Five of the Best from Gradius

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced it is bringing one of the most acclaimed shoot 'em up series to PSP (PlayStation®Portable) in the form of Gradius Collection - a compilation featuring five incarnations of the classic blaster due for release in September.

The Gradius series has been delighting games players for over 20 years, with its horizontally-scrolling levels, multiple-weapon styles and huge end-of-level bosses setting a standard for the genre. Gradius Collection brings together the first four arcade games - Gradius I-IV - and also includes the previously unseen Gradius Gaiden.

Each game delivers frenetic shoot 'em up action as the player traverses a series of scrolling stages in a running battle against hordes of enemy formations. On shooting specific fleets of ships, a golden icon is left which illuminates a weapon list at the bottom of the screen. Collecting successive icons highlights more powerful weapons, with players enhancing the speed of their craft, adding secondary weapon units, lasers, missiles or a force field. Later versions of the game also include the option of choosing different weapon systems that include directional lasers and missile systems.

In keeping with Gradius Collection's celebration of the popular series, the PSP title also features media elements taken from the Gradius games. A Gallery mode includes movies from the series, while key tracks from the soundtracks can also be listened to individually. Players can also change the orientation of the screen to view the game in its original arcade aspect ratio, or use the full PSP screen.

About KONAMI CORPORATION

KONAMI CORPORATION was established in 1973, and became a holding company on March 31, 2006. KONAMI CORPORATION covers the fields of "Digital Entertainment Business", "Health & Fitness Business" and "Gaming & System Business". KONAMI CORPORATION went public on Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1988, the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1997, the London Stock Exchange in 1999, and the New York Stock Exchange in 2002. Home Page URL: www.konami.co.jp. Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary, responsible for popular franchises like Metal Gear Solid®, Silent Hill® and Pro Evolution Soccer amongst other top sellers. For more information concerning Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH and its products, please visit www.konami-europe.com/games.

Gradius Collection will be released for PSP (PlayStation®Portable) in September.