Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus is a PS1 compilation of Konami's Salamander and Life Force shmups with bonus content. Both classic Gradius spin-offs with their cooperative horizontal shooting gameplay are well preserved. A precious collection for Japanese shmup fans and classic Konami arcade enthusiasts.
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Category
Shooter2 players7+
Co-op
Description
Japanese Konami compilation gathering the Salamander and Life Force series, classic alternating-scrolling shoot them ups. Created by Konami, released in 1997 in Japan under the Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus title. Compilation of the three emulated arcade installments Salamander, Life Force and Salamander 2, alternating horizontal and vertical scrolling, two-player cooperative mode and classic chiptune soundtrack. Japanese edition under the Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus title.
Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Punishing"
A compilation of Konami's Salamander games, this pack gathers old-school horizontal and vertical shooting, demanding and brisk, where losing your gear can compromise everything. Dodging organic scenery, managing your options and anticipating bosses call for consistency and memory. Plain and retro, it suits fans of pure arcade challenge and Japanese shmup heritage.
Lifespan
"Long"
Technical info
💾0,33 GB📅03/07/1997
Published by Konami
Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus (PS1) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
A Japanese compilation gathering the Salamander series, a Gradius offshoot, in faithful ports of the Konami arcade. This Japanese release, never published in the West, appeals to those wanting the power-up shoot 'em up classics in a careful console package. Its interest lies in this heritage grouping rather than scarcity, in a niche loyal to scoring.
Better with friends
A compilation of cult shooters best savored two-player simultaneously, where you jointly cover the screen against tight waves and striking organic bosses. Teamwork creates a unique joy: splitting the threats and combining firepower turns survival into a shared effort. Demanding and snappy, it rewards coordination with epic runs and calls for retries to keep getting further.
Is Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 1997 on PS1 in Japan, Konami's compilation gathers Salamander, Life Force and Salamander 2 in versions very faithful to their respective arcade boards. The horizontal shooter with bar style power ups keeps a limpid readability and the biomechanical boss gallery stays impressive. The scanline and pad configuration options please purists. The firm difficulty demands learning. Recommended today for fans of classical horizontal shoot 'em ups, for Konami devotees and for PS1 collectors curious about an emblematic arcade compilation that rarely travelled beyond Japan on Sony's first home console hardware.
