Gradius III[a] is a 1989 scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Konami, originally released for the arcades in Japan and other parts of Asia on December 11, 1989.

The Japanese version of the game contains a 'beginner mode' that allows the player to venture through the first three levels at a much easier difficulty.

The Asian (non-Japanese) arcade release lacks the beginner mode and retrospective introduction sequence, but reduces the difficulty overall.

In addition to new pre-defined weapon schemes, Gradius III introduces the "Edit Mode"; players can mix and match missile, double, laser, shield and "special" ("!")

[3] Unlike the original arcade version, the Super NES port is the only one that allow players to continue when they lost all their lives.

[citation needed] This port was also released for Virtual Console on April 23, 2007, in North America, and in September 2007 in Europe and Japan.

[citation needed] A soundtrack containing the original music as well as arranged tracks, was released by Konami on the King Records label on February 21, 1990, composed and performed by Kukeiha Club with Miki Higashino.

The port is based on the arcade version and has an unlockable Extra Edit mode, which gives the player the freedom to create a weapon array from all included setups and adds the F-Option, R-Option and Reduce II power-ups found in the Super NES port.

In Japan, Game Machine listed Gradius III on their January 15, 1990 issue as being the third most-successful table arcade unit of the month.

[12] Super Gamer reviewed the SNES version and gave an overall score of 78% stating: "Gradius III incorporates all of the features that make for a great arcade game!