WelcometoExtremeGamer

Reviewed by Tinnanski | 07.03.06

Introduction:The classic side scrolling shooter Gradius has been repackaged for Sony Playstation Portable. This franchise goes back to 1985 back when table top arcade machines where in every restaurant and donut shops. What better time then now to revisit one of the classics that set the standard for all other shooters to follow. Stick around and read our review of Gradius Collection for the PSP.

The Game:Gradius might not be known by all, but gamers familiar to side scrolling shooters will no doubt recognize the name. Gradius which premiered in the arcades and was later ported to the home consoles helped influence the genre of shooters. The Gradius Collection for the PSP is just that, a collection of five Gradius classics.

The Power-Up
If you are not familiar with Gradius the back-story is pretty simple. You control a spacecraft named the Vic Viper and your only objective is to shoot everything in site. The twist the action is that you ship is upgradeable with a number of different powerups. Powering up or upgrading the Viper simply happens by swooping over floating power up icons. These icons come about after you destroy a grouping of alien enemies or when hit a specific target. There are number of different power ups, some of the basics are increased speed, secondary missiles, double firing, laser weapon upgrades, shields and more. Gradius is really just the basic deal, a simple shooter. In perspective Gradius was a hot number and innovative when it was originally released.

Count Them On Your Hand
Included in this collection is the first Gradius which is now a classic, the second Gradius which was released two years later in 1988. Gradius III and Gradius IV are also included. In Gradius III we see the inclusion of a weapon layout tree so you can pick the desired powerups. The fourth game in this package is the 32-bit Gradius Gaiden which wasn't introduced to the American market, so gamers might see something new here. Gaiden is basically a polished up, edged up version of Gradius with new ships and new levels. Lastly is Gradius IV which is more of the same Gradius action and something you probably won't get to unless you play through Gaiden. Out all the version of Gradius on this disc I would slate Gradius Gaiden as being the best version. Although, even though Gaiden is the most plentiful I enjoyed running through the original the most, I guess you can blame that one on nostalgia.

Options and Emulation
Converting these arcade classics over the PSP looks flawless; the emulation is close to perfect. The controls for Gradius work well enough although they it can get a little frantic because you are constantly under pressure. You do have the choice to go with the D-Pad or analog stick neither is the lesser evil. Options are also presented to change the viewing of the game either full screen mode or original. Full screen is easier to see, but it does stretch everything and visually isn't as impressive. There are few other options that affect the gameplay, but the best option has to be the life meter. It doesn't boost your life like the contra cheat code, but a few extra Vic's sure helps.

No Multiplayer - No Biggie
The main bad side to this entire collection is that it doesn't support multiplayer. It's not the worst deal considering Gradius is the type of game that you'll be mostly enjoying yourself, but the aracade even supported two players. Multiplayer would of been a nice addition, although I can understand why they didn't waste too much time fussing over it. Lastly they also included a juke box and video gallery where you can watch or listen to the extra media in the game. Again, with the nature of the gameplay you'll probably not give a care to these features as well, but for those who do... they are present.

Lowdown:The Gradius Collection will mainly appeal to fans who want to relive those old school memories; I can't see many new gamers being hooked on Gradius, even though it's a fun experience. If you had fond memories of Gradius or even enjoyed it when it was on the original Playstation you can safely pick up this adept collection of Gradius games.

The Good:Classic Gameplay, Good Emulation
The Bad: No Multiplayer, Nothing Much New

Gameplay: 8, Graphics/Sound: 6, Innovation: 5, Mojo: 8. Final: 7 / 10

FEATURES:

  • 5 complete Gradius games in one exciting package
  • Includes the long awaited Gradius Gaiden, never before released in the US
  • Listen to music and watch videos in the Gallery Mode
  • Multiple screen displays including the original arcade orientation and widescreen PSP mode



Gradius Collection
 
Publisher
Konami
 
Developer
Konami
 
Genre
Shooter
 
Released
June 2006
 
ESRB
Everyone



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