Konami’s Gradius Origins Could Be Its Best Retro Collection Yet

Okay, so here we go. Let’s talk about Konami, shall we? Ah, dear old Konami—synonymous with some epic video game faceplants, right? Remember when they fumbled with Silent Hill and Metal Gear “HD” collections? Like, what even was that? But hey, credit where credit’s due; they’ve bounced back. Sort of. Lately, with M2—the wizards of emulation—it’s like they’re trying to say, “We’re sorry, we do care about retro games!” Who knew?

So, Gradius Origins just landed. Like, literally this week. And spoiler alert: it’s pretty awesome. All thanks to M2, again. Imagine a world where it’s 1985, and Konami decides, “Let’s rock the side-scrolling shoot-’em-ups!” That’s Gradius for you. It’s like they took their 1982 arcade hit, Scramble, and just went nuts with it. Five main Gradius games, plus spin-offs and a side hustle called Salamander (or Life Force—name drama, geez). Anyway, Gradius hit the snooze button in 2008 with Gradius ReBirth on WiiWare. I mean, M2 made that too, but still.

Fast forward—Gradius Origins is like a nostalgia buffet. It’s jam-packed with six arcade classics: Gradius, Salamander, Life Force, Gradius 2: Gofer no Yabou (okay, that name though), Gradius 3: Densetsu kara Shinwa e, and Salamander 2. And, get this—17 different versions! I kid you not. The gem? A Gradius 3 from a 1989 arcade trade show—like, time capsule stuff right there. Haven’t seen the light of day until now. Retro buffs everywhere are probably losing it.

These games come tricked out with features. Invincibility modes? Check. Rewind options for when you screw up? Double check. Die-hard fans can finally conquer those impossible levels. Plus, there’s this treasure trove of behind-the-scenes goodies like art, music—you name it.

Now, let’s gab about Salamander 3. All-new, baby! Made to feel just like those late ’90s hits, thanks to M2’s magic touch—spritely sprites and some 3D flair. Classic Salamander gameplay with side-scrolling madness and alien blasting. It’s like riding a nostalgia wave while jamming with familiar beats. Anyone else feel that?

You’ve got to dive into this if you’re into Gradius, Nemesis, or any of those arcane titles—or even if you just dig retro game love letters. Konami and M2 really nailed it. Focus is on arcade classics—nothing too exhaustive—but man, it’s thoughtful craftsmanship.

Grab Gradius Origins now on Switch, PS5, PC, or Xbox Series X. It’s like a love letter from the gaming past, and darn if it isn’t a joyride.