Gradius 3 Game

Posted By admin On 09.12.20
Gradius III
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Director(s)Hiroyasu Machiguchi
SeriesGradius
Platform(s)Arcade, Super NES, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
Release
  • Arcade
    • JP: December 11, 1989
    SFC/SNESPlayStation 2
    • JP: April 13, 2000[1]
    • NA: November 13, 2000[1]
    • EU: November 24, 2000[1]
    PlayStation Portable
    • JP: February 9, 2006
    • NA: June 6, 2006
    • EU: September 15, 2006
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player
CabinetUpright
Arcade systemKonami GX945
DisplayRaster, 304 x 224, horizontal orientation

Gradius III[a] is a 1989 scrolling shootervideo game developed and published by Konami, originally released for the arcades in Japan and other parts of Asia on December 11, 1989. It is the third game in the Gradius series. The game was ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1990 and North America in 1991, and served as a launch title for the system in North America. The arcade version was included with Gradius IV in a two-in-one compilation (Gradius III & IV) for the PlayStation 2 and in the Gradius Collection for the PlayStation Portable.

Gameplay[edit]

Jan 27, 2012  i have to say even since gradius made it's way to the super nintendo system & beyond i have taken an interesing in gradius games gradius 3 for the snes is one of the best there is because it offers you more variety of weapons, the stages are very nice with sharp colors & 16 bit graphics & it is not as hard to finish unlike the original nes gradius game & also you have an option menu that can. Gradius 3 is a single title from the many skill games, arcade games and gradius games offered for this console. If you enjoyed playing this, then you can find similar games in the snes games category. Gradius 3 game is from the various retro games on the site, and there are more games like this, including Gradius, Gradius 2 and Gradius Galaxies.

Gradius III was rereleased for the Super Famicom in Japan in 1990, and for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1991 as a video game launch title. It was released as simply Gradius III (グラディウスIII Gradiusu Surī?). It is the third sequel to the original Gradius for the arcades following Gradius II: Gofer's Ambition, and was followed by Gradius IV: Resurrection. Gradius III was rereleased for the Super Famicom in Japan in 1990, and for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1991 as a video game launch title. Play Play Gradius 3 online, free Video Game Roms Online! Play Gradius 3 online, free Games can be Played in Your Browser right here on Vizzed.com.

The original arcade version of Gradius III is known by fans as being considerably more difficult than its predecessors.

The player pilots the starfighter Vic Viperstarfighter to battle the onslaughts of the Bacterion Empire. There are a total of ten levels in the game, with stage 4 being something of a bonus level; here, the player controls the Vic Viper in a third-person perspective and must avoid colliding with walls. Though the level is completely devoid of any enemies, free floating power-ups are scattered throughout. There are also two hidden levels that are based on the early sections of Gradius and Salamander. The game contains the familiar weapons, level layouts, and enemies that have become trademarks of the series.

Unlike previous games in the series, Gradius III does not include a continuation feature; if the player loses their lives, the game will be over. The Japanese version of the game contains a 'beginner mode' that allows the player to venture through the first three levels at a much easier difficulty. At the end of the third level, the game will bid the player to try the game again at the normal difficulty ('technical mode'), which can loop endlessly. The Asian and Worldwide arcade releases lack the beginner mode and retrospective introduction sequence, but reduce the difficulty overall.

In addition to new pre-defined weapon schemes, Gradius III introduces the 'Edit Mode'; players can mix and match missile, double, laser, shield and 'special' ('!') power-ups into their own custom combination. Some of the weapons available in pre-defined schemes can not be used in custom schemes, and vice versa.

Release[edit]

A port of Gradius III was released for the Super Famicom in Japan in December 1990 and for the Super NES in North America in 1991, with the option of reduced difficulty and additional armaments for the Vic Viper. It replicates the slowdown of its arcade counterpart and discards the pseudo-3D and crystal/'cube rush' stages. The cell stage is also swapped to being the final stage instead of the sixth stage like in the arcade version, it is also given a whole new layout and soundtrack. It also introduces a boss called Beacon which awaits the player at the end of the new high-speed stage, which is a counterpart of the high-speed stage in Gradius II. Unlike the original arcade version, the Super NES port is the only one that allow players to continue when they lost all their lives. A harder difficulty called 'Arcade' can be unlocked by inputting a code (quickly tapping the 'A' button 16 times in 1 second) on the options screen, however, it is simply the same game at a harder difficulty, and not an accurate port of the arcade version. This port was also released for Virtual Console on April 23, 2007 in North America, and in September 2007 in Europe and Japan.

In 2000, Konami bundled Gradius III and Gradius IV together for release on the PlayStation 2video game console, as Gradius III and IV. The port is based on the arcade version and has an unlockable Extra Edit mode, which gives the player the freedom to create a weapon array from all included setups and adds the F-Option, R-Option and Reduce II power-ups found in the Super NES port. The Reduce from the SNES port returns the player one step closer to the Vic Viper's original size when hit, giving it protection from two hits. As the PlayStation 2 hardware is more capable than the game's original arcade hardware, in certain technically-demanding moments of the game the PlayStation 2 is able to maintain normal operating speed in situations that would normally introduce 'slowdown' (half-speed operation) on the original hardware. To recreate this gameplay characteristic, KCET implemented an optional 'WAIT LEVEL' regulator that can be adjusted from three levels at any point in the game, beginning from 0 to 2 (original rate). While the PS2 version doesn't have the option to continue as the Super NES version, it features the possibility to select any stage the player has cleared.

Gradius III was later ported to the PlayStation Portable in 2006 as part of Gradius Collection. This version keeps the tradition of not allowing the player to continue after exhausting all reserve ships.

Soundtrack[edit]

Gradius 3 Game Genie

Gradius III soundtrack cover art.

A soundtrack, containing the original music as well as arranged tracks, was released by Konami on the King Records label on February 21, 1990, composed and performed by Konami Kukeiha Club with Miki Higashino.[2] Additionally, several albums containing arrangements of the music from this game were released in the years to follow. Konami also released a soundtrack album containing music from Gradius III as well as other Gradius games, entitled Gradius Arcade Soundtrack on April 24, 2002. Tracks such as 'Sand Storm',[3] 'In the Wind',[4] and especially 'Cosmo Plant'[5] often receive the most acclaim.

The 'Gradius III Symphonic Poetry' track was released by Kukeiha Club on June 5, 1990 and contains many orchestrated tracks from both Gradius III and numerous previous games. A prime example of its diversity is the 'Final Battle' track, which contains numerous variations on the 'Crystal World' and 'Boss Battle' tracks in Gradius II: Gofer's Ambition.[6]

Reception[edit]

Gradius III received positive to favorable reviews. IGN gave the game a score 8.5 out of 10 for impressive graphics and game-play.[7]GameSpot give the game score 7.0 out of 10 for Virtual Console and criticizing the game for its high difficulty.[8] On release, the Super Famicom version of the game was scored a 33 out of 40 by a panel of four reviewers at Famicom Tsūshin.[9]

According to GamePro's The Feature Creature, 'Gradius III is one of the most durable side-scrolling shooters. It wasn't a breakthrough when it came out in 1991, but it did approximate the great arcade shooters pretty well.'[10]

Gradius 3 Download

Entertainment Weekly gave the game a C and remarked that it was similar to previous Gradius games, and thus not worth investing 50 dollars for.[11]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Known in Japan as Gradius III: Densetsu kara Shinwa e (グラディウスIII -伝説から神話ヘ-Gradiusu Surī: Densetsu kara Shinwa e, lit. Gradius III: From Legend to Myth)

References[edit]

  1. ^ abc'Gradius III and IV Release Information for PlayStation 2'. GameFAQs. 2000-11-13. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  2. ^'KICA-1001 GRADIUS III'. VGMdb. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  3. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX2olP6pYOU&index=4&list=PLD03ADD835160DE78%7C Sand Storm
  4. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLohFhobgjE&index=6&list=PLD03ADD835160DE78%7C In The Wind
  5. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FiAO5jUqGU&index=12&list=PLD03ADD835160DE78%7C Cosmo Plant
  6. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2006-10-27. Retrieved 2006-12-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^'Gradius III - Super NES - IGN'. Cheats.ign.com. 2007-04-24. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  8. ^[1]Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^'30 Point Plus - グラディウスIII'. Shūkan Famicom Tsūshin. No.362. Pg.32. 24 November 1995.
  10. ^'The 16-Bit Gamer's Survival Guide'. GamePro. No. 93. IDG. June 1996. p. 70.
  11. ^https://ew.com/article/1991/09/27/latest-video-games/

External links[edit]

  • Gradius III at MobyGames
  • Gradius III at the Killer List of Videogames
  • Gradius III at Twin Galaxies
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gradius_III&oldid=916972101'
  • Type: Shoot
  • Available: September 1991
  • Levels: 11
  • Difficulty: Average

The Vic Viper is on the call once more! Another hot sequel created just for the Super Nintendo, Gradius 3 offers larger end bosses, longer levels, and more objects on screen at once! The Vic Viper itself is now equipped with even more types of weapons and power ups, like the ultra-powerful Megacrush!! Pound through 11 diehard levels to reach the final confrontation with the alien boss!

People say:

Gradius 3 uses the 16-Bit power of the Super NES by increasing the detail of the landscapes ard enemies (especially the Bosses which fill the screen), hype the stereo sound and incorporate some conventional play that is pocketed with flicker. This detracts, but the game remains good.

One of the better shooters for the new system. Though it slows down when the action gets intense the game does get better in the last two rounds. Great music when piped through a stereo. Definitely one of the games to buy when you get the system.

My favorite series of shooters has finally gone 16-Bit. Tne graphics are truly an upgrade to the NES versions and the music very cool. Tons of cool new weapons to use. The game lacks intensity and seems only to pick up in the later rounds. A very good shooter, but not the best.

Definitely, Gradius III is one of the best shooters to hit the shelves, and I recommend it to shooter fans, but I am sorely disappointed by the slowdown and flicker! Otherwise, the music is excellent and the graphics are great. Unfortunately, I always found myself reaching for Gaiares...

Gradius 3 Game Over Music

Overall rating: 8