Gradius
Typed out by ckbxxx@yahoo.com
GRADIUS
NES-GR-USA
HOW TO PLAY
GRADIUS
KONAMI
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KONAMI, INC. LIMITED WARRANTY
Official Nintendo Seal of Quality
[2]----------------
Congradulations on your purchase of Gradius, another in the proud
line-up of Konami's carefully researched high-precision computer
games. For maximum enjoyment it is recommended that you read this
instruction manual thoroughly before you begin your adventure with Gradius.
THE STORY..................................4
HOW TO PLAY................................4
Power Boosting.............................6
Under Attack From The Space Invaders.......8
Characters and Componants Of The Game.....10
Helpful Hints.............................12
Advanced Attack And Defence Maneuvers.....12
[3]----------------
THE STORY
The planet Gradius, a peaceful Earth-like world, is now under all out
space attack from their old nemisis, beings from the sub-space star
cluster of Bacterion. The people of Gradius are in danger of being
completely destroyed by the ameoboid Bacterions.
To save them, you have just launched the prototype hyper-space fighter,
the Warp Rattler. The entire galaxy awaits your duel to the death with
the evil Bacterions.
Your objective is the Bacterion superfortress, Xaerous. To reach this,
you must steal enemy power capsules along your route and boost the Warp
Rattler's hyper powers.
You are the last hope for the gentle people of Gradius! You will need all
our courage and concentration to win. Get readfy to blast off!
HOW TO PLAY
You mission is to pilot the Warp Rattler into enemy space and destroy
Xaerous. You are the only one lefdt who can return peace to the planet Gradius.
It is necessary for you to avoid enemy fire and destroy the hoards of
alien Bacterion craft that will come out to attack you as you proceed
through the various stages of the game.
GRADIUS can be played either by a single player or by two players. If
there are two players, the play alternates from player to player.
A single player can use either Control (1) or Control (2). When two
players are competing, use both Control (1) and Control (2).
[4]----------------
Controlling the Action
Control Button
Use this Control Button to maneuver the Warp Rattler.
Selector Button
When the Konami Title comes on your screen, use this button to move the
Warp Rattler image and make your selection of one player or two players.
Start Button
Use this button to start the game after you have selected the number
of players. (Pause function: During play, this button also acts as a
toggle switch to stop and resume the game. When you stop the action,
a warning tone will sound.)
Button B (power booster)
Use for power boosts. (Hit this button when you are in position to
make a power boost.)
Button A (trigger)
Use this button to fire the Warp Rattler's sophisticated on board
armament. (When you aree operating under power-boost conditions,
Button B will also activate your air-to-surface missles, double beam
cannons, and your high penetration laser beam cannon.)
[5]----------------
Power Boosting
Each time you capture a red-colored enemy power capsule, a series of
power boost selection indicators will light up at the bottom of your acreen.
SPEED UP -) MISSLE -) DOUBLE -) LASER -) OPTION -) ?
When a desired indicator lights up, hit the power button (Button B) to
activate that power boost.
1 SPEED UP
Increases your speed.
2 MISSLE
Equips you with air-to-surface missles
3 DOUBLE
Equips you with double beam cannon, effective against enemy attacks above.
[6]----------------
4 LASER
Powers the Warp Rattler with a high-penetration laser beam cannon.
5 OPTION
Dopple-ganger capability option. This spins off a ghost like twin of
the Warp Rattler, the Sidewinder. The Sidewinder has all the original
firepower of the Warp Rattler and follows you in formation during
your attacks. You may create a maximum of two Sidewinders. The
Sidewinder duplicated the Warp Rattler's original firepower and has
"MISSLE," "DOUBLE," and "LASER" attack capabilities.
6 ? (FORCE FIELD BARRIER)
This power boost effect equips the Warp Rattler with a force field
Barrier, making you invulnerable to enemy attacks. When the Barrier
turns red, this means that you only have enough force-field power to
protect you from one more attack.
NOTE: You may have multiple power boost effects at the same time,
however, the double-beam cannon and the laser cannnot be used together.
[7]----------------
Under Attack From The Space Invaders
The Volcanic Stage
Originally this was a green and peaceful satelite. But now, under the
attack of the Xaerous space fortress, it has been transformed into an
inferno-like advance base for the alien Xaerous.
The Stonehenge Stage
This is an artificially constructed asteroid belt created as a galactic
fighter base.
The Inverted Space Volcano Stage
Like Stage 1, this is an enemy planetoid advance base, but this time
up and down have become reversed.
The Moal Stage
The Moal are great strange heads that resemble the old stone statues
of Easter Island on Earth. They were created by an unknown race eons
ago in the image of the patron spiriots of the galaxy. The Xaerous forces
have utilized these as bases for their deadly ion guns.
The Antennoid Stage
Giant living tentacle-like antennae, floating through space! If they sence
the presence of another living being, they shoot out deadly poinion capsules.
The Ameoboid Stage
Huge ameoba-like organisms from the unknown reaches of space. They
are primitive but have an incredibly strong life-foice and will persue
relentlessly any life form that invades their living space.
The Xaerous Superfortress Stage
The ultimate stage of the game! This fortress lies at the ver heart of
the nerve center of the Bacterion Empire and is controlled by a
complex biocomputer.
[8]----------------
Here Is What your Screen Will Look Like:
(pic of screen with comments)
Your Warp Rattler
Barrier (force field)
"OPTION" (the Warp Rattler's double ship, the Sidewinder)
Your air-to-surface missles
Enemy anti-aircraft positions
Power boost selection
Number of remaining Warp Rattlers
Enemy craft
Enemy power capsule
Your laser beam
Enemy land fortress
High score to this point
Player Number One's score
[9]----------------
Characters And Components Of The Game
The Warp Rattler
The galaxy's most sophisticated startship, Pride of the Gradius
Defense Forces! This tiny craft has been jam-packed with amazing
armament and speed capabilities!
LENGTH: 49.5ft
WIDTH: 51.0ft
HEIGHT: 20.0ft
WEIGHT: 38t
ENGINE: IMPULSE POWER DRIVE
WEAPONS: BEAM, LASER, MISSLE, 2 OPTIONS
Enemp power capsule
[Red] 500 points
Pulse-energy capsules
Fan
100 points
Neutral zone patrol craft
Rugurr
100 points
Standard Xaerous fighter
Garrun
100 points
Xaerous high-speed persiut spacecraft
Dakker
100 points
Ambulatory anti-aircraft robot cannon
[10]---------------
Jumper
100 points
Mobile robot
Dal #01
100 points
Anti-aircraft plasme cannon
Zab
100 points
Space miners [move through both time and space]
Foss
100 points
Standard Xaerous cruiser
Rashe
100 points
Xaerous fighter scramble formation
Venus
100 points
Commando reconnaissance craft
Uska
100 points
Xaerous communications ship
Tild
Xaerous midget ring flier
Amoeba
100 points
Deadly organic antimatter
Mazar
3,000 points
Xaerous mid-sized ring flier
Dagoom
1,000 points
Enemy scramble hatch
Antennoid
Destroy heart: 5,000 points
Destroy arms: 1,000 points
Rapidly multiplying space antennoid creatures
Xaerous big core fighters
Destroy entire core: 10,000 points
Destroy center only: 5,000 points
Xaerous mother ship
[11]---------------
Helpful Hints
Hidden withing the game play of GRADIUS are ways to obtain bonus
points and to perform extraordinary maneuvers. they keys to get bonus
points and to perform these maneuvers are buried within the program.
Hopefully, you will be able to discover these in the playing of this game.
We would appreciate hearing from you, if and when, you do discover some
of these. We will give you one hint, it is possible to warp through a
stage if you fulfill certain conditions. Good Luck!
Advanced Attack and Defense Maneuvers
Attack thr Red Enemy craft without letting them escape; then steal
their power capsules.
Pay careful atttention to the power boost selection indicators at the
bottom of your screen. Choose the appropriate power boost considering
the stage you are in at the time.
The enemy projectiles are intelligent weapons; they will anticipate
your flight path and follow your escape maneuvers. Be careful not to
get caught napping. (See Fig. 1)
[12]---------------
When you are in the Volcanic Stage, it is not enough just to escape
from the volcanoes; use your laser cannon and doppel-ganger option
to blast the rocks for a higher score (Fig. 2)
If you can get one of the special blue power capsules, all the enemies
visible on your screen will be destroyed at once.
Watch out for the enemy Dakkers! They will appear suddenly,
attacking from both above and below out of the left side of your screen.
Use the dopple-ganger "OPTION" to blast the Mazar spheres with
the Sidewinder's extra firepower.
When you run into an antennoid creature, go after the red spheres
in the arm portions to destroy the arms. If you can get the central
nucleus, the whole thing will go up in smoke! (Fig. 4)
When your force field Barrier turns red, this means that you only
have enough force-field power to protect you from one more attack.
Get ready to use your next power boost Barrier!
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Treat Your Konami Game Carefully
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COMPLIANCE WITH FCC REGULATIONS
SCORES
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GRADIUS