Play Orius Online

Summary

Orius, the North‑American face of Konami’s side‑scrolling shooter originally known as Xexex, feels like a stripped‑down but still punchy arcade experience. The most striking change is the loss of the weapon‑upgrade system – you’re left with the Proton Laser and a single missile secondary, while the ship’s iconic tentacles are shorter and can only fire forward before being released. Instead of lives, the game uses an energy bar that depletes with each hit, and when you die you respawn right where you fell, keeping the action flowing.

Co‑op play is a pleasant surprise; two players can pilot their Flintlock fighters side by side, sharing the same frantic screen without any turn‑based pauses. Enemy patterns have been tweaked and bosses sport extra health, making each encounter feel a bit more demanding than the Japanese version.

Even with these cuts, the graphics and soundtrack still shine, echoing the classic R‑Type and Gradius vibe while adding a unique tentacle twist that keeps the gameplay fresh for arcade fans.

Storyline

In the far‑future setting of Orius, humanity has just unlocked rapid interplanetary travel. One day Earth picks up a telepathic distress signal from Princess Irene La Tias—also called Elaine—who warns that her home world, E‑Square, has fallen under the control of the ruthless warlord Lord Klaus Pachelbel and his bio‑mechanical army.

While investigating the call, scientists encounter a mysterious alien life form named Flint. They quickly design the Flintlock TMF‑01, a space fighter built to carry Flint into combat. Together the Flint‑powered Flintlock is launched to rescue Irene and liberate E‑Square from Pachelbel’s grip.