Gradius III & IV is the pinnacle of shooter evolution (Gradius 3 and 4 (PS2))

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Product:	Gradius 3 and 4 (PS2)
Date:	02/12/00 (15 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots

Disadvantages: few

Gradius III & IV is a collection of 2 classic games on one CD, and while it doesn't show much of the graphical power your shiney new Playstation 2 is capable of, it's still the systems best game out so far. Both versions are perfect replicas of their arcade counterparts. Gradius III saw release in the US on the Super Nintendo back in the early 90s, but up until now, Gradius IV, which came out in late 98 in japanese arcades, has never seen the light of day in the US market.

Gradius III is old-school all the way. Fans of the original arcade version of the game will be glad to know that the version found on Gradius III & IV is a perfect arcade port, right down to the ram rom check. The graphics are straight from the good old days of arcade gaming. The PS2 rips right through the 2D sprites that fill the screen, as it should, however the slowdown found in the original arcade version that actually serves as a life-saver in this game is noweher to be found becuase of this. However, those smart guys at Konami give you the option of actually adding a "wait" time to the game, which will cause intentional slowdown in parts of the game that are exact replicas of the slowdown found in the arcade version, which is a VERY welcome feature (considering this game is EXTREMELY hard even WITH the slowdown). Other special features include and Extra Mode, where you can play soem Gradius III mini-games, and a VERY useful Stage Select option, so you can skip right to levels you've completed. This game is all about hardcore, fast-paced shooter action. It was one of the best SNES games ever, and it's even better on PS2 becuase it's arcade perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Gradius IV will probably be a whole new experience for US gamers. The game was released a few years back in Japan, and never saw release on a home system until the PS2 came out. While Gradius IV does manage to show off some neat polygons and lighting effects, but it still doesn'
;t push the limits of your PS2... not by a long shot. But that doesn't matter. It's still the best looking Gradius game ever released, and it's also one of the best playing too! Gradius IV is as intense as they get. Like Gradius III, it's all about split second reflexes and insanely high difficulty. Konami has also added a special Boss Rush Mode where you can fight all the bosses time attack style. Also, with patience, you can unlock a stage select mode, so you can skip to whatever levels you've completed. Great stuff.

For shooter fans, this is as good as it gets. You get the two best shooters of all-time on once CD with a bunch of great extras like Stage Select, BGM tests, and FMV intros for both G3 and G4. The game is perfect for all ages. Gradius III & IV is the pinnacle of shooter evolution. The only people who won't like this game are gamers looking for amazing 3D graphics out of their new PS2 and aren't concered about actual gameplay.

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