Genre: Shooter
Developer: M2
Publisher: Konami
Players: 1
Retail Price: $10 (1000 Wii Points)
Availability: WiiWare
It’s been a good console generation if you’re a fan of old-school games. We’ve seen Capcom dust off the Bionic Commando franchise and put out a new mainline Mega Man title. Hell, even Space Invaders has seen its first good release since, well, the original. It’s no surprise that new, retro-styled sequels continue to make their way out when they keep performing so well both critically and financially. Konami has followed this trend and has released Gradius ReBirth as a WiiWare title, and further proves that there is still life in a style that seemed to be heading toward extinction.
ReBirth is the New Super Mario Bros. of the Gradius series, in the way NSMB ignored the series’ later innovations and alterations to provide an experience more in line with the original vision. Anyone old or experienced enough to be familiar with the original NES entry will appreciate the way the game pays homage to its source material. You’ll fly across the surface of five unique worlds blasting aliens, be it ships, sentient beings or gigantic bosses. Enemies drop power-ups which you can use to upgrade the functionality of your ship in multiple ways, again, like the original. You have access to different ship types, something the first game didn’t allow, but it wouldn’t be a new game if they didn’t change a few things.
And like the original, this game is incredibly difficult. Sure, veterans will cruise through the 5 levels on the default difficulty setting, but like many games of days gone by, completing them unlocks more difficult versions of the same levels. You won’t see the real ending until you complete them, and you won’t do that unless you’re on top of your game. Some may not bother, but they’d be missing the point. The first play-through teaches you the layout. The second playthrough tests your skills. Sure you can rest easy with the first set and watch the ending on Youtube, but what’s the point of gaming if that’s how you go about it?
Also adding to the feelings of nostalgia is the presentation. The graphics wouldn’t be out of place on the Super Nintendo or PlayStation, and the music is equally as fitting. There’s a bit of slowdown when the screen gets crowded, but one has to wonder if the developers intentionally put this in to more closely approximate the experience found in early shooters. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise as the hardware can easily handle a game of this caliber.
At a meager 1000 Wii points, Gradius ReBirth is an absolute steal for retro-minded gamers and shooter enthusiasts alike. It’s comforting to see that developers haven’t forgotten the roots of the medium and can still craft entries worth playing in a style many had written off as dead.
