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Darius

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Darius is a two-dimensional horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up set in a fictional future. Uniquely among shoot 'em ups, the game's screen is three times wider than conventional size, and the arcade cabinet uses an arrangement of three screens to accommodate it. The player controls an ornate figh...

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Developer
Taito

Released on
1986

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Shooter

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Darius is a two-dimensional horizontally scrolling shoot ’em up set in a fictional future. Uniquely among shoot ’em ups, the game’s screen is three times wider than conventional size, and the arcade cabinet uses an arrangement of three screens to accommodate it. The player controls an ornate fighter spacecraft, named the Silver Hawk, and must navigate through scrolling terrain while battling a variety of fighter craft, ground vehicles, turrets, and other obstacles throughout the game’s stages (referred to as zones in the game.) The ship’s arsenal consists of forward-firing missiles, aerial bombs and a protective force field, all of which can be upgraded by power-ups (in the form of large, colored orbs) that are dropped by specially-colored enemies throughout the game’s zones. When the player reaches the end of a zone, a boss appears, which must be defeated to proceed. Once the boss of a zone is destroyed, the player is given a choice of which zone to play next via a branching path.

Darius

Overview & History

Released by Taito in 1986, *Darius* revolutionized the side-scrolling shoot 'em up genre primarily through its ambitious three-screen cabinet setup, which offered an unprecedented panoramic view of the battlefield. The game's storyline plunges players into a sci-fi war between the human race and the Belser army, an alien threat that attacks the peaceful planet Darius. Pilots Proco and Tiat must pilot their silver hawk spacecraft, the Super Fighter, across multiple hostile zones to liberate the galaxy. *Darius* is equally legendary for its aquatic-themed biomechanical boss designs—such as the iconic King Fossil—and Taito's house band, Zuntata, whose progressive rock soundtrack deeply enriched the atmospheric immersion of the arcade experience.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay of *Darius* revolves around navigating complex, enemy-infested horizontal stages while collecting crucial power-ups. Unlike linear arcade shooters of its era, *Darius* introduced a branching zone system represented by a lettered map at the end of each stage. Players can choose their subsequent route across a total of 28 zones leading to multiple distinct endings. Power upgrades are tied to collecting colored items: red orbs upgrade the dual missiles and bombs, blue orbs strengthen defensive shields, and green items destroy all standard enemies on screen. Scoring high demands careful management of firepower upgrades, as losing a life strips the Silver Hawk of its accumulated defenses and weaponry.