Wikipedia: Gradius

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Gradius is a series of horizontally-scrolling arcade? video games developed by Konami?. The player controls a spaceship? called the Vic Viper, with the goal of destroying enemies while avoiding their attacks.

The games are level-oriented; the [game world]? in each Gradius game is made up of several contiguous environment?s that are distinct from one another. Movement in each environment progresses from left to right until the end of the level is reached, at which point the player must challenge a boss character. If the player is successful in destroying the boss character, play continues at the beginning of the next level. Each level usually has a distinct visual theme.

When gameplay? begins, the Vic Viper can only move and fire a relatively weak gun directly to the right. This level of capability is generally insufficient for fighting enemies, but the Vic Viper can gain greater capabilities by collecting and using [power up]? items. The power up system in Gradius is one of its unique points; while most arcade action games utilize distinct power up items that each correspond to a specific effect on the player character, Gradius has a single power up item. The effect of this power up item is to advance the currently selected item in a power up menu that appears at the bottom of the screen. When the desired power up is highlighted, the player can obtain it by pressing the power up button, returning the menu to its initial state in which no power up is highlighted. In the original Gradius, this menu looks somewhat like the following:

Almost all power ups in the Gradius series are based on one of these. Explanations follow:

SPEED UP: This power up increases the speed of the Vic Viper's movement; usually needed at the beginning of the game or when restarting an area after the Vic Viper has been destroyed, because the initial speed of the Vic Viper is much too slow to comfortably avoid enemy attacks. This power up may be triggered multiple times to achieve greater speed, but there is a danger in increasing the speed too much, resulting in a lack of precise control needed to avoid collision with terrain or enemy characters.

MISSILE: This power up adds a secondary projectile weapon. Arcade versions of Gradius games usually have a separate button for firing this projectile, while home console and computer versions usually use the same button for both this and the primary projectile weapon. In the original Gradius, the weapon is a missile that fires downward and to the right, travelling along the ground. Most Gradius "missile" weapons are a variation on this concept.

DOUBLE: This power up adds a second projectile weapon identical in power and firing rate to the standard gun. In the original Gradius, this second gun fires at a 45 degree angle up and to the right. In later Gradius games, it may fire in a different direction depending on a choice made by the player before the game starts. The Vic Viper cannot have Double and Laser at the same time. If Laser is chosen while Double is being used, Double will be lost.

LASER: This power up changes the standard gun into a laser weapon that fires to the right. The laser weapon does substantially more damage than the standard gun, and can be controlled to a certain extent while it is being fired by moving the Vic Viper vertically; this can be used to quickly destroy a group of enemies. The Vic Viper cannot have Laser and Double at the same time. If Double is chosen while Laser is being used, Laser will be lost.

OPTION: Options are glowing elliptical entities that mimic the movement and attacks of the Vic Viper, resulting in greatly increased attack capability. Furthermore, Options are invulnerable, making them additionally useful in certain situations. All attack power ups possessed by Vic Viper are also possessed by each Option. In most Gradius games, up to four Options can be obtained.

? (SHIELD): This power up adds a projectile-blocking shield to the front of the Vic Viper. The shield is destroyed after a certain number of absorbed projectiles. In later Gradius games, this can be replaced, at the player's option, with other shields, such as a force field that envelopes the entire ship or the ability to shrink the ship. In later Gradius games, it is also usually labeled with an appropriate power up label instead of the less than informative question mark.

There have been four games that are direct members of the Gradius series. These are (note that the known platform listings are probably incomplete):

Gradius (1985) - Originally released as an [arcade game]?, and later ported to other platforms. It is known to exist on the following platforms: Nintendo Famicom, Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX?, Game Boy, SEGA Saturn (packaged with Gradius 2 as Gradius Deluxe Pack), Sony PlayStation (packaged with Gradius 2 as Gradius Deluxe Pack). In some areas, Gradius was released under the name Nemesis.

Gradius II: Gofer No Yabou (1988) - Originally released as an arcade game, and later ported to other platforms. It is known to exist on the following platforms: Nintendo Famicom, Sega Saturn (packaged with Gradius as Gradius Deluxe Pack), Sony Playstation (packaged with Gradius as Gradius Deluxe Pack). In some areas, Gradius II was released under the name Vulcan Venture.

Gradius III (1989) - Originally released as an arcade game, and later ported to other platforms. It is known to exist on the following platforms: Nintendo [Super Famicom]?, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sony [Playstation 2]? (packaged with Gradius IV). The SNES/SFC version is not a very accurate port; levels, enemies, and weapons were altered.

Gradius IV: Fukkatsu (1998) - Originally released as an arcade game, and later ported to Sony Playstation 2 (packaged with Gradius III).

Gradius is related to the Konami series Parodius?, a parody of Gradius that features cute or humorous enemies and environments as well as non-Gradius Konami characters. Another related series is Salamander?. Also, a three-dimensional? arcade game based on Gradius, [Solar Assault]? exists.