Okay, so Parodius Da! on Game Boy is basically what happens when a normal shoot 'em up gets hit with a clown car explosion. You pick these ridiculous characters—like a penguin with a jetpack or an octopus in a tutu—and then just start blasting through levels that make zero sense in the best way possible. One minute you're dodging giant sushi, the next you're fighting a boss that's just a floating cat head.

The music's got that classic Konami earworm energy, and the controls are tight enough that you won't blame the game when you crash into a flying hamburger (that one's on you). Power-ups are gloriously stupid—upgrade your shots and suddenly you're firing giant tambourines or whatever. It's the kind of game where you'll beat a level, stare at the screen for a second, and go "wait, did that just happen?"

If you've played any of the other Parodius games, you know exactly what chaos to expect. If you haven't, buckle up—this is retro shmup madness at its most unhinged.