Is Gradius Gaiden the second best in the series?

This is the main shmups forum. Chat about shmups in here - keep it on-topic please!
User avatar
Nei First
Posts: 436
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:56 pm
Location: Climatrol

Is Gradius Gaiden the second best in the series?

Post by Nei First »

Is that what the general opinion of this game is?
User avatar
Bar81
Posts: 820
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 4:25 pm

Post by Bar81 »

For people who don't particularly like Gradius it is the best in the series. For the Gradius fans opinions differ.
User avatar
SheSaidDutch
Posts: 1092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:46 am

Post by SheSaidDutch »

I love Gradius 1,2,Gaiden (the ones I've played so far) in equal measure.

For a non Gradius fan or a Gradius title just abit outside the Gradius norm Gaiden is that game.

2 player option simailar to the Salamander/LifeForce series

Custom power bar

4 spacecrafts instead of just the Vic Viper= no weapon mix and match for the Vic Viper, but spread across the four indiviual spacecrafts instead.

Upgrade levels on certain powers e.g level 2 missile/Laser.
My Trying Not To
User avatar
sven666
Posts: 4544
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 2:04 am
Location: sweden
Contact:

Post by sven666 »

id definetly say so.. i liked gradius 5 but other than that im not that big on gradiuses.. theyre ok games is all, but gaiden and 5 are great games.. altho the scoring really sucks in both.. (infinite loops wtf!?!)...
User avatar
MSZ
Posts: 632
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2005 5:13 am
Location: Toronto, ON.

Post by MSZ »

Gaiden > Gradius V
User avatar
elbarto
Posts: 295
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:27 am
Location: England

Post by elbarto »

MSZ wrote:Gaiden > Gradius V
Pretty much how I feel too..
Image
"I LIKE SHOTS BULLITS AT BAD MAN"
User avatar
UnscathedFlyingObject
Posts: 3636
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:59 am
Location: Uncanny Valley
Contact:

Post by UnscathedFlyingObject »

elbarto wrote:
MSZ wrote:Gaiden > Gradius V
Pretty much how I feel too..
"Sooo, what was it that you consider a 'good salary' for a man to make?"
"They should at least make 100K to have a good life"
...
User avatar
iatneH
Posts: 3202
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:09 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Post by iatneH »

Yeh, I am not a Gradius fan but I am absolutely blushingly in love with gaiden. Well, maybe not blushingly. But I also like GradV and Galaxies, and a couple of the Parodius games too.
User avatar
sethsez
Posts: 1963
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2005 11:00 pm

Post by sethsez »

I'm the odd one out in that my favorite is III. Then Gaiden, then II, then Galaxies, then IV, then V, then the original.

Yep, I don't really like V much.
User avatar
Galaxius
Posts: 94
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 6:07 am

Post by Galaxius »

V is my favorite, followed by Nemesis 90 Kai, then Gaiden.
User avatar
The Bullet Dodger
Posts: 207
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:27 pm
Location: Brentwood, CA

Post by The Bullet Dodger »

IMO, Gaiden is 2nd best right under V. And I'm not even a big fan of the series.
User avatar
dpful
Posts: 1205
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 5:19 pm
Location: SLC, UT, US
Contact:

Post by dpful »

I kind of liked gradius IV. It's tough, just like real life space battles.
User avatar
ROBOTRON
Remembered
Posts: 1670
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:36 pm
Location: Eastpointe, MI...WE KILL ALIENS.
Contact:

Post by ROBOTRON »

1. Life force
2. G5
3. Gradius Gaiden
Image
Fight Like A Robot!
User avatar
professor ganson
Posts: 5163
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 3:59 am
Location: OHIO

Post by professor ganson »

I could easily change my mind tomorrow, but here's my feeling at the moment:
1. Gaiden
2. III
3. V
4. Galaxies
5. Nemesis

I just found out that the version of III on PS2's Gradius III & IV is the arcade version. I'm going to have to check it out again soon to see how it compares to the familiar SNES version, which I rather like. The SNES version already frustrates me, so I doubt I'll find the arcade version playable.
User avatar
Minzoku
Posts: 1006
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:34 pm
Location: Maryland, USA
Contact:

Post by Minzoku »

I'm too newbie to shmups overall for my opinion to matter :? This is why:

V, Galaxies, 1 :o
"This is not an alien life form! He is an experimental government aircraft!"
User avatar
dai jou bu
Posts: 589
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:05 pm
Location: Where hands connect

Post by dai jou bu »

Here's my opinion.

R-Type 1-3 & Delta = Gradius V > R-Type Final, errily enough.

If I compare Gradius V to the other games in the series in general...

Gradius V = Life Force = Gradius Gaiden = SNES Gradius III = Parodius > Arcade Gradius III

Although in power-up execution, Gradius Gaiden > Gradius V, since you can't give your extra options to the other player without dying in V.
User avatar
Kiken
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:08 pm
Contact:

Post by Kiken »

dai jou bu wrote: Although in power-up execution, Gradius Gaiden > Gradius V, since you can't give your extra options to the other player without dying in V.
You are supposed to equal out by using the Option Thief.

But I agree that Gaiden handled this aspect better with player option reclaiming.

Hell, in Salamander, you don't even have the Option Thieves, so there's no other choice but to kill yourself if you want to even out options between both players (Salamander 2 fixed this with the Option Strike).
User avatar
llabnip
Posts: 370
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:04 pm

Re: Is Gradius Gaiden the second best in the series?

Post by llabnip »

Nei First wrote:Is that what the general opinion of this game is?
I'm a huge Gradius fan... and I'd put Gaiden at the top of the heap. Gradius V is also quite good but just a notch below Gaiden. I'm also a big fan of the original just because it was the first Gradius title (I play it on the Saturn DX pack).

So... I'd rank them...

Gradius Gaiden
Gradius V
Gradius I
Gradius III
Gradius II
Gradius IV

I've got Gradius Galaxies on the way (just picked me up a working GBA with recharchable battery pack at a yard sale for $2... whoohoo!)
llabnip - DaveB
Once more the light shines brightly in sector 2814.
User avatar
SheSaidDutch
Posts: 1092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:46 am

Re: Is Gradius Gaiden the second best in the series?

Post by SheSaidDutch »

[quote="llabnip"I've got Gradius Galaxies on the way (just picked me up a working GBA with recharchable battery pack at a yard sale for $2... whoohoo!)[/quote]

Congrats on a amazing deal 8)

I hope to hear a review soon :wink:
My Trying Not To
User avatar
dai jou bu
Posts: 589
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:05 pm
Location: Where hands connect

Post by dai jou bu »

Kiken wrote:
You are supposed to equal out by using the Option Thief.
That explains why it behaved like it just got out of bed as it tried to snatch my options away.
User avatar
BulletMagnet
Posts: 14156
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 4:05 am
Location: Wherever.
Contact:

Post by BulletMagnet »

dpful wrote:It's tough, just like real life space battles.
Dunno if "real life" was the term you were looking for here. ;)
User avatar
SheSaidDutch
Posts: 1092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:46 am

Post by SheSaidDutch »

Lately I'm playing mostly Gradius 3 via Mame atm.

Well what can I say I think I'm getting better :lol:

I can now get to the second level :oops:
My Trying Not To
Twinbee
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 9:38 pm

Post by Twinbee »

Kiken wrote: You are supposed to equal out by using the Option Thief.
Hehe, I've always wondered what they call individual enemies in gradius games... Option Thief for some reason always makes me chuckle, how no other ship attacking from behind will warn you:)

I'm still split between whether I like GV or Gaiden better...
User avatar
Kiken
Posts: 3982
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:08 pm
Contact:

Post by Kiken »

Twinbee wrote:
Kiken wrote: You are supposed to equal out by using the Option Thief.
Hehe, I've always wondered what they call individual enemies in gradius games... Option Thief for some reason always makes me chuckle, how no other ship attacking from behind will warn you:)

I'm still split between whether I like GV or Gaiden better...
Well, also the Option Thief is the only enemy that has no collision detection with your ship. You can fly right through them without penalty (Type 1 and Type 3 users can abuse the hell out of this during the beginning of stage 8 in G-V... just get all your Options behind you and move to the far left side of the screen... the thieves won't be able to do anything).
User avatar
gamingjustin
Posts: 110
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2005 9:42 pm
Location: New York

Post by gamingjustin »

1. Gradius V (or Gralamander as I call it)
2. Gradius Gaiden
3. Gradius II (NES)
4. Gradius III (SNES)
5. Gradius II (ARCADE)

6. Gradius (ARCADE)
7. Gradius III (ARCADE)
8. Gradius (NES)
9. Gradius IV (ARCADE)

Well, after beatin' 'em all, that's what I have to say.
Gradius III for the arcade is the hardest of the bunch.
I really love Gradius V, as it's a blend of Gradius and Salamander!
neojma
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:49 pm
Location: Bonus Round

Post by neojma »

I'm another of those who thinks Gaiden is clearly the best in the Gradius series. I think V is somewhat overrated (much like most Treasure developed games).
User avatar
Nei First
Posts: 436
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:56 pm
Location: Climatrol

Post by Nei First »

neojma wrote:I'm another of those who thinks Gaiden is clearly the best in the Gradius series. I think V is somewhat overrated (much like most Treasure developed games).
Gradius V...... overrated?

Curious, why?
User avatar
popawell
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:21 am
Location: Michigan USA

Post by popawell »

WAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want gradius gaden, but I can't find it. It is so freaking hard to find!!!!
And im not old enough to use E-bay. My parents enforce that mercelesly.
By the way was this game released in the west? I have read so many conflicting reports it drives me to the point of panic bombing!!!
"There is always an exception to every rule."
User avatar
captain ahar
Posts: 3182
Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:03 pm
Location: #50 Bitch!

Post by captain ahar »

it was not released in the states, and go to playasia you can pick up a books for version on the not-so-cheap (round $24).
I have no sig whatsoever.
User avatar
PFG 9000
Posts: 647
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 6:00 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Post by PFG 9000 »

If by "West" you mean the Western Hemisphere, then no, it was never released there. But I'm not sure whether it had a PAL release. I'd imagine not.

I'd say it's the best Gradius of those I've played, but I've only played I-V, the two Gameboy ones, Galaxies, and the MSX port. And the Salamander series. I'd say Gaiden is better than all those, though V gives it a run for its money.

*EDIT* Oops, looks like Cap'n beat me to it.
Post Reply