Apex Legends vs Gradius

Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale built around squads of “Legends” with unique abilities, praised for its fast, fluid movement, gunplay, and ping communication system.

Released by Konami in 1985, Gradius is a seminal side-scrolling shoot 'em up that revolutionized the arcade landscape. Players pilot the iconic Vic Viper starfighter, battling through waves of alien armadas while upgrading their arsenal using a unique, player-controlled power-up meter. Renowned for its demanding difficulty, memorable synth soundtrack, and pioneering boss encounters, Gradius established many enduring conventions of the scrolling shooter genre. Its legacy lives on through numerous sequels and spin-offs, cementing its status as an arcade classic.

• Excellent gunplay and movement
• Free to play
• Great non-verbal comms
• Strong hero design

• Pioneering power-up system gives players tactical control over their upgrades
• Memorable and iconic electronic soundtrack
• Timeless pixel art and creative alien enemy designs
• Engaging cooperative multiplayer support

• Squad play can frustrate solos
• Grindy cosmetics
• Steep aim skill ceiling

• Brutally difficult gameplay can frustrate beginners
• Losing a life strips all upgrades, making recovery very challenging
• Short overall campaign length typical of arcade games