Gradius IV emulation...

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:13 pm

Does anyone know any specifics about Gradius IV on MAME? I have the rom but (of course) it doesn't work. Are their any utilities i can download that may help to at least get it started up?

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:54 pm

I understand you may not appreciate this post, but UFO is selling the Gradius III & IV pack for a tenner right now.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 7:51 pm

No, there's nothing you can do to get it started. The PS2 copy can be found for really cheap though.

Twinbee · Post by **Twinbee** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:27 pm

captain ahar wrote:I understand you may not appreciate this post, but UFO is selling the Gradius III & IV pack for a tenner right now.

oww, thanks for the tip

al138 · Post by **al138** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:59 am

I picked up a cheap copy of the PS2 version this summer, and I've been a happy camper ever since. However, as with all Gradius games the difficulty level (even on the default) can be punishing. Prepare to curse...often.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 2:18 pm

Actually i do appreciate that! I was about to buy it from Amazon for 30 bones! thnkxxxx!

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:56 am

Ok, i bought it with expidited shipping. It should be here in 4 to 6 buisness days or something... i had to get it from Amazon, though. Luckily the price went down to 20.

Yay! Gradius is rockin' like dokken!

I'm so excited that i finally get to play the only Gradius game i've ever missed out on (excluding the Solar Assault games).

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:28 am

You'll have fun with it, it's not nearly as brutal as Gradius 3, the game actually is pretty fair, of course it still has the same issuem die late in the game, and you may have trouble recovering. It recycles a lot of old ideas, but at the same time it seems to put a little spin on some of those ideas, like the Spider Walker, it's actually very easy to get past it, and the Moai stage is still as hard as ever, but now they face sideways on rocks (Gradius 3 sorta did that already). The bio stage has some annoying enemies though, so when you get there, be careful.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:59 am

I have the PAL PS2 version, but it's all horrible and flickery and doesn't have a 60hz mode, so I'm trying to get my paws on a US copy...

PFG 9000 · Post by **PFG 9000** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:21 pm

Bloodreign wrote:It recycles a lot of old ideas, but at the same time it seems to put a little spin on some of those ideas, like the Spider Walker, it's actually very easy to get past it,

It took me a ton of tries to figure out how to get past that walker. I usually go the bottom route - is the top easier? I've found that the bottom is do-able, but you have to time your moves perfectly when it's all the way on the left side and just beginning to move back to the right.

Oh, and the second half of the Moai level is pure evil. Same with the Organic level. But the Magma stage puts this game right up there with Gaiden as my favorites in the series.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 3:45 pm

Now i'll have Gradius III, IV, and V on PS2. I wish they'd come out with a disc containing I, II, Salamander, and Salamander II. Then i'd have the whole arcade series for PS.

Yay! Well, at least i have them emulated

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 3:49 pm

theres always Salamander deluxe and Gradius deluxe

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 3:55 pm

captain ahar wrote:theres always Salamander deluxe and Gradius deluxe

Not for 120 dollars there's not! lol

Seriously - that's what theyre goin for on Ebay. My Ps2 isn't modded or japanese, either.

EDIT
Oh, i found cheaper ones but its still around 50 to 60 bucks apiece to get them with box and instrucitons.

Kiken · Post by **Kiken** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm

circuitface wrote:
captain ahar wrote:theres always Salamander deluxe and Gradius deluxe
Not for 120 dollars there's not! lol

Seriously - that's what theyre goin for on Ebay. My Ps2 isn't modded or japanese, either.

EDIT
Oh, i found cheaper ones but its still around 50 to 60 bucks apiece to get them with box and instrucitons.

Both deluxe packs (Gradius Deluxe Pack and Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus) are far cheaper on the Saturn than they are on the PS1. I guess this was due to a smaller distribution on the PS1...? As the Saturn revs are much easier to find. Quality-wise, they're pretty much the same... although there are some problems when trying to play the PS1 versions on the PS2 (I think Gradius 2 level 2 is one of them).

captain ahar · Post by **captain ahar** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm

mod your saturn. NOTHING is more important in life than have an import friendly saturn around. *i kid* both game should run you about $70 total, as well.

if you don't play jp saturn games, than you must hate shmups... you don't hate shmups, do you? *kidding again*

and yes, for all those wondering, i don't know when to shut the hell up.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:17 pm

Well, i could just buy an import Saturn since i would also have to repair my US one...

I've been meaning to get a new Saturn for awhile anyway since i have a hankerin for some more Shinobi Legions (which is an awesome game no matter what anyone says!).

Then again i do have the games in MAME like i said...

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 6:39 pm

Oh, that looks beautiful...

I love Konami. They're hardcore...

Sabreman · Post by **Sabreman** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:15 pm

I'm currently in Gradius III+IV limbo after selling off my PAL PS2 and games. I've been steadily replacing all the gems with either Japanese or American versions, but Gradius III+IV has been one of those I've just not been able to pin down, and now I'm getting the shakes

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:58 pm

I've been looking for that Gradius Breakdown dvd everywhere and can't find it... for download that is

Bloodreign · Post by **Bloodreign** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:14 pm

PFG 9000 wrote: It took me a ton of tries to figure out how to get past that walker. I usually go the bottom route - is the top easier? I've found that the bottom is do-able, but you have to time your moves perfectly when it's all the way on the left side and just beginning to move back to the right.

Oh, and the second half of the Moai level is pure evil. Same with the Organic level. But the Magma stage puts this game right up there with Gaiden as my favorites in the series.

The walker, you start the first half on the bottom, when your past a certain point, and it starts back on it's way to the right (not the first walk to the right it does) and it starts grabbing tiles from the ceiling, wait for the right time, and you can slip in untouched at the top. From there just watch for the legs to lower a little, then slip through the spaces, until you're out.

The first part where you stay on the bottom, patience is the key, as well as a steady hand.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 10:46 pm

YYYYYYAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's already here! It's already here! I can finally play through Gradius 4! Finally finally finally!

I already tried it out and i must say that i'm back in the Gradius addiction... Ahh, it felt so good to gaze upon the crappily rendered dragons morphing out of giant golden blobules in the first level - reminded me of the early days of 3d when games still had some charachter left over from the 2d era. And the game was bustin' my balls right off the bat, too. I haven't made it past the bubbles when i decided to save it for when im fully prepared for a shmupping fest.

Ahh... good as gold. I can't wait to make it to the Moai stage! That looks so cool!

Man, Amazon rocks. It took like 3 days MAYBE to get my game. Awesome.

Shalashaska · Post by **Shalashaska** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 11:19 pm

I'm in nearly the exact same position as you circuitface. I could not, for the life of me, find a new copy (or used copy for that matter) of the GIII & IV pack in a store so I finally gave up and bought it off amazon. Received my copy about a week ago and have been enjoying it (read: cursing like hell).

circuitface wrote:Ahh... good as gold. I can't wait to make it to the Moai stage! That looks so cool!

You will think twice once you get there....

Can anybody give me tips to help me survive the organic stage? I'm trying to unlock level select and I can do alright in the game until this stage, specifically the part with the veins that release the little blue cells.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:12 am

That's awesome Shalashaska! I wonder if you missed the game the first time the same way i did.

In the early days of the PS2 i was in a WalMart and saw the GIII and IV pack sitting behind the glass. I remember that i had the money but needed to save it for something else and so i decided to wait another couple of weeks before i got it. Needless to say that when i went back for it they were all gone and i never saw another copy again until now - despite many a search through bargain bins and preowned sections.

Ahh... but now i have it.

...my sweet.

And now i'd like to make a special announcement -

Me and the Gradius III and IV pack have decided that it's time we took a step forward in our relationship - WE ARE GETTING MARRIED!!! And you're all invited to the wedding!

Twinbee · Post by **Twinbee** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 3:21 am

-My G3 and 4 came in today as welll, and I'm liking how all my SNES tatics are failing HORRIBLY

-"oh, bubble-eye. okay, I'll stick to the back of the stage and peg his eye....umm.....OH GOD! The eye is STILL coming??,,,,,<CRUNCH!> suxorz.

just use my ship-option converter too..

(I'm also digging all the SNES songs in glorius X68000 FM synth

)

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:27 am

Hey - how was the condition of you guy's cases when you recieved you're packs? Mine had ripped sticker marks all over it. Luckily i keep blank official PS2 game cases in my closet for just such emergencies. (I stole the cases from EB when i worked there. HA!)

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 3:15 am

Twinbee wrote:-My G3 and 4 came in today as welll, and I'm liking how all my SNES tatics are failing HORRIBLY

-"oh, bubble-eye. okay, I'll stick to the back of the stage and peg his eye....umm.....OH GOD! The eye is STILL coming??,,,,,<CRUNCH!> suxorz. just use my ship-option converter too..

(I'm also digging all the SNES songs in glorius X68000 FM synth )

There is no strategy for the SNES version that will work on the arcade version

It's just pure hell.

Shalashaska · Post by **Shalashaska** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 4:36 am

My case, manual, and disc were all in top-notch condition. I was very pleased with my seller.

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:37 pm

I have another announcement - I have left Gradius III and IV pack for Milla Jovovitch and Kate Beckinsale. It was a tough descision but i think it was for the best.