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Gradius Collection Review
Written by Robert Workman, GameDaily on Thursday, June 8, 2006
Five great games; lots of options; excellent presentation.
Some titles are missing, like Parodius and Gradius V.
So there I was, in 1985, twelve years old and just getting started down the gaming road in my life. My father had helped me pick up an NES console after I had done so much work over the past few weeks and kept my grades in check, and one of the first games I had picked up for it was this shooting game from Konami called Gradius. And with that, I was instantly entranced by the title, taken aback by its unique power-up system involving a pick-up of orbs and assigned use over a series of weapon upgrades, like speeding up your ship, adding ground missiles, and obtaining a number of "options" that gave you additional firepower- something so desperately needed for later levels of the game. The experience was one of the first I had with the NES, and, to this day, I still don't forget it. That NES is still around the house somewhere, either lurking in storage or hooked up to my old TV in the other room. I have to go check, it's somewhere in my pile of gaming goodness I call an apartment.
Transferring back to the current gaming times, I know that some of you don't have access to an NES and can't experience the very original cartridge that I did (unless, of course, you won a system as well). Not to worry, as Konami has a package of retro goodness for you PSP owners in the guise of Gradius Collection, a get-together of five of the best Gradius games out there under one roof. The original Gradius is accounted for, leading the pack of great games that you might have played in the off-chance on an emulator or in the previous PlayStation release Gradius III & IV. This package includes the original Gradius, as well as parts three and four, and also two games that have never seen the light of day in the US- Gradius II and Gradius Gaiden, two games that many consider the best in the series. And for good reason.
Gradius II was released for the Famicom in Japan following the success of the first game, but for some reason, Konami took a rain check on giving it a chance here in the US. Too bad, because it helped revitalize the formula into more of a hardcore stream for the shooting fanatics. Fans can now see that as the game is represented here in its true colors, complete with all sorts of fanciful enemies to defeat and larger levels that represented the true nature of Gradius.
The original Gradius is still the same as it ever was, and although Konami could have touched it up to take better advantage of the PS2, I'm mostly glad they didn't. After all, this is a retro collection, and some things simply shouldn't be messed with. The series' debut shows you how the formula began, and how well it still works with its power-ups aplenty. There's also a great learning curve you get introduced to here, as you learn quickly that one hit can spell disaster, leaving your earned options floating away and forcing you to re-power up all over again.
Gradius III was introduced on the SNES, but plagued with so much slowdown that many decided to skip it. Here, the game's represented much better, and people are able to see where its challenges lie as a result. This one was built on more of an "extreme" level than the previous two releases, with a harder learning curve and ability to stay alive. Fortunately, like the other games in this collection, you can tweak some of the options to make the experience that much more customizable, like with lives and auto-fire and being able to stretch the game across the PSP screen to give it the full representation it deserves. It's great how Konami gave us such a consideration, and didn't just slap together a cheap feeling compilation.
Gradius IV and Gradius Gaiden round out the package effortlessly, two complex shooting efforts with even bigger levels and an introduction of new power-up systems. Gaiden actually allows you to choose from four different craft, instead of just the default Vic Viper, and this mixes up the experience greatly. Hell, just having Gaiden available to play without having to struggle with a lowly emulator is a great feeling, especially to those who have Gradius nostalgia running through them just as strongly as me.
The games are represented very well, with options and tweaks aplenty to take advantage of the PSP, and I also liked the bonus "gallery", featuring a little music player that allowed you to play tunes from Gradius' past, including the now infamous "Teto Ran" boss tune. So, what's missing then? Well, it would've been nice to have this collection feel complete. I mean, Life Force, despite not being a Gradius title, did have the Gradius essence in terms of its gameplay, so it would've been nice to see as a bonus game. Parodius would've been a superb bonus, as it played itself off as a comedic take on the long-running shooting series that many gamers fondly remember. And, hey, why not a port of the PS2 hit Gradius V? I know we just saw its release last year but a portable iteration of Treasure's entry would've made this collection something to truly contend with.
Also, I can't help but think that the game could've used a two-player co-op mode, like Gaiden had in its original release. Sure, the Gradius experience was mainly crafted as a one-player battle, but there's always room for one more, as the likes of Life Force explained. But I guess you can't have everything, and, hey, that does mean messing with the game pattern that we were already accustomed to. I guess no change at all is better than unnecessary change.
Gradius Collection has very few flaws working against it. Despite the fact some entries are missing, the collection here is still varied and show how much the series has evolved over the years. The number of options and bonus goodies that are available are nice, and the jam-packed action of the games themselves should enthrall fans of the series and gather up a flock of new ones along the way. This is simply a must-have retro collection that should keep you plenty busy until the PS3 Gradius that's been hinted at arrives. Wow, the series is aging pretty damn well, ain't it? Kinda like me. Heh.
