Gradius III and IV

{{Main|Gradius III|Gradius IV}}

The overall gameplay is similar to the arcade versions, but included with a stage select and option menu. The option menu is similar to the configuration menus in the arcade versions, except that the ability to save and load high scores and adjust the screen has been added. For Gradius III, the option to change the amount of lag has been added because the PS2 processor is much faster than the arcade processor and for Gradius IV, the option to change sound (stereo/mono) and screen size (PCB/full-size) has been added.

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{{Video game reviews

| MC = 64/100{{cite web |title=Gradius III and IV |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/gradius-iii-and-iv/ |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom |accessdate=March 15, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315155410/https://www.metacritic.com/game/gradius-iii-and-iv/ |archivedate=March 15, 2024 |url-status=live}}

| Allgame = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |last=Kwiatkowski |first=Michael |title=Gradius III and IV - Review |url=http://allgame.com/game.php?id=25301&tab=review |website=AllGame |publisher=All Media Network |accessdate=March 11, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115112822/http://allgame.com/game.php?id=25301&tab=review |archivedate=November 15, 2014}}

| CNG = 6/10{{cite web |last=Rector |first=Brett |date=December 14, 2000 |title=Gradius III and IV |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Ps2/Reviews/Gradius/ |website=Gamecenter |publisher=CNET |accessdate=January 1, 2022 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010128082200/http://www.gamecenter.com/Ps2/Reviews/Gradius/ |archivedate=January 28, 2001}}

| Edge = 6/10{{cite magazine |author=Edge staff |title=Gradius III & IV |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/f/f6/Edge_UK_091.pdf |magazine=Edge |publisher=Future Publishing |issue=91 |date=December 2000 |page=118 |accessdate=March 15, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612225635/https://retrocdn.net/images/f/f6/Edge_UK_091.pdf |archivedate=June 12, 2023 |url-status=live}}

| EGM = 6/10{{cite magazine |last1=Johnston |first1=Chris |last2=MacDonald |first2=Mark |last3=Kujawa |first3=Kraig |title=Gradius III and IV |url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_138_January_2001_U/page/n207/mode/2up |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=138 |date=January 2001 |page=208 |accessdate=April 9, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010126032000/http://www.zdnet.com/egm/stories/main/0,11589,2658684,00.html |archivedate=January 26, 2001 |url-status=live}}{{efn|Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 7.5/10, 7/10, and 3.5/10.}}

| Fam = 28/40{{cite magazine |title=グラディウスIII＆IV 〜復活の神話〜 [PS2] |language=ja |url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=9418&redirect=no |magazine=Famitsu |publisher=Kadokawa Corporation |accessdate=March 11, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218001137/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=9418&redirect=no |archivedate=December 18, 2019 |url-status=live}}

| GI = 5/10{{cite magazine |last=McNamara |first=Andy |title=Gradius III & IV |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200012/R03.0807.1158.27499.htm |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=FuncoLand |issue=92 |date=December 2000 |page=99 |access-date=March 19, 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228143102/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200012/R03.0807.1158.27499.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2008}}

| GameFan = (J.W.) 72%{{cite magazine |last=Weitzner |first=Jason "Fury" |title=Gradius III and IV: Fukkatsu no Shinwa |url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_8_Issue_07/page/n87/mode/2up |magazine=GameFan |publisher=Shinno Media |volume=8 |issue=7 |date=July 2000 |page=84 |accessdate=March 19, 2020}}
54%{{cite magazine |last1=Van Stone |first1=Matt "Kodomo" |last2=Ngo |first2=George "Eggo" |last3=Mylonas |first3=Eric "ECM" |url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_8_Issue_07/page/n13/mode/2up |title=Gradius III & IV |magazine=GameFan |publisher=Shinno Media |volume=8 |issue=7 |date=July 2000 |page=13 |accessdate=September 10, 2020}}{{efn|In GameFan{{'}}s viewpoint of the Japanese import, three critics gave it each a score of 47, 61, and 55.}}

| GSpot = 6.3/10{{cite web |last=Davis |first=Ryan |date=November 22, 2000 |title=Gradius III & IV Review [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006"] |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/gradius-iii-and-iv-review/1900-2657315/ |website=GameSpot |publisher=Fandom |accessdate=March 15, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010124085100/http://www.zdnet.com/gamespot/stories/reviews/0,10867,2657315,00.html |archivedate=January 24, 2001 |url-status=live}}

| GSpy = 67%{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Benjamin |date=March 29, 2001 |title=Gradius III & IV |url=http://www.planetps2.com/features/reviews/2001/gradius3and4/ |website=PlanetPS2 |publisher=IGN Entertainment |accessdate=March 19, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010606012238/http://www.planetps2.com/features/reviews/2001/gradius3and4/ |archivedate=June 6, 2001}}

| IGN = 6.5/10{{cite web |last=Smith |first=David |date=November 15, 2000 |title=Gradius III and IV |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/16/gradius-iii-and-iv |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |accessdate=March 15, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419014607/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/16/gradius-iii-and-iv |archivedate=April 19, 2023 |url-status=live}}

| JXV = 10/20{{cite web |author=Kornifex |date=January 5, 2001 |title=Test: Gradius III & IV |language=fr |url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00001128_test.htm |website=Jeuxvideo.com |publisher=Webedia |accessdate=March 15, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228185036/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00001128_test.htm |archivedate=February 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}

| NGen = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Orlando |first=Greg |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen73Jan2001/page/n83/mode/2up |title=Gradius III and IV |magazine=NextGen |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=73 |date=January 2001 |page=83 |accessdate=April 1, 2020}}

| OPM = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Baker |first=Chris |title=Gradius III and IV |url=http://www.zdnet.com/opm/stories/main/0,11891,2646670,00.html |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=39 |date=December 2000 |accessdate=March 20, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010127062500/http://www.zdnet.com/opm/stories/main/0,11891,2646670,00.html |archivedate=January 27, 2001}}

}}

By December 25, 2000, Gradius III and IV had shipped 84,703 units in Japan alone.{{cite magazine |title=Gradius III & IV - PS2 |url=http://garaph.info/softwareindividual.php//gid/576 |magazine=Garaph (based on Famitsu data) |accessdate=March 11, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311143515/http://garaph.info/softwareindividual.php//gid/576 |archivedate=March 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}

The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Some critics felt that they were still fun to play, while others said they were dated and suffered from a lack of updated features. GameFan listed Gradius III as the worst of the two due to suffering from "mundane" level design, a mediocre soundtrack, and a high difficulty level. They concluded their review of the Japanese import by mockingly commenting: "Please, let the PS2 be part of your rebirth.... and not something for non-gamers to get their groove on with." Game Informer stated that neither games were bad, but were technologically unimpressive. They labeled the game as "just a classics collection being pawned off as a PS2 title", confused as to why such a compilation was even on a modern console with little to no additions made to it. GameSpot claimed that neither game was of bad quality, and that they were still fun to play, but had begun to show their age. The high difficult of both titles was also disliked by several.

The presentation of the collection itself also received a polarizing reception. While several publications praised its quality, many also expressed confusion that Konami decided to release a collection like this for a modern system. GamePro wrote that the collection itself was a nice package of old games, and that "It's nice to know that with all the hype surrounding the PlayStation 2 launch, classic gaming hasn't been completely forgotten."{{cite magazine |last=Weigand |first=Michael "Major Mike" |title=Gradius III and IV |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/3/36/GamePro_US_146.pdf |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG |issue=146 |date=November 2000 |page=122 |accessdate=March 15, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050206230451/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/7053.shtml |archivedate=February 6, 2005 |url-status=live}}{{efn|GamePro gave the game two 3.5/5 scores for graphics and sound, and two 4/5 scores for control and fun factor.}} Jeuxvideo.com recommended the game primarily to Gradius fans, adding that its release as a launch title was "a way of welcoming PlayStation 2 with new and old, a kind of transition in kind of sweetness." Both Game Informer and Famitsu said that the pack was solid, but showed confusion towards Konami deciding to release something like it for a recently released, modern 3D game system, alongside the lack of any additional features such as graphical and sound enhancements. IGN said the game was "retro gaming done properly", but added that it appealed to a relatively niche market. AllGame was particularly negative towards the game in their review harshly criticizing the package for its difficult and technologically-inferior games. They wrote: "Gradius III and IV is only enjoyable if you equate fun with frustration, but most gamers have long since outgrown that philosophy, as have most games. Yet Gradius III and IV clings to its roots like a long rotting tooth."

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{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{moby game|id=/17595/gradius-iii-and-iv/}}

{{Gradius series}}

{{Konami compilations}}

Category:2000 video games

Category:Gradius video games

Category:Konami video game compilations

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:PlayStation 2 games

Category:PlayStation 2-only games

Category:Video games developed in Japan

Category:Video games scored by Akira Yamaoka