<s>
is	O
a	O
1997	O
horizontal-scrolling	O
shooter	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
by	O
Konami	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
control	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
different	O
starships	O
in	O
their	O
mission	O
to	O
eradicate	O
the	O
Bacteria	O
army	O
from	O
destroying	O
the	O
planet	O
Gradius	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
fourth	O
mainline	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
Gradius	B-Application
franchise	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
second	O
to	O
be	O
produced	O
specifically	O
for	O
a	O
home	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Directed	O
by	O
Seki	O
Teisaku	O
,	O
Gaiden	O
was	O
created	O
to	O
refine	O
and	O
build	O
on	O
the	O
core	O
Gradius	B-Application
gameplay	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
new	O
,	O
exciting	O
shooter	O
for	O
a	O
home	O
console	O
in	O
mind	O
;	O
as	O
such	O
,	O
the	O
name	O
"	O
Gaiden	O
"	O
was	O
chosen	O
,	O
being	O
the	O
Japanese	O
word	O
for	O
"	O
side-story	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Konami	O
worked	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
stand	O
out	O
from	O
other	O
Gradius	B-Application
games	O
with	O
unique	O
,	O
creative	O
level	O
designs	O
and	O
all-new	O
mechanics	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
selection	O
of	O
playable	O
ships	O
,	O
new	O
weapons	O
types	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
swap	O
items	O
in	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
"	O
Power	O
Meter	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
mechanics	O
were	O
also	O
created	O
specifically	O
to	O
take	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
's	O
hardware	O
capabilities	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
its	O
rotation	O
and	O
transparency	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
acclaimed	O
for	O
its	O
visuals	O
,	O
gameplay	O
,	O
soundtrack	O
and	O
creativity	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
seen	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
have	O
also	O
compared	O
it	O
favorably	O
to	O
Castlevania	B-Application
:	I-Application
Symphony	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Night	I-Application
for	O
the	O
way	O
it	O
builds	O
upon	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
core	O
mechanics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
never	O
saw	O
a	O
release	O
outside	O
Japan	O
until	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Gradius	B-Application
Collection	O
in	O
2006	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2019	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Classic	I-Device
mini	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
is	O
a	O
horizontal-scrolling	O
shooter	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
control	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
different	O
starships	O
—	O
the	O
Vic	O
Viper	O
,	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
,	O
Jade	O
Knight	O
and	O
Falchion	O
β	O
—	O
in	O
their	O
mission	O
to	O
eradicate	O
the	O
Bacterian	O
army	O
before	O
they	O
destroy	O
the	O
planet	O
Gradius	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
of	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
four	O
ships	O
feature	O
their	O
own	O
unique	O
set	O
of	O
weapons	O
;	O
the	O
Vic	O
Viper	O
features	O
the	O
standard	O
Gradius	B-Application
arsenal	O
of	O
weapons	O
;	O
the	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
features	O
the	O
Ripple	O
Laser	O
from	O
Salamander	B-Application
and	O
a	O
pulsating	O
shot	O
named	O
the	O
"	O
Disruptor	O
"	O
;	O
the	O
Jade	O
Knight	O
has	O
a	O
"	O
Circle	O
Laser	O
"	O
that	O
creates	O
deadly	O
rings	O
surrounding	O
it	O
;	O
the	O
Falchion	O
β	O
has	O
a	O
powerful	O
"	O
Black	O
Hole	O
Bomb	O
"	O
projectile	O
that	O
will	O
suck	O
in	O
any	O
enemies	O
it	O
comes	O
into	O
contact	O
with	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
directed	O
by	O
Seki	O
Teisaku	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
of	O
the	O
staff	O
behind	O
the	O
project	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
Gradius	B-Application
Deluxe	I-Application
Pack	I-Application
(	O
1996	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
compilation	O
of	O
Gradius	B-Application
and	O
Gradius	B-Application
II	I-Application
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
familiarized	O
them	O
with	O
the	O
core	O
mechanics	O
of	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
also	O
allowed	O
them	O
to	O
experiment	O
with	O
different	O
ideas	O
;	O
while	O
the	O
name	O
Gradius	B-Application
IV	I-Application
was	O
considered	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
dropped	O
to	O
prevent	O
them	O
from	O
sticking	O
only	O
to	O
mechanics	O
established	O
in	O
earlier	O
installments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
lasted	O
for	O
less	O
than	O
a	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
developed	O
for	O
a	O
home	O
console	O
in	O
mind	O
;	O
as	O
previous	O
Gradius	B-Application
games	O
were	O
developed	O
for	O
arcades	O
,	O
they	O
were	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
purposefully	O
difficult	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Lord	B-Application
British	I-Application
,	O
the	O
second-player	O
ship	O
from	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
spin-off	O
Salamander	B-Application
,	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
accompany	O
the	O
default	O
Vic	O
Viper	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Takayuki	O
and	O
others	O
wanted	O
the	O
levels	O
in	O
Gaiden	O
to	O
be	O
unique	O
and	O
distinct	O
from	O
those	O
found	O
in	O
previous	O
Gradius	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Takayuki	O
and	O
others	O
chose	O
a	O
snow	O
theme	O
for	O
the	O
level	O
which	O
had	O
never	O
been	O
used	O
in	O
a	O
Gradius	B-Application
title	O
up	O
to	O
that	O
point	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
levels	O
were	O
also	O
designed	O
to	O
take	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
's	O
hardware	O
capabilities	O
,	O
namely	O
the	O
rotating	O
Moai	B-Language
statues	O
in	O
the	O
fourth	O
stage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
concept	O
of	O
rearranging	O
the	O
weapons	O
in	O
the	O
power	O
meter	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
"	O
meter	O
edit	O
"	O
mode	O
in	O
Gradius	B-Application
III	I-Application
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
players	O
to	O
change	O
the	O
weapon	O
types	O
in	O
their	O
power	O
meter	O
before	O
beginning	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Four	O
shield	O
types	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
complement	O
the	O
four	O
playable	O
ships	O
;	O
the	O
"	O
Guard	O
"	O
came	O
from	O
Neichii	O
being	O
generally	O
bad	O
at	O
Gradius	B-Application
games	O
and	O
always	O
dying	O
when	O
colliding	O
with	O
the	O
ground	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
Limit	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
an	O
idea	O
of	O
having	O
a	O
shield	O
that	O
was	O
about	O
time	O
instead	O
of	O
its	O
durability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
28	O
,	O
1997	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
July	O
30	O
,	O
1998	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
re-released	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
PlayStation	B-Device
the	O
Best	O
"	O
budget	O
game	O
label	O
,	O
and	O
again	O
on	O
November	O
20	O
,	O
2003	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
PSone	O
Books	O
collection	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Konami	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
bundle	O
with	O
Salamander	B-Application
Deluxe	O
Pack	O
Plus	O
in	O
December	O
1997	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
later	O
cancelled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2006	O
,	O
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
compiled	O
into	O
Gradius	B-Application
Collection	O
,	O
alongside	O
Gradius	B-Application
,	O
Gradius	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Gradius	B-Application
III	I-Application
and	O
Gradius	B-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
is	O
one	O
of	O
twenty	O
games	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Classic	I-Device
mini	O
console	O
,	O
released	O
in	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
well-received	O
by	O
critics	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
seen	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpots	O
Chris	O
Johnston	O
felt	O
that	O
,	O
while	O
not	O
as	O
impressive	O
as	O
those	O
in	O
RayStorm	B-Application
or	O
Star	B-Application
Fox	I-Application
64	I-Application
,	O
were	O
excellent	O
,	O
especially	O
its	O
detailed	O
backgrounds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
four	O
reviewers	O
from	O
Famitsu	O
stated	O
it	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best-looking	O
shooters	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
,	O
as	O
did	O
Super	O
Juegos	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Johnston	O
believed	O
Gaiden	O
possessed	O
some	O
well-made	O
music	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
n't	O
as	O
good	O
as	O
earlier	O
Gradius	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	O
Juegos	O
enjoyed	O
its	O
style	O
and	O
innovation	O
for	O
building	O
on	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
gameplay	O
in	O
a	O
way	O
that	O
made	O
the	O
game	O
feel	O
fresh	O
and	O
new	O
;	O
they	O
favorably	O
compared	O
it	O
to	O
Konami	O
's	O
own	O
Castlevania	B-Application
:	I-Application
Symphony	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Night	I-Application
for	O
this	O
reason	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
level	O
design	O
was	O
also	O
the	O
subject	O
of	O
praise	O
for	O
its	O
creativity	O
and	O
originality	O
,	O
although	O
Famitsu	O
staff	O
felt	O
it	O
relied	O
too	O
heavily	O
on	O
Gradius	B-Application
fan	O
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
his	O
review	O
for	O
Gradius	B-Application
Collection	O
,	O
GameSpots	O
Greg	O
Kasavin	O
felt	O
that	O
Gaiden	O
was	O
the	O
stand-out	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
collection	O
for	O
its	O
visuals	O
,	O
gameplay	O
and	O
short	O
loading	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
2017	O
retrospective	O
review	O
,	O
Kurt	O
Kalata	O
of	O
Hardcore	O
Gaming	O
101	O
labeled	O
Gaiden	O
as	O
"	O
The	O
perfect	O
example	O
of	O
how	O
to	O
evolve	O
the	O
series	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Gradius	B-Application
equivalent	O
to	O
Castlevania	B-Application
:	I-Application
Symphony	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Night	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kalata	O
also	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
weapon	O
system	O
and	O
new	O
shields	O
,	O
although	O
felt	O
that	O
neither	O
of	O
these	O
were	O
as	O
good	O
as	O
the	O
ones	O
in	O
its	O
predecessor	O
Gradius	B-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
wrote	O
:	O
"	O
Gradius	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
is	O
a	O
fantastic	O
game	O
–	O
it	O
's	O
really	O
a	O
toss-up	O
between	O
this	O
and	O
Gradius	B-Application
V	I-Application
as	O
to	O
which	O
is	O
the	O
best.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
Retronauts	O
,	O
Jeremy	O
Parish	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
The	O
glorious	O
high	O
point	O
of	O
classic	O
Gradius	B-Application
"	O
,	O
and	O
felt	O
that	O
it	O
alone	O
justified	O
the	O
purchase	O
of	O
Gradius	B-Application
Collection	O
.	O
</s>
