Super Nova

Summary

Darius Force, known in North America as Super Nova, is a scrolling shooter game launched for the Super Nintendo in 1993. One key distinction between this title and the other games in the Darius series is the ability for the player to select from three different Silver Hawks. The green model is the original Silver Hawk from Darius. The blue one is the version from Darius II. The red one is a brand-new prototype exclusive to this game. The game features three types of power-ups, each obtainable through specific methods: - Eliminating a full formation of enemy ships, similar to Darius II and Darius Twin, or destroying amoebas. - Hitting a blinking meteor during a meteor shower. - Destroying a futuristic cage located on the floor or ceiling of a level. The power-ups in the game include the red orb (which boosts shot and bomb power), the blue orb (which restores shield and increases level), and the green orb (which randomly awards bonus points or an extra ship). There's also a special item that, when destroyed, can clear all enemies on screen (as seen in Darius II), or, when collected, allows the Silver Hawk to fire a powerful laser beam. Unlike other entries, there is no power-up meter, so if the Silver Hawk is destroyed, its shot and bomb power will drop to the lowest level. Additionally, if the player loses a ship during a stage, they are sent back to the last "checkpoint" (not labeled in-game) of that stage. If the ship is lost during a boss battle, the player is returned to the checkpoint before the boss appeared. As with Darius Twin, the default controls are the Y button for firing and the B button for dropping bombs. Holding both buttons simultaneously reduces shot power. The R button allows the player to switch between bombs and side-mounted laser cannons. The stage layout in this game is quite different from other Darius titles. It consists of 15 stages, but only allows the player to move forward or upward until reaching stages L, N, or O. Each of these three stages features its own unique boss and ending.

Storyline

The story of human combat stretches back to when our ancestors first wielded the bones of animals as weapons. **"Solar Defense War"** A vast amount of time has passed since the final confrontation with the enemy known as "Belsar," and the descendants of the planet Darius have flourished in enduring peace. They expanded their reach, forming hundreds of planetary nations and establishing the Galactic Federation with the planet Olga at its core. Member states pledged mutual defense and a commitment to non-aggression. For thousands of years, the unstoppable power of the ever-evolving machine, the "Silver Hawk," remained a staple of the Galactic Commonwealth Army, serving as the standard fighter across all allied worlds and safeguarding peace. Ancient leaders had foreseen the return of the invaders and had ordered countless upgrades, refinements, and mass production efforts in preparation. The names of the two legendary heroes, Proco and Tiat, were passed down as myth, their deeds immortalized in history. To young people living in such a time, the idea of taking up arms is seen as nothing more than foolishness. But history has a way of repeating itself. Once more, new battle lines are forming at the edges of the galaxy. The enemy that now emerges is unlike the old "Belsar." No, the former "Belsar" was merely a fragment of a far greater force.

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Release dates by platform

Artwork

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