Konami's Seminal Shooter Gradius Blasts Off On Switch Today

Still have my original NES cartridge! Any major differences between this release and the one from the NES library?

A retro classic for sure. I also love SNES Gradius III (particularly on the SNES Classic Edition with the patch to remove any slowdown).

Is this not already available under the Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection from Konami?
You can definitely switch to Gracious with the Japanese version patch. I've definitely played this on switch already. Also the Arcade Anniversary Collection comes with Salamander, Gradius 2 and a couple of other nice titles. I'd check that out before this singular release people

@pip_muzz I was thinking the same thing. Already got this on Wii U VC, but if I was going to get it on Switch I'd get the Anniversary collection.

Always thought this game was objectively terrible. The soundtrack is amazing, but the game is designed around swallowing coins. Maybe I just need to git gud but man, that final stage is impossible without save state abuse.

@impurekind Can you actually beat it with the slowdown off? The patch is impressive but playing the game on normal with slowdown is the limit of my shmup skill!

Gradius V or bust!

Just curious what the source is for this news? Have Hamster confirmed it somewhere or did someone spot it on the Eshop?

I only ask as the Arcade Archives are rarely included in the weekly Nintendo Download so confirmation of these titles is frustratingly erratic.

Gradius Gofer is fantastic, but Gradius 3 on snes is my favourite. Amazing levels and soundtrack.

@BulkSlash I personally found it easier with the patch, although I only played the first few levels and then quit out to try another game. It definitely feels much better though, like it's the way it was always supposed to be, and it now puts it up there with even the best shmups on Genesis imo.

I also have patched versions of Contra III, Super Castlevania IV and Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts that all fix or restore the originals in some way too (usually fixing slowdown or un-censoring games that were originally censored from the Japanese releases for the USA or UK/EU versions).

I actually think Nintendo should offer something like this as some kind of official option for all these games in some kind of SNES Classic Edition 2 (just a way to remove any slowdown and sprite flicker when necessary, restore any censored versions, and small stuff like that).

@impurekind Yeah I really wish the SNES app on the Switch and/or the SNES classic allowed you to select the region of a game, there's often interesting differences between the versions of each region (and for me it's usually nostalgia that makes me want to play the Japanese versions). Ironically early SNES emulators didn't have slowdown because they weren't very accurate and now we're try to get back to that! 😅

I tried the Contra III patch the other week, I didn't know Castlevania and Super GnG had seen similar patches, I'll give them a try later! 😊

I'm hoping someone might one day give SNES Final Fight the SA-1 treatment so it can display more than three enemies at once.

Hold it now. Great game, but how many iterations do we really need? Personally I'm good with the Konami anniversary collection and the NES port that's available through switch online.

@gaga64 It is on their website http://www.hamster.co.jp/american_hamster/arcadearchives/switch/title_list.htm

@BulkSlash So create a Japanese account and download the Japanese version of the apps - they work with the account that has your active NSO subscription, so it's not like you have to pay for NSO twice or anything.

@Damo cheers for confirming

@Markb coolio, thanks

@pip_muzz It is and it looks pretty good with the filter options you have within that package. I also have my original NES cartridge so this is a no for me.

Will get for nostalgia. I was never good at this, but my first job - they had a cabinet in the canteen.

I’m curious to find out what the difference between this version and the one included in the Arcade Classics Anniv. Collection.

I'll get the Anniversary Collection if I'm ever in the mood for a shmup, but I wish they'd bring back Parodius. It never came out in America, iirc, and that seriously blows.

If you really, really, just want Gradius, then pick this up. If you want Gradius, Gradius II, Life Force, and 5 more Konami shooters and a questionable Castlevania game for a little more than 2x the price, get the Anniversary Collection.

@ShaiHulud You know the floating rock right before the volcanoes at the end of the 1st stage? There's laser cannons on it in this version. Also, stage 2 and the Moai head stages scroll endlessly vertically. And in the last stage before the brain, there's an electric cage trap, and tentacles right outside the brain's room. And more bullets overall. That's all I remember off the top of my head.

@Sinton It should be the same game.

@ShaiHulud The arcade version feels like a different game compared to the NES one. I recommend checking out YouTube so you can see the difference for yourself!

@Sinton @pip_muzz The biggest difference between the two, is this Hamster release will have online leaderboards and Caravan mode. For me, that's enough of a reason to buy the Hamster version as I know I'll get far more out of the game.

@masterLEON That's a very detailed memory you've got there, sir!

@OorWullie Cheers! Leaderboards for these games make a lot of sense.

It's really nice they're releasing the Konami Arcade Anniversary titles individually too. Well, now they're two (Gradius and TwinBee), but the rest should come eventually. Anyway, the most interesting ones (for me at least) are already out as standalone releases.

@impurekind I assume you added the rom, right?

Already got the collection so I'll pass on this.

@BulkSlash Three enemies at once?
I'm feeling that's a limit of the PPU that SA-1 can't fix.
(that is, too many sprites on a horizontal line. The reason we had flicker on the NES. But it was rarely seen on the SNES because it was rarer for games to hit that limit.
I only really recall seeing that with the stage 6 boss on Gradius III.
Gradius III might've had flicker in a few more spots, but I guess it's understandable as it might have been literally the first third-party game developed for the console.)

i will pick this up simple for online leaderboards! i play shmups for fun but 50% percent is beating my previous score and climbing leaderboards!

@KingMike You could well be right, it definitely wouldn't be able to do the 15+ enemies you get with the CPS1 board! 😆

That said I reckon they could get maybe 5 on-screen at once as the Pier level would have 3 enemies and three barrels on-screen at the same time (with a bit of slowdown). Two barrels are basically the same size as a regular enemy, so that gets you to 4 and a half. Maaaybe with some SA-1 help it could do 5. I just wish I had the skills to try and do it myself. ☹️

C'mon konami they still have so many awesome ports so why always this, i was hope for more great old port like metal gear or remember me at least

@BlubberWhale Correct.

@BulkSlash Yeah, just for the sake of it, I'd love to see someone do a full update of the SNES version of Final Fight that adds in all three of the characters plus the two player mode, allows for a few more enemies on screen, and gets rid of any slowdown too, but that's a big ask (even though some people have attempted various parts of that task already). I ended up just downloading the original arcade rom to my SNES mini and it's a blast (plus you get infinite credits this way).

Love Gradius. But I’m fine with the NES versions. Still have my original cartridge, one on the NES classic, and I thought this was also on NES online? I’m covered if I ever have an itch for gradius.

@impurekind It boggles me that neither that or Axelay was put on the SNES Classic. I also love Gradius 3.

@KayFiOS I would also love to see Parodius!

And I’m with many people here, I have the Konami Collection... so I’m curious if it even matters to consider this? I also have the TG-16 Gradius on Wii U. Lol

Yeah, I have this on my original Jap PC Engine, and PC Engine mini, and the Konami collection on my Switch... that's probably enough!

I've finally really got my head into the game on my mini PC Engine, and save slots (whilst many people will scoff) have helped me play through it on a single life... I echo what's said above, the slow-down is very welcome in a few places... at 44 my reactions aren't what they were back in the Sega SMS days!!!

Plan to snag if price is right; played this as a chap a lot along with Bionic Commando and Rygar.

I am pretty tired of Gradius by now if I am honest. Seems like that series has got tons of attention lately and I got all the Gradius games I could ever want.

Did we ever get a proper Gradius Gaiden release in the West? I seem to remember it was only available as an import on the PS1.

No, and can we please jump over all the other Gradiuses and get to Gradius V, the best shmup of all time. Now that would be awesome on Switch.