Darius

About

Here’s the deal. Darius is a 2D horizontally scrolling shoot ’em up with a trippy three-panel display. You pilot the Silver Hawk through zones packed with enemies, using missiles, bombs, and a shield upgraded by collecting glowing orbs. Defeat bosses to unlock branching path choices, only seven of 28 zones fit in one run. Play solo or team up for co-op. The game leans hard into chaotic action, with tight controls and a relentless push through destructible environments. The three-screen layout made it a standout in arcades, forcing players to track threats across an ultra-wide field. Its branching paths add strategic depth rarely seen in the genre. Still, it’s a product of its time, short sessions, simple visuals, but plenty of punch. The 2019 Mega Drive port gives it new life, though the core remains unchanged from 1987. Classic arcade thrills, with no pretense.

Storyline

Darius, Year 201. Invasion! The vicious Belsar have attacked the peaceful Darius system, which now faces absolute devastation at their abominable hands! Darius' defense fighters proved no match for the overwhelming firepower of the alien forces, which wiped out their entire fleet in one fell swoop! With nothing left to protect them, the people could only sit and wait for the icy embrace of death as the satellite bombardments continued unopposed. The scent of despair hung thickly in the air, all hope of survival having been quashed. But then, from out of the darkness of the mourning clouds came a single bright light in the sky. "Silverhawk........." Like a phoenix brought forth from the embers of a burning world, the bird shaped visage became a beacon of the planet's last fight for survival! Perhaps the end is not as nigh as it first appeared.