Gradius

MISSING EU

MISSING USA

MISSING JP

Gradius stands as a foundational pillar of the side-scrolling shoot 'em up genre, masterfully translated from the arcade to the NES by Konami. It introduced players to the VIC Viper and a revolutionary power-up system that shifted the focus from random drops to strategic resource management. By collecting power capsules, pilots manually cycle through a selection bar to choose speed boosts, missiles, or the legendary Options, providing a level of tactical depth that was unheard of in 1986.

The level design remains iconic, featuring treacherous volcanic eruptions and the haunting Moai heads of Easter Island. However, this journey is not for the faint of heart; Gradius is notorious for its steep difficulty curve and the "recovery" problem. Losing a fully powered ship late in a stage often results in a grueling struggle to regain momentum with a base-level craft, demanding near-perfect memorization and twitch reflexes to survive the onslaught of the Bacterion Empire.

Visually and aurally, the game pushes the NES hardware to its limits with smooth horizontal scrolling and a legendary chiptune soundtrack. The music perfectly captures the tension of deep-space combat, while the clean sprite work ensures that the screen remains readable even during frantic encounters. While later entries would refine the formula, this original release remains an essential experience for any fan of retro action gaming.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gradius is the official birthplace of the legendary Konami Code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A). Developer Kazuhisa Hashimoto created the sequence during the porting process because he found the game too difficult to play through while testing for bugs.

89%

JOYPAD'S VERDICT

An uncompromising masterclass in shooter design that defined an entire era of space combat.

No content yet.

The Konami Code (Full Power-Up)

Pause the game and input the following sequence. You will instantly receive Missiles, two Options, and a Barrier. This can be used once per life.

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A

The Continue Code

When you lose all your lives and return to the Title Screen, you can continue from the beginning of the last stage you reached.

Hold A and press Start

Rapid Fire Mode

While the game is paused, input the following to enable a faster firing rate for your standard shot.

Up, B, Up, B, Down, B, Down, B, Left, B, Right, B, Select, Start

Infinite Lives

SZTNPKVK

Start with 30 Lives

PEVZZZLA

Keep Power-Ups After Losing a Life

GZSAVZVG

Power-Up Gauge Does Not Reset

GZSATZVG

Full Speed with One Speed-Up

PEXVZZLA

Enemies Don't Fire (Ghost Mode)

OXNVKZVK

Stage 1 to Stage 3 Warp

In the first level, destroy the four hatches (enemy spawners) at the very beginning of the level. If the thousands digit of your score is even when the screen transitions, you will be warped directly to Level 3.

Stage 2 to Stage 4 Warp

When fighting the Big Core boss at the end of Level 2, destroy the core within 2 seconds of it appearing. You must have a high score to trigger the jump to Level 4.

Hidden 10,000 Point Bonus (Level 1)

Fly your ship into the small alcove directly above the first volcano. If positioned correctly in the top-left corner of the crevice, a 10,000-point bonus is awarded.

Hidden 10,000 Point Bonus (Level 4)

In the "Upside-Down" volcano stage, fly through the narrow passage between the two volcanoes at the very end of the level to trigger a hidden point bonus.

Rank Difficulty Increase

The game features a hidden "Rank" system. Every time you pick up a Power-Up or add an Option, the enemy bullet speed and aggression increase. For a "Replay" challenge, try completing the game with zero power-ups to keep the rank at the minimum setting.

No content yet.