NES PAL Exclusives: PARODIUS! (Nintendo Entertainment System Review)

[@GoodVibeCollecting]

The fact that this game even runs on NES hardware is impressive. The jumping jack lady is a reference to the spider boss that appears in most Gradius games right before the final boss. There is no way to defeat them and you just have to dodge them as they go back and forth. The classical music was added at the very last moment. The composer ran out of time so since they needed something and since most classical music was public domain, they went ahead as used that. It actually fits really well with the game.

[@BigOleWords]

Ahhh that makes sense about the boss. Now the classical music, that’s hilarious! It definitely works because Parodius is so silly, but yeah it’s an odd choice.

[@Ixapter]

That eagle should be in a cartoon! :)

[@Dogeathotdog1]

I like Gradius Parodius is a really awesome concept and really has character. I like how they took a really great space shooter and managed to cash in on it a third time (First time arcade, second time Nes original)by turning it into a cute em up.

[@BigOleWords]

Totally agree. A little over ambitious for the NES, but still great.

[@romusz]

The lady walking back and forth is based on the SHADOW DANCER from Gradius series, which does the same thing. Most games it is indestructible so you just dodge its movement until it leaves.

[@BigOleWords]

Ahhh ok that makes sense.

[@oldschoolgamesstories]

I like calling this one a Cute Em Up! I’ve never played it on original hardware, but you don’t suffer as much from the crippling slow down on the NES Classic. Great video.

[@BigOleWords]

Hahahaha that's an excellent genre! I tried Parodius on my emulator and it also had the rough slowdown :(

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

Parodius is a great series. There was actually a collection released for the PSP in Japan I probably should have got it before prices went sky high. Sadly I don't think there's been another collection of the games since.

[@therealbitwars]

The Parodius series is great. Each port of this game is different. In other versions the lady you don't shoot at is a show dancer.

[@BigOleWords]

I realized later when I described the game as having "sexy imagery" that most of that was from the cover and from screenshots of the Famicom version complete with showgirl. Oh well!

[@therealbitwars]

@@BigOleWords The Games on the Super Famicom are also worth checking out. Those game developers in Japan have a funny way of making light of American culture.

[@Dogeathotdog1]

@@BigOleWords Well ya know there is a such thing as "Sexy Parodius." Every good parody makes fun of itself and perhaps that's what sexy parodius was doing when it came out making it a parody of a parody. 😵

[@BigOleWords]

@@Dogeathotdog1 Still waiting for Ugly Sexy Parodius, the triple parody.

[@AngryDadGaming]

Nice channel, dude! Very nostalgic! I like how this game featured ‘characters’ from different games. I was thinking that one ship looked like the on from _Gradius,_ and it turns out there was a reason for that. 😂🤘

[@BigOleWords]

You were correct! I too like the different appearances and weapons of the characters. They even have different death animations!

[@youreallyplaythat]

Ha. I thought you were flying Santa around. What a cool looking game! Im a huge Lifeforce fan so... yeah. Kinda the same thing

[@BigOleWords]

Hahaha that would be amazing!

[@ClassicGameSessions]

This game is at pretty cool intersection and I dig the visuals. Happy Holidays dude! 👍🎄🎅

[@BigOleWords]

You too mane!

[@Jackrost01]

This port have secret warp portals. I found 3 of them: 1st - in 1 level fly at the top and shoot. Some of the rooftops is brwakable. I think it close to boss segment. 2st - in amusement park when rail goes down you to shoot at wall in the right. 3rd - in ice level. Near the and of level at the center of screen you will see group of ice block with one tile that looks like stars. You need to touch it. One of this warp level is normal level in arcade version. But this warp level is hard

[@thenewnostalgia]

This title is portmantotally awesome

[@rabidfurify]

I never played the NES version of this game but based on the footage here the SNES one is a straight port with the same enemies, stages, bosses etc. but with improved sound, graphics and no slowdown!

[@BigOleWords]

I don't think I realized! I've only played this version.

[@bananonymouslastname5693]

I'm a big Gradius fan. I've never been as into the Parodius or Otomedius games, though I do have several... there's just magic in Gradius/Salamander/Life Force for men and for some reason my 7 year old son is as enamored of Gradius II on PC Engine CD as I am. I still pop in the Parodius Deluxe Pack on Saturn from time to time, though. Fun stuff. Konami should've watched what Compile was doing with games like Guardian Legend and Gun Nac, or KID with Recca. Those games used a lot of tricks to get a lot of action on-screen with much less slow-down. Still, I'm not gonna complain... Konami was about as good as anyone could ask for when it comes to awesome NES games.

[@BigOleWords]

They were definitely masters of every aspect of design, but it seemed like the slowdown was the price they paid for their ambition. Those are solid games you mentioned. Maybe it's something with vertical vs horizontal scrolling?

[@jindownes]

Excellent review! I had this on the gameboy and I don’t think it had these slowdown issues, so perhaps give that a shot if you get a chance. It was the ONLY shooter I ever finished on the 8 and 16 bits without cheats so I’d call that a kind of win! 😂

[@BigOleWords]

Neat, I'll check it out!

[@RetroGamingStories]

Nice video! Keep up the good work! 😀

[@BigOleWords]

Thanks!

[@Sinn0100]

Parodious on the Nes?! Now I have seen everything. I have played Parodious on my Core Grafx and Core Grafx Super CD ROM ROM through my mini before. I had no idea it made it to the Nes. This brings me back to my Phantasy Zone 1+2 on the SMS and Stinger on the Nes days. Have you ever reviewed Stinger before? If you have I would love to see it. On a side note this game looks identical to the PC Engine version with downgraded graphics. Oh with lot's of censorship...the girl you have to dodge in the PC Engine port wears a silver bikini with tassels and sparkles. She moves a lot faster to. Fun Fact: Parodious was in fact released here in the states. It came out as a launch title for the original PlayStation. Some of them have made their way here via the TG-16/Core Grafx/PC Engine mini.

[@koopakape]

These games all have way smoother arcade versions that are definitley worth playing any way you can. Kinda a Ghosts n Goblins situation -- the NES version's how a lot of us first got contact with the game but hte arcade versions' just way, way better. Of course, I still don't mind this game even with all the slowdown cuz I'm probably TOO much of an oldschool Nintendo/Konami fanboy, but the complaints are incredibly valid here. Also on another note, it's kinda wild how much insane stuff happens in SOME later NES shooters like Guardian Legend and Gun-Nac (my 2 favorites for the system) with nowhere near this much slowdown... At least not that I remember.

[@BigOleWords]

Totally agree, especially about being a Konami fanboy :). Compile who made Gun-Nac and Guardian Legend really were masters of the vertical shooters. So impressive.

[@tylerd4884]

the saturn version is awesome

[@BigOleWords]

I bet there’s far less slowdown!

[@tylerd4884]

@@BigOleWords im not good enough at it to confidently say there is no slowdown anywhere in the game. but i have not seen any

[@Gold2thGaming]

I was playing this last week along with the snes version as I remembered I ain’t played in ages and i love shmups and you know im up for sexy graphical imagery,well sexy in general 😜 But agree slowdown is crazy but i still got mad love for this game. Nice video buddy 👌🏼✌️

[@BigOleWords]

Thanks!

[@brettdulaney792]

Konami was the shit back in the day,so many great games they didn't give us here in the states though,we got some heavy hitters but not all of them and that's a shame,I love gradius 2 whick I definitely would have had back in the day if I knew it existed

[@Famikompisar]

You should check out Yume Penguin Monogatari. Fun platformer with a bisarre storyline. After that you will always pick the penguin. Great video!

[@BigOleWords]

I'll check it out!

[@DadRacer]

Infinite continues and checkpoints? I’m in! The slow down is very noticeable, but meh, that’s part of the charm! Right? Right?

[@BigOleWords]

If it is, I'm not falling for it's charms!

[@retrogamerdave]

Been playing though all the parodius games for my channel and ive just played this one, its interesting with the differences and a original level, im guessing this game was pushing the hardware hard

[@BigOleWords]

Nice! Yeah it’s amazing for what it is, but flying too close to the sun for sure.

[@gullpayne]

Such a funny game - great review

[@BigOleWords]

Thanks!

[@barcodebattler2587]

I'm in UK and I had this on NES I loved it I can't believe you guys in US never got it. Elite is great too but I heard it's only pal due to limitations of NTSC scanlines or something.

[@junkfoodrocks2012]

Great game...I have it on a famicom cartridge

[@BigOleWords]

Nice!

[@GustavoCalvo]

Antartic Adventure was fun, like a runner game, the music sorta repetitive by today standards. I never had the chance to play Parodius until really recently.

[@piotyrholbion]

Thankfully on emulators you can overclock to remove most slowdown

[@BigOleWords]

That’s awesome, wish I’d tried that!

[@piotyrholbion]

@@BigOleWords it works on a lot of games, theres also an option to disable flicker but some games like the Kunio series hard code the flicker since it has to do it so much

[@BigOleWords]

@@piotyrholbion Huh, very interesting!

[@MyPhobo]

I mean, what does it matter if they tell you you need to outlast her or if you can kill her? either way, you will eventually pass the section.

[@BigOleWords]

I means plenty unless general confusion is your preferred state of gameplay!

[@Jinzo126]

The game itself is good the the problem is the NES Hardware, i played this game first on the SNES and later on the PS1, and its way smoother and it got better graphics, also the giant lady that you cant destroy was different, in the other versions she wears a dress. Grettings from Germany.

[@BigOleWords]

Totally agree. The game in concept and design is amazing but the slowdown completely cripples it. Greetings from the States!

[@GenerationPixel]

A great review of a game I'll never likely play, because, well, it's a shmup 🤣 enjoyed watching you though 😎👍

[@BigOleWords]

I’m the same way. I enjoy them from a far, as a cool idea and aesthetic thatttttss not really my thing :)

[@standard74521]

Ty

[@broseb8050]

Great review. Check pop n twinbee

[@BigOleWords]

Thanks! I've heard of it but have never played it.

[@gigatywing3483]

This isn't Pal exclusive m8

[@BigOleWords]

It is on the NES! On the Famicom…