Where the Darius Love at?
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Sengoku Strider
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
I went at MD Darius II for a different route clear last night, and the controls hit me more than ever. Why do you move more quickly diagonally than straight? I know they do this throughout the series, there a practical design reason?
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Rastan78
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Pretty sure the 4 main arcade games don't do that. 100% sure Gaiden doesn't. So maybe a quirk of the way the MD version was programmed? They didn't bother to "normalize" the diagonal movement similar to Garegga and Batrider.
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Samildanach
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
This is a personal bugbear of mine in a surprising number of console shmups and I don't think it is ever a design choice rather something indicating inexperience of the devs. Almost no arcade shmups have this problem, including all the Darius games, but most of the console Darius ports do unfortunately. The exception is the wonderful recent Darius MD in which the Silver Hawk moves perfectly.Sengoku Strider wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 9:39 pm I went at MD Darius II for a different route clear last night, and the controls hit me more than ever. Why do you move more quickly diagonally than straight? I know they do this throughout the series, there a practical design reason?
Unfortunately once you start looking for it you start to see this problem in more and more games, even highly regarded ones like Air Zonk. But then the control always felt a little slippery to me in that game until I worked out why.
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Sengoku Strider
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
IIRC Darius Twin does this as well, I'd thought more also but I could be wrong on that front.
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caincan
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To Far Away Times
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
I am convinced faster diagonal movement is just bad programming. Like how in GoldenEye 007 it just adds the speed of both directions to your total movement speed.
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SavagePencil
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Link is either broken or Elon has account-walled it. What’s the gist?
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TransatlanticFoe
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Switch Dariusburst CS Core finally shipped and this thing is great! It's pretty nuts they separated out Chronicle Saviours into two releases for the Switch and left this one until last - it's basically like a curated training mode for the Dariusburst arcade game. Stages/bosses repeat and/or evolve so that it eases you into tackling different things - and the varying default ship setup and stage rules force you to adapt to different situations. It's like practicing but also playing a full game at the same time.
Still can't get the timing down for the counter bursts though, it feels very stringent and it's one area the game's actual tutorial fails. It just gives you a stage with nothing but enemies that use a beam - but if you mess up the timing you either die or have to slowly refill the beam charge. You have to restart the stage to get anything out of it but still it's not massively helpful at getting the timing down, you just repeat until it clicks - either that or my ageing reflexes simply aren't good enough for the timing window!
Still can't get the timing down for the counter bursts though, it feels very stringent and it's one area the game's actual tutorial fails. It just gives you a stage with nothing but enemies that use a beam - but if you mess up the timing you either die or have to slowly refill the beam charge. You have to restart the stage to get anything out of it but still it's not massively helpful at getting the timing down, you just repeat until it clicks - either that or my ageing reflexes simply aren't good enough for the timing window!
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caincan
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caincan
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Samildanach
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
That looks awesome, other than the player making a terrible job of fighting Fatty Glutton. (Always line up with, and take down the little fish, never Glutton itself; he'll get eventually killed by your stray shots regardless.)
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caincan
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caincan
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caincan
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caincan
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davyK
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Returned to the Saturn port of Darius 2 after many years.
It's better than I remembered.
It's better than I remembered.
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OldSkoolShmuper
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Saturn Darius II review - Intelligent GAMER, August 1996


https://archive.org/details/intelligent ... 8/mode/2up


https://archive.org/details/intelligent ... 8/mode/2up
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copy-paster
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?

Did the run weeks ago, played on the recent Shmupmame 5 it felt amazing really.
It was meant to be an random arcade labbing during the stream but after I got to beat my PB back in 2017 it tempted me to go for the full clear, been on the wishlist since 4-5 years ago but didn't do it till now. Took me almost a month but it was worth the journey, having to dodge the red capsules for the whole game is quite an experience I had some luck on the dodges (see the one just before Hysteric Empress). Pretty grateful with this clear as I'm finally be able to do a big breakthrough on the genre again since my community record in Salamander last year, and I'm currently on the shmup break now, who knows when I'll be back
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Klatrymadon
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R79
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
I have Darius Twin for SFC (dirt cheap cart), fairly basic blaster, but was wondering if Darius Force on the same system is worth ponying up the extra cash? Quite a leap in price that one. Thinking about the PCE CD version as well, seen that about pretty reasonably. One of the few playable games I can see on that (along with Valis), before you need the add-on card for the Super stuff.
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Klatrymadon
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Force isn't great. It's the only one I don't like playing at all, tbh. Between the plodding, stop-start pacing and checkpointing, the dull soundtrack and the awkward weapon system, which splits the difference in shot power between your main weapon and sub-weapon when you use both, it all feels a bit off-brand and lacking in cohesion, and there isn't much else that recommends it. It's not a complete failure, but it's uncharacteristically middle-of-the-road, as if the devs were looking to all sorts of other console shmups for inspiration rather than any previous Darius game. Check it out via whatever means you can, but definitely don't go on eBay and drop £200 on it.
Super Darius (the PCE CD one I assume you're looking at?) is a pretty solid conversion of the original game, although it suffers from overlong, repetitious stages. I find its simple Scramble-like dynamic of precision bombing of ground-based targets interspersed with sniping the flying ones compelling enough that its issues don't bother me, though!
Super Darius (the PCE CD one I assume you're looking at?) is a pretty solid conversion of the original game, although it suffers from overlong, repetitious stages. I find its simple Scramble-like dynamic of precision bombing of ground-based targets interspersed with sniping the flying ones compelling enough that its issues don't bother me, though!
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PC Engine Fan X!
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
R79 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 9:48 am I have Darius Twin for SFC (dirt cheap cart), fairly basic blaster, but was wondering if Darius Force on the same system is worth ponying up the extra cash? Quite a leap in price that one. Thinking about the PCE CD version as well, seen that about pretty reasonably. One of the few playable games I can see on that (along with Valis), before you need the add-on card for the Super stuff.
For R79,
Just pick up a KriKzz Turbo Everdrive Pro flash cart + EDFX add-on setup and you won't need either a Super CD-Rom2 System Card nor an Arcade Card Pro/Duo Arcade Pro System Card as the TE-Pro already doubles as a dedicated Arcade Card Pro setup -- meaning that you can play all the CD-Rom2, Super CD-Rom2 & Arcade CD-Rom2 + Japanese Hu-Card & American Turbo Chip (including the uber-rare USA region TTI variant stg of "Magical Chase") based games without the need for a dedicated CD-Rom2 or Super CD-Rom2 Interface Unit. How cool is that?
You can buy it through KriKzz's site here: https://krikzz.com/our-products/cartrid ... e-pro.html
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You can even play the sole Arcade CD-Rom2 stg title of "Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire" on the PC Engine/Core Grafx /Core Grafx II/Super Grafx/Shuttle Grafx/Turbo Grafx-16 consoles with it as well.
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The Super CD-Rom2 stg titles of Gate of Thunder & Winds of Thunder/Lords of Thunder are must haves in your PCE stg stash also, R79.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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R79
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Cheers. No, I won't be paying 200 on that, no way. I mostly just pick off loose carts over the years now, with all the price rises, and eventually get round to playing them. Darius CD is still often priced complete on eBay UK for a very reasonable 30 quid. I just remembered Spriggan and Avenger are CD only shooters as well, before you then get the leap up to the Super software like Dracula X.Klatrymadon wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 12:27 pm Force isn't great. It's the only one I don't like playing at all, tbh. Between the plodding, stop-start pacing and checkpointing, the dull soundtrack and the awkward weapon system, which splits the difference in shot power between your main weapon and sub-weapon when you use both, it all feels a bit off-brand and lacking in cohesion, and there isn't much else that recommends it. It's not a complete failure, but it's uncharacteristically middle-of-the-road, as if the devs were looking to all sorts of other console shmups for inspiration rather than any previous Darius game. Check it out via whatever means you can, but definitely don't go on eBay and drop £200 on it.
Super Darius (the PCE CD one I assume you're looking at?) is a pretty solid conversion of the original game, although it suffers from overlong, repetitious stages. I find its simple Scramble-like dynamic of precision bombing of ground-based targets interspersed with sniping the flying ones compelling enough that its issues don't bother me, though!
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R79
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Heh, the NEC signal was given, and you came, so to speakPC Engine Fan X! wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 5:02 pmR79 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 14, 2026 9:48 am I have Darius Twin for SFC (dirt cheap cart), fairly basic blaster, but was wondering if Darius Force on the same system is worth ponying up the extra cash? Quite a leap in price that one. Thinking about the PCE CD version as well, seen that about pretty reasonably. One of the few playable games I can see on that (along with Valis), before you need the add-on card for the Super stuff.
For R79,
Just pick up a KriKzz Turbo Everdrive Pro flash cart + EDFX add-on setup and you won't need either a Super CD-Rom2 System Card nor an Arcade Card Pro/Duo Arcade Pro System Card as the TE-Pro already doubles as a dedicated Arcade Card Pro setup -- meaning that you can play all the CD-Rom2, Super CD-Rom2 & Arcade CD-Rom2 + Japanese Hu-Card & American Turbo Chip (including the uber-rare USA region TTI variant stg of "Magical Chase") based games without the need for a dedicated CD-Rom2 or Super CD-Rom2 Interface Unit. How cool is that?
You can buy it through KriKzz's site here: https://krikzz.com/our-products/cartrid ... e-pro.html
----------
You can even play the sole Arcade CD-Rom2 stg title of "Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire" on the PC Engine/Core Grafx /Core Grafx II/Super Grafx/Shuttle Grafx/Turbo Grafx-16 consoles with it as well.
----------
The Super CD-Rom2 stg titles of Gate of Thunder & Winds of Thunder/Lords of Thunder are must haves in your PCE stg stash also, R79.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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R79
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Just had about an hour on Darius Twin, it's not too bad once you manage to break past the first mid boss who just launches at you. Game seems to really come alive stage 3, and the stage 2 double bosses bit different. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM6MXLdizOI great music on the 3rd stage! I take it you just grab every power up, no sequence or anything. Managed to get just shy of a million on normal, stage G I think. Bit frustrating no bomb, although the shield upgrades kinda feel like the main thing here. Quite tiring on thumb holding down both buttons, real back to basics menu on this. Gotta hand it to 'em with an on-screen 2 player mode for 1991, fair play Taito.
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To Far Away Times
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Darius Twin gets easier as you go. Once you're at full power it's a lot more manageable.
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Hyperspace
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
I’ve really enjoyed the darius series. But I think Darius Gaiden is my favorite. I love the zentata music. G darius is a close second. And I really like the sega mega drive version of the first darius.
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TerminalInternet
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
G-Darius is one of my favorite 3D space shooter, Services as an prequel of Darius series, I'd like to gameplay mechanism capture enemies ship and mid-boss encounters, Blasting with the laser cannon beams like Dragon Ball Z for anime reference, The big red fish robotic machines can usually firing laser cannon beams reference of Dragon Ball Z anime episode.
Shmups DEV Studios Personal Project > Gunner Blade Media Series (Gunner Blade 1: Tales of Landscape) | 3 Action-Pack of Short Animation Film: RayForce 1.5 R-Gear Project, Who Framed Miku Gacha Life Series and Platypus Colonel Alliance
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PC Engine Fan X!
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
TerminalInternet wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2026 3:43 am G-Darius is one of my favorite 3D space shooter, Services as an prequel of Darius series, I'd like to gameplay mechanism capture enemies ship and mid-boss encounters, Blasting with the laser cannon beams like Dragon Ball Z for anime reference, The big red fish robotic machines can usually firing laser cannon beams reference of Dragon Ball Z anime episode.
The G-Darius Ver.2 arcade jamma pcb running on the venerable Taito FX-1B arcade motherboard platform is ace -- I have it in my arcade pcb stash alrighty. You can easily upgrade a plain-vanilla G-Darius Ver. 1 jamma pcb into a Ver. 2 one with a simple single eprom swap. Easy as pie.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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TerminalInternet
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Re: Where the Darius Love at?
Good to hear, 3D Polygon graphics based sprites and textures is really amazing, I usually watched all of them replay for players, I replaying some classic emulator arcade and consoles, Like the 3D space shooter RayStorm is pretty mediocre than G-Darius.PC Engine Fan X! wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2026 3:56 amTerminalInternet wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2026 3:43 am G-Darius is one of my favorite 3D space shooter, Services as an prequel of Darius series, I'd like to gameplay mechanism capture enemies ship and mid-boss encounters, Blasting with the laser cannon beams like Dragon Ball Z for anime reference, The big red fish robotic machines can usually firing laser cannon beams reference of Dragon Ball Z anime episode.
The G-Darius Ver.2 arcade jamma pcb running on the venerable Taito FX-1B arcade motherboard platform is ace -- I have it in my arcade pcb stash alrighty. You can easily upgrade a plain-vanilla G-Darius Ver. 1 jamma pcb into a Ver. 2 one with a simple single eprom swap. Easy as pie.
PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
Shmups DEV Studios Personal Project > Gunner Blade Media Series (Gunner Blade 1: Tales of Landscape) | 3 Action-Pack of Short Animation Film: RayForce 1.5 R-Gear Project, Who Framed Miku Gacha Life Series and Platypus Colonel Alliance

