Review: Gradius (NES)
The ol’ NES has been seeing some action in my house as of late, due to a new roommate moving in what owns a working control deck. When my friend Phil isn’t endlessly playing Super Mario Brothers, the rest of us try to get in some nostalgic gaming action. One of the games in my collection that has been getting extensive time is Gradius, by Konami. Gradius is a side-scrolling shooter (or shmup, as the kids say nowadays) that has seen quite a few sequels over the years, and for good reason: the game is quite fun, and is decently hard without being impossible for the slightly-above-average-skill-level gamer.
In Gradius, basic gameplay is quite simple. You are in control of a spaceship (the name of which is Vic Viper, something I learned from Wikipedia, being without the manual myself) and must shoot all the other ships that are trying to shoot you. You start as a fairly slow clunker of a ship, but killing certain enemies nets you red powerups, which can be used for increasing your destructive ability. The powerup system in Gradius is interesting, in that it offers a level of customization typically not found in older shooting games. Along the lower half of the screen is a list of available bonuses for your Vic Viper. Getting one powerup moves a cursor onto the first bonus, which happens to be increased speed. Pressing the ‘B’ button will activate that bonus. However, if you decide to hold off, a second powerup will move the cursor to the next bonus. By delaying gratification, the player can build up and obtain better powers for his ship, such as force shields or an “option.” The “option” is one of the unique mechanics to the Gradius series. Once this bonus is activated, an energy orb will follow your ship, shooting when your ship shoots, thus adding twice the firepower at your disposal.
One of the more interesting aspects of this game is its customization factor: almost every player will choose a different series of bonuses to activate on their ship, depending on their playing style. Of course, when every bonus has been received, the player is neigh indestructible, but up until then many different choices can be made. What’s more important: speed for increased maneuverability, or missiles that eliminate enemies on the ground? You might choose differently based on the situation.
While casual gamers might find Gradius a bit too difficult, seasoned veterans should have no problem finishing the game after a few tries. Even with my weakened right hand mashing the ‘A’ button (and lack of skill in shmups), I was able to learn most of the game in a couple play sessions. Other roommates were not quite so lucky, but I imagine if they continue to play, then beating the game would be well within the realm of possibility. One interesting aspect of the game’s difficulty is the final boss. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say, “It’s not what you expect.”
Usually, “going back to your roots” on the NES involves pretty dumbed-down gameplay, but Gradius is an exception to this rule. It’s always interesting to see where a genre has been, and how that past has helped shape games today.
Comments