Blast your way through levels filled with alien spaceships and otherworldly creatures in this retro side-scrolling shooter.

Pick your weapons carefully and upgrade them to create a devastating arsenal of space-aged weapons that will aid you in your challenging mission. Players can post their high scores to worldwide leader boards via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection and see where they rank against all the other Gradius ReBirth players. Test your skills with Gradius ReBirth and see if you have what it takes to beat this action-packed arcade shooter.

Review

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 by Corbie Dillard

Does Konami's old-school Gradius formula still hold up all these years later?

The original Gradius arcade release was one of the first truly great side-scrolling shooters and, along with R-Type, spawned a legion of copycat video games back in the 80s and 90s. The Gradius titles have been copied and cloned more times than can be..

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Konami Announces WiiWare Plans for Europe (4th Jul 09)
Nintendo Download: Hanabi Festival 4, Gradius Rebirth, Bit Boy!!, Brain Challenge and Mario Apps (EU) (2nd Jul 09)
Gradius ReBirth Soundtrack Released (9th Mar 09)
Gradius Rebirth Gets ESRB Rated (1st Nov 08)
First Impressions: Gradius Rebirth (3rd Sep 08)
Pilot the Vic Viper Once More in Gradius Rebirth (17th Jul 08)

User Comments

1. Terranigma 17 Jul 2008, 13:56 BST

I will definitely be getting this.

2. Dazza 17 Jul 2008, 16:02 BST

Instabuy! This is exactly the sort of thing we need more of on WiiWare :-p

3. supermario2 17 Jul 2008, 16:21 BST

This maybe what we need for wiiware but no thanx I've already set my eyes on other worthwhile games being released in the future so I won't be getting this.

4. Outrunner 17 Jul 2008, 16:42 BST

DO WANT! DO WANT! DO WANT! DO WANT!... @_@
Did I mention... DO WAAAANT!!!!!!

5. andy836 17 Jul 2008, 17:09 BST

yay my favorite game ever the one for the snes was the best and very addictive.

6. DDR Paladin356 18 Jul 2008, 17:04 BST

Nice...WiiWare is looking promising IMO. This and Megaman 9 will probably get a purchase from me.

7. strade32 18 Jul 2008, 17:36 BST

i will buy this game immediately

8. Mickeymac 19 Jul 2008, 03:06 BST

With Mega Man 9, Bomber Man Blast, Alien Crush Retuns, Tetris Party, Eternity's Child, and now Gradius Rebirth coming to Wii ware, I'm going to have to finish My games and empty my fridge, or else I won't have room for these delicious entrees.

9. Fuun Saiki 20 Jul 2008, 12:56 BST

This looks neat. I'm fairly new to this whole scrolling shoot 'em up concept, so, as it happens, I've yet to play a Gradius game (don't hate me), so perhaps I'm extra interested in this.

Can anyone suggest a good place to start with the Gradiuses?

10. MoneybagzX 20 Jul 2008, 23:44 BST

does this also use dk bongos cuz it says all for different controllers

11. Tony 21 Jul 2008, 00:22 BST

Maybe the US will Gradius 2 when this comes out. Fingers crossed:)

12. Mickeymac 22 Jul 2008, 02:54 BST

@MoneybagzX

No, Nintendo appearantly doesn't support the Bongos anymore, so I son't think it counts when they say "all".

@Fuun Saiki

I suggest the original Gradius, if I were you (also known as Nemesis). It was the only game in the series that I was able to get past level 1.

13. CastlevaniaTest 24 Jul 2008, 01:25 BST

This is the only WiiWare game that I will buy immediately after it comes out, with the exception of (possibly) Mega Man 9. I love the Gradius series.

14. Ricardo91 07 Aug 2008, 03:33 BST

I want this, but I'm good without the old-school look.

@Tony. I too hope we get Gradius 2 sometime soon.

15. DirtyDen13 17 Aug 2008, 02:45 BST

This is a definet YES!!!!!!

16. Big=Sexy 17 Aug 2008, 07:06 BST

Aw, man. I hope this doesn't stay 1 player. My absolute favorite entries in the Gradius series are Life Force and Gradius Gaiden, both because of the awesome co-op. Still, looks fun, and I'm glad to hear Konami is willing to continue making some Gradius for us to love like a child.

17. lockelocke 21 Aug 2008, 01:54 BST

@Big=Sexy
Lifeforce, man. They don't make 'em like that anymore. That freaky last boss gave me nightmares as a kid.

I would've preferred a graphical update a la Star Soldier R, but in general I love this idea of old franchises getting new installments that look like they could have come out a decade ago. Keep it up.

18. Terranigma 03 Sep 2008, 15:55 BST

Now it's arrived in Japan, is there any news as to what it's placement is in the Gradius Series? Is it a Remake or a New entry? What other stuff is in there?

19. Iggy 03 Sep 2008, 22:10 BST

Hopefully this comes soon i want a new shmup

20. morphballer 03 Sep 2008, 22:35 BST

This looks awesome! It has been too long since I've played a Gradius game. ANY Gradius game!

21. Outrunner 03 Sep 2008, 23:17 BST

That video is awesome! Im wiping off the drool watching it here. How soon can we expect this in Europe?

22. Dazza 04 Sep 2008, 09:37 BST

Read our first impressions of Gradius ReBirth...

23. Outrunner 14 Sep 2008, 19:44 BST

Hope it comes soon. Although I got Parodius Portable for my PSP the other day so thats keeping me busy for now.

24. Corbie 17 Sep 2008, 08:52 BST

All the "Portable" titles are great PSP games. I love all three, but the Salamander Portable is absolutely amazing with the inclusion of Salamander 2 and Xexex. That being said, the Twinbee and Parodius Portable titles are equally fun.

25. Cheezy 30 Sep 2008, 02:29 BST

I'm REALLY excited about this. I've actually been anticipating this more than I was with MegaMan 9. I love the Gradius games, I really do! I want to see them do this with Twinbee, Parodius, and Salamander (Life Force) as well. Those were great, too!

26. Mickeymac 30 Sep 2008, 05:51 BST

He, even if Gradius Rebirth doesn't pan out, there's always this!

I think this'll be pretty good actually, especially after watching the video! It may not have too many levels, but so far what it does have seems pretty cool.

27. Objection_Blaster 02 Oct 2008, 16:19 BST

Any word on releases of this outside of Japan?

28. Terranigma 27 Oct 2008, 02:09 GMT

Nothing yet, Objection_Blaster. At Least, nothing official

29. worrybomb 31 Oct 2008, 17:09 GMT

Well today gives us confirmation that Gradius Rebirth will indeed hit the NA region at some point. It has been rated by the ESRB.

30. Ferret75 12 Nov 2008, 22:29 GMT

^Doesn't mean much though.

Kirby's Dream Land 3 was rated forever and still has yet to appear.

31. gameking23 12 Nov 2008, 22:47 GMT

Now comes the dreaded we now are to get it but when time.

32. KnucklesSonic8 11 Dec 2008, 02:43 GMT

@Ferret75: Tell me about it!

33. Shadx 15 Dec 2008, 07:17 GMT

Looks like their using the Mega Man 9 method: Keeping it 8 bit! Or however many bits it is ....

34. lockelocke 19 Dec 2008, 22:58 GMT

Still waiting! Hopefully they'll hook Life Force up around the same time Rebirth is ready for release.
PS - Why no co-op? WiiWare/VC NEEDS more co-op shooters.

35. Mickeymac 07 Jan 2009, 06:14 GMT

@lockelocke

Gradius never had co-op, excluding V. Plus, they're probably trying to avoid getting slowdown...well, more slowdown, anyways.

36. tatemon555 08 Jan 2009, 00:52 GMT

Gah!!!!!!! (drooling)

This... game... rules. Period. I would've bought already, although it's only in Japan for now. Waaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!

37. gameking23 07 Feb 2009, 01:28 GMT

I wonder how long it is now b4 this game comes out a week, a month, A YEAR. When will this madness end.

38. KeeperBvK 12 Feb 2009, 14:37 GMT

Yay, thank you OFLC!! Can't wait for it to finally come.

39. KnucklesSonic8 07 Mar 2009, 20:21 GMT

Some of you have been waiting ages for this...
I hope the review for this is fair at least. And by that I mean, I'm hoping it doesn't get a 9 just because it's a Shooter and it's Gradius. XD Heh heh.

edit:
I'm trying Gradius 2 soon. If I enjoy it, I'll consider getting this!

40. Metroid133 09 Mar 2009, 12:45 GMT

I might download this later today since it came out.

41. KnucklesSonic8 09 Mar 2009, 12:51 GMT

No more waiting! I just posted the above comment just the other day.

42. pikmin95 09 Mar 2009, 14:22 GMT

Reminds me of Lifeforce.

43. Drake 09 Mar 2009, 18:05 GMT

Well of course, it's the same series

44. KeeperBvK 09 Mar 2009, 18:24 GMT

Err, no it's not.
Most people just assume it is. It might also star the Vic Viper, but it's its own series: http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gradius/gradius5.htm

Pretty much like Mega Man X, Wario Land, Donkey Kong Country and such.

45. Drake 09 Mar 2009, 20:12 GMT

Ok, it's set in the same universe then

46. Rabspat 09 Mar 2009, 22:42 GMT

I just downloaded this, and it's pretty fun! I should warn my fellow shmup novices that this game is HARD, even on the easiest difficulty setting. It will eat you and spit you out! Mega Man 9 (which isn't that difficult, imo) ain't got nothin' on Gradius Rebirth. o_o

47. Ferret75 09 Mar 2009, 23:31 GMT

About time this appeared outside Japan.

48. deadly.by.design 10 Mar 2009, 12:05 GMT

Why does it sound like a Genesis game?

49. Outrunner 28 Mar 2009, 18:12 GMT

More to the point, why isn't this released in Europe yet?!?!?!? :'(

50. Kobayashi 19 Apr 2009, 14:30 BST

I´m a Gradius fan since of 1990 years.
I played every single Gradius games launched to date, except Gradius Galaxies for GBA.
See my micro-review of this game here: http://www.nintendolife.com/forums/wiiware/my_gradius_rebirth_micro_review_a_gradius_fan_perspective

51. GotWii 20 Apr 2009, 17:36 BST

I like the Gradius games I have played them on several platforms in the past.
But 1000 points seams a bit high for a 5 stage old classic style game.
I still may get it but it will be low on the list for sure. If it had co-op multi player I would have got it immediately. I have a family of boys and multi-player is important in our house.