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. Gradius II has kept the gameplay from the original game, but infused it with enhancements brought from the spin-off, Salamander (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"), a level designed entirely with only boss confrontations.
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. 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. In the Famicom version, choosing another multiple after four will make the four multiples to move around the spacecraft for 16 seconds; force field is the only shielding available for protection of the entire spacecraft, withstanding five hits and it is included in four different weapon configurations and progressions; and 'Double' and 'Laser' have to be activated twice to achieve full performance.
The PC Engine version offers a different ending screen after completing the game, depending on difficulty select.
Releaseedit
The game was first ported to the Family Computer in 1988 and was never released outside Japan. Presumably this was due to the fact that the Famicom version employed a custom memory mapper dubbed the VRC4,[1] which enhanced some of the game's graphics and sounds, such as animation and voices, thus converting the game to a standard memory mapper (as Konami later did with Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse) would have been too time-consuming (since the original Gradius was not as popular overseas as it was in Japan).
A PC-Engine Super CD-ROM² port was later released only in Japan in 1992. The graphics remained nearly unaltered, the background music is mostly the arcade version's soundtrack in redbook audio format, 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.
Gradius II was later re-released in the Japanese exclusive Gradius Deluxe Pack for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows in 1996, and for the first time a worldwide release on the Gradius Collection for the PlayStation Portable in 2006. There was also a release for Mobile phones on 2004 and Windows Phone on 2010. No version of Gradius II saw a release in North America until its inclusion in the Gradius Collection in 2006. The Famicom and PC Engine ports were re-released for the WiiVirtual Console in 2007, the latter getting an international release. It is part of the "Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection", released on Nintendo Switch in 2019, and separately as part of the Arcade Archives series, released in 2020.
Receptionedit
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2016)
In Japan, Game Machine listed Gradius II on their May 1, 1988 issue as being the second most-successful table arcade unit of the month.[2] It went on to become Japan's third highest-grossing arcade game of 1988.[3]
IGN gave the Virtual Console release of the PC Engine version an 8 out of 10, praising the ability to choose which power-ups the player character has access to before entering a stage and the inclusion of useful cheat codes "to offset the otherwise potentially overwhelming difficulty".[5]
Nintendo Life also gave the PC Engine version an 8 out of 10, praising the new additional features that is not present in arcade version like the animated intro sequence and new exclusive stage.[6]
Notesedit
^Known in Japan as グラディウスII GOFERの野望 (Gradiusu Tsū: Gofā no Yabō, lit. Gradius II: Gofer's Ambition)
Referencesedit
^. DISK-KUN. Archived from the original on 2016-03-11.
^"Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 331. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 May 1988. p. 23.
^"第２回ゲーメスト大賞 〜 年間ヒットゲームベスト100" [2nd Gamest Awards – Best 100 Hit Games of the Year]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 29 (February 1989). December 27, 1988. pp. 25–41 (41). alternate url
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This article is about the arcade game For the MSX game known as Gradius 2 in Japan see Nemesis 2 1987 video game For the Game Boy game also known as Gradius II see Nemesis II 1991 video game Gradius II a also known as Vulcan Venture in arcades outside Japan is a side scrolling shooter game developed and published by Konami Originally released for the arcades in Japan in 1988 it is the sequel to original Gradius and was succeeded by Gradius III Ports of Gradius II were released for the Family Computer under the shortened title of Gradius II PC Engine Super CD ROM and the X68000 in Japan The original arcade version is also included in the Gradius Deluxe Pack compilation for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn and in Gradius Collection for the PlayStation Portable Gradius IIJapanese arcade flyerDeveloper s KonamiPublisher s Konami WW Hudson SoftDirector s Arcade versionHiroyasu MachiguchiFamicom versionShigeharu UmezakiProgrammer s Arcade versionToshiaki TakatoriPC Engine versionKoji IgarashiComposer s Arcade versionShinji TasakaMotoaki FurukawaKenichi MatsubaraSeiichi FukamiFamicom versionHidenori MaezawaYukie MorimotoSeriesGradiusPlatform s Arcade Family Computer Microsoft Windows PC Engine X68000 mobile phone Wii Virtual Console PlayStation PlayStation Network Arcade version for PS3 and PSP ReleaseMarch 24 1988 ArcadeJP March 24 1988EU 1988 Family ComputerJP December 16 1988 X68000JP February 7 1992 PC Engine Super CD ROM JP December 18 1992 Sega Saturn amp PlayStationJP March 29 1996 Microsoft WindowsJP February 21 1997 Mobile Phonei modeJP February 19 2004Windows PhoneJP January 19 2010 PlayStation PortableJP February 9 2006NA June 6 2006EU September 15 2006AU October 6 2006KOR February 9 2006Konami the BestJP January 25 2007PlayStation StoreNA December 10 2009EU June 4 2014AU June 4 2014 WiiVirtual ConsoleFamicomJP April 24 2007PC EngineJP November 13 2007PAL May 2 2008NA October 20 2008 PlayStation NetworkJP October 20 2010PlayStation 4JP April 22 2016 Nintendo SwitchWW November 12 2020Genre s Scrolling shooterMode s Single playerArcade systemKonami Twin 16 Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Release 3 Reception 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksGameplay editThe 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 Gradius II has kept the gameplay from the original game but infused it with enhancements brought from the spin off Salamander 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 a level designed entirely with only boss confrontations 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 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 In the Famicom version choosing another multiple after four will make the four multiples to move around the spacecraft for 16 seconds force field is the only shielding available for protection of the entire spacecraft withstanding five hits and it is included in four different weapon configurations and progressions and Double and Laser have to be activated twice to achieve full performance The PC Engine version offers a different ending screen after completing the game depending on difficulty select Release editThe game was first ported to the Family Computer in 1988 and was never released outside Japan Presumably this was due to the fact that the Famicom version employed a custom memory mapper dubbed the VRC4 1 which enhanced some of the game s graphics and sounds such as animation and voices thus converting the game to a standard memory mapper as Konami later did with Castlevania III Dracula s Curse would have been too time consuming since the original Gradius was not as popular overseas as it was in Japan A PC Engine Super CD ROM port was later released only in Japan in 1992 The graphics remained nearly unaltered the background music is mostly the arcade version s soundtrack in redbook audio format 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 Gradius II was later re released in the Japanese exclusive Gradius Deluxe Pack for the PlayStation Sega Saturn and Microsoft Windows in 1996 and for the first time a worldwide release on the Gradius Collection for the PlayStation Portable in 2006 There was also a release for Mobile phones on 2004 and Windows Phone on 2010 No version of Gradius II saw a release in North America until its inclusion in the Gradius Collection in 2006 The Famicom and PC Engine ports were re released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2007 the latter getting an international release It is part of the Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection released on Nintendo Switch in 2019 and separately as part of the Arcade Archives series released in 2020 Reception editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it August 2016 In Japan Game Machine listed Gradius II on their May 1 1988 issue as being the second most successful table arcade unit of the month 2 It went on to become Japan s third highest grossing arcade game of 1988 3 Review aggregator GameRankings scored Gradius II at 80 4 IGN gave the Virtual Console release of the PC Engine version an 8 out of 10 praising the ability to choose which power ups the player character has access to before entering a stage and the inclusion of useful cheat codes to offset the otherwise potentially overwhelming difficulty 5 Nintendo Life also gave the PC Engine version an 8 out of 10 praising the new additional features that is not present in arcade version like the animated intro sequence and new exclusive stage 6 Notes edit Known in Japan as グラディウスII GOFER ゴーファー の野望 やぼう Gradiusu Tsu Gofa no Yabō lit Gradius II Gofer s Ambition References edit Gradius II promotional flyer DISK KUN Archived from the original on 2016 03 11 Game Machine s Best Hit Games 25 テーブル型TVゲーム機 Table Videos Game Machine in Japanese No 331 Amusement Press Inc 1 May 1988 p 23 第２回ゲーメスト大賞 年間ヒットゲームベスト100 2nd Gamest Awards Best 100 Hit Games of the Year Gamest in Japanese Vol 29 February 1989 December 27 1988 pp 25 41 41 alternate url Gradius II Gofer no Yabou GameRankings CBS Interactive Retrieved January 14 2018 Lucas M Thomas November 4 2008 Gradius II Gofer no Yabou Review IGN News Corporation Retrieved January 14 2018 Darren Calvert May 3 2008 Review Gradius II Gofer no Yabou TG 16 Nintendo Life Retrieved January 14 2018 External links editReview and guide of Gradius II Gradius II at the Killer List of Videogames Gradius II at MobyGames Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gradius II amp oldid 1189663292, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
