Gradius III
In the darkest reaches of infinite space, evil lurks... The Dark Forces, led by the God of Destruction, Bacterian, are preparing to launch a massive attack on the planet Gradius. With their unstoppable power, the Dark Forces threaten to plunge the universe into all-out war and total annihilation. Their invasion force shatters the defenses of Gradius, and the surrounding planets soon fall like dominoes. Now Bacterian's evil grip reaches for the heart of the Resistance... the planet Gradius itself.... To counter the approaching threat, the United Gradius World Forces assemble all of their battleships. Half of them form a defensive network - the other half an assault team. But they are heavily outnumbered, and the Dark Forces break through their thin front line with ease. No fighter survives the carnage.... At the last second, the United Gradius World Forces send out two fighters previously considered too dangerous for combat operations: The VIC-VIPER interdimensional fighters. The fighters take off for the Heart of Darkness to participate in the battle that will decide the fate of the universe....
Story
At the very edge of the blackest reaches of space lies a galaxy composed of countless layers of darkness. Bacterian, the mysterious god of destruction who emerged from this unknown region, has once again ventured out of his lair. To achieve his evil goals, Bacterian is unleashing his Dark Power for a final assault. The Dark Power instantly envelops the entire universe in an energy field more powerful than any of us could have imagined, continuing its rampage of destruction and carnage. The dark invasion is obliterating one planet after another around Gradius, and now the home planet is in mortal danger. To counter this threat, the Gradius Federal Government orders its entire army to establish a massive defense network while launching a major offensive, but against an army as unprecedented as the Dark Force, even this desperate defense is on the verge of collapse. Now, the superdimensional fighter Vic Viper takes off once more. It soars toward the boundless darkness, its fate entrusted to the universe...