Gradius Origins

Genre: Compilation / Shmup

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local), 1-2 (Local Alternating), Online Leaderboards

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Review:

Gradius Origins, released in 2025 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, is a Compilation of seven games in the Gradius series, all Shmups.

Here is what I thought of each of the games in this collection:

Game	Genre	# of Players	Score
Gradius	Shmup	1-2 (Local Alternating)	B
tl;dr Also known as Nemesis, this is a great classic shmup, giving players the option to decide what upgrades to equip their ship with. However, the difficulty level of this game is absurdly hard.
Salamander	Shmup	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B
tl;dr This spin-off of the Gradius series drops the series’ ability to choose upgrades, but is nevertheless a solid Shmup, which alternates between horizontal and vertical orientation to add some variety.
Life Force	Shmup	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B+
tl;dr This game is basically a re-skin of Salamander with Gradius’ upgrade system. I much prefer this upgrade system, so I think this is a solid improvement.
Gradius II	Shmup	1-2 (Local Alternating)	B+
tl;dr Also known as Vulcan Venture, this game expands on the players’ ability to select their ship’s upgrades by choosing one of several potential loadouts before starting. It’s an improvement for the series, but still punishingly difficult.
Gradius III	Shmup	1-2 (Local Alternating)	A-
tl;dr This game improves on Gradius II’s selectable upgrade loadouts by giving players a customizable loadout to piece together their own preferred way to play. On top of that, this is an all-around excellent Shmup, one of the greatest the genre has ever seen.
Salamander 2	Shmup	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B+
tl;dr Graphically this is a huge step up from prior games, but the loss of selectable upgrades is disappointing. Still a solid Shmup.
Salamander III	Shmup	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	A-
tl;dr An entirely new game created specifically for this collection, and as such lacking the rewind and save state features. This is an exceptional update of the formula of prior Salamander games, and while it lacks selectable loadouts and Gradius’ upgrade system, it has two selectable ships and a nice mechanic where your upgrades scatter instead of disappearing when you get hit, making it so you can pick them up again. While I wouldn’t say this is quite as good as Gradius III, it’s close.

In short, there are no weak links in this group. Well, okay, maybe one – do yourself a favor and don’t bother with the American version of the original Gradius unless you’re a true masochist, as that game is punishingly, unfairly difficult. Other than that, this collection of Shmups ranges from great to outright incredible, and I still maintain that Gradius III is one of the finest games the genre has ever received. Plus, Salamander III is entirely new for this collection, and is also an exceptional entry in the series.

I should note that some of these games are available on Nintendo Switch in other forms – the Gradius games and Life Force are all available a la carte as a part of the Arcade Archives series, and Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection includes Gradius (called Nemesis in that bundle), Salamander (called Life Force in that bundle), and Gradius II (called Vulcan Venture in that bundle). So you’ll want to compare and contrast these two bundles before buying. You can also find the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Gradius on the Nintendo Switch Online Nintendo Entertainment System App, though of course the two versions differ quite a bit due to the hardware limitations of that platform.

I also should note that this doesn’t even come close to being a full collection for the Gradius series – it doesn’t have Gradius IV or V, the Game Boy games, Nemesis 2 and III from the MSX, Gradius Gaiden, the Gradeus NEO games, Gradius ReBirth, and countless spin-off games (Parodius is likely going to need its own Compilation). However, while Gradius Origins may not be comprehensive, I think that’s expecting too much, and what’s here is surprisingly robust.

A part of the reason that I say this is that nearly every game here includes multiple releases from different regions, and even promotional and prototype versions of the games that aren’t available in any other place. Sadly, this does not also include console releases – I still have a great fondness for the Super Nintendo release of Gradius III, and that’s not included here, even though four other versions of that game are.

With the exception of Salamander III, all of the included games have a rewind feature and save states, and given how challenging these games are, you will definitely want to make use of those features. There are also arcade difficulty settings (as well as new easy and invincible modes), button assignment settings, audio/video settings, and a full gallery of bonus content, including a full sound gallery for each game, production and promotional art, and a “Gradius Guide” showing each individual enemy from each game.

In short, Gradius Origins gives players an absolute wealth of content and a selection of seven excellent games, including one game that is only available here. Shmup fans should absolutely consider this a must-buy, not just for the great games but for the wealth of different versions and museum content. As for non-Shmup players, this is an excellent choice too, but with one caveat – be prepared to die a lot and make heavy use of the rewind and save state features. If you’re okay with that, definitely give Gradius Origins a try!

tl;dr – Gradius Origins is a Compilation containing seven games from the Gradius franchise of Shmup games: Gradius, Salamander, Life Force, Gradius II, Gradius III, Salamander 2, and the all-new Salamander III, created specifically for this collection. Every last one of these games is a superb Shmup, with a few of them being among the best games the genre has ever produced. Plus, almost all of these games have multiple alternate versions, and there’s plenty of options and bonus content too. If you enjoy Shmups, consider this an absolute must-have.

Grade: A-

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2025 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Compilation / Collection

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