It's nice to see one of the games from one of my absolute favorite game franchises being played so perfectly, and non tool-assisted. Thanks VERY much for uploading this.
This game pushes the Famicom's CPU & PPU so hard that I'm almost surprised that they don't melt from exhaustion! I paid a hefty $70 for this cart back in '03 and never regretted it, even though I ended up being stationed in Japan years later, where the streets are practically paved with cheap & rare Famicom games :-) . SNES Gradius III doesn't look all THAT much better than this, which proves that this game's truly a masterpiece.
"This game pushes the Famicom's CPU & PPU so hard ..." No kidding, especially the area with those giant crystals - unbreakable crystals + the ones that break apart + 4 option and the Vic Viper shooting lasers and twin missiles + enemies flying and shooting towards you really caused a massive slowdown. :P
Looks to be the best installment of the series. Best music by far. You can tell it was from the same team behind Contra, sound effects and explosions are identical. not that that's a bad thing :P
I like them, too. The SNES made some sounds too weak and sanitized. Compare the sound of the machine gun from Super C with Contra III. Super C goes Rat-tat-tat while Contra III goes bibble-bibble-bibble.
What a game, and what a conversion for the Famicom! I have the arcade emulated and the wonderful DUO version and even the Saturn one and the Famicom version STILL impressed me! If this had hit the NES back in the day I would have liked it even better than Lifeforce!
Awesome! Thanks for Playing and show it to us!!! Gradius was my childhood (i called it "Salamander") This game was in front about it time... Gorgeous, almost a Snes game. F**king brilliant BGMs... Anyway, nice video!
I've noticed that the gameplay continues frequently uninterrupted. Lifeforce would have a short pause after defeating the bosses and before pursuing to the next level. This one just keeps going non-stop all the way. I like it.
Marluxia Lumaria Life Force is kind of a side series of Gradius. That series introduces a palette swapped ship related to Vic Viper called "Lord British."
It's all due to the VRC4 chip that Konami programmed into the game, showcasing some of the most amazing graphics for a Famicom/NES port. Nintendo of America thought it would've been too expensive to import this type of hardware, so they punked out in doing so. Let's just say if they did, then I'm sure that Gradius II would've been a hit in the States. I agree, it sucks that this version didn't get a Western release 😢
An excellent run of a game that sadly, never made it to our shores. I guess Konami of Japan thought it would be in their words, "Too tough for American casual gamers." Anyway, thanks for the video!
Actually, a special piece of hardware called the VRC4 chip was the reason why the US never got to see this game. This particular chip pushed its graphic capabilities to the limits, making it one of the most beautiful games ever produced for the Famicom. As a result, the hardware was too expensive for Nintendo of America to import, so they (and Konami as well) wound up throwing fans of Gradius under the bus by not bringing this game stateside. Crying shame too, because it looks fun.
That was only for the MSX Gradius II (which was calles Nemesis over here a la Europe, oddly) IIRC. This is the port of the arcade Gradius II, which features the Vic Viper.
The resolution is lower, the color and sounds took a hit, and some of the areas aren't as loaded with sprites like before since the system can't handle everything the arcade game did. Other than that, it includes an extra stage, and for all intents and purposes was probably the best home conversion of the game at the time if you don't count the X68000 version.
Yeah, but Konami found a way around that, by forming the Ultra Games branch, in North America. By doing this, they were able to release more games, under both Konami AND the Ultra Games label. I think they just skipped Gradius 2 because it's super-hard.
Marcel Weber Sadly, it's a little too late for that. :P But seriously, I really believe this game never came to the US because it was so damn hard. Either way, Gradius II is one of my all-time favorite shooters.
hoodmistress Ah yes, that's the chip that gave the Japanese version of Contra additional graphical improvements, like tree leaves flowing in the wind and falling snow.
SemiJuggalo If you have a computer use www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiRzpTZ-_fUAhUF02MKHbj3AE8QFggKMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.emuparadise.me%2FNintendo_Entertainment_System_ROMs%2FGradius_II_(Japan)%2F55664&usg=AFQjCNGoT6e6MStc_H2y2m8CMhMevQEQiw
This video isn't running at 30 FPS; the force field and the ship itself alternate frames in the actual game due to technological restrictions. At 30 FPS it results in typical NES-style flicker, but in this vid I can only see either the ship or the shield, never both at the same time. Other than that, sweet vid!
Ok what the hell is Gradius the name of the "Life Force Pilot" ? There is no reason why these couldn't be called Life Force sequels unless they came out first great games
I noticed one of the bosses appeared similar to the Crystal Core of some sorts from the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. Then again, anything Konami gets a spotlight in card form, right?
Talk about how old school games are about memorizing patterns is bs. Its just a matter of how you beat. If you donut develop the skill to beat a game without memorizing patterns than you have to compensate with memorization. Hence the more skill you have the less you need to memorize.
I still think it's got a much tighter design than this. Then again it's probably just because i'm not a huge fan of the levels which scroll up and down. Expansive but frustrating!
![NES Longplay [027] Gradius II](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dwxi83a7luQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![[TAS] NES Gradius by adelikat in 10:52.35](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QNbYvekFoAU/mqdefault.jpg)
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 89 | คู่เอก "ยอดไอคิว vs คิริลล์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z3vYkHJ_5Ig/mqdefault.jpg)
It's nice to see one of the games from one of my absolute favorite game franchises being played so perfectly, and non tool-assisted. Thanks VERY much for uploading this.
And that music when you fight that brain boss is NICE! I scoop this one up.
Your right! I BARELY remember that boss, it was so long ago since I played Life Force.
This game pushes the Famicom's CPU & PPU so hard that I'm almost surprised that they don't melt from exhaustion! I paid a hefty $70 for this cart back in '03 and never regretted it, even though I ended up being stationed in Japan years later, where the streets are practically paved with cheap & rare Famicom games :-) .
SNES Gradius III doesn't look all THAT much better than this, which proves that this game's truly a masterpiece.
That music is so Konami!
And the damage noise coming from those sun like orange things is so Contra!
Muhan C.A. Yes Same Composer Maezawa Hidenori
"This game pushes the Famicom's CPU & PPU so hard ..."
No kidding, especially the area with those giant crystals - unbreakable crystals + the ones that break apart + 4 option and the Vic Viper shooting lasers and twin missiles + enemies flying and shooting towards you really caused a massive slowdown. :P
Looks to be the best installment of the series. Best music by far. You can tell it was from the same team behind Contra, sound effects and explosions are identical. not that that's a bad thing :P
+Wolfdragon92584 It wasn't for me. I'm kinda happy with those sound effects. More happy than SNES sound effects.
I like them, too. The SNES made some sounds too weak and sanitized. Compare the sound of the machine gun from Super C with Contra III. Super C goes Rat-tat-tat while Contra III goes bibble-bibble-bibble.
What a game, and what a conversion for the Famicom! I have the arcade emulated and the wonderful DUO version and even the Saturn one and the Famicom version STILL impressed me! If this had hit the NES back in the day I would have liked it even better than Lifeforce!
This is a REALLY nice looking Nes game.
Awesome! Thanks for Playing and show it to us!!! Gradius was my childhood (i called it "Salamander") This game was in front about it time... Gorgeous, almost a Snes game. F**king brilliant BGMs... Anyway, nice video!
I was waiting since 22 years ago and until now, I haven't finish this game yet. Thanks for the guidance. 😁😁
I've noticed that the gameplay continues frequently uninterrupted. Lifeforce would have a short pause after defeating the bosses and before pursuing to the next level. This one just keeps going non-stop all the way. I like it.
Marluxia Lumaria Life Force is kind of a side series of Gradius. That series introduces a palette swapped ship related to Vic Viper called "Lord British."
Having all/most of the voices intact on a NES port is very impressive. Real dang shame this didn't get a western release back then... ;:-O
G Truesdale because konami of American don't wanted to spend time to made this "VRC4"
It's all due to the VRC4 chip that Konami programmed into the game, showcasing some of the most amazing graphics for a Famicom/NES port. Nintendo of America thought it would've been too expensive to import this type of hardware, so they punked out in doing so. Let's just say if they did, then I'm sure that Gradius II would've been a hit in the States. I agree, it sucks that this version didn't get a Western release 😢
An excellent run of a game that sadly, never made it to our shores. I guess Konami of Japan thought it would be in their words, "Too tough for American casual gamers."
Anyway, thanks for the video!
Actually, a special piece of hardware called the VRC4 chip was the reason why the US never got to see this game. This particular chip pushed its graphic capabilities to the limits, making it one of the most beautiful games ever produced for the Famicom. As a result, the hardware was too expensive for Nintendo of America to import, so they (and Konami as well) wound up throwing fans of Gradius under the bus by not bringing this game stateside. Crying shame too, because it looks fun.
Those samples and sprites are from Contra hahaha awesome recycling :D
This game is fucking AWESOME! I wish it was released in the North America.
Kevin Striker without this"VRC4" you wouldn't have chance
Gradius 2(NES) e Gradius 5(PS2)
são os melhores jogos da série.
Gradius 2 (NES) and Gradius 5 (PS2)
are the best games of the series.
It looks like they combined Contra with this game
The game just screams Contra to me. Down to the logo, sound effects and sprites. A very lovely project. I only played the first Gradius though.
crystal, fortress, boss rush, and boss stage music are my favorites
That missle powerup he is using is just incredible usful. Its at the perfect angle, highly damaging, versitile to aim.
That was only for the MSX Gradius II (which was calles Nemesis over here a la Europe, oddly) IIRC. This is the port of the arcade Gradius II, which features the Vic Viper.
Good times!!!
Great game.
I was a teenager.
My mother was still alive.
Miss!
The NES 5th sound channel is capable of PCM samples. Terrific adevertisment for the Famicom.
Cool !
I used to do the original Gradius (called Nemesis in Britain) on arcade machine non-killed for three straight rounds.
GODLIKE!!! you play awesome, thanks for uploading!
Oh, and a masterful play through!
Funny that this is the actual sequel to Gradius, and still having Life Force/Salamander bosses in the Boss Rush mini stage...
+Ramón Uribe Soto
This game is basically almost Life Force with new levels.
It even has that sun flare part where you dodge flares.
@@Peter_1986 nah,it is a timeline sequel
+Gunma the retro gamer
Yes, but "Gradius 2" is extremely similar to "Life Force" in lots of ways.
@@Peter_1986 just the fc version,the original arcade version are not,most of the people confused about the them cuz the sfx are the same
In a nutshell, Life Force/Salamander is more or less the "cousin" of Gradius, so they often share bosses and weapons.
Zomg I just love that song at 0.40 :D Can't get enough of it =D
Thank you for your good playing of this nice game :)
The resolution is lower, the color and sounds took a hit, and some of the areas aren't as loaded with sprites like before since the system can't handle everything the arcade game did. Other than that, it includes an extra stage, and for all intents and purposes was probably the best home conversion of the game at the time if you don't count the X68000 version.
Life Force is a spinoff of the Gradius series.
Interesting. In case it wasn't mentioned before, Contra has been fighting alien forces in space. Looks like Konami has decided for them lol.
It sucks that this game was never given a North America release, it would have been a massive hit!
Yeah, but Konami found a way around that, by forming the Ultra Games branch, in North America. By doing this, they were able to release more games, under both Konami AND the Ultra Games label. I think they just skipped Gradius 2 because it's super-hard.
***** What a piece of shit Nintendo, do that to LJN, not Konami.
Marcel Weber Sadly, it's a little too late for that. :P
But seriously, I really believe this game never came to the US because it was so damn hard. Either way, Gradius II is one of my all-time favorite shooters.
hoodmistress Ah yes, that's the chip that gave the Japanese version of Contra additional graphical improvements, like tree leaves flowing in the wind and falling snow.
SemiJuggalo
If you have a computer use
www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiRzpTZ-_fUAhUF02MKHbj3AE8QFggKMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.emuparadise.me%2FNintendo_Entertainment_System_ROMs%2FGradius_II_(Japan)%2F55664&usg=AFQjCNGoT6e6MStc_H2y2m8CMhMevQEQiw
This game is pretty great I tryed it and it was really hard , I played the hell out of Gradius 3 it' had the best soundtrack and levels
I'm confused why they only used Gradius II arcade's boss music "Take Care" for only the final boss battle.
This video isn't running at 30 FPS; the force field and the ship itself alternate frames in the actual game due to technological restrictions. At 30 FPS it results in typical NES-style flicker, but in this vid I can only see either the ship or the shield, never both at the same time.
Other than that, sweet vid!
Konami did a great job converting this game to the Famicom, but this version is extremely easy compared to the arcade original.
Thanks for the help! I got a copy for my japanese famicom system for just under $10US.
omg graphics are so unreal for 8bit nes! its like playing snes
yeah I only played LifeForce
I wish I had to play this when I was a kid looks awesome
super awesome port
great music and sound... pure konami galore!
Hey it looks like a Life Force Salamander the jet is exactly the same
This game alongs with Megaman pwns forever
yesss. i remember my favourite game ever
Life Force is a spinoff from Gradius so yes. Gradius2 was after life force.
extreme cool Level-design
longplay FTW
gradius 2 best in the series. i love the spread bomb. im 40 yo this year.
@hylianarmy0 Hope you bought the PCE version
Good god, what an awesome game. My favorite part was fighting those Life Force bosses [with its boss theme playing!]. This was non-tool-assisted, yes?
This is frikin Hard!
It used a special chip, that's why it didn't make it here. The game itself was not that difficult.
and this is the name "VRC4"
AWESOME AS HELL
Gradius and Life Force look shockingly similar.
О как, а у нас называлась ЛИФЕРФОНС.
Am I seeing thing because, the ships look 3D
14:33 - homage to Gradius 1
I have all gradius on psp, life force and origional since i was 7 on nes 8 bit
Ebay is a good place to start, I've seen them on there. Other then that I really dunno.
I both love and hate this game, but cant hate the soundtrack tho
Ok what the hell is Gradius the name of the "Life Force Pilot" ? There is no reason why these couldn't be called Life Force sequels unless they came out first great games
It is, but it's still fun.
Is it me or does this game look exacly like Gradius 3 for the SNES?
Where did you get this game? I've been looking and looking... I've only ever seen it on Japanese PC Cd Roms. Please let me know! Great great video!
Awesome!!
nailed this game :)
Btw, how did you get that light bulb that turns down the light around your video up there?
Amazing game! Too bad it doesn't work on RetroUSB's PowerPak. :( I think it's because of the esoteric mapper this game uses...
Jason Lovelady it is because of VRC4
I noticed one of the bosses appeared similar to the Crystal Core of some sorts from the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. Then again, anything Konami gets a spotlight in card form, right?
Nice!!
Talk about how old school games are about memorizing patterns is bs. Its just a matter of how you beat. If you donut develop the skill to beat a game without memorizing patterns than you have to compensate with memorization. Hence the more skill you have the less you need to memorize.
Honestly, I don't know the whole Gradius/Life Force time line/story. I'm sure if you googled about it you could fine something though.
I've heard of a PC Engine Gradius II, but never of a NES Gradius II...
Was this one on the Famicom? Or did it also went to USA?
MoreAwsomeMetal it's on Famicom system it never released on American is because of this"VRC4"
Sadly, strictly Famicom. Konami dropped the ball in not releasing this game for the NES
It certainly is.
AKA Mobius formation.
thank ya.
I'm pretty sure it's the vic viper.just a better sprite... :D
SNES Gradius 3 would've been way better if it wasn't rushed out for launch.
I still think it's got a much tighter design than this. Then again it's probably just because i'm not a huge fan of the levels which scroll up and down. Expansive but frustrating!
17:32 ao 25:14 é muito show recordar essas fazes desse game
Ahh... I stand corrected... :D
Kann man das mit dem Japan-Adapter auch auf deutschen NES-Konsolen spielen?
Oh, don't tell me.
Yes it was, check out my channel to see my explanation.
Yep.
What's with the Figure 8 patterns you were doing?
it is burnin heat.... try to play it again and check the background vids its victory viper....
hehe no problem.
I thought Life Force was Gradius II???
i like gradius 3 more
Infinity
What is up with those stoneheads?? I like them don't get me wrong but I always found them to be the most annoying enemies in the game.
never beaten 2 just 3
ok ;).
los moais 12:00
Детство)))