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GRADIUS III
沙罗曼蛇3
Gradius III is a horizontally scrolling shoot-em-up developed by Konami in 1989. Players control the Vic Viper spacecraft, navigating through seven stages of increasingly challenging alien formations and environmental hazards. The game features Konami's signature power-up system where players collect colored capsules to upgrade weapons, including spread shots, lasers, and protective options. Controls are straightforward—directional movement and a fire button—allowing players to freely position the ship across the screen. The difficulty increases substantially through each level, with later stages introducing rapid enemy patterns and complex bullet patterns. Two-player simultaneous gameplay is supported, letting friends cooperate through the campaign or compete for high scores. The arcade version offers multiple difficulty settings and an improved visual presentation compared to previous entries in the series.
- Developer
- Konami
- Released
- 1989
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 2P
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 (682)
- Last updated
GRADIUS III Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for GRADIUS III on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
GRADIUS III Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of GRADIUS III on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"GRADIUS III" Arcade longplay 1989
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was GRADIUS III released?
GRADIUS III was released in 1989 for the Arcade.
Who developed GRADIUS III?
GRADIUS III was developed by Konami, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does GRADIUS III support?
GRADIUS III supports up to 2 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the Arcade.
What type of game is GRADIUS III?
GRADIUS III is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play GRADIUS III for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — GRADIUS III runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play GRADIUS III in the browser?
No. GRADIUS III streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in GRADIUS III?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does GRADIUS III work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play GRADIUS III this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of GRADIUS III. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
