Gradius Famicom review
8/10
A space shooter with a power-up gauge that lets you choose how to build your ship.
Gradius lets you collect power-ups and choose which upgrade to use next. The choice gives you control over your ship's abilities, and the game is strategic as well as fast.
The stages are varied and the bosses are memorable. The difficulty is high, and the game rewards learning each stage's patterns.
It set the template for many shooters that followed, and it is still enjoyable today.
Pros
- Power-up choice system
- Varied stages
- Strong influence on the genre
Cons
- High difficulty
- Stiff controls