Konami’s Gradius Origins: Their Finest Retro Collection to Date

I’m here trying to make sense of Konami’s rollercoaster ride with its game re-releases. You know, they’ve had moments where things didn’t go smoothly. Like, who could forget the whole fuss over the Silent Hill and Metal Gear “HD” collections? Not exactly their finest hour, but recently—thanks to the emulation whizzes at M2—they’ve started to get it right, bringing out retro collections worth talking about.

So, what’s the scoop this time? Oh boy, Gradius Origins got dropped earlier this week, and let me tell you, it’s a gem. Seriously, M2 strikes gold again.

Now, winding back to 1985, Gradius wasn’t just some newbie on the block. It stood on the shoulders of Konami’s previous work with Scramble. And we’re not talking about just one game. You’ve got five main Gradius titles, plus spinoffs and this funky Salamander series, which, by the way, tweaks how power-ups function and throws in vertically scrolling scenes. Don’t ask me why, but I find this vertical stuff oddly satisfying.

Anyway, the Gradius saga went silent after 2008 when Gradius ReBirth hit WiiWare, one of M2’s projects again. Is it a pattern? Perhaps.

So, here we are with Gradius Origins. This package shows pure dedication—six classic arcade titles recreated in mind-blowing detail, including a rare Gradius 3 version that was like unicorn-level rare, only shown at a single 1989 arcade trade show. Fast forward to 2025, and it’s like gifting a long-lost treasure to retro fans.

These six games come loaded with options. Picture this: You can make yourself invincible or zip back in time when you mess things up. Sounds like a cheat-day dream, doesn’t it? Plus, they’ve got this stash of archival goodness—early artwork and level sketches plus high-res art scans. And you can jam out to those classic tunes all day if you want. Can’t beat the nostalgia.

M2 hasn’t stopped there—they catered to hardcore fans by resurrecting even the original game bugs (because why not), and give you the details to play with CRT filter settings till everything looks just right.

But what really stops traffic is Salamander 3—the newbie in the mix. It takes you back to the late ’90s vibes, with sharp visuals and that old-school 3D look sneaking in. You get classic Salamander gameplay mixed with fresh twists, making it a nostalgia trip with genuine respect for its roots.

If you’re into Gradius, Salamander, or any of their nostalgically thrilling relatives, you won’t want to miss this collection from Konami and M2. It’s like a love letter to the arcade era, grand but never losing sight of its roots.

Oh, and before I forget—like you need another excuse to dive in—Gradius Origins is ready on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. Grab it before you get sidetracked with something else!