Gradius IV: Fukkatsu

Gradius IV: Fukkatsu
Developer: Konami AMD Publisher: Konami Platform: Arcade (Konami Hornet) Released in JP: February 4, 1999 This game has unused graphics. This game has unused sounds. This game has debugging material. This game has a hidden sound test.

Gradius IV: Fukkatsu is notable for being the first main installment in the series to use 3D models.

Debug Menu

Enabling the following MAME cheat replaces the operator menu with a series of debugging functions. However, many of these don't work properly, redirecting to the operator screen shortly after entering them.

<cheat desc="Debug Menu">
    <script state="run">
        <action>maincpu.pd@803c8da0=803b4700</action>
    </script>
    <script state="off">
        <action>maincpu.pd@803c8da0=803b4288</action>
    </script>
</cheat>

The functions that can be found are as follows:

GAMEDEMO REC	SOUND TEST	VRAM CHECK
Redirects the player to a "blank" version of the power meter selection screen, then goes back to the operator menu.	A sound test function. Warps back to the operator menu immediately after entering.	A VRAM-viewing function. Warps back to the operator menu immediately after entering.
MEMORY EDIT	COLOR TEST	IO TEST
A memory viewer. Warps back to the operator menu immediately after entering.	An unknown function, and notably the only one that doesn't warp back to the operator menu upon entering. Controls: 1P Left / Right - Increase/decrease HSW/VSW value 1P Button 1 / Button 2 - Increase/decrease HC/VC value 2P Left / Right - Increase/decrease HBP/VBP value 1P Start - Switch between HC, HSW and HBP/VC, VSW, VBP 2P Button 1 - Exit	Given its name, it could have been used to test the game's controls. Warps back to the operator menu immediately after entering.
JVS TEST	NAGATOMO TEST	NIIHAMA TEST
Doesn't work.	Doesn't work.	Doesn't work.
ASAKI TEST	ZAKO VIEWER	STAGE VIEW
Doesn't work.	An unknown function. Warps back to the operator menu immediately after entering.	A stage-viewing function. Warps back to the operator menu immediately after entering.
	MODEL CHECK
	Doesn't work.

(Source: WindyFairy)

Unused Graphic

Found alongside the power-up name graphics in the K037122 chip are tiles refering to the ! power-down items from Gradius III, which do not appear here.

Tiles	Assembled

(Source: Tiniest Turtles)

Unused Sounds

The announcer has several unused voice clips; most of them are for explaining how powerups work, all of them in factǃ They would have most likely of been used in the Attract Screen like Gradius Gaiden, but wasn't. There are also two other unused voicelines, one of them being a "hint" for defeating an enemy or a boss, and the other refering to a scrapped mode selection.

Sound File	Transcript
	Speed up, there are five different levels. The max level speed is faster than the bullets.
	Missile, crawls on the ground and destroys enemies.
	Spread Bomb, wide-range blast will destroy more enemies.
	Photon Torpedo, penetration power can break through anything.
	2-Way, threaten enemies above and below.
	Vertical Mine, bomb explodes vertically when enemies hit it.
	Flying Torpedo, soars through the sky and penetrates enemies.
	Double, normal bullets that also shoot upward.
	Tail Gun, normal bullets that also shoot backward.
	Laser, destroys all enemies with the strongest power of penetration.
	Ripple Laser, widespread laser destroys enemies in a wide range.
	Armor Piercing, high speed bullets.
	Twin Laser, reflects and destroys enemies.
	Option, an additional ship.
	Multiple, an additional ship.
	Shield, the Shield guards infront of you!
	Force Field, a barrier that protects you all around!
	Shoot the tentacles!
	Select the game mode.

It is worth to mention that some of these audio samples do not correlate with their appropriate function. There is also an additional voice clip for Multiples, which was what the Options was called in Gradius III which could hint that Gradius IV could have gotten an English release like Vulcan Venture.

(Source: Tiniest Turtles)