Gradius Origins

A loving tribute to Gradius and its spin-off series, with some of M2’s best archaeological work and an excellent retro sequel in Salamander 3.

I love classic shoot 'em ups and GRADIUS ORIGINS is perhaps the best compilation of them ever made so strap in, take off, and let's shoot.

Games like Space Invaders and Asteroids helped to pioneer the shoot-’em-up genre, aka shmups, but the Gradius series took it multiple steps further with full side-scrolling bullet hell action. Originating in arcades, games like this were quarter-eaters due to their difficulty, which led to multiple sequels and spin-offs.

This collection of games has a very niche audience. To that end, you already know whether Gradius Origins is for you or not. If you’re looking for a deeper dive into the early history of the Gradius games, than this is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s got tons of alternate versions, an extensive gallery to peruse, and the emulation is laser precise. But there aren’t any weird offshoots or later titles. Plus, these games are a specific brand of difficult that can be immediately offputting. If you don’t have the patience to persist, you simply won’t enjoy yourself. But for those of you in t...

Gradius Origins features a whole host of classic shmups that will beat the crap out of you, and even an all new one inspired by them.

Gradius Origins not only bundles together the first three Gradius games and makes multiple versions of them available, it also includes a trio of Salamander games and Life Force. These spin-offs dramatically boost the collection's value, especially with Salamander 3 being a brand new game that's been developed by M2. Add in plenty of options and museum-like content, and you have a genuine treat for shoot 'em up fans.

Gradius Origins is a seriously impressive package. Not only does it include six classic shoot 'em up titles — the original Gradius trilogy, two Salamander games, Life Force, and regional variants — but it includes the first brand new Salamander title in nearly 30 years.

When I first heard of Konami wanting to release Gradius Origins, a collection featuring a good chunk of the titles from its most famous shoot ’em up franchise, my initial thought was: haven’t they done that before? Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection, an already six year old compilation (my goodness, we’re getting old) featured a few Gradius games, as well as other arcade titles. Wouldn’t that feel redundant? How much of that compilation’s content be recycled in Gradius Origins, ...

M2, famous for its articulate, somewhat surgical approach to porting historical code just right, has done another fine job with Gradius Origins. There’s so much polish here it positively gleams, and the overall care, bonus gadgetry and quality of life extras are all impeccably set. Salamander III is the big one, and it delivers, even if it doesn’t really push the envelope in terms of originality or visual bombast. It’s a shame there are still Gradius absentees in the list, and one day perhaps a truly comprehensive compilation will rear its head. For now, though, it’s time to saddle up and dest...