#Gradius
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
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Episode 79
One of the most notoriously difficult games for the NES, Gradius was so difficult that the famous Konami Code was invented just to make this game easier to test! This was the game that defined the side scrolling shooter genre, and its legacy continues to this day.
So how did this classic find its way into our Nintendos? In this video we'll find out, then we'll dive deep into the game play where we'll learn:
* How to beat ALL SEVEN Stages!
* Strategies for powering up quickly, even without the Konami Code!
* The SECRET of the game's WARP ZONES - Learn how to get ahead fast!
* How to unlock RAPID FIRE, so you can blast enemies quickly!
* ALL of the game's SECRET CODES - The Konami Code isn't the only one!
* Where to every find HIDDEN 1-UP and secret cache of points!
* Easy ways to beat every boss, even the Big Core Bosses... AND MORE!
Thanks for watching!
"Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."
I only managed to activate the warp zone once. Back in the day I read online that they were all accessed by beating the big core quickly enough. Good to finally know how they actually work.
Always appreciate the history lessons and contexts behind every game you cover. If you ever decide to make a second channel that exclusively dives into the history of games or the companies behind them, I'll be there in a heartbeat.
As always, thank you for all your hard work.
Yes!!! I love shmups and this is one of the best. Thanks for adding this.
Same.im a cotton addict
Dude, I just wanted to say thank you very much for this channel. I have beaten most of these games in the 80's but it's awesome to see again.
Gradius 2 is one of my all time favorite games. I really hope you cover that one some day! 🥰
Amazing. Love your videos - they keep getting better. Hope you do one on Bucky O'Hare. It was a favorite of mine as a kid and I still can't beat it.
I thought it was pronounced "Grey-di-us" 🤣
I didn't know this game had warp zones...then again, I never really got past the first area much when I was little!
Great video!
There’s not really an official pronunciation. Arguably, it’s actually meant to be “Gladius”, as in the Roman sword. But the “r”/“l” Japanese “Engrish” phenomenon has it being translated as a “Gradius”. But you will find support and rebuttal for that theory online.
But, generall, no matter what the “long a” pronunciation would be less correct than other alternatives.
@@JazGalaxythat same r/l thing is also why Nelo Angelo's name in the original Devil May Cry was spelled the way it is
I have actually beaten this game--it just took a thousand save states to do it. I still prefer Gun Nac; you get more power-ups and the game just feels easier, or at least manageable.
Gradius is a game I DEFINITELY prefer running in an emulator because you can just save state at the beginning of every stage rather than have to try to enter the continue code. It's a huge accessibility boost for those of us who have difficulty with remembering "did I push a or b last" and IMO isn't cheating because it just does something that could be done anyway (now saving state "wherever you wanted" would be, and not exactly the best idea anyway with some of the ways you can get stuck)
BTW, I also recommend emulators (if one has a legal copy of course) for pretty much any game that relied on the password save system, had no saves/continues at all, or that only had one save location (looking at you, Dragon Quest 1 and Zelda 2). Yes, technically it may make the game easier but it's a huge anti-frustration feature that simply fixes a problem that was originally unfixable (or inherited from the arcade payment-encouragement model)
This can even turn nigh-unplayable nightmares (again cough Zelda 2 cough) into interesting games where you can actually explore/get into the gameplay, or at least playable.
Also, while this part would immediately disqualify a competitive run because it *is* cheating - if you're just playing for fun, I recommend doing it for games that have That One Sequence (clunky platforming in a JRPG where sheer luck can make you fail? A series of rhythm-linked button presses where if you miss a beat you lose out on a really good item? A boss rush where you've defeated 3 of 5 already but aren't certain where you stand on making it all the way? Etc) because saving state right before the sequence really does remove the "why am I doing this over 100 times just to get there and fail again I HATE THIS GAME" factor.
I first played this in '87, and just got past the volcano things for the first time ever, today.
I'd love to see you do Legend of the Ghist Lion on Nes
A comment for the algorithm. All hail the algorithm!
Ok, now, what another absolutely wonderful video. Thank you for putting so much effort into these.
Always appreciated!
Still the most underrated channel on TH-cam.
I played this game when it came out on the NES and accidentally got one of the earlier warp zones. I was 7 years old and I had no idea what was happening with all the creepy heads flying thru the sky. And then I crashed into one! Creeped me out! Thanks for the great vid! A true classic of a game...
Gradius also gave me Syphilis.
Drinking game: take a shot every time UCBVG says "one of the hardest NES games of all time"
I loved this game as a kid and enjoyed being able to take Nemesis with me on the go with the GB. Such great games!
I look forward to when you do DuckTales 2 and Chip and Dale 2😎
I realize they are rare NES games. But they are fun 😊
There's also a sound check code if I remember correctly done at the title screen.
UCanBeatVideoGames: "When you die in Gradius--"
Me: Is he gonna say "you die in real life?"
UCanBeatVideoGames: "--you lose all your power-ups."
Me: Ohhhhh....
Aww not first... Next flying game should be captain skyhawk! Please
Loved that game, I think it was very unappreciated.
Nice this game is a classic.
Moai shooting ring lasers. Classic.
I beat the original nes gradius without dying a few times,I hated that the 2nd was Japan only back in the day before It was available through emulation.
still waitin on ya to do castlevania 3 when ya gonna do it ? what's the holdup ?
I want more doggo.
You didn't mention Gradius 3 for the Super Nintendo.
I've always pronounced it GRAYED-ee-us. I never really played it tho, maybe I should give it a try
I never owned this or got to play it. I did own the sequel, Life Force.
last time i played this the controller had an accident
It’s funny how this game introduced me to the concept of calling small, flying slave discs “options” and I used it for the rest of my life never really questioning how little sense that makes.
Glad I’m not the only one xD
I really enjoy your short history lessons at the beginning of your videos. They are super interesting. Thanks for doing these
11:35 If you have the Shield, Laser and one Option, position the ship so that the Option is just above the Volcano on the left. If you fire fast enough, barely any Volcano rocks will fly up because your Option will neutralize the left Volcano. This will also rack up thousands of points very quickly..
He also missed the trick to position Vic Viper between the boss's firing shots. Vic Viper can fit between the shots, and you can do the trick he does in more places with that knowledge. Man this game was my jam back in the day!!!!
I played this on NES Classic. Takes extreme practice due to the atrocious difficulty. But once you get good, it does become decently fun.
This has become my adult replacement for Saturday morning cartoons. Absolutely love this channel and all you do! A big Thanks to you and Kylo!
I could never get behind the Laser in Gradius games. Double always worked better for me.
The armor piercer in Gradius IV was powerful, I would sometimes choose that over the laser.
You know a game is tough when the programmers added TWO cheat codes.
Also, I just beat MegaMan 1 and 4 thanks to your guide, my man! The only one missing for me is MegaMan 6, your guides are always amazing! Maybe I'll give this one a try. I have beaten gradius 3 on the SNES, so I know how unforgiving these games are
Beated is not a word. Stop it!
@@Animebryan2 funny, I've seen more people use beated than beat.
Thanks for the correction!
My power-up routine goes like this: two Speed-ups at the start, then Laser so you can one-shot groups of Fans for more power-up capsules easier, next is the Missile, and finally Options and Shield. Speaking of Shield, despite what you see in the game, it protects your whole ship from six hits. In the arcade original, Shield is really only a protection from the frontal attacks and can be depleted very quickly by touching the solid ground, usually when negotiating through narrow passageways.
Same, you really need the two speeds at first, otherwise the ship is just WAY too slow.
Soooo.... now ya gotta do LIFE FORCE on your very next video, right 😄??
Or better yet, if u can, and have access to it, the official GRADIUS 2 for Famicom that you showed in the beginning, no?
I heard that game was awesome, I never played it. But I loved me some LIFE FORCE too anyway...
Anyway, so yeah, Gradius is definitely one of the all time great games, PERIOD. The Konami code is a life saver but once u can't use it, ugh... so tough.. I honestly don't remember if I beat it as a kid, cuz it beat the crap out of me to the point I may have passed out once it was over lmao...
I DEF can't beat it now as a part time AT BEST, adult retro gamer....
I'd like to still request Earthworm Jim for the Genesis. This game is brutally difficult and oddly charming in its on way.
Love your work!
It was on SNES as well. I remember struggling with an underwater part and the heck levels. The sequel seemed a bit more forgiving.
I'd like to see the Sega CD version if possible. I've been asking for him to do Little Samson on the NES for the past 7 months, but each week.....
@@furiousapplesack
There's a missing level in the SNES version so I was thinking the Genesis was a more complete version.
@@brockhard3555
That game has the best worst ending.
I had both Genesis and SNES, and was wayyyyy more a SNES guy, but yeah, absolutely, EARTHWORM JIM was better on Genesis... and of course, all the sports games and Mortal Kombat better on Genesis too ...
I was also a big Sega CD fan, so I always kept my Genesis around...
Dragon's Lair
Mansion of Hidden Souls (very underrated, and if u can overlook the TERRIBLE voice overs, you got a really intricate, spooky, problem solving game that got better the further you got, and has one of the scariest, most unexpected moments of any game I ever played... if anyone reading this knows, uhhhhh..HALLWAY GOLEM, anyone lol??? Sucks, I can't "relive" that thru a walkthrough video, cuz they don't die in those vids, just breeze right thru... but it got me, whomever I showed that to, and the VERY few friends who also played it...)
and I believe yet another rather underrated game, but I have yet to meet/chat with someone who HAS played: THE THIRD WORLD WAR on Sega CD, and not absolutely LOVED IT .... actually playing out your invasion battles definitely saved it from being a tedious, monotonous strategy game... and when all else fails, NUKE EM! ("get them before they get you!" 😉)
Gradius was, and still is, one of my favourite all time games. And you weren't wrong when you talk about "fluking your way into one of the first 2 warp zones". I managed to fluke my way into the first warp zone the very first time I played it, and could never do it again.
Honestly, I really just wanted to see how to clear the volcanoes. I've only ever passed it by luck and I was certain there had to be a safe spot. The volcanoes in Gradius III are way easier with the rotating options and charge lasers ToT
I am more excited for this video than I rightly should be. AAAALLLLLRRRIIIIGGGHHHHTTTT!
The first and only video game my mom beat…she was addicted.
Turns out it IS possible to get past stage 1 of gradius…
😳
As soon as I finish watching a new episode of UCBVG, I eagerly await the next one! Thanks so much for putting these out each and every week.
I find this game much harder than Contra. Yet Gradius seems to not get it's well deserved invitation to most top 10 hardest NES game lists. While Contra often does. I believe it might be because that Silver Surfer (A even harder scrolling shooter) gets to fill it's spot.
I think the nes gradius doesn’t get a lot of attention at all because it’s just one of many versions and not the best by any means.
I agree. Gradius is much harder because recovery after dying is near impossible. Contra anyway, despite being hard, is nowhere near top 10 hardest nes game. Contra is pretty generous of extra lives and recovery is very possible as long as you being careful.
3:31
Umm... don't take this the wrong way, as in "oh, u can't tell the difference???" .... but, as a gigantic Howard Stern fan... isn't that George Takei???
Like number 103 and comment 30. You are The Game Master hands down.
This is another great classic SHMUP by Konami. In my opinion Gradius and the other games in the series and sequels are some of the best SHMUPs ever. That't just me though. This Gradius game, Gradius II, Gradius III, IV and V are just so good to play. Despite the difficulty they're very rewarding games.
Still love this game even today on the switch. So many days at Pizza Hut playing between drinks and my pizza 🍕 being served.
"As a kid i never saw stage4 because i always got that warp and thought it was normal"
Me: I never saw stage2 because i sucked at this game! lol
Such a great game, but the one downside is that the movement always felt sticky to me. Just a little more fluidity and it would have been so much better.
This one looked tough. Well done
Great game but when I was young I much preferred Lifeforce... I guess there is no accounting for taste.
Werewolf: The Last Warrior please🙏
Had Gradius on my 110 game cartridge, also a "Super" version with all the power ups at all time. One of my favorite for sure! I had no clue that the Konami code worked for it, it would have helped a lot for sure.
Never played this game. Now I must! I love the background!
Do Parodius next 😅
This was the first game I bought with my NES. I got the basic, basic version. Didn't even come with SMB.
The only warp I knew how to active was from 3 (my favorite level) to 5. I always four 4 harder than 5.
Gradius composer Miki Higashino titled Stage 1 teme "Challenger 1985." You know he was paying homage. Another fun fact... Konami released a Famicom only game called Moai Kun. There a solo Moai is the protagonist in a puzzle based adventure.
Wow! There’s a lot of hidden stuff I didn’t know was in Gradius!
I’d love to see Life Force and Abadox future videos, as well as Metalstorm!
Abadox is underrated. Really freaking hard.
I had grown up with Lifeforce and Gradius 3 and loved them. I never played the original until I was an adult and was stunned at how difficult it was. This guide should give me the means to finally add this one to my list of beaten games 🙂
Gradius is famous for it's lamest final bosses, regardless, it's a kinda difficult but fun game, the 2nd game is even better, however the 3rd... well, depends on the version you play, if you want a bad time, play the OG arcade version (can be played on Ps2, PSP, Switch and PS4) or the toned down SNES version which is hard but overall fair, the 4th I can't say much as I really have not played it much... except that you can play it on Ps2 or PSP and 5... well, either PS2 or PS3 and is a difficult but great game for an early Ps2 release.
Wait. Gunship...? Donut-shaped shootable energy balls? Power-ups? Missiles? Big Brain final boss that doesn't do anything?!
GRADIUS IS METROID THE SHOOTER CONFIRMED!!!
Gradius is bullet hell before there were bullet hell games. You do not know what a hard space shooting game is until you have played this. This and Ghost 'n Goblins are the hardest NES games. A lot of people do not even know that there is a 2nd level to Gradius because they never made it past the 1st level. So much random stuff coming at you all at once, and how under-powered your ship is. You need every option and every laser upgrade that you can get your hands on. Lifeforce is another game on the NES that is very similar to Gradius that is very hard as well. So very easy to get a game over in Lifeforce. But at least on Lifeforce, it is somewhat fair. You get more chances at powerups in that game, unlike Gradius where you have to struggle for any powerup at all. If there was ever a game where you absolutely needed invincibility, it is definitely Gradius. If you can beat Gradius without any cheat codes and without The Konami Code, you are a NES master.
Lifeforce/Salamander is easier due to the fact that it uses a different revival system and potentially having a buddy to give you a hand (but it also features the live stealing system from Contra), Gradius games uses the checkpoint revival system, however in Gradius Gaiden if you are in a 2 player game it uses the Salamander revival system instead, in Gradius V the game by default uses the Salamander revival system for single player (EVEN if you have to use a continue you restart on the same spot you died instead of the start of the stage or checkpoint), but yeah, Lifeforce/Salamander despite that is not a walk in the park, is still hard, bur feels fair somehow.
Actually Gradius isn’t remotely “bullet hell”. While Gradius is SUPER difficult, actual bullet hell games are notable for how many bullets they have on screen. Gradius doesn’t really have many. Bullet hells are also notable for becoming a self mockery by having the player have a tiny bit box and then putting stupid amounts of bullets on screen to appear more difficult than it really is.
@@PikangsFutaba honestly I always thought Life Force was alot harder than Gradius. Sure the revival system is better in Life Force but I think I never actually beat Life Force without the Konami Code.
Cannot start my Saturdays without watching you!! It's become a ritual.
This game reminds me of Chinese food. One Friday after school I played Gradius 3 for SNES. After my mom got off work that day she took me eat out at Peking Chinese restaurant for the evening buffet.
For 30+ years I have been calling it gREYdius, didn’t know it was gRAAdius. Which is the correct pronunciation 🤪?
This dude said I can beat video games I'm still trying to beat turtles from episode 1
Wow somebody get in touch with George Takei we just found his long lost brother/possible twin (Hashimoto) 3:29. Either that or mirror universe Sulu is in our timeline making games for evil purposes!
YES!!! I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO BEATING THIS GAME!!!
One day I got on a roll with this game and earned a score of something like 3.5mil - I went and got the camera and took a pic to send in to Nintendo power. Too bad it didn’t come out clear enough to see the score. 😔
I love me a good shump...even if I'm not very good. Shumps have some of the best music ever. How about a video on Recca 92?
Man for sure you come out with these bangers week after week. This is one of my favorite games
Look I appreciate it and all, but no amount of information or knowing where secrets are is going to help me beat this game. I don't think I ever knew there was a second level, or even a boss fight.
Nice walkthrough! Never knew this game was where the Konami Code was introduced in! [as opposed to Contra]
I'll use all the hints and tips for whenever I play Gradius, and make good use of those Options! Keep'em coming, U Can Beat Video Games!
holy shit lifeforce was a sequel and I never knew it. That's why the game is so amazing!
wow. Never knew about the warp zones.
I had Gradius 3 on the SNES. One of my favorite games. I could play through Very Easy to very Hard with one life.
Tim Mc-Gradius wants you to do the Littlest Samson you've ever seen.
Well your up ten thousand more subscribers since last week and you definitely have earned every single one
Never understood why they made so difficult that the average player can not beat without a code
Do you always photo shop your dog in? I've never noticed if you did.
One of my favorite games
Ok who else has pronouncing it incorrectly for years
No its the narrator pronouncing it wrong
@@fmpentertainmentmedley3338 no it is the children who are wrong
@@EnjoySackLunch im certainly not a child... but i AM British (which muddies the pronunciation waters even more! 🤣)
Yeah I was pronouncing it Greydius lol
Fantastic share! Appreciate you covering Gradius!
So you just wait... May be I should be more patient, too. ^^
I've played this game a lot over the years... there are bosses?
I've started this game a lot over the years...
This is a step up from Chip and Dale difficulty wise for sure.
gradius is a very "nintendo power" kinda game. cool to see all those secrets put so concisely, and with some fun dev history to boot!
This was the 1st game I purchased with my own money.
I love how when 30 years later I still learn that I've been pronouncing the name of a game wrong! 🤣🤣
Always been “grey-dee-us” to me lol.
Man you are the best guide out there !!! thank you so much !
Great Video. I have beaten this game before but there was alot of secrets and strategies I did not know. So kudos!
However I do have to mention that the Arcade Version of Gradius is much more difficult than the NES Version.
I could not even pass Stage 3 on the Arcade.
Same goes for Gradius 2 and 3
I have beaten the Famicom Gradius 2 but the Arcade is ALOT more difficult.
And the Arcade Version of Gradius 3 might even be one of the most difficult (but still good) games I have ever seen.
My favorite is Gradius IV for the Playstation 2. Those lava levels are awesome!
The only way to make those games even HARDER, especially the arcade versions is to try to beat at least one of them without collecting a single power up at all
Nice coverage of the game! Though I'm surprised that you don't mention the rank system. The more you use the power ups, the harder and more aggressive the enemies get. The only way to reduce rank is to lose a life, so while you'll lose all the power ups, the toned down difficulty means death isn't entirely bad news. Recovery is also isn't that difficult provided you practice the spots.
Me and my mom would play the hell out of life force
We got got this week with the cheesy ending lol
When I was a kid playing Gradius, I accidentally pressed speed up after I defeated the first boss. Then it warped up. I thought that was a secret. I told my friends about that and showed them. I tried it again and it didn’t work. I tried a lot of times and still didn’t work. My friends said I was lying but I could not lie with my eyes! I got my redemption when the internet was born and this video as well!
Gradius is one of my favorite NES games but it is so hard. Never beat it
The first 3 Gradius' we're difficult AF