Konami's Gradius III -Nintendo SNES
Retro Gaming Review

Rating:

I've loved side scrolling space shooters since dropping my first quarter into an arcade game. I loved playing Vanguard and Defender - even on my 2600. Although Vanguard went vertical and horizontal during it's quest, I liked the changing landscapes of Gradius III. The controls were far simpler than Defender, but I considered Gradius III a very tough game!

Unlike many games I played prior to Graduis III's release, there were quite a few options to select prior to game play. I was always more of a run n gun sort of fan, but this level of choice at the outset was an interesting entrance to a game with great game play.

Gradius III Story Arc

In the darkest quadrant of space there churns a vortex of Bad Vibes. Bacterion, it has been called, is a malignant mass that has spawned all that is wicked in the universe. Feeding on the suffering of the innocent, it moves like a germ throughout the Galaxy, manifesting itself in unspeakably hideous forms. In the past, Bacterion has only had the power to rear its ugly head on a few isolated occasions. That is, until now.

Being a good Gradian, your history class in primary school was the first place you heard of the ancient Heroic Missions to fight Bacterion. You even got a toy Warp Rattler for your fifth birthday. Those were the days when it was just a chapter in your history book. History is important to the people of Gradius, as is all the higher pursuits of knowledge, art and music. Gradius has reached a renaissance. Your people are known throughout the universe as a good and peace loving nation. Who could have known that it would come down to this.

After a heart wrenching journey through the Gradian Desert Lands, you have come to terms with your fate. It is your mission to save all that is good in the universe. You must defeat the diabolical entities that plague Gradius and the surrounding planets. Fare thee well, brave warrior.

Gradius III Game Play

You begin this one or two-player game with 3 lives and an array of weapon & shield options to choose from. You can select from a pre-set group of options or customize is to your liking. Your starship, christened M.A.X. (Modulated Artillery Exalter).

Your job is to penetrate 10 zones and defeat the boss (Mayor) appearing at the end of each zone. This sounds simple, but ships come at you in specific formations designed to confuse you.

Keep your wits about you and you'll be drawn into this option filled shooter that takes gaming scenarios from earlier games and offers a slick update to this genre. It will keep you on your toes and on the edge of your seat. Some gamers have complained about lag when too many sprites enter the screen. I didn't find this issue to be very noticeable.

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