Parodius[a] is a series of cute 'em ups developed and published by Konami.

The games are tongue-in-cheek parodies of Gradius, and also feature characters from many other Konami franchises.

The last of them, Paro Wars, is a spin-off strategy game.

[2] The only games released outside Japan are From Myth to Laughter and Fantastic Journey, which received European localizations.

[3] Parodius games have been ported to several different platforms, including arcade machines, mobile phones, and home consoles.