Gradius Origins — A Timeless Shoot 'Em Up Legacy Revitalized

The sentinel of side-scrolling shooters returns. Launching on August 7, 2025, Gradius Origins isn’t just a nostalgia trip, it’s a refined celebration of the genre, merging seven classic arcade titles with modern enhancements and one brand-new entry. Whether you're a retro fanatic or new to the cosmos of Vic Viper, this collection lands with proper impact.

Vintage Shooters Reborn, with New Modes and Modern Flair

Your hard-earned quarters now afford you access to legends like Gradius, Gradius II, Life Force, Gradius III, Salamander, Salamander 2, and, fresh off the assembly line, Salamander III. That’s not all: this compilation includes 18 regional versions across these classics, each featuring save states, rewind, invincible mode, training scenarios, plus online leaderboards, music galleries, visual archives, and even options to recreate original arcade quirks.

Lore Among the Stars

While Gradius never leaned heavily on storytelling, Origins adds a bit more flavor to its universe. Through cutscenes and audio logs, you get a sense of the age-old conflict between Gradius and the Bacterion Empire. It’s still mostly about twitch reflexes and screen-clearing weapons, but the added narrative texture is a welcome upgrade.

Who Will Dominate the Cosmos?

If you're an arcade veteran chasing high scores, Gradius Origins delivers that surge of adrenaline—with modern safety nets to help you survive. Newcomers, meanwhile, will find multiple difficulty modes and rewind tools that temper the classic challenge. Ultimately, whether you're battling Bacterian or exploring new stars, this one’s your best route for a timeless space shoot‑’em‑up experience.