History VideoGame / Darius

* HoldTheLine: Several missions in ''Chronicle Saviours'' require you to stop enemies from reaching an off-screen target that is represented by a LifeMeter on the left side of the screen. Allowing enemies to escape will decrease the meter; don't lose the whole meter or you'll get a Game Over even if you have lives remaining![[note]]Exaggerated in that being in CS Mode, you won't be allowed to continue; instead, it will be time for you to restart from the beginning...[[/note]]

Uses the same three-screen setup as the first game (and also ''VideoGame/TheNinjaWarriors''), but also came in a two-screen variant. Got ported to the Genesis/[=MegaDrive=] and Master System under the title ''Sagaia'' and to the PC-Engine CD under the title ''Super Darius II''. It was later ported to the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn under the original title.

** The arcade version received two major upgrade kits (titled "New version" and "Extra" in the ''Cozmic Collection'') which aim to smoothen out the difficult curve through methods like reducing the DynamicDifficulty increase, lowering early boss healths while buffing later ones, buffing the laser so it's not such a PowerupLetdown, etc while removing safe spots exploits.

** The Creator/{{Capcom}} pack includes the Mobilesuit α from ''[[VideoGame/HyperDyneSideArms Side Arms: Hyper Dyne]]'', the Tanikura F7W Saber from ''Varth'', and the Gambler from ''VideoGame/{{Progear}}''.

** ''Darius Extra Version'' - A port of the game for the Genesis Mini, and available as a Genesis cartridge in a limited-print run by Strictly Limited Games. It offers both the original boss set as well as the ''Super Darius'' set, and an easy mode where checkpoints are swapped out in place of instant-respawn and powerups are not lost upon death.

** ''G-Darius'' has this as an entire gameplay mechanic, expanding upon ''Gaiden's'' miniboss capture concept. Your ship has capture balls that can be fired at enemies, turning most types over to your side to fight for you. This includes {{Mini Boss}}es, but you have to first destroy their gold armor that prevents capture. You can also detonate captured enemies as a SmartBomb or charge them up in an [[WaveMotionGun Alpha Beam]], the size/HP of the enemy determining their power.

** ''G-Darius'' has this as an entire gameplay mechanic, expanding upon ''Gaiden's'' miniboss capture concept. Your ship has capture balls that can be fired at enemies, turning most types over to your side to fight for you. This includes {{Mini Boss}}es, but you have to first destroy their gold armor that prevents capture. You can also detonate captured enemies as a SmartBomb or charge them up in an [[WaveMotionGun Alpha Beam]] the size/HP of the enemy determining their power.

* EasterEgg: In the arcade version of ''Darius II'', there's a very small chance that after beating the boss Leadain, Rascal/Rubblen from ''VideoGame/BubbleBobble'' and ''Ben Bero Beh'' will fall out of the boss after its destruction instead of the Belsar pilot.

Has nothing to do with a certain Persian king or ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' champion. Or with ''[[VideoGame/{{Gradius}}]]'', for that matter - though they are both iconic shoot-em-up franchises.

Has nothing to do with a certain Persian king or ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' champion. Or with ''[[VideoGame/Gradius]]'', for that matter - though they are both iconic shoot-em-up franchises.

Has nothing to do with a certain Persian king or ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' champion. Or with ''Gradius'', for that matter - though they are both iconic shoot-em-up franchises.

Has nothing to do with a certain Persian king or ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' champion.

* SelfImposedChallenge: A [[TierInducedScrappy Low Tier Origin Ship]] with [[OneHitPointWonder no Shields]] and only one life, against [[ThatOneBoss Gigantic Bite.]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDLF0Z-y3Lw HOLY SHIT!]]

* NoPronunciationGuide: Is it pronounced "Dahr-yus" like the Persian king, or is it "Duh-RAH-yus" as per the title's Katakana rendition?

** In ''Darius II'', if the player dies on the third level or later, destroying one of the enemy waves that normally doesn't drop any power-ups will instead spawn a power-up that upgrades all of the Silver Hawk's attribute at once, making it easier to get back on your feet after dying. Of course, you have to be able to destroy the waves with your [[ContinuingIsPainful now non-existent firepower...]]

* TheArtifact: ''Another Chronicle''[='=]s game over screen features a caution for players to "mind [your] head when leaving", as the game is played in a sit-down cabinet with a roof over the players. This notice is still present in the home ports of the game.

* BossSubtitles: "'''WARNING!''' A HUGE BATTLESHIP _____ IS APPROACHING FAST."

* DualBoss: Emperor Fossil and Queen Fossil in ''Darius Twin''. ''Dariusburst Another Chronicle'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiieEyTXOWM#t=04m50s Dual Spin]].

* ''VideoGame/GrooveCoaster'' series (2011-): Remixes of various tracks, as well as some original (non-remixed) tracks from ''Dariusburst'', are available to play in this game. Additionally, the Silver Hawk is available as an unlockable player avatar.

* ''VideoGame/D4DJGroovyMix'' (2020-): This game features a medley of "CAPTAIN NEO" and "BOSS SCENE 1" from the original ''Darius'', another one of "CHAOS" and "BOSS SCENE 7" from the same game, and "FAKE" from ''Darius Gaiden'' as playable songs. These songs would later be added into ''Groove Coaster''.

The ''Darius'' series has had many incarnations, including:

Has nothing to do with a certain Persian king or ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' champion.

** Many of the event courses in ''Another Chronicle'' are pretty brutal, often pitting you against some of the harder bosses in the game. "1st Silverhawk Cup" makes you fight three of the most difficult {{Final Boss}}es in [[BossRush succession]], while "6th Interplanetary Conquest" features ''thirteen complete stages'' to play through[[note]]Which would be counted as 26 scenes in ''CS'', even more than Kyokkuho[[/note]], with only "WARNING - LONG MISSION HIGH DIFFICULTY" as its description.

** In ''CS Core''[='=]s Rebuka mission (the ''CS'' adaptation of the "6th Interplanetary Conquest' mission from ''ACEX+''), [[spoiler:the very final scene, a fight against Great Thing, dumps 7 shield items at the start, basically the game's way of saying "Good luck, ''you'll need it!''"]]

** ''Dariusburst CS Core'', much like ''ACEX+'', excludes AC Mode, but compensates for the lack of it by adding six new stages for CS Mode, three of them being the exclusive events originally available in ''ACEX+'' with a few minor differences[[note]]"Whip" bosses are replaced with other bosses, since the Whip line is specifically tailored to ''ACEX''[='=]s 32:9 aspect ratio, and this game's adaptation of the "6th Interplanetary Conquest" mission, Rebuka, [[spoiler:adds a boss fight against Gigantic Bite after Great Thing]][[/note]], as well as a scenario that recreates the events of the original ''Dariusburst''. ''CS Core'' also includes Ghost Scores from ''ACEX+'' and the option to save replays. Lastly, both the Taito and Sega DLC packs are included.