Video games - Gradius III

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	Video games - Gradius III

is a horizontally-scrolling shooter arcade game, released by Konami in 1989. It is the third game in the Gradius series and a direct sequel to Gradius II
. This title builds on and refines the definitive gameplay of the previous games, most notably adding multiple weapon systems.

Storyline

The player returns as the role of the pilot of the Vic Viper spaceship to battle onslaughts of enemies, including Moai.

Gameplay

There are a total of ten levels in the game. Level 4 is notorious for being the first and only pseudo-3D level to ever appear in the Gradius series. In this mini-level, the player controls the Vic Viper in a third-person perspective and must avoid colliding with walls. There are also two hidden levels that are based on the early sections of Gradius
and Salamander
. The game contains the familiar weapons, level layouts, and enemies that have become trademarks of the series.

The game is known by fans as being considerably more difficult than its predecessors, so much so that it prompted Konami to pull it from arcades rather quickly. The Japanese version of the game contains a 'beginner mode' that allows the player to venture through the first three levels at a much easier difficulty. The Asian arcade release lacks the beginner mode and retrospective introduction sequence, but reduces the difficulty overall.

The biggest addition to the game is the introduction of the "Edit Mode", which is a logical progression on the weapons system from Gradius II. Not only can players choose between pre-defined weapon schemes, but they can mix and match missile, double, laser, shield and "special" ("!") power-ups into their own custom combination. However, some of the weapons available in pre-defined schemes can not be used in custom schemes, and vice versa. Many of the redundant weapon variations from the different schemes in Gradius II were removed, in favor of new variations.

Weapons

Missile

:The "Control" variation will have the missile move in a direction that is roughly what the ship is moving in. The "Upper" mode is just an inverse of the normal ground-combing missile. The "Spread bomb" is a bundle of explosives, fired backwards, that detonate on impact.

Double

:The only carryover from previous games for the Double is the tail-gun (from Gradius II). "Vertical" shoots one blast at a vertical ninety-degree angle and another blast forward. The "Spread gun", a name which may have been taken from the Contra series by Konami, fires angled shots from the front of the spacecraft. Initially two shots, this mode can be powered-up again for three simultaneous shots. The "Freeway" mode will fire a shot in the direction the craft is moving, in addition to firing forward.

Laser

:There are three new laser variations in Gradius III; the "E. Laser" , the "C. Laser", and the "Twin Laser". The Twin Laser has two small beams that are shot as rapid-fire bullets, similar to the normal gun. The E. Laser is a charge-up weapon, the first presented in the series that shoots a large beam across the screen. The C. Laser is the traditional laser; the color however has changed from a blueish white gradient to an orange pulse.

Option/Multiple

:Another first in the series, a variation of the Option/Multiple is presented called the "S. Option" or strange option. This mode will have the options moving in erratic, seemingly random patterns.

Shield & Speed

:There exist two new types of shields: "Free" and "Reduce Size". Free allows the player to choose where the alignment of the two shield barriers, while Reduce Size, namely, turns the player's ship smaller to aid in avoiding enemies.

:A new category, the "!" represents operations that the player would ideally wish to avoid, but are sometimes useful in tight situations. There is "Speed Down" which reduces ship speed by one powerup's worth, "Life to Option" which turns lives into options, and "Normal" which returns the ship to default status.

Levels and bosses

Stage 1: Desert - Earwig Scorpion
Stage 2: Bubble - Bubble Eye
Stage 3: Volcano - Big Core Mk-III
Stage 4: 3D High Speed
Stage 5: Moai
Stage 6: Cell - Big Brain
Stage 7: Fire - Two-Headed Scorch Serpent
Stage 8: Plant - Bulbous
Stage 9: Crystal
Stage 10 Part I: Boss Rush - Tetran, Covered Core, Big Core Mk-II, Crystal Core, Death Mk-II
Stage 10 Part II: Base - Disrupt, Shadow Gear, Bacterian

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Gradius III ]

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