knows that to completely annihilate the slowdown, you have to get the SA-1 patch. Now you can at least have a fair challenge with playing SNES Gradius III with said patch and the Arcade mode that the game offers. If you can’t find it, just press A a lot and you’ll get it. Now since j have covered the basics, how about we actually get into the story?
Story
The story continues on what the II game had with how Gofer was defeated, and Planet Gradius and space was at a time of peace, but then the Bacterians decide to come at it once more launching a onslaught against the peculiar planet. Pretty much the same deal that we have to go for.
Graphics
Keeping in the same vein as Gradius II, not much of a Graphical upgrade has been given to the game. I mean, despite the fact that the game features the same pixel artist as last time (don’t know their name though, don’t ask me), the graphics actually feel… A bit more washed down compared to II? Don’t get me wrong, the pixel art looks great, but the game as a whole doesn’t feel as vibrant as it’s predecessor or not even Salamander in the slightest. The same thing goes with the SNES version as the SNES version features the same but more saturated graphics than the Arcade version. The only stages that look so nice to me are the Plant, Moai (even if it's relatively the same as II’s version), Fire, and the fortress that comes later in the game.
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Gameplay
As with keeping my tradition of reviewing every stage in this game, I’ll be covering all of the stages, but separating the two versions together as they’re all different to how they work.
Arcade
Desert [Goliath]
After your first air battle, you'll traverse in the desert in space, a first for mainline Gradius. Usually, the desert stages have come from the MSX Gradius or the PC-Engine Gradius, so it’s great to see one officially implemented in the Arcade games. Here, you'll encounter familiar foes amidst high and low sand hills for tricky movement. Sand lions emerge to attack, while sand dragons obstruct your path. At first glance, the stage appears straightforward, but as you progress, more sand lions and dragons will surface, leading up to the encounter with the formidable Goliath. He launches projectiles that divide into eight, as spiders descend from the top and bottom center, creating stings of webs. Your strategy should be to occupy the left side, since the spiders will not target you unless you remain stationary in the middle. However, be cautious as Goliath gradually inches forward. Aim for its eye to prevail.
Bubble Zone [Bubble Eye]
We now enter the next zone where bubbles and mechs collide. This stage is straightforward if you effectively use your lasers and eyesight, because not only are enemy projectiles heading your way, but also those from the BUBBLES, which are numerous. The larger ones burst into smaller ones, leading to a cluttered stage that can make things overwhelming.
The Bubble Eye emerges as a relatively simple boss. It's a massive bubble with an eye at its center, and you must shoot the bubble to get closer to the eye. This boss, however, shoots bubbles and is constantly on the move. It's a pretty straightforward boss and, in my opinion, slightly easier than Goliath.
Volcanic Planet [Big Core Mark III]
Gradius I had 2 Volcano stages, Salamander had one, Gradius II had one, now we enter the one featured in this game! It's relatively the same too but with more of a harder layout and it's longer than the others. Tons of enemies are everywhere but this incarnation I believe is harder due to the stationary ships containing the enemies being everywhere and the enemy that hops and shoots multiple projectiles coming in.
After the Volcano section, the stage shakes and multiple enemies come from the left at once to try getting you down, with some enemies attached from the above coming down when you get below them. As you enter the underground, here, you'll slowly enter what's contained here. Tons of different branching paths, with each of them having a different cause depending on which one you take. Eventually you do go to the top path, which had enemies coming from all over, and then we enter to a point where we have to use our lasers to dig dig dig. Similar to the Cell Stage in Gradius I or Salamander. Although we do eventually get to the Big Core Mark III which can shoot our two big lasers from the top and bottom and can shoot some in a diamond shape on the inside. It'll close its top and bottom to shoot you normally like a normal Core Warship, but the process will repeat until the boss is down.
High Speed
Now we enter the Pusedo-3D stage where in almost the style of Space Harrier, you have to fly through the small Maze that if not quick enough, you can easily trip yourself up here. Thankfully this section is quick and there's capsules that you can collect too, but then again, this stage will be over before you know it, and after this, the harder stages appear.
Moai Zone [Dogas, Vaif]
Giant Moai heads flying from the right, shooting medium Moai heads on the ground. This one is harder than the one in II where there's more Moai heads and by default they're in their ravaged variant seen in the later portion of the former. All you just to do is pray for your best, as even using double which was a working strat in II just makes you wraker and more vulnerable to death.
The fun doesn't end there too. There WI be Moai heads spinning on a rock that has four attached to them and you'll have to shoot all of them on the rock to clear the path ad quick as you can while the other Moai heads on said rocks shoot the sings at you. As you get to the boss, one blue Moai head has small ones circling this one like a shield, and you just have to continue shooting the mouth until it's gone. And now for Vaif, which are 6 Moai heads which shoot tiny Moai heads that can expand and explode. This one is Judy tedious so I've just let the boss commit suicide.
Cell Planet [Gregol]
We revisit another Cell stage where it's similar to the rest of them: Cell with hands coming out and you gotta crush all of them. At the middle portion, there will be cells that are stuck within the stage that you have to also defeat, and the latter portion is just similar to the Salamander one where sticking to the right is the way to go.
Gregol is one of the worst bosses that I like coming from this game. 6 cells in a worm like pattern, and you have to shoot the eye, with two arms coming from where you are and adjacent to it to then try to crush you but you have to shoot the arms to prevent this from happening.
At most times I felt like I can't hit the boss, so similar to Vaif, I've let this boss commit suicide.
Prominence Planet [Wyvern, Vulture, Dragon]
And now we enter one of the most infamous stages in the game: The Prominence stage. Meteors come from the right, snatchers come from the left trying to take your options, and the Meteors when shot, split into three. This might not seem that bad, but the tiny meteor parts cannot be destroyed, and there's a TON of metros coming out at once. One mess up and you're done. There's also the occasional enemy that shoots projectiles at you. Do yeah be prepared to not have a good time with this stage.
But if you do manage to get through this ordeal, a three headed dragon comes up and your job is to destroy the chest which looks like a core. Once done, the Dragon will split into two, and similar to the Salamander Intruder fight, they will try to circle around you, and you have to shoot its head from the head and fail. Once done, the boss will be dead, with its body scattering off to space.
Plant Planet [Choking Weed]
Another concept from the MSX game that has been brought to the mainline Gradius Games: A plant stage. I would say that this stage is nothing easier than the fire one because you got those spore looking things coming out of plants that look like arms that you have to shoot to keep them low, and you also got the stage itself that can be an issue, with plants and rocks everywhere just to make this stage even harder. Choking Weed is this stage’s boss that attempts to suck you in by using its eye???? , and it also has its hands that constantly shoots at you. This boss would be easy if it weren’t for those hands, and if it didn’t have to angle its head to be closer to you. But you really shouldn’t had to let the boss commit suicide because you’ll be in front of the eye cause it tries to suck you into it.
Crystal Zone/Maze [Lizard Core]
Remember the Providence stage? This one is another infamous one with how hard the stage is: The Crystal Zone/Maze to what some Gradius fans call this stage. This stage works by literally creating paths to make. You can break them so change the paths, but you might as well not as they have a bunch of HP anyways. This stage is notorious for how the crystal blocks can trap you if you’re not careful, and the second part. The second part you have to dodge the crystals coming from the right, and depending on how you do this can either lead to disaster or extra safety among you.
The first way is to just dodge the crystals as they come. While that sounds normal, you also have to take into account how the crystals can randomly go in the direction where you are headed, which can lead to insta death. The other way is by closing yourself through the crystals. That way you’re able to just stay there while the crystals try their best to get to you. But after this section, the stage moves forward, and if you’ve done the latter method, you have to make sure that you got enough space for the stage to move because if not, then you’ll die and eventually have to do this part all over again. I mean I don’t know how this guy can pull the former method off perfectly, but I guess that person has been consistently drinking red bull before he even played though this game. Not to mention, a snatcher can come at any point, and if you’ve done the closing method, then you’re SCREWED. that thing will take your options, and the Lizard Core (or what i’d personally like to call the Crystal Serpentine) is not that much of an easy boss. Similar to Big Core Mark III, it has arms that raise up and down, or adjacent to the player, but these arms don’t shoot straight lasers. This boss would be easy if you know that you have to continuously have to stick to the middle to ensure better safety amongst yourself. or you can let the boss commit suicide, like all of the other harder bosses in the game. Thankfully this is the last one before we get to the…
Boss Parade/Mechanical Base
Tetran
A lot more slower than the Gradius II version, but the same boss nonetheless. This one does shoot projectiles out of its rotating arms, but idk if that's present in its Gradius II incarnation.
Covered Core
Dodge missiles, shoot straight. Same deal as Gradius II.
Big Core Mark II
Admire the Ship like lasters that it shoots, dodge them, aim for the barriers and the core. Same deal as Gradius II.
Crystal Core
Die a lot due to the confusing attack pattern, stay in the top left or bottom left when he does the spam laser move, rinse and repeat. Same deal as Gradius II.
Death Mark II
You get the gist.
Delinger Core
New to this parade is the Delinger Core, which will shoot lasers blocking the majority of the screen. There's also a case of him ramming into you, but it happens extremely rarely for me. A good technique for this one is to stick in between the core itself and not its arms because there's a good amount of wiggle room that you can go up and down with.
Mechanical Base
This stage is long…This stage is hard… This stage is boring… It’s the usual tricky mechanical base, but with flashing black and red with “warning” played in the background, with rocks breaking featured from Salamander and Gradius II, with tight areas with cores that if you break, they still remain there, that if you get trapped, you’re done for, small crabs that come from the right and left with enemies coming, and giant lasters (that I absolutely despise) that circle either clockwise or counter clockwise. And at some point, you got snatchers taking your options away.
Disrupt
Same enemy wall as before but with three, and rising platforms coming from the top and the bottom. Stay close to the wall itself and risk the hits that you get.
Shadow Gear
Now this walker has 6 legs! Making this walker one of the hardest in the series. all i could imagine is a constant warning playing in the background cause I just fucking hate this part of the game. As you inch closer to Bacterian, there’s another Salamander-like Cell section with balls that go up and down. The reason why this looks simple BUT HARD is because of how the cells work as you shoot them and disappear. You shoot and they immediately come back, and you have to have lag on your side.
Ex: Volcano [Big Core Mark I]
Just the first stage from the first Gradius, but with the difficulty of Arcade Gradius III. Since you lose all your items, it’s not worth doing this unless you’re in it for the extra challenge. After some familiar level structure and the first stage’s music done in this game’s engine, you fight the Big Core Mark I, which works just like the Gradius II one. Shoots faster, moves faster, but the barriers don’t shoot projectiles when broken.
Ex: Bionic Germ [Golem]
Once again, you have been taken second part of the Arcade Salamander but with the difficulty of Gradius III, and you lose all of your items with no real way for you to recover from your mistakes. The golem also works like the Gradius II one where they close and open their eyes again.
To be completely honest, I'd just avoid doing these stages because while it's nostalgia baiting the series is known for, you'll be in these stages with borderline no items, and the bosses are just really to get killed by suicide becsuse there's no chance for you to kill them with the tiny pew default blaster that you have.
Bacterian
“I was born, under the greediness of mankind, while many menaces, some will lie.” URRRAGGGGHHHHH explosions explosions explosions explosions. Escape some more tricky platforming and you’re all done with this stage and the entire game ready for that next loop. I’m done talking about this version of the game, let’s see what the SNES version of this game has to offer.
SNES
Desert [Goliath]
One thing that the SNES changes with this version is the form of the environment. This one doesn’t feature much sand hills as the Arcade version, and this one excludes the sand lions. The goliath also functions differently with how the spiders come out: the Arcade version has them making nests as a projectile, but the SNES one omits that.
Bubble Zone [Bubble Eye]
The SNES version is identical to the Arcade version, but with fewer of the stations that shoot a bunch of enemies out of it. This stage also makes the first appearance of the bonus stage where after the “many bubbles” section of the stage, there will be enemies inside of bubbles that will come out, and you’ll have to go in the crevasse of where the bottom one spawns, and you’ll be teleported to the bonus stage. The Bubble Eye also functions the same as the original Arcade version being a bubble, shooting the bubble. But I almost never have to do this boss because I just go for the special stage, which skips the boss entirely. (this is not just exclusive to the bubble stage, it happens for every stage that has a bonus stage)
Volcanic Planet [Big Core Mark III]
Like the Bubble Zone, this stage is more like the Arcade version, although with some layout changes to make room for the different screen resolutions and for the easier difficulty. A good amount of enemies have also been taken out, and thankfully for the better, the random shaking that happens in the volcano part of the stage has been removed. I fucking hate this part in the original.
And now the underground part! This part has been M O D I F I E D. No longer is this section a long tedious fucking maze, but the layout overall has been made to be much more bearable. The original felt like 10 minutes completing this, while this version takes like 2-3. The Big Core Mark III works the same, but as always, the boss’s attack patterns were made to make the game a bit more bearable.
Moai Zone [Twin Vaif]
I am going to miss the giant moai heads coming from the right cause it just made the whole stage a lot more lively lol. This one feels more like a blend in between the Gradius II and Arcade one with how simple but similar it is, but honestly it's hard to make a comparison to the Moai stages cause it’s moai on rocks shooting rings and then they intensify. This one they do, but not in the Arcade version (probably because they are already hard to begin with and there’s a ton more there than here.)
One important change is the boss though, where instead of having a giant moai head having short ones circling around it, to then have 6 Moai heads to defeat, this one shortens it to two, similar to Gradius II. Tiny Moai heads come out of the mouths of both of them with the occasional shake with the rocks coming out of the ceiling. This one is much easier especially since the small moai heads don’t expand as you hit them like in the Arcade version.
Prominence Zone [Vluture, Dragon]
They have turned something that was hard as a Touhou stage into something that isn’t that bad anymore. For me, this stage went completely fast (to the point that the stage didn’t even go through the second loop) and I’ll explain this later. This one REDUCES the meteors that come from the sides, and to make the damaged projectiles also get damaged too instead of being indestructible, making the stage MUCH easier than the original Arcader version. Some deaths happened but it wasn’t that much.
The boss is not a 3 headed dragon anymore, but think about the intruder from Salamander. This one has two heads: One on the front and one on the back. Defeating the one on the front, makes the dragon move faster with smaller but faster bullets, and upon defeating the boss, it’ll explode its parts which can still hurt you. same thing with the Arcade version.
Plant Planet [Choking Weed]
Some of the enemies in this stage have been removed, but I still think this stage is just as hard as the arcade version, even with all the slowdown this stage had. But the Choking Weed boss isn't as tedious as it was in the arcade original. My only problem was dodging the projectiles that the hands kept spawning, but other than that (and some vines that were added to the stage's scenery that were removed from this version), yeah, this stage is just like the arcade original Borderline.
High Speed Zone [Beacon]
While this is definitely a High Speed stage, this one is more like the Gradius II version where you make quick maneuvers dodging the closing and opening doors collecting capsules and the occasional enemy projectile. This stage also has a special stage but I don't even remember where it is as when i try to go to a crevas, I just end up dying. The boss is the Beacon which works like your normal core boss, but it shoots the cores out randomly. This boss is chaotic and unpredictable, and I just want to kill the boss immediately. Thank goodness the charge laser gets rid of this boss immediately.
Boss Parade
why did they have to take the best boss tetran out :(
Death Mark II
Kept the changes from the Gradius II one, so it’s the same as that and Arcade III. Although the announcer doesn’t say destroy the core when you break the barrier.
Crystal Core
Took the aggressiveness of the Gradius III one, but other than that, the same Crystal Core as that and Gradius II. Not the 4th in the parade.
Big Core Mark II
A lot faster than the arcade original, so he’s a bit harder to beat, but it’s the same Big Core Mark 2, but it isn’t the third in the boss parade.
Covered Core
Being removed as the 2nd in the original parade, this one is the same as that one and Gradius II: Dodge the missiles coming from the top and the bottom, shoot the barriers, and destroy the core.
Delinger Core
Because of the screen resolution of the SNES being different, this boss is actually harder than the original Arcade version. Also different from this version is how he rams into you sometimes, to then going back to shooting the whole screen. Multiple deaths have happened here.
Fortress
Unlike the original Arcade version, if you die at the beginning, you don’t have to do THE ENTIRE BOSS PARADE FROM THE BEGINNING ALL OVER AGAIN. THANK GOODNESS THEY HAVE DONE THIS CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This has got to be one of the best changes the game has ever made because in the original after beating the parade, you go right to the mechanical base which already has a hard start to begin with. And same thing with the Undergorund stage, this one doesn’t take as long as the Arcade original either, with most of the layout being changed, and switched around. Disrupt is the same as the original outside of the moving blocks, the Shadow Gear Mark II has been heavily nerfed from the original Shadow Gear being more in vein with the Crab from Gradius II but with having four legs instead of six, and after that, is the cell stage. The original had what looks like a normal easy section, but when you play it, it’s egregious.
Cell [Bacterian]
I hate making the comparison to the 6th stage of the Arcade version, but hey, they’re both cell stages that are featured in a “Gradius III.” As much as they’re both cell stages, they’re not on the same stage. The whole layout has been changed to one that feels more like the inside of the fortress similar to Gradius II with Gofer, but this time actually Bacterian himself. It’s not that weird, stupid fucking monster that you have to fight in the Arcader one. This stage isn’t that bad in that version now that I look back at it as I was watching it while working on this review (except for the Salamander-like ending part). Only thing that's different with Bacterian is that if your feet are hit by his projectiles, they won't send you to the first stages of Gradius I and Salamander. As you wait for Bacterian to die, or by shooting its mouth, you finally defeat the Bacterians (although traces of it can be shown in the background), and Planet Gradius is now in a state of peace.
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Soundtrack
ARCADE
Using the same sound engine as Gradius II, Gradius III’s soundtrack are all great on their own. Although, similar to the graphics, this is another element that had gotten a bit more washed down as time went by. Gradius II had more of a action-packed feeling with the first sun stage, the Moai stave with the increase with how intense it got, and it managed to keep the overall intensity of the music to the end of the game. This game doesn’t have a bad soundtrack, but I have a feeling that this time, the music sounds more heroic and more, lower leaned. Just taking things the way that it is, snd getting through the Bacterians once and for all. Some songs that I do think hit though are the Crystal Maze, the new Moai stage, the Pusedo 3D One, snd the Cell stage
SNES
While most of the music in this game are renditions of the music done from the Arcade version, this game features an entirely different sound font that sounds more in line with Konami’s other titles, and funny enough, Mario Paint. I can hear some samples from this game being used in the former and it just adds to how Gradius III on the SNES might have one of the best soundtracks on the system. Ignoring the exclusive stages from the Arcade version, this game also has some of its own music to compensate for the missing stages, with them being the Extra Stage, each of the bosses in the parade, the continue screen, and even the end credits! Despite that though, my favorites are the fire, Plant, continue Extra, and the bubble stage.
Other Thoughts
Arcade
As we wind up this review, I seriously wished that this game wasn't as hard as it was. The game is a great Gradius game, but it's locked behind its difficulty, which makes people go to the SNES version instead, which came out before the Arcade one. Maybe the Switch Arcade Classics made the game much easier, but I haven't seen this version myself because I don't use the Switch often. If someone can tell me if there's major changes to the difficulty that makes it the ultimate version of the original Arcade Gradius then remind me lol. But I probably believe that it's just an emulated version of the original game.
SNES
I should’ve pointed this out too, but the charging beam in this version is SOO overpowered that it’s able to one to two shot most of the bosses in this game. As to why it was programmed like that. I don’t know. I’ve found this out by watching a TAS of it, and it’s insane to see how much damage it takes compared to the Arcade Original. So overpowered that with a setup of having vertical double for the fortress, the normal floating options, and reduce as your shield, you might as well say that you’ve finished the game because with this setup, there’s little to know way that you’re going to die. Just don’t install many speed ups and just be careful in general because the later levels will have tricky manuring to go through. Makes me wish that the Arcade version could be directly remade within the SNES Gradius’ engine for the game to be the best that it could be. Maybe even keeping in the original stages along with the new ones that this game has!
(Covers Gradius I, II, III, Advance, V, Rebirth, GB Gradius I, GB Gradius II)
Greetings, Backloggers!! As we continue to dive into this month of June, I have another Gradius review up and ready for you to give a good read at, complete with a bit more rants and compliments galore! This time, we will be talking about the “final” entry in the series that Konami originally had expectations for: Gradius III: From Myth to Legend for the Arcade. Now of course, as time goes by, this was immediately proven to be false as Konami would release more Gradius Games within the span of ’89 and ’99 with Salamander 2, Gradius Gaiden and Gradius IV respectively, but as with the story and how the gameplay is, this honestly felt like the real ending to a good era of Gradius. This game continues to expand from the veins of Gradius before it (primarily II) and adds many more features to make the gameplay a lot better and more innovative than what II had to offer. This time for the first time in Gradius, you’re now able to fully customize the types of weapons you choose when you select certain elements on the slot bar. Missile can be the main missile from the OG Gradius, or it can even be a two-way missile! The laser can be the default one, Ripple, Twin, you get what I mean. This edit option also has its limits as you can't have some weapons from the set paths from the normal menu, so you got to use your items wisely, experimenting with what you’ve chosen. This adds a whole new layer of replay value because you’re able to finally play the game however you choose to be. And if you don’t want to do that, you can always stick to using the reused combinations featured from the Gradius Games prior. This game is also the longest Gradius game in terms of having 12 stages total! (two of which are extra stages that can be accessed by purposefully dying at the final boss). The only major drawback to this game is once again not only the Graphics, but the fact that the original arcade version is SO. DAMN. HARD. You think that Dark Witch 3’s entire existence ruined the franchise's easy accessibility? Think AGAIN… And just like that game (oh, and we’ll get to rererevirwing THAT series again coupled with the new form of Backloggd writing thanks to my improved way of doing things and you guys support), the difficulty curve is resulted within the same reason ls as this game: The fact that the characters are naturally harder to beat with confusing attack patterns, and the stage design is on your darker side. After the Pusedo-3D stage that you play, all of it is just hell after that point. The Cell, Fire, Plant stages and don’t even get me started on the Cube Rush… I mean if you know what you’re doing, the stage isn’t bad once you finally get into the mechanics of how the stage works, but the fact that the final part of the Cube Rush can go kick rocks. This game was extremely different to the point that the original Japanese version so didn’t have continues. HOW ARE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO PLAY THIS GAME????
I seriously don’t understand why this game was so difficult… Konami eventually had to put this version on shelves and a revision was created that added a new course that was much easier that contained 3 of the beginning stages and modified the difficulty overall. For the one I’m playing, I’m playing the PS2 collection with this and the stupid mistake named Gradius IV, and I honestly don’t think that this game wasn’t many to be. I’m paying on the EASIEST setting and the game was still too difficult.
So that’s why in this review I’m not just going to be covering the original Arcade version but also the SNES one! This one I have a good memory with, fun fact. In 2009, when I was still extremely young, I remember a conflict happening with my bigger but smaller brother and sister that I don’t recall, but I was unwell for a while to the point that my other brother called my mother (or was it that mom was calling us? Idk) to inform that I wasn’t feeling well, and that we could share the Wii. The first game that we’ve pyed on there was SNES Gradius III, and I remember not getting passed the first stave. My brother could, but we both stopped at around the 3rd or 4th. That’s al I got for the short memory though, so let’s talk about this game!
Now to say, the SNES one is different to which some stages have been moved around, some outright removed (Crystal Maze (thankfully) and the Pusedo-3D are some of them) and the difficulty has been entirely changed. This game is also made a lot easier because of the huge slowdown due to the limits of the SNES. Said people actually complained about this change, but that makes me question: Would you rather have a near impossible but more complete version of Gradius to play or a Easier but less packed Gradius game? keep in mind that while the changes between the Arcade and SNES versions are present, the game is technically still the same game. This game even has a whole set of bonus stages that aren’t present inside of the original Arcade version, which automatically makes this one superior. It managed to have a lot less content in favor of new ones to try out. But even at the end of the day, everyone knows that to completely annihilate the slowdown, you have to get the SA-1 patch. Now you can at least have a fair challenge with playing SNES Gradius III with said patch and the Arcade mode that the game offers. If you can’t find it, just press A a lot and you’ll get it. Now since j have covered the basics, how about we actually get into the story?
Story
The story continues on what the II game had with how Gofer was defeated, and Planet Gradius and space was at a time of peace, but then the Bacterians decide to come at it once more launching a onslaught against the peculiar planet. Pretty much the same deal that we have to go for.
Graphics
Keeping in the same vein as Gradius II, not much of a Graphical upgrade has been given to the game. I mean, despite the fact that the game features the same pixel artist as last time (don’t know their name though, don’t ask me), the graphics actually feel… A bit more washed down compared to II? Don’t get me wrong, the pixel art looks great, but the game as a whole doesn’t feel as vibrant as it’s predecessor or not even Salamander in the slightest. The same thing goes with the SNES version as the SNES version features the same but more saturated graphics than the Arcade version. The only stages that look so nice to me are the Plant, Moai (even if it's relatively the same as II’s version), Fire, and the fortress that comes later in the game.
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Gameplay
As with keeping my tradition of reviewing every stage in this game, I’ll be covering all of the stages, but separating the two versions together as they’re all different to how they work.
Arcade
Desert [Goliath]
After your first air battle, you'll traverse in the desert in space, a first for mainline Gradius. Usually, the desert stages have come from the MSX Gradius or the PC-Engine Gradius, so it’s great to see one officially implemented in the Arcade games. Here, you'll encounter familiar foes amidst high and low sand hills for tricky movement. Sand lions emerge to attack, while sand dragons obstruct your path. At first glance, the stage appears straightforward, but as you progress, more sand lions and dragons will surface, leading up to the encounter with the formidable Goliath. He launches projectiles that divide into eight, as spiders descend from the top and bottom center, creating stings of webs. Your strategy should be to occupy the left side, since the spiders will not target you unless you remain stationary in the middle. However, be cautious as Goliath gradually inches forward. Aim for its eye to prevail.
Bubble Zone [Bubble Eye]
We now enter the next zone where bubbles and mechs collide. This stage is straightforward if you effectively use your lasers and eyesight, because not only are enemy projectiles heading your way, but also those from the BUBBLES, which are numerous. The larger ones burst into smaller ones, leading to a cluttered stage that can make things overwhelming.
The Bubble Eye emerges as a relatively simple boss. It's a massive bubble with an eye at its center, and you must shoot the bubble to get closer to the eye. This boss, however, shoots bubbles and is constantly on the move. It's a pretty straightforward boss and, in my opinion, slightly easier than Goliath.
Volcanic Planet [Big Core Mark III]
Gradius I had 2 Volcano stages, Salamander had one, Gradius II had one, now we enter the one featured in this game! It's relatively the same too but with more of a harder layout and it's longer than the others. Tons of enemies are everywhere but this incarnation I believe is harder due to the stationary ships containing the enemies being everywhere and the enemy that hops and shoots multiple projectiles coming in.
After the Volcano section, the stage shakes and multiple enemies come from the left at once to try getting you down, with some enemies attached from the above coming down when you get below them. As you enter the underground, here, you'll slowly enter what's contained here. Tons of different branching paths, with each of them having a different cause depending on which one you take. Eventually you do go to the top path, which had enemies coming from all over, and then we enter to a point where we have to use our lasers to dig dig dig. Similar to the Cell Stage in Gradius I or Salamander. Although we do eventually get to the Big Core Mark III which can shoot our two big lasers from the top and bottom and can shoot some in a diamond shape on the inside. It'll close its top and bottom to shoot you normally like a normal Core Warship, but the process will repeat until the boss is down.
High Speed
Now we enter the Pusedo-3D stage where in almost the style of Space Harrier, you have to fly through the small Maze that if not quick enough, you can easily trip yourself up here. Thankfully this section is quick and there's capsules that you can collect too, but then again, this stage will be over before you know it, and after this, the harder stages appear.
Moai Zone [Dogas, Vaif]
Giant Moai heads flying from the right, shooting medium Moai heads on the ground. This one is harder than the one in II where there's more Moai heads and by default they're in their ravaged variant seen in the later portion of the former. All you just to do is pray for your best, as even using double which was a working strat in II just makes you wraker and more vulnerable to death.
The fun doesn't end there too. There WI be Moai heads spinning on a rock that has four attached to them and you'll have to shoot all of them on the rock to clear the path ad quick as you can while the other Moai heads on said rocks shoot the sings at you. As you get to the boss, one blue Moai head has small ones circling this one like a shield, and you just have to continue shooting the mouth until it's gone. And now for Vaif, which are 6 Moai heads which shoot tiny Moai heads that can expand and explode. This one is Judy tedious so I've just let the boss commit suicide.
Cell Planet [Gregol]
We revisit another Cell stage where it's similar to the rest of them: Cell with hands coming out and you gotta crush all of them. At the middle portion, there will be cells that are stuck within the stage that you have to also defeat, and the latter portion is just similar to the Salamander one where sticking to the right is the way to go.
Gregol is one of the worst bosses that I like coming from this game. 6 cells in a worm like pattern, and you have to shoot the eye, with two arms coming from where you are and adjacent to it to then try to crush you but you have to shoot the arms to prevent this from happening.
At most times I felt like I can't hit the boss, so similar to Vaif, I've let this boss commit suicide.
Prominence Planet [Wyvern, Vulture, Dragon]
And now we enter one of the most infamous stages in the game: The Prominence stage. Meteors come from the right, snatchers come from the left trying to take your options, and the Meteors when shot, split into three. This might not seem that bad, but the tiny meteor parts cannot be destroyed, and there's a TON of metros coming out at once. One mess up and you're done. There's also the occasional enemy that shoots projectiles at you. Do yeah be prepared to not have a good time with this stage.
But if you do manage to get through this ordeal, a three headed dragon comes up and your job is to destroy the chest which looks like a core. Once done, the Dragon will split into two, and similar to the Salamander Intruder fight, they will try to circle around you, and you have to shoot its head from the head and fail. Once done, the boss will be dead, with its body scattering off to space.
Plant Planet [Choking Weed]
Another concept from the MSX game that has been brought to the mainline Gradius Games: A plant stage. I would say that this stage is nothing easier than the fire one because you got those spore looking things coming out of plants that look like arms that you have to shoot to keep them low, and you also got the stage itself that can be an issue, with plants and rocks everywhere just to make this stage even harder. Choking Weed is this stage’s boss that attempts to suck you in by using its eye???? , and it also has its hands that constantly shoots at you. This boss would be easy if it weren’t for those hands, and if it didn’t have to angle its head to be closer to you. But you really shouldn’t had to let the boss commit suicide because you’ll be in front of the eye cause it tries to suck you into it.
Crystal Zone/Maze [Lizard Core]
Remember the Providence stage? This one is another infamous one with how hard the stage is: The Crystal Zone/Maze to what some Gradius fans call this stage. This stage works by literally creating paths to make. You can break them so change the paths, but you might as well not as they have a bunch of HP anyways. This stage is notorious for how the crystal blocks can trap you if you’re not careful, and the second part. The second part you have to dodge the crystals coming from the right, and depending on how you do this can either lead to disaster or extra safety among you.
The first way is to just dodge the crystals as they come. While that sounds normal, you also have to take into account how the crystals can randomly go in the direction where you are headed, which can lead to insta death. The other way is by closing yourself through the crystals. That way you’re able to just stay there while the crystals try their best to get to you. But after this section, the stage moves forward, and if you’ve done the latter method, you have to make sure that you got enough space for the stage to move because if not, then you’ll die and eventually have to do this part all over again. I mean I don’t know how this guy can pull the former method off perfectly, but I guess that person has been consistently drinking red bull before he even played though this game. Not to mention, a snatcher can come at any point, and if you’ve done the closing method, then you’re SCREWED. that thing will take your options, and the Lizard Core (or what i’d personally like to call the Crystal Serpentine) is not that much of an easy boss. Similar to Big Core Mark III, it has arms that raise up and down, or adjacent to the player, but these arms don’t shoot straight lasers. This boss would be easy if you know that you have to continuously have to stick to the middle to ensure better safety amongst yourself. or you can let the boss commit suicide, like all of the other harder bosses in the game. Thankfully this is the last one before we get to the…
Boss Parade/Mechanical Base
Tetran
A lot more slower than the Gradius II version, but the same boss nonetheless. This one does shoot projectiles out of its rotating arms, but idk if that's present in its Gradius II incarnation.
Covered Core
Dodge missiles, shoot straight. Same deal as Gradius II.
Big Core Mark II
Admire the Ship like lasters that it shoots, dodge them, aim for the barriers and the core. Same deal as Gradius II.
Crystal Core
Die a lot due to the confusing attack pattern, stay in the top left or bottom left when he does the spam laser move, rinse and repeat. Same deal as Gradius II.
Death Mark II
You get the gist.
Delinger Core
New to this parade is the Delinger Core, which will shoot lasers blocking the majority of the screen. There's also a case of him ramming into you, but it happens extremely rarely for me. A good technique for this one is to stick in between the core itself and not its arms because there's a good amount of wiggle room that you can go up and down with.
Mechanical Base
This stage is long…This stage is hard… This stage is boring… It’s the usual tricky mechanical base, but with flashing black and red with “warning” played in the background, with rocks breaking featured from Salamander and Gradius II, with tight areas with cores that if you break, they still remain there, that if you get trapped, you’re done for, small crabs that come from the right and left with enemies coming, and giant lasters (that I absolutely despise) that circle either clockwise or counter clockwise. And at some point, you got snatchers taking your options away.
Disrupt
Same enemy wall as before but with three, and rising platforms coming from the top and the bottom. Stay close to the wall itself and risk the hits that you get.
Shadow Gear
Now this walker has 6 legs! Making this walker one of the hardest in the series. all i could imagine is a constant warning playing in the background cause I just fucking hate this part of the game. As you inch closer to Bacterian, there’s another Salamander-like Cell section with balls that go up and down. The reason why this looks simple BUT HARD is because of how the cells work as you shoot them and disappear. You shoot and they immediately come back, and you have to have lag on your side.
Ex: Volcano [Big Core Mark I]
Just the first stage from the first Gradius, but with the difficulty of Arcade Gradius III. Since you lose all your items, it’s not worth doing this unless you’re in it for the extra challenge. After some familiar level structure and the first stage’s music done in this game’s engine, you fight the Big Core Mark I, which works just like the Gradius II one. Shoots faster, moves faster, but the barriers don’t shoot projectiles when broken.
Ex: Bionic Germ [Golem]
Once again, you have been taken second part of the Arcade Salamander but with the difficulty of Gradius III, and you lose all of your items with no real way for you to recover from your mistakes. The golem also works like the Gradius II one where they close and open their eyes again.
To be completely honest, I'd just avoid doing these stages because while it's nostalgia baiting the series is known for, you'll be in these stages with borderline no items, and the bosses are just really to get killed by suicide becsuse there's no chance for you to kill them with the tiny pew default blaster that you have.
Bacterian
“I was born, under the greediness of mankind, while many menaces, some will lie.” URRRAGGGGHHHHH explosions explosions explosions explosions. Escape some more tricky platforming and you’re all done with this stage and the entire game ready for that next loop. I’m done talking about this version of the game, let’s see what the SNES version of this game has to offer.
SNES
Desert [Goliath]
One thing that the SNES changes with this version is the form of the environment. This one doesn’t feature much sand hills as the Arcade version, and this one excludes the sand lions. The goliath also functions differently with how the spiders come out: the Arcade version has them making nests as a projectile, but the SNES one omits that.
Bubble Zone [Bubble Eye]
The SNES version is identical to the Arcade version, but with fewer of the stations that shoot a bunch of enemies out of it. This stage also makes the first appearance of the bonus stage where after the “many bubbles” section of the stage, there will be enemies inside of bubbles that will come out, and you’ll have to go in the crevasse of where the bottom one spawns, and you’ll be teleported to the bonus stage. The Bubble Eye also functions the same as the original Arcade version being a bubble, shooting the bubble. But I almost never have to do this boss because I just go for the special stage, which skips the boss entirely. (this is not just exclusive to the bubble stage, it happens for every stage that has a bonus stage)
Volcanic Planet [Big Core Mark III]
Like the Bubble Zone, this stage is more like the Arcade version, although with some layout changes to make room for the different screen resolutions and for the easier difficulty. A good amount of enemies have also been taken out, and thankfully for the better, the random shaking that happens in the volcano part of the stage has been removed. I fucking hate this part in the original.
And now the underground part! This part has been M O D I F I E D. No longer is this section a long tedious fucking maze, but the layout overall has been made to be much more bearable. The original felt like 10 minutes completing this, while this version takes like 2-3. The Big Core Mark III works the same, but as always, the boss’s attack patterns were made to make the game a bit more bearable.
Moai Zone [Twin Vaif]
I am going to miss the giant moai heads coming from the right cause it just made the whole stage a lot more lively lol. This one feels more like a blend in between the Gradius II and Arcade one with how simple but similar it is, but honestly it's hard to make a comparison to the Moai stages cause it’s moai on rocks shooting rings and then they intensify. This one they do, but not in the Arcade version (probably because they are already hard to begin with and there’s a ton more there than here.)
One important change is the boss though, where instead of having a giant moai head having short ones circling around it, to then have 6 Moai heads to defeat, this one shortens it to two, similar to Gradius II. Tiny Moai heads come out of the mouths of both of them with the occasional shake with the rocks coming out of the ceiling. This one is much easier especially since the small moai heads don’t expand as you hit them like in the Arcade version.
Prominence Zone [Vluture, Dragon]
They have turned something that was hard as a Touhou stage into something that isn’t that bad anymore. For me, this stage went completely fast (to the point that the stage didn’t even go through the second loop) and I’ll explain this later. This one REDUCES the meteors that come from the sides, and to make the damaged projectiles also get damaged too instead of being indestructible, making the stage MUCH easier than the original Arcader version. Some deaths happened but it wasn’t that much.
The boss is not a 3 headed dragon anymore, but think about the intruder from Salamander. This one has two heads: One on the front and one on the back. Defeating the one on the front, makes the dragon move faster with smaller but faster bullets, and upon defeating the boss, it’ll explode its parts which can still hurt you. same thing with the Arcade version.
Plant Planet [Choking Weed]
Some of the enemies in this stage have been removed, but I still think this stage is just as hard as the arcade version, even with all the slowdown this stage had. But the Choking Weed boss isn't as tedious as it was in the arcade original. My only problem was dodging the projectiles that the hands kept spawning, but other than that (and some vines that were added to the stage's scenery that were removed from this version), yeah, this stage is just like the arcade original Borderline.
High Speed Zone [Beacon]
While this is definitely a High Speed stage, this one is more like the Gradius II version where you make quick maneuvers dodging the closing and opening doors collecting capsules and the occasional enemy projectile. This stage also has a special stage but I don't even remember where it is as when i try to go to a crevas, I just end up dying. The boss is the Beacon which works like your normal core boss, but it shoots the cores out randomly. This boss is chaotic and unpredictable, and I just want to kill the boss immediately. Thank goodness the charge laser gets rid of this boss immediately.
Boss Parade
why did they have to take the best boss tetran out :(
Death Mark II
Kept the changes from the Gradius II one, so it’s the same as that and Arcade III. Although the announcer doesn’t say destroy the core when you break the barrier.
Crystal Core
Took the aggressiveness of the Gradius III one, but other than that, the same Crystal Core as that and Gradius II. Not the 4th in the parade.
Big Core Mark II
A lot faster than the arcade original, so he’s a bit harder to beat, but it’s the same Big Core Mark 2, but it isn’t the third in the boss parade.
Covered Core
Being removed as the 2nd in the original parade, this one is the same as that one and Gradius II: Dodge the missiles coming from the top and the bottom, shoot the barriers, and destroy the core.
Delinger Core
Because of the screen resolution of the SNES being different, this boss is actually harder than the original Arcade version. Also different from this version is how he rams into you sometimes, to then going back to shooting the whole screen. Multiple deaths have happened here.
Fortress
Unlike the original Arcade version, if you die at the beginning, you don’t have to do THE ENTIRE BOSS PARADE FROM THE BEGINNING ALL OVER AGAIN. THANK GOODNESS THEY HAVE DONE THIS CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This has got to be one of the best changes the game has ever made because in the original after beating the parade, you go right to the mechanical base which already has a hard start to begin with. And same thing with the Undergorund stage, this one doesn’t take as long as the Arcade original either, with most of the layout being changed, and switched around. Disrupt is the same as the original outside of the moving blocks, the Shadow Gear Mark II has been heavily nerfed from the original Shadow Gear being more in vein with the Crab from Gradius II but with having four legs instead of six, and after that, is the cell stage. The original had what looks like a normal easy section, but when you play it, it’s egregious.
Cell [Bacterian]
I hate making the comparison to the 6th stage of the Arcade version, but hey, they’re both cell stages that are featured in a “Gradius III.” As much as they’re both cell stages, they’re not on the same stage. The whole layout has been changed to one that feels more like the inside of the fortress similar to Gradius II with Gofer, but this time actually Bacterian himself. It’s not that weird, stupid fucking monster that you have to fight in the Arcader one. This stage isn’t that bad in that version now that I look back at it as I was watching it while working on this review (except for the Salamander-like ending part). Only thing that's different with Bacterian is that if your feet are hit by his projectiles, they won't send you to the first stages of Gradius I and Salamander. As you wait for Bacterian to die, or by shooting its mouth, you finally defeat the Bacterians (although traces of it can be shown in the background), and Planet Gradius is now in a state of peace.
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Soundtrack
ARCADE
Using the same sound engine as Gradius II, Gradius III’s soundtrack are all great on their own. Although, similar to the graphics, this is another element that had gotten a bit more washed down as time went by. Gradius II had more of a action-packed feeling with the first sun stage, the Moai stave with the increase with how intense it got, and it managed to keep the overall intensity of the music to the end of the game. This game doesn’t have a bad soundtrack, but I have a feeling that this time, the music sounds more heroic and more, lower leaned. Just taking things the way that it is, snd getting through the Bacterians once and for all. Some songs that I do think hit though are the Crystal Maze, the new Moai stage, the Pusedo 3D One, snd the Cell stage
SNES
While most of the music in this game are renditions of the music done from the Arcade version, this game features an entirely different sound font that sounds more in line with Konami’s other titles, and funny enough, Mario Paint. I can hear some samples from this game being used in the former and it just adds to how Gradius III on the SNES might have one of the best soundtracks on the system. Ignoring the exclusive stages from the Arcade version, this game also has some of its own music to compensate for the missing stages, with them being the Extra Stage, each of the bosses in the parade, the continue screen, and even the end credits! Despite that though, my favorites are the fire, Plant, continue Extra, and the bubble stage.
Other Thoughts
Arcade
As we wind up this review, I seriously wished that this game wasn't as hard as it was. The game is a great Gradius game, but it's locked behind its difficulty, which makes people go to the SNES version instead, which came out before the Arcade one. Maybe the Switch Arcade Classics made the game much easier, but I haven't seen this version myself because I don't use the Switch often. If someone can tell me if there's major changes to the difficulty that makes it the ultimate version of the original Arcade Gradius then remind me lol. But I probably believe that it's just an emulated version of the original game.
SNES
I should’ve pointed this out too, but the charging beam in this version is SOO overpowered that it’s able to one to two shot most of the bosses in this game. As to why it was programmed like that. I don’t know. I’ve found this out by watching a TAS of it, and it’s insane to see how much damage it takes compared to the Arcade Original. So overpowered that with a setup of having vertical double for the fortress, the normal floating options, and reduce as your shield, you might as well say that you’ve finished the game because with this setup, there’s little to know way that you’re going to die. Just don’t install many speed ups and just be careful in general because the later levels will have tricky manuring to go through. Makes me wish that the Arcade version could be directly remade within the SNES Gradius’ engine for the game to be the best that it could be. Maybe even keeping in the original stages along with the new ones that this game has!