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This guide ranks the six strongest next plays by how directly they follow Exzisus, how different their shooting systems feel and how they can be played through currently documented releases. Storefront availability is country-specific, so check your local Nintendo, PlayStation or PC store before buying.
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The short answer: play Darius first
Darius is the best first recommendation after Exzisus because the connection is more than publisher or era. Arcade-History.com’s catalog links the Exzisus ship design to Taito’s Silver Hawk fighter, the ship used in Darius. That attribution comes from a secondary source rather than an official Taito archive, so it should be treated as historical context rather than an official statement.
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Taito’s Darius is a side-scrolling arcade shooter that first appeared in 1986. Its defining presentation used three arcade screens, creating an unusually wide playfield for the period. If you want the most direct continuation of the design lineage associated with Exzisus, choose the original Darius before moving to later entries.
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After that, your choice depends on the kind of change you want. Darius II keeps the same family identity while expanding the arcade spectacle. Darius Gaiden is the later Darius-era step. RayForce, RayStorm and RayCrisis leave the horizontal Darius format for vertically oriented shooting, lock-on mechanics and increasingly stylized presentation.
How the recommendations differ
| Game | Scrolling and viewpoint | Main hook | Relationship to Exzisus | Documented modern options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius | Side-scrolling | Silver Hawk fighter and three-screen arcade design | Closest design and series connection | Arcade Archives on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4; also included in Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade |
| Darius II | Side-scrolling; a three-screen arcade version existed | Larger follow-up within the same family | Direct Darius continuation | Arcade Archives on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4; included in Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade |
| Darius Gaiden | Side-scrolling | Later arcade entry in the Darius line | Direct lineage, but a later-generation stop | Included in Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade; also represented in the Japanese Switch and PS4 Darius Cozmic Collection release |
| RayForce | Vertical shooter | Lock-on laser targeting | Same Taito arcade heritage, different structure | Included in Ray’z Arcade Chronology for Switch and PS4 |
| RayStorm | Overhead, 3D-rendered viewpoint | Two ships with different lock-on capacities | A sharper change in presentation and targeting | Included in Ray’z Arcade Chronology, including an HD variant |
| RayCrisis | Vertical shooter with a virtual-space setting | Battle inside the runaway Con-Human network | Most narrative and conceptual departure | Included in Ray’z Arcade Chronology, including an HD variant |
1. Darius: the closest follow-up
Why it belongs first
Darius is the clearest answer to the phrase “best Taito arcade shooters to play after Exzisus.” The Silver Hawk connection gives it a direct visual and historical bridge, while the side-scrolling format keeps the action in the same broad arcade-shooter tradition instead of immediately changing to a vertical field.
Hamster’s official Arcade Archives description identifies Darius as Taito’s side-scrolling shooting game and dates its first arcade appearance to 1986. The original cabinet’s three-screen arrangement is not a minor display detail: it shaped the game’s sense of distance and made the playfield itself part of the spectacle.
Who should choose it
- Choose it if the Silver Hawk connection is the reason you started looking beyond Exzisus.
- Choose it if you want a horizontal, side-scrolling Taito shooter rather than a lock-on vertical game.
- Choose it if preserving arcade-era presentation matters more than moving to a newer rendering style.
How to play it now
Hamster lists Arcade Archives DARIUS for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The catalog page also documents one- or two-player support. Prices and storefront listings can change, and the page cautions that availability differs by country or region, so verify the local store listing before purchasing.
2. Darius II: stay with the family, increase the spectacle
What changes from the original
Darius II is the natural second stop when you want more of the Darius identity rather than a new shooting system. Hamster dates the original arcade release to 1989 and notes that a three-screen version existed. That makes it a useful choice for readers interested in how Taito extended the wide-screen arcade concept.
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The game keeps the side-scrolling structure, so the transition from the first Darius is about scale and iteration rather than a change to vertical aiming or lock-on targeting. It is best approached after the original, although players who simply want the larger follow-up can begin here.
Who should choose it
- Choose it when you want another Silver Hawk-era journey without leaving the Darius format.
- Choose it when the three-screen arcade presentation is a specific part of the appeal.
- Choose it for a two-player option on the documented Arcade Archives release.
Current release information
Hamster lists Arcade Archives DARIUS II on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. As with the original, regional storefronts may not show the same listing, edition or price. Treat the catalog as a release reference and confirm the store for your country.
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3. Darius Gaiden: move forward within Darius
Why it is the later-series choice
Darius Gaiden is the recommendation for players who want to remain in the Darius lineage but move to a later arcade entry rather than replaying the earliest games. Taito’s Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade announcement lists it as a 1994 game.
That places it after the first two numbered games in the documented timeline while preserving the central reason to choose Darius: a side-scrolling Taito shooter built around the Silver Hawk family. It is therefore a better fit for “show me more Darius” than for “give me a completely different mechanic.”
Where it fits in a play order
- Play Darius first if you want the original design reference.
- Play Darius II next if the three-screen follow-up interests you.
- Play Darius Gaiden when you are ready for a later arcade-era entry.
The sequence is optional; Darius Gaiden also works as a first Darius game if access to the earlier titles is limited.
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4. RayForce: choose lock-on targeting over horizontal scrolling
The central mechanical change
RayForce is the first major change of direction in this list. Taito identifies it as the first Ray-series game and dates its arcade release to 1994. Instead of following Darius’s side-scrolling structure, it is a vertical shooter whose central hook is a lock-on laser.
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Who should choose it
- Choose it if you want the most important Taito shooter on this list that does not play like Darius.
- Choose it if target acquisition sounds more appealing than broad side-scrolling movement.
- Choose it if you want to begin the Ray series in release order.
RayForce appears in Taito’s Ray’z Arcade Chronology collection for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The collection’s Japanese release was dated March 9, 2023; check your region for the current edition and storefront listing.
5. RayStorm: a 3D-rendered step up
What makes it distinct
Taito describes RayStorm as the second Ray-series entry, released in arcades in 1996. Its most visible change is a 3D-rendered, overhead viewpoint. It still uses the Ray family’s lock-on identity, but the presentation makes the battlefield feel more spatial than the flatter look associated with earlier arcade shooters.
Taito also documents two selectable ships with different lock-on capacities. That gives the player a meaningful choice before the first stage: select the ship whose targeting allowance best matches the way you want to manage groups of enemies.
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Who should choose it
- Choose it when you want lock-on shooting with a more overtly 3D-rendered presentation.
- Choose it when ship selection and different lock-on capacities are more interesting than a single fixed loadout.
- Choose it after RayForce if you want to follow the Ray series chronologically.
RayStorm is included in Ray’z Arcade Chronology, which also contains an HD variant. The collection is documented for Switch and PS4, but the edition shown in your local store may differ.
6. RayCrisis: the virtual-space finale
A different setting and story premise
RayCrisis is the third Ray-series entry and began in arcades in 1998, according to Taito. Its conflict takes place inside the runaway Con-Human network. Taito frames it as a prequel to RayForce, so its story relationship runs backward even though the release order runs forward.
The virtual-space setting makes RayCrisis the biggest conceptual departure from the Darius recommendation. You are still choosing a Taito arcade shooter, but the appeal is now the Ray series’ targeting language and its digital-world framing rather than a Silver Hawk lineage.
Who should choose it
- Choose it if the Ray series’ setting interests you as much as its shooting system.
- Choose it after RayForce and RayStorm if you want the complete documented arcade trilogy.
- Choose it if a virtual-space prequel appeals more than another side-scrolling Darius game.
RayCrisis is included in Ray’z Arcade Chronology, alongside an HD variant of the collection’s later Ray entries. Confirm regional availability before buying.
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Pick your next game by the feature you want
If you want the closest connection to Exzisus
Pick Darius. It is the only recommendation here supported by the documented ship-design link, and it preserves the broad side-scrolling Taito tradition.
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If you want more Silver Hawk games
Play Darius II and then Darius Gaiden. The first is the direct numbered continuation; the second carries the line into a later arcade entry.
If you want lock-on targeting
Start with RayForce. It introduces the Ray series’ lock-on laser as its defining mechanic, making it the cleanest choice when target acquisition is the feature you want to learn.
If you want a 3D-rendered viewpoint
Choose RayStorm. Taito’s description specifically identifies its overhead 3D-rendered presentation and its two ships with different lock-on capacities.
If you want a virtual-space story
Choose RayCrisis. Its runaway Con-Human network setting and prequel relationship to RayForce give it the most distinctive narrative frame in this group.
Official ways to play the Darius games
Individual Arcade Archives releases
Hamster documents Arcade Archives DARIUS and Arcade Archives DARIUS II for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The pages include historical release information and warn that storefront availability varies by region. Use the local digital store as the final check for listing, price and purchase eligibility.
Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade on PC
Taito’s 2021 announcement describes a Steam release containing four arcade games and seven variants: Darius, Darius II, Sagaia and Darius Gaiden. It also lists training, quick-save and quick-load functions, display options and online leaderboards. Prices in that announcement are historical and should not be treated as current.
Physical Darius collections
Taito’s official Japanese product information documents a packaged Nintendo Switch release and a PS4 edition of Darius Cozmic Collection. Region, packaging, stock and included content can differ, so verify the exact edition before ordering a physical copy.
Official ways to play the Ray games
Taito’s Ray’z Arcade Chronology is documented for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 and includes RayForce, RayStorm and RayCrisis. It also includes HD variants for the latter entries. Taito lists the Japanese release date as March 9, 2023; that date does not guarantee that the same edition or storefront listing exists in every territory.
Quick Recap
A practical play order for newcomers
- Begin with Darius to establish the Silver Hawk and side-scrolling connection associated with Exzisus.
- Continue to Darius II if you want the numbered sequel and its larger arcade presentation.
- Move to Darius Gaiden for a later Darius-era entry.
- Switch to RayForce to learn lock-on laser targeting in the first Ray game.
- Play RayStorm for the 3D-rendered viewpoint and alternate lock-on capacities.
- Finish with RayCrisis for the virtual-space setting and its prequel story position.
Important availability and history caveats
- The Exzisus-to-Darius ship connection and Exzisus’s 1987 Japanese release date, including the August month cited by the catalog, come from Arcade-History.com rather than an official Taito archive.
- Release years identify the original arcade appearances: Darius in 1986, Darius II in 1989, RayForce and Darius Gaiden in 1994, RayStorm in 1996 and RayCrisis in 1998.
- Digital storefronts, prices and physical stock are volatile and country-specific. A collection listed by Taito or Hamster may not be sold under the same name or edition in your region.
- The recommendations describe documented game structures and official product information; they are not based on a new hands-on test or a claimed personal gameplay experience.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
