Gradius.

[VenomMacbeth]

Although I've been mildly interested in the Gradius series for a bit now, I have recently acquired a couple more games in the series.  The very first time I played it, which was on the NES, I put it back down & played something else, as I wasn't a fan of the power-up system.  Since then, however, I've grown to love it.  It adds a delicious touch of strategy to the game.  Add to that the awesome music (what retro gamer doesn't recognize "Challenger 1985"?) as per usual with Konami and I've had a lot of fun with it!  My one gripe, however, is how all your power-ups are taken when you die.  I just reset the game when this happens, as once I start dying, I just die more.

So, do you like Gradius?  Why or why not?  Do you have a favorite game in the series? (Salamander/Life-Force included!)

[Opethian]

Dying after about stage 4 you might as well reset

I like the MSX Gradius games, the SCC chip makes for some legendary tunes

[soop]

I've only played it briefly...  Parodius always seems like more fun, but I haven't really made enough effort with either to get to grips.

[fraggore]

Yea man love all the games gradius 5 is a stunning looking game but can be pretty hard going at times, not shore what my favorete would be the original is a classic, 5 is stunning, gradius gaiden is a wicked game hard to pick one.

And then is the prodius series all wicked as well I have just enjoyed the gradius games over the years even tho like you losing all you power ups when you die is a bitch, just like they way play love the sound tracks classic shooters even pondering on getting a gradius tattoo some thing diffrent like the ship and the Easter island head and the options going up my forearm with some enemy's thrown in here and then.

I am not a fun boy honest.

[VenomMacbeth]

Yeah, I just watched a longplay of Gradius V and...wow.  That game is insane.  Amazing soundtrack & graphics, but the gameplay looks brutal. ._.  I suppose that's to be expected, seeing as how Treasure was involved...

[JoshTurboTrollX]

The Gradius series is what got me into shooties.  I loved it on NES!  The best playing Gradius in my opinion, is our own PC Engine version.  It's better than the arcade.

If you like those, then how you feel about Salamander or Life Force?  I recently got the Salamander Deluxe collection on Saturn and have completely been sucked into playing those games again. Such epicness!!

Anytime Treasure and Konami are in cahoots magic happens.

[SuperDeadite]

I have most of them in various forms, including the original arcade pcbs for II, III, and IV, and all the MSX games.  But honestly I'm not a big fan of the series.  I much prefer Salamander and Thunder Cross.  II, 2, 90'Kai, and Gaiden are my faves in the normal Gradius series.

[Arkhan Asylum]

I have Gradius for MSX and NES... and Salamander and Parodius for PCE...

and well, they're OK, I guess.

The music makes them worth playing.   I'm not big on horizontal shooters.

[PunkCryborg]

I always start playing Gradius but then I switch to Parodius.

[Tatsujin]

Love Gradius ll, gaiden and salamander the most

[GohanX]

I never liked Gradius back in the day (especially the NES version) since it was slow and clunky, and the powerup system sucked. Then I played Parodius on PCE and loved the game. Parodius got me accustomed to the powerup system, so I have Gradius another shot. The game isn't slow, I just need speed powerups!

I've been rocking the NES version lately, considering the hardware it's awesome but I can't get past stage 3.

[BlueBMW]

I love Parodius, and have grown to love Gradius as well.  Here lately Ive been playing the 68000 versions of parodius, gradius 1 and 2 and salamander.

[GohanX]

That reminds me, I forgot to mention that I really LOVE Gradius 2. Something about it really clicks with me, and the boss rush at the end is one of the most intense moments in gaming.

[roflmao]

Yeah, Gradius II has really grown on me.  And I haven't even made it to the boss rush at the end yet!

[fraggore]

gradius 6 looks like its been cancelled gutted mmmm.

[Colossus1574]

gradius 6 looks like its been cancelled gutted mmmm.

Not too surprising...the shooter age has lost it's lustre quite awhile ago...The cost of a game doesn't offset the short experience for most non-shooter fans i guess. Other great shooter series like R-Type (what a finale, RType Final was epic! Irem really threw everything in for the loyal fans to end it off) and ThunderForce has also concluded i think. That's what makes the PCE so kickass with it's abundance to wicked shooters!

And my fav was probably Lifeforce only cause i used to always play 2 players with my lil' bro back in the day...

[Mathius]

I could play NES Life Force all day. I enjoy it more than even the excellent Salamander on the PCE. Even the arcade versions of Life Force and Salamander can't hold a candle to Konami's excellent port on the NES.

[Colossus1574]

I could play NES Life Force all day. I enjoy it more than even the excellent Salamander on the PCE. Even the arcade versions of Life Force and Salamander can't hold a candle to Konami's excellent port on the NES.

AGREED Mathius!  The music was pretty nice for a nes cart as well !

[Mathius]

I could play NES Life Force all day. I enjoy it more than even the excellent Salamander on the PCE. Even the arcade versions of Life Force and Salamander can't hold a candle to Konami's excellent port on the NES.

AGREED Mathius!  The music was pretty nice for a nes cart as well !

The music is what I enjoy the most.

[Colossus1574]

I could play NES Life Force all day. I enjoy it more than even the excellent Salamander on the PCE. Even the arcade versions of Life Force and Salamander can't hold a candle to Konami's excellent port on the NES.

AGREED Mathius!  The music was pretty nice for a nes cart as well !

The music is what I enjoy the most.

Hahaha, exactly what i praised the NES for on the SOOP's Ninja Gaiden thread

[Digi.k]

quite pleased with the pc engine versions of gradius, salamander, and parodius da!?!  and Gradius II super cd-rom

They offer some stuff unique on the pc engine platforms such as the pc-e's synth sounding music ^____^

[VenomMacbeth]

Agreed, the soundtrack is one of the things that keeps me playing Gradius games.    I haven't played any of the Parodius games, as I don't tend to enjoy the "paro-shmups", with Fantasy Zone being an exception.  I'll probably give Twinbee a shot here soon, as well. 

Salamander/Life-Force is great.  I have the NES version, and the PCE version on my Iphone.  I enjoy the NES version more, mostly because it has the same power-up system as Gradius.

If I'm not mistaken, it seems Konami's Gradius games for the NES typically surpass all other ports, with the original Gradius being a possible exception...not that it's bad or anything, it's just somewhat basic as compared to Salamander, Gradius II, etc.  I like the PCE version best, I'd say.

[Dyna138]

Gradius is one of my favorite shooters, I've been a fan of the series even when I wasn't big on the genre. My favorite would have to be Gradius III on the SNES, great graphics and sound and a good balanced difficulty.

Lifeforce on the NES would have to be my second favorite. I remember as a kid I needed the 30 lives code to beat it but nowadays I clear it on 1 life. Konami did a great job with the NES version I like the added stages and power-up system. I like the PCE version of Salamander too, but the NES version is a classic for me.

Gradius II on PCE is probably my third favorite tied with V. The difficulty tends to bring them down for me otherwise they might be higher. Very hard to recover if your killed late in the game and that's just frustrating to the point I lose interest.

[esteban]

I'm a fan of the Gradius series and Konami's PCE ports are great. I am quite pleased with them.

I thought there would be more Gradius 1 love here...it really is a great/classic game. I've played it too much, sadly. Overplayed it. Years ago. On the NES. Despite this, the PCE version still convinced me to play it--yet again .

[roflmao]

I just picked up Gradius on the PCE last week and I am really digging it.  It's been awhile since I've played the NES version so now I'm tempted to play the two side-by-side. :p

[Tatsujin]

My favorite would have to be Gradius III on the SNES, great graphics and sound and a good balanced difficulty.

ROLFMAOLOL

[esteban]

My favorite would have to be Gradius III on the SNES, great graphics and sound and a good balanced difficulty.

ROLFMAOLOL

Stop snickering! Despite the well-known issues (slow down), I actually enjoy Gradius III on SNES. Sure, I wish it was ported to more consoles back in the day, but I am OK with what we got.

I suppose I was simply desperate for a new Gradius game at the time, but I have never hated Gradius III on SNES.

A SuperCD PORT, though, would have been SWEETNESS 

[Tatsujin]

My favorite would have to be Gradius III on the SNES, great graphics and sound and a good balanced difficulty.

ROLFMAOLOL

Stop snickering! Despite the well-known issues (slow down), I actually enjoy Gradius III on SNES. Sure, I wish it was ported to more consoles back in the day, but I am OK with what we got.

I suppose I was simply desperate for a new Gradius game at the time, but I have never hated Gradius III on SNES.

A SuperCD PORT, though, would have been SWEETNESS  

lol, i didn't rolf because it is THAT bad, even it isn't really good as well. i was rolfing because it is ones favorite gradius

[esteban]

My favorite would have to be Gradius III on the SNES, great graphics and sound and a good balanced difficulty.

ROLFMAOLOL

Stop snickering! Despite the well-known issues (slow down), I actually enjoy Gradius III on SNES. Sure, I wish it was ported to more consoles back in the day, but I am OK with what we got.

I suppose I was simply desperate for a new Gradius game at the time, but I have never hated Gradius III on SNES.

A SuperCD PORT, though, would have been SWEETNESS 

lol, i didn't rolf because it is THAT bad, even it isn't really good as well. i was rolfing because it is ones favorite gradius

Aha! Gotcha. I missed that point entirely!

[KnightWarrior]

I like the Power Up Code for Gradius III on the Super NES

[Dyna138]

My favorite would have to be Gradius III on the SNES, great graphics and sound and a good balanced difficulty.

ROLFMAOLOL

Stop snickering! Despite the well-known issues (slow down), I actually enjoy Gradius III on SNES. Sure, I wish it was ported to more consoles back in the day, but I am OK with what we got.

I suppose I was simply desperate for a new Gradius game at the time, but I have never hated Gradius III on SNES.

A SuperCD PORT, though, would have been SWEETNESS 

lol, i didn't rolf because it is THAT bad, even it isn't really good as well. i was rolfing because it is ones favorite gradius

:

That sentence hurts my head, but I'm guessing you don't approve my favorite Gradius game is part III?

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

[Tatsujin]

My favorite would have to be Gradius III on the SNES, great graphics and sound and a good balanced difficulty.

ROLFMAOLOL

Stop snickering! Despite the well-known issues (slow down), I actually enjoy Gradius III on SNES. Sure, I wish it was ported to more consoles back in the day, but I am OK with what we got.

I suppose I was simply desperate for a new Gradius game at the time, but I have never hated Gradius III on SNES.

A SuperCD PORT, though, would have been SWEETNESS 

lol, i didn't rolf because it is THAT bad, even it isn't really good as well. i was rolfing because it is ones favorite gradius

:

That sentence hurts my head, but I'm guessing you don't approve my favorite Gradius game is part III?

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

It isn't much about the III itself, more about the III on that particular system, which could handle shoot 'em ups in such a well and elegant way in general

anyway, it's just fun, and yeah also...

[esteban]

I like the Power Up Code for Gradius III on the Super NES

IIRC, your ship blows up, correct? That's great .

anyway, it's just fun, and yeah also...

I actually like that song .

[Tatsujin]

Lol esty, guess who likes it too