The Ongaku

Darius II for Sega Saturn turns 30, today

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Darius II for Sega Saturn turns 30, today
Taito published Darius II for Sega Saturn on this date in 1996, utilizing high-quality Redbook CD audio tracks composed by Hisayoshi Ogura of Zuntata.

The console port of the horizontal scrolling shoot-em-up preserves the widescreen aspect ratio of the arcade cabinet, allowing players to zoom in and out during gameplay using the L and R shoulder buttons. Simultaneous two-player co-op gameplay is also supported.

The direct sequel to Darius debuted in arcades in 1989, with Taito's Hidehiro Fujiwara serving as the key creative lead. The arcade shoot-em-up appeared under the name "Sagaia" in English-language territories. An enhanced port for PC Engine Super CD-ROM², "Super Darius II," launched in 1993, adding new bosses and arranged tracks by T's Music.

Hamster Corporation's Arcade Archives Darius II is available for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 consoles, enabling the three-screen wide aspect ratio. The arcade game is also included in Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade and Taito Milestones 2.

Darius Cozmic Collection Console for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch includes Darius II for Sega Mega Drive and Master System. Mega Drive and Sega Master System soundtracks are streaming on Apple Music and YouTube Music, published by Taito.


From the Nintendo product page:
DARIUS II is a shooting game released by Taito in 1989. Piloting powerful, modified Silver Hawks through stages starting from the sun to Mercury, Venus, the moon, the earth, Mars, and then to Jupiter, battling various bosses on the way to save your people, This is the impressive, 3 screen version!
Apple Music - Darius II / Darius II (Soundtrack) [MD Version] / Sagaia Sms Version (Original Soundtrack)

YouTube Music - Darius II / Darius II (Soundtrack) [MD Version] / Sagaia Sms Version (Original Soundtrack)