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One of the most prolific and oft imitated video games is the 2D shooter. In these titles, you usually take control of an airplane or spaceship and fly through vertically or horizontally scrolling stages, shooting at anything that moves while not getting hit by crafts or bullets yourself. One of the most well known of these kinds of games, often called the ﾑgranddaddy' of shooters, is Gradius.
Usually reserved for arcade play, now you can play Gradius 1-4 on your PlayStation Portable, as well as Gradius Gaiden, a PlayStation game that has never come to the US until now (and for the record, neither has Gradius 2). Aside from graphics and sound, all the games in this collection are pretty much the same. You pilot the Vic Viper spacecraft through alien worlds and space stations, blasting aliens and boss battleships. Collect capsules and power up your arsenal with shields, lasers, and missiles in the typical Gradius fashion. Select your difficulty level, lives, screen size, and other options for each game. Rounding out this collection is a sound and movie gallery. Sometimes bullets can be hard to see and dodge on the small PSP screen, and more Gradius games would have been a welcome addition. Even so, fans of classic arcade shooter gameplay will love Gradius Collection.  
Due to the nature of these arcade classics, gameplay is simple to figure out and no reading is required. Even though the objective is to shoot anything that moves, graphic violence is minimal. The dated visuals and graphics keep the aliens from becoming too scary, and there is no blood or gore. It's no worse than a cheesy 1950s science-fiction B-movie.
Many kids may not remember these games, so the nostalgia factor in this collection is lost on them. Plus, even on the easiest difficulty settings, these games are very difficult. Younger and less experienced gamers may get frustrated easily. On a side note, kids who enjoy playing the popular Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game may find Gradius Collection interesting. Since Konami makes both games, many of the cards in Yu-Gi-Oh feature characters and references to what's found in this collection. This review edited by Dave Long Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Browse Amazon.com's selection of "gradius" themed games Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Gradius Collection |
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