Vulcan Venture cover
FranchiseGradiusSeriesGradius

Vulcan Venture

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First release
Mar 1988
Publisher
Konami
Genres
Shooter, Arcade · Action, Science fiction
Platforms
PlayStation 3, Legacy Mobile Device, PlayStation Portable, Arcade

Vulcan Venture (also known as Gradius II: Gofer no Yabo) is a side-scrolling shoot ’em up developed by Konami and released in arcades in 1988. Players control the Vic Viper spacecraft as it battles the Bacterion Empire, now led by Gofer. The game builds on the original Gradius by retaining the power-up bar system while introducing selectable weapon configurations and expanded abilities such as different missiles, double, and laser options. It also incorporates elements from Salamander (Life Force) and introduces a stage focused entirely on consecutive boss encounters.

Also known as Gradius 2: Vulcan Venture, Gradius II, グラディウスII GOFERの野望, グラディウスII ゴーファーのやぼう
… See more, Gradius II: Gofer's Ambition, Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou

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Details

Storyline, release dates, time to beat, age ratings, modes, links, keywords

Storyline
Two years ago, the planet Gradius suddenly fell under attack from the advancing Bacterian forces. Struggling against these invaders, the Gradius Army opted to deploy the super-dimensional fighter Vic Viper as their last resort. Diving right into the core of the enemy forces, Vic Viper waged an epic life-or-death battle, ultimately destroying the Bacterian fortress Xaerous and saving Gradius. Now, once again, Bacterian has set its sights on destroying the planet Gradius. The attack is led this time by the elite special-forces unit Gofer. The Gradius Army wasted no time in sending out the order. Vic Viper, prepare for takeoff!Read more

Two years ago, the planet Gradius suddenly fell under attack from the advancing Bacterian forces. Struggling against these invaders, the Gradius Army opted to deploy the super-dimensional fighter Vic Viper as their last resort. Diving right into the core of the enemy forces, Vic Viper waged an epic life-or-death battle, ultimately destroying the Bacterian fortress Xaerous and saving Gradius. Now, once again, Bacterian has set its sights on destroying the planet Gradius. The attack is led this time by the elite special-forces unit Gofer. The Gradius Army wasted no time in sending out the order. Vic Viper, prepare for takeoff!

Release dates
Arcade
Mar 1988
Arcade
Apr 1988
Legacy Mobile Device
Feb 19, 2004
All 5 release dates
PlayStation 3
Oct 20, 2010
PlayStation Portable
Oct 20, 2010
Game modes
Multiplayer, Single player
Perspective
Side view
Keywords
shoot 'em up, death, shmup, side-scrolling, sequel
… All 25, high score, playstation network, explosion, digital distribution, bonus stage, psone classics, upgradeable weapons, collectibles, checkpoints, auto-saving, playstation tv support, cheat code, konami code, planet jumping, auto-scrolling levels, upgradeable vehicles, shoot the core, dynamic difficulty, backwards compatibility, hot-seat multiplayer
How it playsMediaCommunityBehind the gameRelated

How it plays

Languages

  • Englishinterface, audio
IGDB · recorded 2 Oct 2026

Language data: IGDB · recorded 2 Oct 2026