Gradius II

Infobox VG
title = Gradius II Gofer no Yabō


developer = Konami
publisher = Konami
designer = Hiroyasu Machiguchi
released = TurboGrafx-CD
^JPN March 24, 1988
^EU May 1988
Virtual Console
^NA October, 2008
genre = Horizontal scrolling shooter
modes = Single player
cabinet = Upright
arcade system = Konami Twin 16
display = Raster, horizontal orientation, 320 x 224
input = 8-way joystick, 3 buttons
platforms = Arcade, Famicom, PC Engine, Sharp X68000, Virtual Consolenihongo|"Gradius II"|グラディウスⅡ GOFERの野望|Guradiusu Tsū Gofā no Yabō|lit. "Gradius II: The Ambition of Gofer" is a horizontally-scrolling shooter published by Konami in 1988 for video arcades.

"Gradius II" never saw availability in North America until the release of "Gradius Collection" for the PlayStation Portable, instead, the "Life Force" conversion of "Salamander" was marketed as the sequel to "Gradius".

The arcade version of "Gradius II" was released in Europe as "Vulcan Venture".

Plot

The player returns as the role of the pilot of the Vic Viper spaceship to battle the second onslaughts of the Bacterion Empire, under the new leadership of Gofer, the giant head.

Gameplay

"Gradius II" has kept the gameplay from the original game, but infused it with enhancements brought from the spin-off, "Salamander", and the Japanese arcade release of "Life Force". This is primarily evident in two of the weapons configurations that are selectable.

Another first in the series was the inclusion of the "boss rush" (also known as "boss parade" or "boss alley"), levels designed entirely with only boss confrontations.

Weapons

"Gradius II" retains the selection bar from "Gradius", but now the player can choose between four different weapon configurations and progressions. All schemes have speed-up and multiples (Options), but have differing 'Missile', 'Double' (laser), and 'Laser' weapons. The player can have at most four multiples. Choosing another multiple after four will make the four multiples to move around the spacecraft until they encounter an obstacle and stop revolving. Additionally, there are also two types of shielding to choose from: shield and forcefield. The shield option adds more durability, but only for the front of the Vic Viper, while the forcefield adds protection for the entire spacecraft, albeit only against three hits.

Ports

The game was first ported to the Nintendo Family Computer in 1988. It was never released in North America. The game also features a mapper chip which enhanced some of the game's graphics and sounds.

The game was then ported in 1992 to the PC Engine Super CD system. The graphics remained unaltered and one additional stage was added that is similar to the temple stage in the NES version of "Life Force" and the first stage of "Gradius III". Additionally a sound test was added.

The MSX1 version of "Gradius 2" (released as "Nemesis 2" in the European market) was an original sequel produced specifically for the platform and unrelated to the arcade version. A port of the arcade version of "Gradius II" was later released under the title of nihongo|"Gofer no Yabō Episode II"|ゴーファーの野望 エピソードII|Gōfā no Yabō Episōdo Tsū|"Gofer's Ambition: Episode II" in Japan, or "Nemesis III: Eve of Destruction" in Europe. The MSX1 version of "Gradius 2" would later be remade as "Nemesis '90" for the X68000 with improved graphics.

"Gradius II" was later re-released in the Japanese exclusive "Gradius Deluxe Pack" for the Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows in 1996, and for the first time a worldwide release on the Gradius Collection for the Sony PSP.

References

External links

* [http://www.thundercross.freeserve.co.uk/html/vulcan.htm Review and guide of Gradius II]
*KLOV game|id=7989