VG Highlight #3 - Gokujyou Parodius
so i've already written about my favourite video game, so i figure, why not write about my favourite in a certain genre? well, this is my favourite shmup (sorry nerds, it ain't a touhou game though they are very good shmups) so i'm gonna write about Gokujyou Parodius for the Super Famicom (this one wasn't released outside Japan on consoles, thus SFC and not SNES - though I did learn upon writing this artcle that it had an arcade release outside Japan called Fantastic Journey)
the parodius series is basically a spinoff of the gradius sidescrolling shooter series by konami, usually featuring some of their characters such as Vic Viper, Kid Dracula, Goemon, Twinbee, etc. this installment has eleven characters, which all play in different ways.
the aesthetic of parodius games is pretty great, with bright colours, cutesy enemies, and uhhh, occasionally weirdly sexualized bosses for some reason?? (hell, the series has a game called Sexy Parodius) and the music is often very upbeat and cartoony remixes of either classical music or traditional japanese music.
my favourite character to play is Kid Dracula, because frankly he's just kinda overpowered, with a change ability that lets you tank three hits, and a grade-up homing needle shot that removes most of your need to aim and lags the whole game down to a managable speed. that said, all the characters are fun and unique to play in their own way.
in conclusion, if you like shmups and especially if you like the gradius franchise, i recommend giving this series a try, especially this installment. it's still fun to play even today, and it doesn't kick your shit in too hard like a lot of shmups tend to do (though there is a difficulty setting in the options if a challenge is what you're interested in!)
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