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Life Force

NES

NES

You've saved the innocent people of Gradius from the vile Bacterions. But now an even deadlier plague has slimed into the neighborhood. It's Zelos, an all-engulfing, planet-eating alien who's hungering to take a bite out of you! Only this time you don't have to rescue the millions of Gradians alo...

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Developer
Konami

Released on
1987

Size
1–2 Players

Version
NES

Requirements
Nintendo Entertainment System

Downloads
Shooter

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

You’ve saved the innocent people of Gradius from the vile Bacterions. But now an even deadlier plague has slimed into the neighborhood. It’s Zelos, an all-engulfing, planet-eating alien who’s hungering to take a bite out of you! Only this time you don’t have to rescue the millions of Gradians alone. You can call on a starfighter friend from the planet Latis, who’ll fight beside you in his RoadBritish space destroyer. You’ll both be gunning for max power-ups, with ripple lasers, plutonic missiles and impregnable force fields. But you better be on target. For this isn’t your ordinary space scum. And to crush him you’ve gotta soar through his guts, blast past his death traps and ultimately blow out his heart. Good luck, Commander. The galaxy’s counting on you!

This game is also known in the japanese Famicom and Arcades as “Salamander”.

Life Force

Overview & History

Released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988, Life Force (originally known as *Salamander* in Japanese arcades) is a legendary sci-fi scrolling shooter. Departing from the standard mechanical space settings of its predecessor, *Gradius*, this organic masterpiece plunges players directly into the gargantuan, undulating entrails of a living, malevolent alien entity known as Planet Salamander to rescue the alien starship Latis.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike traditional horizontal-only shooters, Life Force alternates dynamically between frantic horizontal and vertical scrolling stages. The game is celebrated for its haunting, biomechanical aesthetic—featuring levels composed of pulsating blood vessels, fiery solar prominences, and floating skeletal remains. Survival relies heavily on Konami's iconic power-up system. By collecting energy capsules dropped by red enemy formations, players illuminate an upgrade meter at the bottom of the screen, allowing them to instantly select specific enhancements such as Speed Up, Missiles, Ripple Lasers, Option modules (which duplicate your firepower), and the protective Force Field. The Vic Viper (or Lord British in two-player mode) can also unleash a devastating bomb attack that clears the screen of lesser foes, making tactical resource management essential for conquering the grueling enemy waves and massive biological boss encounters.