That's a shame because all of the Parodius games Konami made and released between 1988's Parodius: Tako wa Chikyū o Sukū for MSX and 1996's Sexy Parodius for the original PlayStation (and arcades)--we'll just ignore all of those pachinko games the company put out over the last decade--were more than worth the price of admission.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH1q3VQgtzgZIDzgSbInarplHfYQwG-QS5FIzjrVSjtfiFfKe_CU6DKHN_FwkwWzS8XvSCoSsB-ltg66bwm6ekHvO84YA1g9y8QjrtWkj5VV7cCSaXU4nIQ0SI6nTryjjQE3ilQ/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-cover.jpg)
This 1992 release may be my favorite of them all. Granted, the PC Engine port of Parodius Da! is missing a few of the arcade original's stages, but its chaotic omake bonus level makes up for it.
Its fabulous manual eases some of the disappointment associated with this semi-downgraded port, too.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMbLuKn2uhFnLLWWYCrPGn_N7aMcvGoSkAvg0ACntaYCO5Bik53CupXoJpGnYF6X94P0ClEBGHpfAe-KQ2G86ainWO1ejZGy7e31Q-27iH3TTtNxpd-IaKJfRzDtdDjtcXTcwmg/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg1.jpg)
Don't take that to mean it's all that and a bag of chips. It doesn't sport nearly as many adorable illustrations as the Famicom version's booklet. And it doesn't kick off with a multi-page comic strip like the Super Famicom release's manual. Still, it's cute and colorful enough that most folks should enjoy flipping through it now and then.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8Fz0dpYgD55GgCoUXN0F_5ETjd6bo8lw9TJUv2RBmzl9Q9kj8imSMolIFl4hTEqmEbcDEhoDAZRS-z7pXjtHnODbUTpNTFBZG8HiGp9amCs5E-bk3G4yNOFyHWtPRufHEEEg2g/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg23.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgO2ZI4pdECs0Ql6rLi9EFltg39TNiJTO1fCo4mMP54eeQbXIpEXwHq-R5EFEW7Rs_t7G3PAsVy2NQfxj9a2Mi4Rr5TmRIFjXj0BmljJSZ21rUDlKvY5_kUyCgvdWrquosjG3lw/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg45.jpg)
The "story" spread above helps prove that point, I think. Hell, so does the regrettably tiny depiction of Takosuke (the series' iconic octopus character) hoisting and shooting a machine gun.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTewTIer_WcuztWHQTuefejOdd8Yv9vy6oW9K_d4eXFqx1F7g4tIjm81TJ-aaip3Hfy2rxb8aPnlFduzas8Oq2F4HRP5Hx39ypmTDSKKPxO14sXgj3jN_pRxmb0BrQh0TOAFNLjQ/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg67.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHs8l8h8otWZC0kID-M781y1z81Wy_s-cLlHHRBpZsLg2ZbabtxKHEalp-xxHaEvRRxhWOsYWM5TNkAk4yr-s1WHdi5YsHjZybLMDeO3MrVUfOjD_1ecxN1sW5Khg0UQ5tXy-zWQ/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg89.jpg)
The illustrations on the following pages, which show off and explain the game's power-up items and abilities, are interesting in that they're in a style that's quite different from the rest of the art that appears in the Parodius Da! instruction manual.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ujQZkvG52NV0mSM7xttSAiUdV-HJ0J9NpPBNMV6v0XE3HpxGC6xDAWTFGjOdG8yHU7kz-_ZhbQQJuLBfGBDyND8xi1G9mhuug74yEKPB0DWvPYQ09Y4ZxWlCU5ZsV3-t6BoNzw/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg1011.jpg)
That's not a bad thing, mind you. Still, I can't help but wish they were sillier or livelier--like the ones included in the Famicom booklet I linked to earlier.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a5ZI33HDw0DxKdza_SQu0GbIHtx4bQKfhfPNintFqth-HHh1fjq7KI_E-BS0Sv8vrCWaHJnawTLkbBSUdCbD6LRUGg3cQZWOrNdaifjWM2oYEKzM7MGN6J_OCS8tzAolloLTIQ/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg1213.jpg)
Somewhat strangely, the designers who created the Parodius Da! manual devoted two whole pages to explanations of the game's bell power-ups. I suggest that's strange because these explanations presumably took the place of artistic representations of its enemies and bosses.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIwl-bx-QjiemGJ97ybrpgI2DC34-bsAfkgroHWFH35Uv_wDkb2tv_mGlDObLp2lMQE7byfaeCLhdq0zB70feWJeSXGVCxyBg6bOQXNl8qoeEf9FggEutqYzXp4f5nNqnW0Of1A/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg1415.jpg)
Oh, well you can't have everything, right? And at least we're treated to one last top-notch illustration before the booklet wraps up with some pithy stage descriptions.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjIqgsTYxWY1hKlAe2ZVP2q-gCMMnRmd3LtXXUw365tMpdJPLG5AqAsmYMx48-W8L57tcu0AqPhgLPClvz8w7avJ5YU5N1NTtKB5WoeIF5cEp9yblxVvMh2bE8oeLDMvyK-YNuw/s400/ParodiusDa-manual-pg16.jpg)
Want to see how the Parodius Da! PC Engine case and HuCard stack up to its manual? Check out my latest "Nice Package!" post, which features photos of of both--as well as some additional commentary on the game itself.
See also: previous 'Manual Stimulation' posts about Rainbow Islands, Pop'n Magic and PC Genjin