Fantastic Journey (1994). Play online

Summary

Fantastic Journey (Gokujō Parodius – Pursuing the Past Glory) is the third entry in Konami’s wacky Parodius line, spoofing the classic Gradius shooter with a mash‑up of pop culture and bizarre humor. Players choose from eight distinct characters—Vic Viper, TwinBee, Pentarou and others—each sporting a personal weapon set, while a two‑player mode offers quirky sprite clones with altered colors and names. The arcade ride spans seven stages that climb in difficulty, flaunting surreal set‑pieces like a UFO‑catcher booth, a colossal cookie castle, and a neon‑lit Las Vegas‑style casino, each topped by bosses that parody icons from Gradius, R‑Type, Xevious, Galaga and Thunder Force.

A semi‑auto play mode softens the steeper challenge and the infamous “YOU LOSE” screen adds extra sting, while power capsules and twin‑Bee style bells let you unlock fresh firepower on the fly. The soundtrack mixes classical remix pieces with familiar Konami tunes, reinforcing the parody vibe. Arcade figures showed the game cracking the top five in Japanese venues, ranking fourth in June 1994 according to Game Machine and earning a spot among Edge’s most‑popular PCBs.

Storyline

In Fantastic Journey, the player character darts through a series of bizarre, surreal locations, echoing the style of its predecessor. The goal is to snatch a coveted treasure and restore their lost glory. The chase culminates in a quirky dance hall where the supposed prize is revealed to be an anthropomorphic bomb called "Mr. Past Glory." The bomb apologetically admits it isn’t the treasure before detonating, blowing up the dance hall and ending the quest in a burst of absurdity.