Gradius (video game)

This article is about the video game. For the series, see Gradius.
Gradius
Gradius / Nemesis
Promotional flyer
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Director(s)Hiroyasu Machiguchi
Composer(s)Miki Higashino
SeriesGradius
Platform(s)Arcade, Nintendo Entertainment System, TurboGrafx-16, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, PC-8801, Game Boy, X1, MSX, ZX Spectrum, PC Engine, X68000, mobile phone, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
ReleaseArcade
Famicom/NES
  • JP: April 25, 1986[4]
  • NA: December 13, 1986
  • EU: November 30, 1988[4]
Genre(s)Horizontal-scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemBubble System

Gradius[a] is a side-scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Konami. The first game in the Gradius series, it was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in 1985. The player maneuvers a spacecraft known as the Vic Viper that must defend itself from the various alien enemies. The game uses a power-up system called the "power meter", based upon collecting capsules to purchase additional weapons.

The arcade version of Gradius was initially released internationally outside Japan under the title of Nemesis, but subsequent home releases have since used the original title. During development, it had the working title Scramble 2, as it was originally intended to be a follow-up to Konami's earlier shooter Scramble (1981). Home versions were released for various platforms, such as the Famicom/NES, the MSX home computer, and the PC Engine. It was a major success in 1986, becoming the year's highest-grossing arcade game in London and one of Japan's top five table arcade games, while the Famicom port sold over a million copies in Japan that year.

Gradius was critically acclaimed for its gameplay and unique power-up system. Along with Namco's Xevious, it is cited as being one of the most important shooter games, having paved the way for many similar games to follow.[5]

  1. ^ "Arcade Action: Nemesis". Computer + Video Games. No. 48 (October 1985). 16 September 1985. p. 96.
  2. ^ "Nemesis (Registration Number PA0000257005)". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  3. ^ Akagi, Masumi (13 October 2006). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) [Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. p. 122. ISBN 978-4990251215.
  4. ^ a b "Gradius Release Information for NES". GameFAQs.
  5. ^ Kalata, Kurt (April 30, 2015). "The history of Gradius: A look back at 30 years of Konami shooting". Gamasutra. UBM Technology Group. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.


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