Gradius I and II compilation with faithful emulation. Both horizontal shmup founders remain playable and demanding. Polished museum interface, appreciable extras. Essential for shmup history fans.
Your verdict
Category
Shooter1 player7+
Description
Compilation bringing together Gradius and Gradius II in their arcade versions. Published by Konami, released in Japan in 1996. Both foundational horizontal shoot-'em-ups feature the Vic Viper ship with its modular capsule power-up system, levels with varied settings and iconic bosses, simultaneous two-player mode in Gradius II. A definitive collection of horizontal shooting.
Gradius Deluxe Pack review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Iconic, Konami's music unfurls nervy, melodic electronic themes that match the speed and precision of this founding shooter. Each level pulses with a rousing tune etched into fans' memory. This timeless sonic energy, the studio's signature, remains inseparable from the legend of the series.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Bringing the first two Gradius games together in impeccable ports means offering a concentrate of the most influential horizontal shooter there is. The upgrade system, where you build your perfect ship bar after bar, keeps all its exhilarating depth. Demanding, elegant and timeless, this double tribute will delight purists and newcomers in search of a challenge alike.
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Punishing"
Bringing together two classics of the power-up shoot-'em-up, this compilation gathers challenges whose reputation precedes them: an upgrade bar to manage, tight waves and demanding bosses where one badly placed death ruins the run. It all rests on planning your equipment and keeping your nerve. Polished and tough, it delights fans of old-school space shooting.
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾0,28 GB📅29/03/1996
Published by Konami
Gradius Deluxe Pack (Saturn) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
A Konami compilation gathering the first two Gradius games in faithful arcade conversions, a Japan exclusive on Saturn. Its desirability comes from a recognised port quality, ahead of many rival versions of the era, and from the lasting attachment to the founding horizontal-shooter series. A title prized by Konami shmup fans seeking the complete Saturn version over its counterparts on other machines.
Is Gradius Deluxe Pack still worth playing in 2026?
Gradius Deluxe Pack gathers on Saturn the first two Gradius games by Konami in their faithful arcade versions, two founding pillars of the horizontal shoot'em up. The selection-bar power-up system, the demanding level design and the timeless memorization challenge remain models of the genre, perfectly rendered. The compilation offers ideal access to these classics for purists. The fearsome difficulty calls for perseverance. For fans of retro horizontal shooters and genre history, it is an essential and indispensable anthology.
