Vulcan Venture

"Vulcan Venture" (also known as "Gradius II: Gofer no Yabo") is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up developed by Konami and released in arcades in 1988. Players control the Vic Viper spaceship as it battles the Bacterion Empire, now led by Gofer. The game builds upon the original Gradius by retaining the power-up bar system while introducing selectable weapon configurations and advanced capabilities such as various missiles, dual-weapon, and laser options. It also incorporates elements from Salamander (Life Force) and introduces a stage that focuses exclusively on consecutive boss battles.