ABOUT

An 83-page strategy guide for the Famicom version of Gradius, published by Futabasha in 1986, the year Konami's arcade hit arrived on the console. It is credited to Fighting Studio, the byline attached to Futabasha's game guide output, and belongs to the publisher's perfect strategy series for Famicom titles.

Guides like this were how Famicom players of the mid 1980s learned a shooter's stage layouts, power-up routes and hidden tricks before magazines and word of mouth caught up. For Gradius, whose selectable power-up bar rewarded planned routes, the printed walkthrough had genuine competitive value.

It survives as a period artefact of the first wave of Japanese console shmup guides, published within months of the game itself.

GAMES IN THIS BOOK

Gradius 1985 Konami

DETAILS

WHERE TO GET IT

Searched by ISBN, so a shop that has this exact edition will show it and one that does not will come back empty. Most of these were printed in Japan and never distributed elsewhere.