Darius Gaiden
Screenshots
Summary
Darius Gaiden is a two-dimensional scrolling shooter where the player pilots the Silver Hawk, a space-faring vessel tasked with navigating through a series of stages filled with enemies and hazards. The ship is equipped with forward-facing missiles, aerial bombs, and a defensive force field, all of which can be enhanced through power-ups dropped by uniquely colored enemies when defeated. A new addition to the Silver Hawk's weaponry in Darius Gaiden is the 'black hole bomb.' When deployed, this weapon generates a massive vortex at the center of the screen, pulling in enemies and projectiles before detonating into a lightning-filled explosion that deals heavy damage to all on-screen foes. Another new feature in Darius Gaiden is the ability to capture minibosses, which appear in each stage. Each miniboss is marked with a small, circular orb that detaches and drifts away after taking sufficient damage, leaving the miniboss inactive. If the player collects the orb, the miniboss will join their forces and assist in battle. However, after a short duration or if the player loses a life, the captured miniboss will self-destruct. A few months after its initial release, an updated version of the arcade game was launched under the title "Darius Gaiden Extra Edition." This version includes restructured levels, auto-fire enabled by default, two additional weapon power-ups (a larger wave shot and an even larger red wave shot), and an all-stage mode that can be accessed by starting the game in 2P mode.
Storyline
Not long after the events of the original Darius, heroes Proco and Tiat assist refugees from the planet Darius in escaping the devastation wrought by the Belser Army. They eventually locate and establish a temporary settlement on a planet called Vadis. Without warning, Belser resurfaces and launches a sudden assault on a spaceport on Darius, which had been serving as a hub to transport the remaining Darians to Vadis. The surviving refugees are wiped out, and Belser turns his sights on Vadis. A squadron of Silver Hawks is dispatched to intercept Belser, but they are swiftly destroyed. Once more, Proco and Tiat have no option but to confront Belser and defend their new home.
Artwork
Similar games
Alternative titles
- Daraiasu Gaiden— Japanese title - romanization
- Darius III— Working title
- Darius 3— Working title
- Darius Gaiden: Silver Hawk— Alternative title
- Darius Side Story— Japanese title - translated
- Darius Gaiden Extra Edition— Arcade Update