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Play Gradius Online
Gradius (Bubble System)
Play Gradius online. Choose capsule-meter upgrades and fire through a boss’s protective barriers to reach its core.
Browser play
Arcade — EmulatorJS controls
Default Player 1 keyboard mapping. Change keys in Controller Settings.
| Console button | Keyboard |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ / ← / → | ↑ / ↓ / ← / → |
| RetroPad A / B / X / Y | Z / X / A / S |
| L / R | Q / E |
| Insert coin | V |
| START | Enter |
Open Controller Settings to configure your keyboard or gamepad. Touch controls are available on mobile.
How to Play Gradius
Quick start
- Destroy an opening enemy group and collect its capsule.
- Watch the highlighted upgrade on the meter.
- Activate the improvement that suits the next section.
- At a core boss, align with the opening and remove the barriers before attacking the core.
Controls
Use movement with Shot, Missile and Power-Up actions. The Power-Up action equips the choice currently highlighted by collected capsules. Missiles are available after acquiring their upgrade; Shot follows the equipped main weapon.
Gradius — About this game
Gradius makes weapon development part of flying the Vic Viper through hostile terrain. Each capsule advances the highlighted choice along a power-up meter; activating that choice equips an upgrade and resets the selection. Collecting another capsule can therefore be worth more than taking the first available improvement. The larger enemy craft protect their central cores behind barriers, requiring accurate fire through a narrow opening while the player avoids their attacks. Learn enough movement speed to dodge comfortably, then choose weapons that cover the next section rather than collecting upgrades without a plan.
Cheats
No cheats have been added for this edition.
Player verification and sources
Browser play was reviewed before this edition was published in the catalogue. The date below is the catalogue publication date, not the game’s original release date.
- Browser test and catalogue publication date
- Browsers and devices
- PC: Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Mobile: Chrome on Android and Safari on iPhone and iPad.
- Player engine and core
- EmulatorJS 4.3.0-pre · arcade
- Tested by
- rwEmulator
Sources and editorial basis
rwEmulator reviews edition metadata, release information, game manuals and first-hand browser-play notes. Available manuals are linked below; the editorial policy explains how facts are checked and corrections are handled.