Overview
Destroy the alien from within. Life Force (known as Salamander in Japan) sent players through a living creature’s body—organic corridors, volcanic innards, bone structures. The game alternated between horizontal and vertical scrolling stages, supported two-player simultaneous action, and refined Gradius’s power-up system into something more accessible.
Fast facts
- Developer: Konami.
- Also known as: Salamander (Japan).
- Players: Two simultaneous.
- Style: Horizontal and vertical scrolling.
Stage alternation
| Stage |
Direction |
| 1 |
Horizontal |
| 2 |
Vertical |
| 3 |
Horizontal |
| Pattern |
Alternating throughout |
Organic environments
| Area |
Theme |
| Cell stage |
Living tissue |
| Volcano |
Fire and lava |
| Stone |
Ancient structures |
| Skeleton |
Bone corridors |
| Brain |
Final area |
Power-up system
| NES version |
Arcade version |
| Gradius bar |
Direct pickups |
| Select power-ups |
Immediate effect |
| Strategic choice |
Simpler acquisition |
Weapons
| Weapon |
Type |
| Laser |
Concentrated beam |
| Ripple |
Expanding circles |
| Options |
Following helpers |
| Shield |
Protection |
Two-player dynamics
| Player |
Ship |
| Player 1 |
Vic Viper |
| Player 2 |
Lord British |
| Cooperation |
Shared screen |
| Strategy |
Cover each other |
Konami Code compatibility
| Platform |
Effect |
| NES |
30 lives |
| Arcade |
Various effects |
| Tradition |
Konami shooter standard |
Gradius connection
| Shared |
Different |
| Vic Viper |
Stage variety |
| Power-up bar (NES) |
Vertical stages |
| Options |
Two-player |
See also