Adventure
SoloMultiplayerSci-Fi2D
IGDB70· 2
Year 1981Dev Namco Limited · MidwayOn PC
✓ Nearly identical: shooter, setting scifi and single-player focus.
≠ Missing: setting space.
Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Setting65
18 Games like Gradius on PC that you should try
Games like Gradius · Find similar →
More about this game →Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentHow this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.
We filtered the 33 games similar to Gradius down to the 18 that fit the “PC” category. Galaga, R-Type and Halo: Reach top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Gradius.
iRank72/ 100
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GenreAdventure
Tags
SoloMultiplayer
Year 1985Dev Konami
Quick answer
Within the “PC” category, the closest game to Gradius is Galaga — scoring 70/100 on our similarity scale. R-Type and Halo: Reach follow close behind.
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The best games like Gradius on PC
18 similar games foundUpdated May 2026
Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Gradius. Each one has been evaluated across 6 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.
#2R-Type
70
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerSci-Fi2D
Year 1987Dev Irem · Electric Dreams SoftwareOn PC
63
iRank85
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerSci-FiSpaceOffline
Steam👍 83%· 6.3KIGDB89· 9
Year 2010Dev Bungie · Microsoft Game StudiosOn PC · Xbox
✓ Shared with Gradius: shooter, setting scifi and setting space
≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, combat tactical and horror setting, while skipping visual 2d
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals and game mode.
Released 25 years after Gradius.
Genre100Setting86Game mode45Visuals0
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerSci-FiSpaceOffline
Steam👍 58%· 2.7KIGDB88· 12
Year 2012Dev 343 Industries · Microsoft StudiosOn PC · Xbox
✓ Shared with Gradius: shooter, setting scifi and setting space
≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, combat tactical and horror setting, while skipping visual 2d
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals and game mode.
Released 27 years after Gradius.
Genre100Setting86Game mode45Visuals0
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerSci-FiCo-opOnline
Steam👍 95%· 22KIGDB60· 1
Year 2010Dev ValveOn PC
✓ Like Gradius, it's known for shooter, setting scifi and single-player focus
≠ Where it differs: brings combat tactical, melee combat and co op, while skipping setting space
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals.
Released 25 years after Gradius.
Genre100Setting65Game mode58Visuals0
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerTacticalIsometric
IGDB80· 1
Year 1985Dev Capcom · INTV CorporationOn PC
✓ Like Gradius, it's known for shooter, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay
≠ Where it differs: brings combat tactical and visual isometric, while skipping setting scifi
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals.
Genre100Game mode100Visuals0
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerSci-FiOfflineCo-op
IGDB87· 3
Year 2001Dev Bungie · Microsoft Game StudiosOn PC · Mac
✓ Like Gradius, it's known for shooter, setting scifi and single-player focus
≠ Its own twist: dark, oppressive atmosphere, combat tactical and melee combat, while skipping setting space
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals.
Released 16 years after Gradius.
Genre100Setting65Game mode51Visuals0
Adventure
MultiplayerSci-FiCo-opFantasyFirst Person
Steam👍 85%· 345KRAWG👍 40%· 1.4KMC78IGDB79· 6OC79· 19
Year 2016Dev Hi-Rez StudiosPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox
✓ Like Gradius, it's known for shooter, setting scifi and multiplayer gameplay
≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, fantasy world and co op, while skipping setting space
Paladins (also known as Paladins: Champions of the Realm) is a free-to-play multiplayer first-person shooter.
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals.
Released 31 years after Gradius.
Genre100Game mode52Setting50Visuals0
Adventure
SoloCo-opTacticalIsometric
IGDB80· 1
Year 1984Dev Capcom · Elite SystemsOn PC · PlayStation 3
41
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerTacticalHistoricalIsometric
Year 1997Dev Ensemble Studios · MicrosoftOn PC · Mac
✓ If you enjoyed Gradius, expect single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay
≠ Where it differs: brings combat tactical, historical setting and visual isometric, while skipping shooter
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: setting and visuals.
Released 12 years after Gradius.
Genre100Game mode100Setting0Visuals0
Adventure
SoloMultiplayer2DOfflineRanged
IGDB80· 1
Year 2001Dev Paragon 5 · Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) Ltd.On PC
✓ Like Gradius, it's known for single-player focus, multiplayer gameplay and visual 2d
≠ Where it differs: brings turn-based strategy, ranged combat and offline, while skipping shooter
Released 16 years after Gradius.
Genre100Visuals69Game mode65
#12Fruit Ninja
38
iRank83
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerOfflineCasualFirst Person
IGDB83
Year 2010Dev Halfbrick StudiosOn PC · Android · iOS
✓ Like Gradius, it's known for single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay
≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual, offline and visual first person, while skipping shooter
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals.
Released 25 years after Gradius.
Genre100Game mode65Visuals0
Adventure
SoloMultiplayerOfflineThird Person
IGDB60· 1
Year 2005Dev Team17 · Majesco EntertainmentOn PC
✓ If you enjoyed Gradius, expect single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay
≠ Its own twist: offline and visual third person, while skipping shooter
Where it drifts furthest from Gradius: visuals.
Released 20 years after Gradius.
Genre100Game mode65Visuals0
Adventure
SoloSci-FiTacticalCyberpunkIsometric
IGDB69· 4
Year 1993Dev Bullfrog Productions · Electronic ArtsOn PC · Mac
Adventure
MultiplayerOnline
OC69· 146
Year 2021Dev HermendezOn PC
✓ Like Gradius, it's known for multiplayer gameplay
≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, MMO world and community and online features, while skipping shooter
Created by Me and my bud, Angel 😎. Game made for the Retro Jam 2021. Also our first game jam and game. The theme was SIDE-EFFECTS but we chose not to use the theme. You play as a Pirate who wants all the gold in the (small) world.
Released 36 years after Gradius.
Complete list of games like Gradius on PC
The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Gradius, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.
