R-Type vs Gradius vs Darius which is better?

[Leynos]

I will post it when it arrives but got Darius on Super Famicom for a couple bucks and excited to try that. Not many good shooters on SNES.

[cleeg]

I never played much of these series but have always had a real soft spot for Salamander. I put a fair few pesetas in that machine on holiday!

[gamevet]

I will post it when it arrives but got Darius on Super Famicom for a couple bucks and excited to try that. Not many good shooters on SNES.

There’s some good ones. Gradius III, UN Squadron, Axelay, Bio Metal and Super R-Type aren’t too shabby

[Lync]

There’s some good ones. Gradius III, UN Squadron, Axelay, Bio Metal and Super R-Type aren’t too shabby

The SNES is the one scenario where I pick Gradius III over Super R-Type or R-Type III.

But if we are not strictly speaking horizontals, Axelay is the tops.

The SNES import scene of course has the end-all, be-all of side shmups for the system with SDF Macross.

Only strike against this game is that I can't be badass Skull-leader Roy Focker.

[Bloodreign]

There’s some good ones. Gradius III, UN Squadron, Axelay, Bio Metal and Super R-Type aren’t too shabby

Don't forget the 3 Parodius games, and Pop N Twinbee, though the last 2 Paro games on the SFC suffer from tremendous slowdown (Gokujou, and especially Jikkyou Oshaberi). Space Megaforce/Super Aleste is also pretty cool.

[MrMatthews]

Also Spriggan(?)

I think that’s what it’s called. The one Metal Jesus raves about.

[Black_Tiger]

Also Spriggan(?)

I think that’s what it’s called. The one Metal Jesus raves about.

Spriggan is basically part of the Aleste series, even if Spriggan mk2 isn't. "Compile vertical shooters" might as well count as its own series.

[Leynos]

Speaking of R-Type. Dimensions will get a physical release with Strictly Limited Run on PS4 & Switch.
https://twitter.com/RealStrictlyLTD/...40024807772160

[Joe Redifer]

If we're talking the first games in each series, R-Tye owns them all, PWNZ them, even. Like, by a mile (1.6 kilometers).

The sequels to R-Type however, while mostly good never lived up to the first game. Gradius on the other hand just kept getting better and better. Gradius 3 had amazing music and actual personality. Gradius 5 is the pinnacle of the series even though the music can't touch the other games. Darius I've never really been able to get into. None of the Darius games really tickled my fancy except Darius Gaiden on the Saturn (also in the arcade and PlayStation® 2). I like the music in Darius Gaiden and some of it in Darius Twin on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which is a 16-bit system released worldwide by Nintendo in the 1990's. The music in the other Darius games is mediocre and it really is a requirement that shooters have great music. The arrangements of some of the Darius 1 music is good though. Also, magazine editors who wrote for various gaming publications complained vehemently about Sagaia's sound in their printed pages. If you didn't know, Sagaia is a game published by Taito. The original name for this game is Darius 2. It was changed to Sagaia for absolutely no reason whatsoever, other than to be dumb. This was perhaps the dumbest thing that Taito has ever done, next to following up Rastan with Rastan Saga 2.

[Lync]

Don't forget the 3 Parodius games, and Pop N Twinbee, though the last 2 Paro games on the SFC suffer from tremendous slowdown (Gokujou, and especially Jikkyou Oshaberi). Space Megaforce/Super Aleste is also pretty cool.

Also Spriggan(?)

Spriggan is basically part of the Aleste series, even if Spriggan mk2 isn't. "Compile vertical shooters" might as well count as its own series.

If we are going to lump in vert shooters, this discussion blows up.

The only Compile entry that fits in the likes of R-Type, Gradius, or Darius is as Black Tiger says: Spriggan Mk.2. Which, is okay.

But then that opens up the bag for Hudsonsoft's Soldier series, games like Imperium, etc., and that doesn't fit in my mind.

Something that is comparable to the topic are a series of games like the Rayxanber titles. Which I rarely see mentioned.

And Rayxanber III has got to be one of the illest.

[Vludi]

The music in the other Darius games is mediocre and it really is a requirement that shooters have great music.

Darius 1 is kinda rough but has its charm, disagree with the others though, Darius 2's ost is good, G-Darius and Burst have some of the most intense boss themes out there.

Also, magazine editors who wrote for various gaming publications complained vehemently about Sagaia's sound in their printed pages.

Maybe because of sfx of the MD version, but the arcade has nicer sfx.

The original name for this game is Darius 2. It was changed to Sagaia for absolutely no reason whatsoever, other than to be dumb. This was perhaps the dumbest thing that Taito has ever done, next to following up Rastan with Rastan Saga 2.

Sagaia (arcade) actually has quite a bit of differences: different stage order/layout, fewer routes, shorter stages, no sub-bosses and who knows what else, the first stage in Sagaia actually looks like the one in Darius Twin. The console ports are based on original Darius II though.

[OverDrone]

Darius Chronicles is utter rubbish (bar the music) looks so cheap and nasty and like it's a homebrew game.
I was shocked and letdown when I bought it for the PS4, given how brilliant the series used to be.

I think this is a gross exaggeration. Graphically the game is fine for the most part, yes the texture work is stuck in 2005 but most modern shooters (stuff from the HD gen onwards) using 3D aren't worlds away from what's on show in DariusBurst CS. It probably sits somewhere in the middle in terms of impressive graphics compared to stuff like Strania, Eschatos , Ginga Force etc. which is about right considering the game used the PSP title as a base in the first place. Hoping for better representation than what has become the norm in a niche genre is probably wishful thinking these days, unfortunately.

You could argue that Astabreed (originally a Doujin/homebrew) has better graphical fidelity, but I don't think that's what you meant by homebrew game.

All that aside, DariusBurst itself is an amazing addition to the series IMO, both the arcade ports and the Chronicle Saviours mode.

[Team Andromeda]

The game looks rubbish and cheap, it is killed in the GFX dept by the likes of Sturmwind on the DC via homebrew

[GameUser-16-32-128]

The Darius series does it for me. It's got branching levels, good music, and controllable mini bosses to use against your foes. R-Type is cool, but it feels like a chore playing it. Gradius, I've had less experience with, probably because it was a console exclusive back in the day.

[patmanqc]

r type is my number one choice