Arcade PCB 3: Gradius IV: Fukkatsu

Today we look at Gradius IV: Fukkatsu (Rebirth). If you can't tell by now, I like Konami shooters. Cool board with neat bicompatible features (15khz JAMMA and 24khz JVS)

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• gradius iv
• gradius
• nemesis
• pcb
• arcade
• konami
• shooter
• shmup
• STG
• game
• action

[poopskinTheLiar]

Do you have Solar Assault?

I'd love to get my hands on a Konami Bubble System some day...

[superdeadite]

@poopskinTheLiar No, I don't have the rig for it. Needs an analog flight stick among other

things. Kinda game you'd want in a dedicated cab.

Bubble Systems come up for sale a lot here in Japan, but there's no telling when one might die on

you sadly.

[neoxaquas]

Best Gradius game in my humble opinion. Good luck playing without autofire! You do that often with the Gradius games or do you just not have an autofire circuit?

[superdeadite]

@neoxaquas My Supergun has autofire. My cab does not.

[RetroRepair]

Ooooo now I'm really jealous!! I really have to track this down one day, playing the console version just isn't the same, gotta have the arcade controls for Gradius.

Nice get!

[superdeadite]

@RetroRepair It's not too hard to get. Usually the cheapest Gradius pcb. Only problem is shipping the damn things. They are HEAVY.

[RetroRepair]

Still need to get hold of this one and Nemesis/Gradius 1. G2 and 3 secured though ^_^

[poopskinTheLiar]

@superdeadite Yeah, Bubble memory is pretty darn fragile. I actually have a old computer called the Seequa Chameleon that has it's BIOS and ROM Monitor stored on bubble memory cartridges. Unlike the Konami Bubble System, there's no countdown or morning music - the screen's just blank until it's at operating temperature, then it sends you to the ROM Monitor or MS-DOS.

[2010gaje]

@Bloodreign1 Gradius IV did too have original ideas as far as Graphics music and stage design but the first stage of course almost a complete Buring heat remake without Pheonix at the end.

Stage 3 is a mix of Crystal world and Aqua Illusion but as far as that everything is original.

Not counting Things that appear in All Gradius games Volcanoes Speed stages(Not in G1 or Rebirth and GB MSX and other ports) and Boss Rushes(All have Tetran in it(G2-Tetran G3-Tetran G4-Covered Tetran Ect...

[2010gaje]

@cleomagoolando The word "Fukkatsu" in Gradius IV Fukkatsu means Gradius IV Revival(Fukkatsu) and is a major tribute to Gradius II Gofers Ambitions(Gofer No Yabou).

Gradius IV brings back the hard as difficulty breaking away from Gaiden but not as hard as Gradius III(AC) the difficulty is unbalanced and in high loops (Loop 3 and up) the game goes hellish on you.

Gradius IV is my favorite gradius game ever and to me its the Best.

[cleomagoolando]

@superdeadite

5 is a nice game, but it doesn't really feel or sound like a Gradius. I enjoyed playing it, but it almost had too much of that Treasure vibe going for it. Your videos make me wish I wasn't so broke! :-(

I've got this on PS2 and PSP, but I'd love to try it in its original form. To me, Gradius IV feels like a huge tribute to Gradius II and III, without the third game's crippling difficulty (though still very hard!). I love how upbeat the music is (happiest 'Final Shot' theme ever)