Play Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou Online

Summary

Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou on the TurboGrafx‑CD keeps the classic side‑scrolling shoot‑'em‑up feel while adding a handful of tweaks that feel fresh even today. The biggest surprise is the selectable weapon configurations – four distinct load‑outs that let you decide whether you want missiles, a double laser or a straight laser, and each comes with its own shield or force‑field option. The force‑field protects the whole ship but only for three hits, whereas the traditional shield guards just the front for unlimited damage. You can also stack up to four Options, and if you grab a fifth the extras orbit the Vic Viper for a brief 16‑second burst of firepower. A standout level is the “boss rush,” a corridor of back‑to‑back boss fights that tests every power‑up you’ve chosen. The PC‑Engine port even adds an exclusive stage that echoes the temple level from the NES Life Force and the opening of Gradius III, and the ending screen changes based on the difficulty you selected. The CD version upgrades the soundtrack to red‑book audio, preserving the arcade tunes while giving them a richer sound, and the Virtual Console re‑release kept all these quirks, earning solid 8/10 scores from both IGN and Nintendo Life.