This is a fantastic compilation of classic Darius horizontal shmups released in Feb 2019 on the Switch. It was ported by M2, with all the love and attention you would expect. I'm starting the thread because a Western digital release is coming to PS4 in March.
It's the only physical Switch game I've bought besides BotW which was in a launch day bundle. I had to get it through PlayAsia, it was a bit expensive and it took a good while to turn up but at this point, it's absolutely worth it. Initially, they said it would be physical-only and Japan-only but in Q4 last year, they released it on the Japanese eShop so I double-dipped and I'll probably sell my physical copy.
The release is actually a bit more complicated than that, though, because there are multiple versions. Ignoring the wallet-nuking bells and whistles massive Special Edition box set with soundtrack CDs and art books and all that stuff, there are fundamentally two completely different versions: Arcade Edition and the so-called 'Consumer' Edition.
Arcade Edition includes:
Darius (Old)
Darius (New)
Darius (Extra)
Darius II (2 screen ver)
Sagaia (V1)
Sagaia (V2)
Darius Gaiden
Consumer Edition includes:
Darius II (Mega Drive)
Sagaia (Master System)
Darius Twin (SFC)
Darius Twin (SNES)
Darius Force (SFC)
Darius Alpha (PC-Engine)
The following games will also be patched into the Switch Consumer Edition when the PS4 version releases, which is pretty damn cool:
Sagaia (Genesis)
Super Nova (SNES)
Darius Plus (PC-Engine)
There was also, unfortunately, an Amazon Japan preorder bonus version of the Game Boy Sagaia. Hopefully that will be available as DLC one day.
This is the Special Edition, can't insert image as it's too big:
- Spoiler: show
In terms of the Arcade Edition, it's essentially just three games but that description comes with a healthy caveat:
Darius, the 3-screen original, looks amazing on a 55" telly. The differences between New, Old and Extra are fairly subtle and I believe they're mostly down to how the game handles rank and difficulty. It's a great game and I love the power up system.
Darius II, also known as Sagaia in different territories, appears in three versions and with a lot more variation between them. They're all in the dual-screen configuration but still look really impressive. Quite frankly, this game is brilliant, an absolute classic. Sagaia Ver. 2 is probably my favourite because it's little easier in the early stages but Sagaia Ver. 1 is also superb, and it starts on Earth as opposed to the surface of the sun which just looks cool. The enemies and patterns and bosses are different in each version, too. I'd say they feel more like substantial remixes in the same game engine than completely separate games but each one earns its place here.
Darius Gaiden is another stone cold classic. Music, gameplay, graphics, difficulty curve, all are top top tier. I would love to 1CC it this year, it's an outstanding game. It's almost psychedelic, at times, and has an amazing atmosphere.
In terms of omissions, there's no G-Darius in either collection basically because M2 decided they had to draw a line somewhere with the available time and budget. That's a shame because it's such a great game but I really appreciate what is here so I don't feel short-changed.
I won't go through the Consumer Edition other than to say that I love seeing these games condensed into 8/16-bit form. The Master System version of Darius II is particularly amazing but I've also loved playing the console exclusives like Darius Twin and Darius Force. I still reckon the Arcade Edition is the one to go for in the first instance and maybe pick up the Consumer if you really need more.
Anyway, one of my favourite releases of last year and one which I'm enjoying even more and more as I learn these brilliant games.
