When comparing Xevious vs Darius, the Slant community recommends Xevious for most people. In the question“What are the best and the most revolutionary games of all time?” Xevious is ranked 97th while Darius is ranked 104th. The most important reason people chose Xevious is:
It wasn't the very first vertically scrolling shooter, but to differentiate itself it was the first game that was featured in a TV ad in North America. This really helped increase its public interest, and was revolutionary at the time setting precedent for the game ads we see on TV today
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro First TV ad in North America
It wasn't the very first vertically scrolling shooter, but to differentiate itself it was the first game that was featured in a TV ad in North America. This really helped increase its public interest, and was revolutionary at the time setting precedent for the game ads we see on TV today
Pro Very detailed landscapes for the time
As your ship is flying over the landscape, the landscapes can eventually change from one scene to another. Some of the landscapes are heavily forested areas, and others are airbase themed. This helps give each of the 16 areas a different and unique feel.
Pro widescreen with cinescopes
Darius was the very first arcade machine using 3 cinescopes in a mirror system. This positioned the center screen normally, but the two extra screens were actually projected onto a display making the illusion of a single 3X wide display.
Pro Multiple endings
Because of it's non-linear design, you could choose your own path which could result in different endings. This is a much more immersive game experience, as you feel more invested in the game as your decisions actually matter.