Parodius: Forever With Me

A thrilling, shocking, and hilarious adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

JP release: 20th December 1996
NA release: N/A
EU release: N/A
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Saturn Power Magazine UK Review: 8.8/10
Platforms: Saturn, PS1
Version Played: Saturn

While this came out in the arcades before Sexy Parodius, and was also ported to the SNES, the version we’re looking at is the Saturn/PS1 port that came out a month after the console release of Sex Parodius, as that’s the version where Kid Dracula was added as an unlockable character. Normally; you’d have to find 70 hidden fairies to unlock him, but thankfully there’s a cheat code that lets you play as him from the start.

Perhaps it’s because it’s the third Parodius game I’ve played in a short time, but this one doesn’t seem quite as utterly bizarre as the previous ones, and the humour I liked from Fantastic Parodius doesn’t come across here. There’s certainly some interesting and unique level choices for a shooter, but that’s about it. I did enjoy the remix of That’s the Way (I Like It) in the disco themed first stage.

Kid Dracula is pretty much identical to his appearance in Fantastic Parodius, still overpowered (although the game isn’t as easy) with one power up being a mass of homing missiles. After this port, the only Padodius game made was a compilation on the PSP, although some of the licensed music from this game was replaced.

Fine

here is nothing basically wrong with Parodius FWM, apart from the fact it has a stupid name and is rather lacking graphically due to its 2Dness. It’s just that a change of pace now and then would be nice. Perhaps a bit of cat and mouse with the enemies or some kind of chase section or anything to break the tedium of the non-stop unrelenting shoot-everything action.
Pete Coulson, Saturn Power #7

Remake or remaster?

A collection of these games would be good.

Official Ways to get the game

There’s no official way to get Parodius: Forever With Me