- This article is about the 1988 MSX game. For the 1990 game that was marketed outside of Japan as "Parodius", see Parodius Da!
- For the franchise, see Parodius (series).
Parodius ~Tako wa Chikyū o Sukū~ (パロディウス ~タコは地球を救う~ , lit. "Parodius: The Octopus Saves the Earth") or just Parodius, is a scrolling shooter video game developed by Konami for the MSX computer, released in Japan in 1988. The game is notable for being the first title in the Parodius series, although it is often confused with Parodius Da! in that regard. The name itself is a portmanteau of "Gradius" and "parody" and, eponymously, the game is a parody of the Gradius series of space-based horizontally-scrolling shooters. Many of the characters and enemies are derived from that famous shooter series, while other elements are extracted from other Konami titles, such as Antarctic Adventure and TwinBee. This game is of particular note in the series as being heavily infused with Japanese culture and folklore.
Gameplay[]
The gameplay is very similar to the Gradius games, with other aspects from games such as TwinBee. However, the characters are replaced with silly characters taken from either these or other Konami games, as well as Japanese culture. The music is mostly taken from classical music pieces.
The player can play as either Tako (father of Takosuke), an octopus, the Penguin (father of Pentarou) from Antarctic Adventure and the exclusive MSX game Penguin Adventure, Goemon from the Ganbare Goemon series, the Popolon knight from the MSX game Knightmare or the Vic Viper spaceship from Gradius. The game is composed of six stages consisting of various obstacles and enemies such as penguins and bees, as well as more traditional Gradius enemies such as Moai. As with Gradius, the game utilizes a similar selection-bar based power-up system.
However, when a random power-up is picked up, then a feature called Bellpower/Roulette will automatically make the player's power bar skipping powers until the player presses the button used to stop the roulette. Some players may be unlucky and getting their chances of landing on the OH! power instead of the ? and the Options.
Power-Ups[]
- Up Laser: Appears in Nemesis 2 not as a power-up, but as an upgrade. Nevertheless, it functions the same.
- Down Double: Like Up Laser, this appears in Nemesis 3 as an upgrade instead.
- Vector Laser: Functions the same in Nemesis 2.
- Horizontal Warp: Exclusive to Parodius MSX, it allows the character to warp to the other side of the screen horizontally.
- Vertical Warp: It allows the character to warp to the other side of the screen vertically. Exclusive to Parodius MSX.
- Rotary Drill (renamed Itazura Drill): Although it functions the same as the original Rotary Drill in Nemesis 2, this power-up aesthetically changes the character to a literal drill.
Ports[]
Parodius was later included in Konami Antiques MSX Collection Vol.3 for PlayStation, Konami Antiques MSX Collection Ultra Pack for Sega Saturn, and Parodius Portable for PlayStation Portable with enhanced graphics.
In addition, it was released for mobile phones in December 2006 and for Virtual Console in January 2010.
Cheats[]
Type these commands to access cheats:
- F1 Z E N B U Enter F1 - All Weapons
- F1 K O N A M I Enter F1 - Get Vector Laser
- F1 B U T A K O Enter F1 - Get Up Laser
- F1 T A K O 1 8 T H Enter F1 - Get Rotary Drill
- F1 P A R O Enter F1 - Get Wrap Around
- F1 K A T A I Enter F1 - Increase Shield Durability (does not work with "ZENBU" cheat command)
There are bonus stages in stages 1, 4, and 5.
Stages[]
Stage | Name | Mid-Boss | Boss | Music | Remix of |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ur Star | Big Moai | Big Penguin | Crime of Century Crisis 4th Movement Boss, It's Parodius |
Piano Concerto No. 1 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Coda by Ludwig van Beethoven Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov |
2 | Game Star | Laser Rush | Jan Ken Pon | Right of Octopus Crisis 4th Movement Boss, It's Parodius |
Moonlight Sonata, 3rd Movement by Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Coda by Ludwig van Beethoven Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov |
3 | Annoying Star | Dirt Rush | Tenuki Tenuki Buzz | Illusion of Octopus Crisis 4th Movement Boss, It's Parodius |
In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg Fantaisie-Impromptu Op. 66 by Frédéric Chopin Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Coda by Ludwig van Beethoven Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov |
4 | Stray Star | Cute Bills | Maids | Crazy World Crisis 4th Movement Boss, It's Parodius |
9th Symphony, "New World Symphony" by Antonín Leopold Dvořák The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers by Leon Jessel Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Coda by Ludwig van Beethoven Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov |
5 | Mystic Star | None | Ge Ge Ge Aunt | The Walts of Octopus Boss, It's Parodius |
Swan Lake Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov |
6 | The Star | Organ | Bug | Fate of Octopus Crisis 4th Movement Boss, It's Parodius |
Ride of The Valkyries by Richard Wagner Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Coda by Ludwig van Beethoven Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov |
B | Extra Stage | Bug-Misfit Bug-Mayhem Bug-Abaddon |
Sweet Emotion Boss, It's Parodius |
Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov |
Enemies[]
Trivia[]
- Aside from minor alterations, the UI design in Parodius is the same as the one found in Nemesis 2.
Parodius | ||
Characters | Tako • Vic Viper • Penta • Goemon • Popolon | |
Stages | Ur Star • Game Star • Annoying Star • Stray Star • Mystic Star • The Star • Extra Stage | |
Bosses | Big Moai • Big Penguin • Bug-Misfit • Jan Ken Pon • Tenuki Tenuki Buzz • Cute Bills • Maids • Bug-Mayhem • Ge Ge Ge Aunt • Bug-Abaddon • Organ • Bug |
Gradius video games | ||
Gradius series | Gradius • Gradius II • Gradius III • Gradius Gaiden • Gradius IV: Fukkatsu • Gradius Galaxies • Gradius V • Gradius ReBirth • Gradius: The Interstellar Assault • Gradius NEO • Gradius NEO Imperial | |
Spin-offs | Salamander (Life Force) (MSX ver.)• Salamander 2 • Nemesis 2 (Nemesis '90 Kai) • Nemesis 3 • Nemesis (Game Boy) • Cosmic Wars • Solar Assault | |
Parody games | Parodius • Parodius Da! • Gokujō Parodius! • Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius • Sexy Parodius • Paro Wars • Otomedius (Otomedius Gorgeous) • Otomedius Excellent | |
Other games | Scramble • Thunder Cross • Thunder Cross II • Space Manbow • Force Gear | |
Pachislot | Gradius: The Slot • CR Parodius Da! EX • Gokuraku Parodius! | |
Cancelled | Vic Viper • Gradius Arc • Salamander HD Remaster |