Gradius III

"Gradius III: This is what a Shooter should be like."

First off, I am not giving this game a 10 merely because I am biased (see my name if you don't understand). I am giving it a 10 because it is one of my absolute favorite SNES games to play and because of the game itself. It is really fun to play, the music is awesome, the sound effects are good (even if they are generic), and the gameplay itself is great. So, where should I start this review? How about...a brief background story of the game?

Background Story:

You are a Gradian who lives on the planet Graidus and it is your mission to defeat Bacterion and keep it from spreading its wrath all over the galaxy. You are seen as the new Hero and the Federation Reserves have spent 100 zillion dollars (****, that's a lot of money! Is there that much money in the real world? Oh well, it's a game and anything is possible) to build you the next generation Warp Rattler Fighter...the M.A.X Fighter. The M.A.X Fighter (which stands for Modulated Artillery Exalter) is the ship you will use to hopefully bring down Bacterion and save the galaxy.

Ok. Now that you have the background story...let's get on to my review of the game. Here is my synopsis:

Story Line: 10/10

Sure, the ''Save The Universe From Evil'' spiel has been used God only knows how many times, but it works. And who doesn't like saving the universe when they get to use mad-cool weapons and blow tons of enemies apart? And besides, I don't think any other story line would work well with the Gradius Series. Sure, Konami could've done something else, but if they did it just...just...wouldn't be Gradius.

Graphics: 10/10

Though these graphics are nothing compared to today's hi-tech stuff, that doesn't mean they aren't good. Quite the opposite...they are great. Enemies, and even your ship, have a good level of detail to them and backgrounds are gorgeous. Lots of nice colors, nicely detailed, and they fit perfectly with each level. But they aren't busy backgrounds, which is good because in this game you can't afford too many distractions! Good job on the graphics Konami.

Music: 10/10

If I could, I would score it much higher, but I can't so I will give it a perfect 10. If the graphics don't appeal to you, then the music surely will. Each separate score is awesome in its own right and they fit perfectly with each stage they are part of. From the high speed sound of the Greased Lightning Stage (Level 7), to the mysterious sounds of the Carbonation Zone (Level 2), to the techno sound of the Gauntlet Stage (Level 9) the music will definitely be ear candy. And...if I may suggest...you may want to go out on the Net and try and find some this music. I have many of the songs from this game and they are incredible.

Gameplay: 10/10

Lots of different options to choose from in this game, but the learning curve is EASY. It should only take you a few minutes to get acquired with the controls. Since this is a side-scrolling, 2-D game the controls are simple: Up will take your ship up, Down will move it down, Right will thrust it forward, and Left will push it back. There is also a nice Options Mode on the start up screen which lets you configure the controller any way ya like and it lets you set the difficulty of the game between the standard Easy, Normal, and Hard Modes. You also have a choice of whether you want to power up your weapons manually, or you can set it on Auto and the game will do it for you automatically.

And speaking of weapons, you have two choices for your weapon lay out as well. You can use the Type Select Mode to choose between 4 pre-made lists of weapons, or you can be different and use the Edit Mode to make your own custom-designed weapon layout. This is a nice feature because it lets you find out which combinations are the best and lets you go through the game over and over again with different set ups. To power up your ship during gameplay you must destroy enemy ships. Some will drop Red Power Crystals (the red colored ships usually have them) that you can use to activate different weapons. There is a blue bar at the bottom of the screen that is divided up into sections and has all of your optional weapons that you can power up. Each one will take different amounts of Crystals to activate so make sure you take note of that. Also, make note that you cannot use your ''Double Gun'' and your ''Laser'' at the same time...it's either one or the other.

The only two problems in the game are difficulty and the fact that the game slows down. I'll deal with the latter first. Since there is so much stuff happening on the screen at once during most of the game, the game itself will slow down and everything will move slower (duh). This might upset you because you expect a game to run at a constant frame rate even during heated action. However, in this case, it can be a benefit because the slow down allows you to dodge bullets more easily and you can plan your moves with a little less pressure. Still, you may get so wrapped up in the game that will you either not notice this or you will just get used to it. Even with this problem the game is still great. Now let's tackle that difficulty issue!

Level of Difficulty: VERY HARD (10/10)

Let's face it, when this game is played on Hard...it's HARD! Bullets are flying at you from all over the place, enemies swarm the screen, and some are even more resilient to your weaponry then on easier modes. And the Bosses fire way more projectiles at you and in greater frequency as well. And choosing a bad set of weapons will make it all the more challenging. In fact, this game can be quite frustrating as you will die many times if you are not familiar with this type of game and how to work the controls efficiently. The ''slow down'' effect the game has, and lightning fast reflexes will definitely be advantages to use/have if you are trying to beat this game.

BUT...if you thought Hard Mode was hard...think again! There is a hidden mode called ''Arcade Mode'' that makes Hard Mode look like a day at the park! If my memory is correct, I believe this mode plays just like the Arcade Version of this game. So if you had trouble with that, or have played it...you will be in for a trip through hell if you attempt this mode (if you can get to it, that is). So...why a 10 outta 10 if the game is so hard? Because I just like hard games and they appeal to me. Plus, once you get good at this game you will find Hard Mode and Arcade Mode are a blast to play over and over again.

Replay Value: 10/10

I still play this game over and over again because I enjoy it a lot. But, if you are not a fan of Shooters...then you probably just put it on the back burner and rarely play it. But, if you like these kinda games then this is a great game to play over and over again because it's so challenging and will keep your reflexes in tune and keep you fingers flying. Plus, the graphics and the music (definitely the music) are always nice to see and hear when you get tired of everything else.

Final Evaluation: 10/10

LONG LIVE GRADIUS III!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/18/02, Updated 05/18/02