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Darius II

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Darius II
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Saturn
Publisher: Taito
Developer:
Original system(s): Arcade boards
Developer(s) of original games: Taito
Sound driver:
Sega Saturn
SCSP/CD-DA (16 tracks)
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up






























Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥8,900 T-11083
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$? T-11016
Sega Mega Drive
BR 		R$? ?



Sega Master System
UK 		£32.99[3] 7078
Sega Master System
FR 		?F 7078
Sega Master System
DE 		DM ? 7078
Sega Master System
ES 		?Ptas 7078
Sega Master System
BR 		R$? ?



Sega Saturn
JP 		¥5,800 T-1104G
Sega Saturn
UK 		£39.99[4] MK81085-50
Sega Saturn
FR 		?F MK81085-50
Sega Saturn
DE 		DM ? MK81085-50
Sega Saturn
ES 		?Ptas MK81085-50



Darius II (ダライアスII) is a side-scrolling space shoot 'em up developed by Taito as a direct sequel to the 1986 game Darius. It was originally released in 1989.

The game was ported to several Sega systems, including the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System, whose Western releases were renamed Sagaia for unknown reasons. A port to the Sega Saturn using the original name was released exclusively in Japan and Europe.

Story

Proco and Tiat, seeing the planet Darius in ruin, create a new planet called Orga. Their descendents, Proco Jr. and Tiat Young, receive a mayday signal from another civilization born from Darius's ruins, prompting them to take the Silverhawk, a ship, back to save this other civilization from evil forces.

Gameplay

Like the first game, the player controls a space ship shooting at various enemies that resemble fish in a non-linear level order.

A and C shoot; holding them down rapidfires (though there is a break every few bullets). B drops bombs (you have unlimited bombs). Powerups are collected in the usual shoot em up fashion and there are powerups for both the gun and the bomb dropper. A score bonus is awarded for defeating groups of enemies.

Stages in the Mega Drive version differ quite a bit from the arcade version: backgrounds are different (e.g. arcade stage B takes place on a rocky planet surface and in a cave, while the Mega Drive version of stage B is mechanized), enemy placement and behavior has been changed and the bosses have also been modified. The Master System version features a reduced amount of stages.

The Saturn version, conversely, simulates the arcade version's wide screen mode utilizing a zoom feature. However, due to running in a lower resolution mode, it can be very difficult to see enemies and bullets.

History

Legacy

Darius II was followed by Darius Gaiden in 1994 (originally planned to be released as Darius III). Curiously Gaiden was released for the Saturn before II.

Production credits

Mega Drive version

  • Executive Producer: Takao Ueno
  • Producer: Tomohiro Nishikado, Shouji Takahashi
  • Director of Software: Yuichiro Kawamuki
  • Programmers: Takashi Kuroda, Yoshiaki Ishii, Ayumi Onosaka, Takahisa Horimoto
  • Production Designer: Wakadaishou
  • Character Designers: Makoto Saitoh, Gota Goto, Keisuke Miyanaga, Nishiyaman
  • Team Zuntata
  • Programmed by: Mira Turbo, Dogen Shibuya
  • Game Checker: Kiyoshi Bandou
  • Technical Adviser: Hideaki Tomioka, Haruo Suzuki, Kouji Yamazaki
  • Special Thanks to: Hidehiro Fujiwara, Akira Fujita, Akira Ohtsuki, Tatsuo Nakamura
  • Game Designed by: Yuji Koga
  • Directed by: Yuichiro Kawamuki
© Taito Corporation 1991


Master System version

  • Executive Producer: Tomohiro Nishikado
  • Producer: Kimio Hirota
  • Director: Iku Mizutani
  • Programers: Moriyuki Kanaya, Yuji Akita
  • Graphics Designers: Isao Inoue, Yasunari Hayami
  • Music Director: Iku Mizutani
  • Music Composer: Hisayoshi Ogura
  • Character Designers: Yasunari Hayami, Isao Inoue
  • Original Game Designer: Fukio Mitsuji
  • Special Thanks: Yuji Koga, Kohji Yamazaki
Taito Corporation 1992 All Rights Reserved


Saturn version

The Credits
  • Directed And Produced by: Hidehiro Fujiwara
  • Game Designed by: Hidehiro Fujiwara, Takatsuna Senba
  • Programmed by: Akira Ohtsuki, Tatsuo Nakamura, Masashi Tsuzura, Shinji Soyano
  • Art Designed by: Masami Kikuchi, Takatsuna Senba, Hisakazu Kato
  • Cabinet Design: Yoshinori Aiura
  • Hardware Designed by: Toshiyuki Sanada
  • Team Zuntata
    • All Music Composed And Arranged by: Hisayoshi Ogura
    • Sound Editor: Yasuhisa Watanabe, Norihiro Furukawa
    • Sound Soft Ware: Naoto Yagishita
  • Special thanks to: Onijust, Akira Fujita, Takamasa Hori, Masaki Yagi, Masahiko Takaki, Ogr Young, Zippy Aoki, Kouji Tsunekiyo, Hikaru Taniguchi, And Staff Of Kumagaya
© Taito Corporation 1989 All Rights Reserved
Taito
Source: In-game credits. Original credits only.Media:DariusII_Saturn_JP_SSEnding.pdf[5]



サターン版 「ＤＡＲＩＵＳII」 スタッフ
  • プログラム: 金子 道明, 南雲 泰人, 阿部 央, 関 拓志, 赤座 清敬
  • グラフィック: 高須 雄二, 小松崎 成俊, 山田 耕司, 栗原 義昭, 藤原 淳
Source: Staff.txt (in CD-ROM)


Track list

Saturn version


1. [data track] ({{{time}}})


2. Olga Breeze (04:09)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


3. Olga Breeze (03:34)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


4. Muse Valley (03:42)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


5. Jamming (03:29)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


6. Cynthia (03:49)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


7. Planet Blue (03:37)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


8. To Nari (03:32)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


9. Say PaPa (05:32)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


10. All Clear (01:05)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


11. War Oh! (03:51)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


12. Boss2 (03:52)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


13. Round Clear (00:55)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


14. Say Papa (Intro) (00:23)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


15. Name Set (00:48)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


16. Ending (00:45)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura


17. Say PaPa (Ending) (02:17)
Composed by: Hisayoshi Ogura
► Running time: 45:20

Magazine articles

Main article: Darius II/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Darius II/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 №1991-01, p33[6]
75 №, p83[7]
79 №112, p72[8]
79 №4, p88[9]
77 №6
69 №30, p94[10]
30 №1991-01, p41
89 №13, p118
65 №5, p91
87 №1, p65
83 №1, p77[11]
83 №8, p76-78[12]
72 №3/91, p140[13]
80 №23, p53
87 №2, p19[14]
83 №18, p64
90 №12, p34[2]
Sega Mega Drive
 77
Based on
17 reviews

Mega Drive, US
DariusII MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Darius II MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Sagaia md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, JP
Darius II MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
DariusII MD JP CartTop.jpg
DariusII md jp cart.jpg
Cart
Darius II MD JP Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
Sagaia md br cover.jpg
Cover
Sagaia MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart

Master System version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
82 №11, p118/119[15]
81 №9, p68/69[16]
91 №6, p84/85[17]
90 №25, p136[18]
67 №24, p62/63[19]
72 №2/50
80 №19, p66/67[20]
78 №34, p28/29
23 №9, p42/43[21]
50 №1/92, p18[22]
51 №7, p52/53[23]
88 №12, p34[2]
73 №7/92, p51[24]
Sega Master System
 71
Based on
13 reviews

Master System, EU
Darius II SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
Sagaia SMS EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Sagaia SMS EU Manual.pdf
Manual
SagaiaSMSEUManual3L.pdf
Manual (3L)
Master System, AU

Sagaia Master System AU Manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, BR
DariusII SMS BR Box.jpg
Cover
Sagaia SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart

Saturn version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
30
60 №391, p29
60 №55, p72[25]
68 №8/96, p48[26]
36 №50, p72[4]
55 №54, p93[27]
75 №69, p124
28 №86, p60
53 №1996-09, p230[28]
68 №, p13Media:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf[29]
Sega Saturn
 53
Based on
10 reviews

Saturn, EU
DariusII Saturn EU Box.jpg
Cover
Darius II Saturn EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, JP
DariusII sat jp backcover.jpgDariusII sat jp frontcover.jpg
Cover
Darius II (ダライアスII) Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
DariusII Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 f1e22f43
MD5 c9ab9dd499c7d56772fccbd2ec2ae465
SHA-1 0aa2632da5ec3c1db21b273bcb8630d84b7bb805
1MB 1990-11 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 25dfe62a
MD5 4ab80160ba6811a48e0482c402941062
SHA-1 93593e4014e13db90fedc1903a402c6f7d885a2f
1MB 1990-09 Cartridge (JP)
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 66388128
MD5 D8A4C95203BBE294760085189F9544FA
SHA-1 2A3E859139F8CA83494BB800DC848FE4D02DB82A
256kB Cartridge (EU)
Sega Saturn
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
489,679,344 CD-ROM(EU) MK81085-50 V1.000
Sega Saturn
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
489,648,768 1996-04-18 CD-ROM(JP) T-1104G V1.003

References

  1. ↑ File:EGM US 021.pdf, page 22
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 File:Supergame BR 12.pdf, page 34
  3. ↑ File:SegaForce UK 07.pdf, page 55
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:MeanMachinesSega50UK.pdf, page 72
  5. ↑ File:DariusII_Saturn_JP_SSEnding.pdf
  6. ↑ File:BeepMD_JP_1991-01.pdf, page 35
  7. ↑ File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf, page 85
  8. ↑ File:CVG UK 112.pdf, page 72
  9. ↑ File:CVG IT 04.pdf, page 88
  10. ↑ File:Generation4 FR 030.pdf, page 94
  11. ↑ File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf, page 77
  12. ↑ File:MeanMachines UK 08.pdf, page 76
  13. ↑ File:PowerPlay DE 036.pdf, page 140
  14. ↑ File:SegaPro UK 02.pdf, page 21
  15. ↑ File:ConsolesPlus FR 011.pdf, page 118
  16. ↑ File:HobbyConsolas ES 009.pdf, page 68
  17. ↑ File:Joypad FR 006.pdf, page 84
  18. ↑ File:Joystick FR 025.pdf, page 136
  19. ↑ File:MeanMachines UK 24.pdf, page 62
  20. ↑ File:PlayerOne FR 019.pdf, page 66
  21. ↑ File:SegaPro UK 09.pdf, page 42
  22. ↑ File:SegaForce SE 1992 01.pdf, page 18
  23. ↑ File:SegaForce UK 07.pdf, page 54
  24. ↑ File:VideoGames DE 1992-07.pdf, page 49
  25. ↑ File:Joypad FR 055.pdf, page 72
  26. ↑ File:MAN!AC DE 1996-08.pdf, page 48
  27. ↑ File:MegaForce FR 54.pdf, page 93
  28. ↑ File:SSM_JP_19960614_1996-09.pdf, page 232
  29. ↑ File:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf, page 15
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