- Publisher: Konami , Limited Run Games
- Release Date: Aug 7, 2025
- Also On: PC, Switch, Xbox Series X
- Summary:
- Developer: Konami, M2
- Genre(s): Miscellaneous, Compilation
- # of players: No Online Multiplayer
- Cheats: On GameFAQs
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 16 out of 17
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Mixed: 1 out of 17
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Negative: 0 out of 17
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Sep 5, 2025Whether you’ve never played a game in the Gradius timeline, or if you’re a shoot ‘em up diehard, I can’t see a reason not to pick this collection up. It’s a great introduction to the genre as a whole, and the emulation work put into this release by developer M2 is as amazing a job as anything they’ve produced previously. It’s an absolute must buy in my opinion, so definitely check it out.
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Aug 21, 2025Honestly? If you’ve got any kind of emotional attachment to the series, Salamander 3 alone makes the collection worth it. Gradius Origins doesn’t just bring back the golden age of shmups—it celebrates 40 years of the most influential and prolific franchise in the genre. Even if this style of game doesn’t carry the same appeal it once did, at least Konami made the effort to keep it alive in our memories.
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Aug 4, 2025GRADIUS ORIGINS is a must-have collection for any shoot 'em up fan; heck, the super-fun SALAMANDER III makes it worth the price of admission alone and when you consider just how many extras and options are packed in, you'd be silly not to get it.
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Aug 7, 2025Gradius Origins not only bundles together the first three Gradius games and makes multiple versions of them available, it also includes a trio of Salamander games and Life Force. These spin-offs dramatically boost the collection's value, especially with Salamander 3 being a brand new game that's been developed by M2. Add in plenty of options and museum-like content, and you have a genuine treat for shoot 'em up fans.
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Aug 14, 2025This well-crafted collection offers a strong selection of classic Gradius and Salamander arcade titles enhanced with modern quality-of-life options and the excellent addition of Salamander III, though it feels incomplete without key entries like Gradius IV and Gaiden, preventing it from being the definitive anthology.
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Aug 8, 2025A comprehensive and high quality collection that is only let down by stopping at the third installment, although the inclusion of the brand new Salamander III almost makes up for it.
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Aug 13, 2025This collection is specifically designed for the most die-hard purists, and I think it's a shame that M2/Konami didn't take the opportunity to build the perfect, definitive Gradius collection. Gradius for the NES should obviously have been included, as should Gradius 4, Gradius V, Gradius Rebirth, and Gradius Gaiden. That didn't happen, and there's nothing wrong with the package we got instead, but it does gnaw at me a little that Konami, after the absolutely fantastic Contra collection, didn't quite hit the bullseye here.