I haven't tried Solar Assault yet, but I know it was finally playable months ago. The guys at that Gradius site I linked to already posted MAME pics of it some time ago.
Make sure you have the latest MAME version and rom.
BTW, how did you get those PSP screenshots?
On the Gradius II page (
hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gradius/gradius2.htm )
you repeated same image twice (http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gradius/gradius2-4.png)
hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gradius/gradius5.htm"Salamander was released a
y ear after the original"
The Japanese NES Gradius also has different endings.
Taken from Adam L's NES Endings FAQ:
"Interesting find with this old classic. When you go through and beat the brain
boss at the end of Stage 7, you get an ending screen saying "Kangeki! Let's Go
Next Zone." The game then restarts like you are at the beginning again. However,
beating the 2nd Quest gives you the message "Omigoto! Let's Go Next Zone." Play
through the 3rd Quest and you get "Nikui Nikui! Let's Go Next Zone." Keep
playing and get the following end game messages: 4th Quest-"Antawa Sugoi! Let's
Go Next Zone", 5th Quest-"Miagetamonda! Let's Go Next Zone" and finally the 6th
Quest-"Iukotonaine! Let's Go Next Zone."
Some more Gradius Cameos:
Contra 4, as a prototype weapon in the challenge missions (check pics on VGM).
Yugioh GX (Anime)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDVqKPds5B8&feature=relatedwww.youtube.com/watch?v=2bD-_ictDtQ&feature=relatedHayate the Combat Butler (anime)
i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/ZeetherKID77/hayate_gradius.jpgKonami Krazy Racers, as racers.
Animaniacs for Genesis and SNES, both on the Sci Fi stages and both cameos are different for each game.
Air Force Delta PS2, has playable Vic Viper.
Other ships playable are: the Axelay, ship from Ajax, Falsion, Twinbee, Xexex ship, Penta and lots others from most Konami shooters.
Skygirls (anime)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL1h0tXge5YCue Brick (arcade). Moai appears after you clear a level and on the score screen.
Vic Viper (canceled game)
Monster Maulers, some Gradius bosses.
Wai Wai World 1 & 2
Rocket Knight Adventures
Axelay ( 5th level, fire dragons)
I think Azure Dreams has some Gradius refferences. I remember the GBC version having SOMETHING.
Castlevania 1 (Moai heads, 2nd run through the game)
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/code-level2b.gifimg.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/stg26kneelhereforMoaui.jpgimg.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/stg27walkfarrighttogetMoai.pngCastlevania Symphony of the Night, special move that looks like the shield from Gradius.
Gradius and Salamander music in Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania.
I belive there are Gradius cards in the GBA Yugioh games.
Bomberman Tournament
www.vgmuseum.com/end/gba/a/bombt-39.pngDangerously close reference.
Elebits, In the amusement park, there is a ride/attraction called Galaxy Fighters. One of those spinning-around-a-tower rides with Vic Vipers. Also, inside the science fiction section there is a ride called "Space Vikings", a rocking boat ride with a "space viking" ship and... Lord British.
Castlevania Portrait of Ruin
Defeating Hard mode with a Level 50 cap will award you with a Vic Viper trophy. If you beat it with a Level 25 cap and you will get the Vic Viper trophy and the Twinbee Trophy. A level 1 cap will also give you Konami Man.
Tokimeki Memorial series
In 'Tokimeki Memorial' for NEC PC Engine CD-ROM System,you'll have a concert on school festival day if you have joined the band club.The music you and your club members play is...THE CHALLENGER 1985-FREE FLYER MEDLEY.
pics here:
www.gamestone.co.uk/gradius/forumvb/showthread.php?t=1638Dorimeko (FDS), music and vic viper.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/7-1.pngTrigon, vic viper enemies.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/VVinTrigon.pngGanbare Goemon: Uchukaizoku Akogingu, minigame near the end, where Goemon rides a turtle.
Aliens (Arcade), There is a poster stuck to a wall with a moai head on it.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/MoaiinarcadeAliens.pngThe maze of galious (MSX), near the entrance of world 9 there are blue stone heads placed in various rooms that spit out moai rings at you.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/MazeofGaliousMoais1.pngPani Poni dash (anime), One reference to gradius was on a scrolling display:
"MomotsukiChou News Extra. Language from ancient civilization deciphered. Deciphered letters are (Up) (Up) (Down) (Down) (Left) (Right) (Left) (Right) B A B A. However, according to Professor Tokimemo who heads the task, the letters are incomplete and will result in a big explosion. Further deciphering is being conducted."
The other was a short scene in which a bus with four Options trailing behind it fight a cat imitating a Big Core, which promptly blows it away. Later in the same episode, Ichijou, one of the characters, is seen holding a power up capsule with three options floating around her and shilds above her head.
img156.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gradiusbus7xg.pngimg205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ichijou9bx.pngLa Blue Girl (Anime)
i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/Klatrymadon/gradiuslol.pngViolent Storm, has scramble arcade cabinet in one of the levels.
Falsion (FDS), has bosses that look like big cores.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/FalsionFamicomgraphics.pngMetamorphic Force, fire from gradius.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/meta0000.pngCastlevania Chronicles, moai disguising itself as a tree.
gradius.classicgaming.gamespy.com/cvchronicles.JPGPenguin Adventure (MSX), everytime you finish a stage and he rests on a pedestal a thought bubble appears above his head now and again a "moai" appears in the bubble.
i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/METAL1ON/PENGUIN_0002.jpgQbert (MSX), a yellow moai is used as an enemy.
i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/METAL1ON/qbert_0000.jpgPyuu to Fuku! Jogger Byuu to Deru (GBA)
img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/morgoth_galaxius/moais.pngMoai Kun, game starring moai.
The Goonies part 1 (NES), Vic Viper and Twinbee treasures.
db.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/file/goonies_stage_4.pngdb.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/file/goonies_stage_3.pngPandora's box (arcade)
moais come out pandora's box in the intro. this game was released a year before gradius.
Boss from penguin adventure looks like the dragon from the Gradius 2 MSX beta version.