Gradius III, known in Japan as Gradius III: Densetsu kara Shinwa e , is a side-scrolling shooting game originally released for the arcades in Japan and Asia in 1989. It is the second sequel to the original Gradius for the arcades following Gradius II, and was followed by Gradius IV. Gradius III was rereleased for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1990, and in North America in 1991. The arcade version was included with Gradius IV in a two-in-one compilation for the PlayStation 2 and in the Gradius Collection for the PlayStation Portable. The player returns as the role of the... pilot of the Vic Viper starfighter to battle the onslaughts of the Bacterion Empire. There are a total of ten levels in the game. Stage 4 is notorious for being the only pseudo-3D level to ever appear in the Gradius series. In this mini-level, the player controls the Vic Viper in a third-person perspective and must avoid colliding with walls. Though the level is completely devoid of any enemies, free floating power-ups are scattered throughout.
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| Release date: | 1989 |
| Publisher: | Konami |