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Revision as of 18:08, 7 January 2008 by Procyon (talk | contribs) (→‎Warps: + pic and description)
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NES

The Konami Code

To receive one Speed-Up, Missiles, two Options, and Shields, pause the game and enter the famous Konami Code: Up dpad Up dpad Down dpad Down dpad Left dpad Right dpad Left dpad Right dpad B button A button, and unpause the game. This can only be performed once per game.

Continue code

To continue the game from the start of the last stage you visited, enter the following code at the Game Over screen: Down dpad Up dpad B button A button B button A button B button A button Start button.

Secret message

Press and hold the A button and B button buttons on the second controller while you reset the machine.

Warps

Gradius NES Warp.png

There are three mechanisms in the game that allow you to warp ahead past one stage. They are only found in stages 1, 2, and 3. Warps are activated if you fulfill the proper conditions for each stage and defeat the Big Core on that stage. Once the warp is activated, you will rush through space while you encounter randomly positioned spinning Moai heads that you must dodge. The most you can warp is two times, once from stage 1 to stage 3, and again from stage 3 to stage 5.

Stage 1 warp: To activate the warp to stage 3, you must destroy each of the four hatches that appear on this stage when the thousands digit of your score is even. Of the four hatches, three are on the lower portion and one is on the upper portion.

Stage 2 warp: To activate the warp to stage 4, you must destroy the Big Core within two seconds of the core turning blue. This is only possible with very well placed shots from lasers.

Stage 3 warp: To activate the warp to stage 5, you must destroy 10 or more Moai statues. Use missiles to destroy bottom lying faces, and double-shot or options to destroy top lying faces.

Stage bonus

The first four stages contain two locations that you can fly the Vic Viper through to collect bonuses. One is a 5000 point bonus that you can collect unconditionally. The other is a 1-Up bonus that you can only collect if the thousands digit of your score is even. The fifth stage contains no bonuses, but the sixth stage does contain a 1-Up bonus. Remember that in order to collect the bonus, you must literally pass through the location indicated in the screenshot.

Stage 5000 point location 1-Up location
1 File:Gradius NES Stage11.gif File:Gradius NES Stage12.gif
2 File:Gradius NES Stage21.gif File:Gradius NES Stage22.gif
3 File:Gradius NES Stage31.gif File:Gradius NES Stage32.gif
4 File:Gradius NES Stage41.gif File:Gradius NES Stage42.gif
6 File:Gradius NES Stage61.gif

PC-Engine

Instant power-up

To receive one Speed-Up, Missiles, four Options, and Shields, pause the game and enter the famous Konami Code: Up dpad Up dpad Down dpad Down dpad Left dpad Right dpad Left dpad Right dpad II button I button, and unpause the game.

30 lives

To begin the game with 30 extra lives, press and hold Up dpad at the title screen, and press II button three times. Then start a new game.