Parodius! From Myth to Laughter

, released outside Japan as Parodius (from "Parody Gradius"), is a shoot 'em up arcade video game and the second title in the "Parodius" series produced by Konami. The European SNES version is also known as Parodius: Non-Sense Fantasy. The gameplay is stylistically very similar to the "Gradius" series, but the graphics and music are intentionally absurd.
As a result of its localised title, "From Myth to Laughter" is often mistaken as the original game of the series. The lesser known original game, "", was released for the MSX computer in Japan.
Gameplay.
As stated above, gameplay is very similar to the "Gradius" series with a few differences. "Parodius" retains the selectability of different weapons configurations but implements via four different characters: Vic Viper (from "Gradius"), Octopus, TwinBee, and Pentarou. The second main difference is the addition of bell power-ups, from the "TwinBee" series. These bells act as one-time power-ups, allowing the player to destroy every enemy on screen, fire huge beams of energy, etc. Enemies and environments from the "Gradius" games and "TwinBee" are mixed in along with a host of anime-style opponents, including scantily-clad women. All of the "Gradius" elements are integrated in a light-hearted fashion. The Big Core, a regular boss within the "Gradius" series, is given a neon look and is called "Viva Core". Moreover, there is a moai (Easter Island head statues) level, but all of the statues are given a much more animated look. The boss of that level, Yoshiko, fires other moai at the player by spitting them out of her mouth. The final boss, in typical "Gradius" fashion, is an unarmed enemy that once defeated results in a destruction/escape sequence.
Characters and weapons.
Vic Viper – Traditional Gradius configuration<br>
The missile will fall to the ground, and then move along until it encounters an enemy. The Double mode will fire two blasts, one forward, and one incline forty-five degrees above. The Laser mode is a thin blue laser, identical from Gradius.
Octopus – "Salamander" configuration<br>
This configuration is identical to the weapons presented in the Salamander arcade game. The missile is '2-way' that yields two bomb-like explosives that fall both up and down. The Double is the tail gun present in the second configuration. And the laser is the ripple laser, which fires expanding concentric circles at the front of the craft/person.
TwinBee (Colored as Winbee) – "TwinBee" configuration<br>
This set is the weapons from the vertically scrolling "TwinBee", applied to horizontal gameplay. The missile is now the rocket punch, which has a larger impact area than the standard missile. The double is the same tail gun from the Octopus/Salamander configuration. The laser is a 3-way gun which fires shots the same size as the Double and standard weapons.
Pentarou – ' configuration<br>
This set is almost identical to one of the power meter sets in "." The missile is the photon torpedo (spelled here "Poton") that fires one missile that travels along the bottom ground and penetrates multiple enemies. The Double mode will fire two blasts, one forward, and one incline forty-five degrees above. The laser mode is different from Gradius II; instead of a ripple laser analog it fires bullets that create small explosions upon impact.
Bosses.
Below is listing the bosses from the original version:
The platform-exclusive bosses include Penguin Conducter, Madam of Yotsuya Q, Viking Moai, Woon Botton, Crystal Golem, Marvelous Green Mantle, Great Gourmet King Manjiri Kun, Super DX Emperor Penguin, Tako Hyuuma, Penguin Bomb.
The NES version replaces Chichibinta Rika with Miss Mishitarina and Honey Mikayo does not appear within the game at all despite them appearing on the European NES cover.
Hot Lips, Pig Tide, Honey Mikayo, Iron Maiden MK III and Yoshiwara Dayuu not appears in this Mobile version.
Ports.
"Parodius" has been ported to a number of platforms, most notably the Super Famicom (released on the SNES in Europe) and the PC Engine. The game was also ported to the Family Computer (released on the NES in Europe) with several stages omitted but with a new amusement park stage as well as several hidden bonus stages. Most recently the game, along with several other "Gradius" titles, has been ported to Java-based cell phones in Japan.
The Game Boy version (which was also released in Europe) shows the ages of the playable characters, and only has 8 stages, which include stages 1–6, and 10 from the arcade game. Stage 3 was moved to Stage 4. The Game Boy version of stage 3 also has a hidden stage. This version was also re-released in color as part of the "Konami GB Collection Vol. 2".
There was also a Japan-exclusive port for the X68000.
The PC Engine version does not have the arcade Stages 5 and 8, but features a stage titled SPECIAL and a new introduction that features several strange-looking Japanese characters. This is in contrast to the arcade intro, which chronicles the "Gradius" legacy up until the time of release.
The SFC/SNES version added the bath house and "Omake" stages over the arcade version. In the "Omake" stage, the player immediately continues after dying, instead of at a checkpoint. The PAL version of the SNES port was titled "Parodius: Non-Sense Fantasy" and "Omake" was retitled "Lollipop".
The Mobile phone version titled was released in 2003 in Japan, and does not have the arcade Stage 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9.
"Parodius" was also ported along with its sequel "Fantastic Parodius - Pursue the Glory of the Past" on the compilation also simply titled "Gokujou Parodius Da! Deluxe Pack" in Japan and "Parodius" in Europe for PlayStation in 1994 and Sega Saturn in 1995 and in "Parodius Portable" for PlayStation Portable in 2007.
Reception.
In Japan, "Game Machine" listed "Parodius! From Myth to Laughter" on their June 1, 1990 issue as being the seventh most-successful table arcade unit of the month. It went on to be one of the top five highest-grossing arcade games of 1990 in Japan, where it also won the 1990 "Gamest" Awards for Best Production and Best Shooting Game. "Mean Machines" magazine gave the Super NES version a positive review, giving it a 93% score.