Last updated on February 2nd, 2026 at 07:27 pm
Nemesis, also known as Gradius, is a classic side-scrolling shoot ’em up game that was first released in 1985. The game was developed by Konami and has since become a beloved classic among retro gaming enthusiasts.
Nemesis on the Commodore 64 delivers a pulse-pounding side-scrolling shooter that defined precision chaos in 1987. Konami’s port captures the arcade’s relentless alien onslaught, thrusting you into a lone starfighter battling biomechanical horrors across volcanic hellscapes and cosmic voids.
Pilot your Vic Viper through eight escalating waves of twisted enemies, from slithering bio-ships to laser-spewing fortresses, demanding split-second dodges and trigger discipline. The signature power-up bar—earned by salvaging orange orbs—unlocks lasers, missiles, shields, and rippling ripples in selectable order, turning desperate scraps into symphony of destruction. One hit resets your arsenal, forcing masterful risk-reward dances that hook retro pilots for endless high-score chases.[web:previous]
C64’s pixel mastery shines in iridescent nebulae, pulsating organic foes, and explosive debris trails that fill the 320×200 canvas without stutter—smoother than MSX origins, rivaling arcade fidelity. Tim Follin’s SID soundtrack weaves metallic riffs and ominous drones, paired with crisp pew-pews and boss wails that amp tension; load screen alone is chiptune poetry worth the wait.
#Key Features
Customizable arsenal via cyclic power-ups (laser, double-shot, missiles, shields, ripple cannon) adds deep strategy amid bullet-hell frenzy.
Branching stage paths (e.g., weapon refill loops) reward exploration, extending replayability beyond linear arcade roots.
Parallax-scrolling backgrounds and destructible terrain create immersive depth, outpacing most 8-bit contemporaries.
#Fun Facts
Konami birthed Nemesis as Gradius in Japan (1985 arcade), renaming it for Western MSX/C64 ports to evoke sci-fi menace. The series exploded into Gradius II (vertical twist), Salamander (horror spin-off), and III’s SNES glory, influencing R-Type and Thunder Force legacies. C64 version hides an “extend” code (BLIMEY99) for extra lives, a nod to British coder insiders.
This timeless blaster demands VICE emulation now—its brutal elegance still slays, proving Nemesis reigns supreme in C64 shooter pantheon.
The Remakes
Remake author: Ovine |
This 1985 Konami classic is one that set a standard. Nemesis, also known as Gradius, is a trendsetting sideway shooting game. Originally release for MSX, this Windows version was done for the retro remakes competition.
DOWNLOAD NOW: Nemesis
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Another Nemesis Remake by Kotai
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Last remake of the 1985 Classic Shooter Nemesis by Konami :
Nemesis (Gradius I) is a horizontally-scrolling shoot ’em up released by Konami in 1985 for video arcades. It was the first game to be released in the Gradius series and the second in terms of chronology.
Nemesis, AKA Gradius, revolutionized shoot-em-ups when it appeared in 1985. A sort of semi-sequel to Konami’s earlier Scramble, Nemesis set many of the precedents for the Golden Age of shooters. Its awesome array of collectible weaponry influenced many games, particularly R-Type.
Nemesis spawned a long-running series of follow-ups such as Salamander, Vulcan Venture all the way to 2004’s Gradius V.
System Requirements:
1.2MHZ CPU or higher
Sound Card
DX7 or higher
3d hardware accelerated GFX card (TNT2/Geforce2 or above)
DOWNLOAD LAST NEMESIS REMAKE
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Tinyus
Nemesis , at the end, has been ported on Amiga 500
Message from Pink/Abyss :
“The original arcade game runs on a Motorola 68000 @ 10Mhz. It offers hundreds of colors and hundreds of sprites at the same time, multiple backgrounds, hardware zoom and 8 audio channels. So an Amiga 500 OCS doesn’t quite match these specifications. Still, it was possible to have almost a perfect arcade conversion. However, even the arcade version experienced many slowdowns, and on Amiga 500 there are even more. It is therefore strongly recommended to play on Amiga 1200 (or better) for a stable experience at 50 fps. »
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