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The Return of Ishtar

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The Return of Ishtar is an adventure game that requires two players. It was also the first game from Namco to have a password feature, to give players the opportunity to continue from where they left off, and their first to not feature a scoring system. Player 1 controls the priestess Ki who figh...

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Developer
Namco

Released on
1986

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Action

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

The Return of Ishtar is an adventure game that requires two players. It was also the first game from Namco to have a password feature, to give players the opportunity to continue from where they left off, and their first to not feature a scoring system. Player 1 controls the priestess Ki who fights with magic, while Player 2 controls the sword-wielding Prince Gilgamesh. This sequel starts off directly after Gilgamesh has saved Ki from Druaga, and focuses on their escape from the tower (and its inhabitants) who are after Gilgamesh and Ki to avenge their former master. There are a total of 128 rooms in the sixty-floor tower, and the screen will only scroll according to Ki’s location, so the second player will have to stay close to their partner as they traverse the tower. Ki attacks by casting spells at the enemies, while Gilgamesh automatically draws his sword whenever an enemy gets close enough to him, allowing him to attack the enemy by bumping into it with his blade (similar to Adol from the Ys games). However, colliding with enemies will also damage Gilgamesh, and the counter in the bottom-right of the screen will decrease by a preset amount, depending on what enemy type it was. If the counter reaches 0, he will disappear, and the game will be over for both players (which will also happen if Ki is touched by any enemy at all). There are also several different items that can be found in the rooms and collected to aid Gilgamesh and Ki in their quest. As an easter egg, the game’s designer, Masanobu Endō, appears unconscious at his desk in the “Dead End” room. Ki can use the Blue Crystal Rod spell on him to wake him up; he will then proceed to warp her and Gilgamesh to the “Calvary Prison” room.

The Return of Ishtar

Overview & History

Released by Namco in 1986, The Return of Ishtar serves as the groundbreaking arcade sequel to the cult-classic The Tower of Druaga. Developed by Toru Iwatani, this fantasy dungeon crawler broke industry norms by dropping the solitary hero formula in favor of a cooperative two-player simultaneous adventure. Players step into the divine sandals of the goddess Ishtar and the prince Kiis, who must ascend a perilous 128-tiered Babylonian tower to rescue rescued priestesses and defeat the demon Druaga. Unlike its predecessor, which relied on cryptic puzzle-solving and solitary swordplay, this sequel evolved into a fast-paced, spell-heavy action RPG that pushed the limits of the Namco System 86 hardware with its vibrant sprites and atmospheric scaling.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The core gameplay loop centers on real-time cooperative dungeon traversal and tactical combat viewed from a top-down perspective. Players do not collect traditional gold or swords; instead, progression is dictated by finding mystical runes and incantations scattered across labyrinthine floors. Ishtar wields a wand that fires magical projectiles, while Kiis uses a sword for close-quarters melee combat, making teamwork vital for survival against aggressive monster swarms like green slimes, wizards, and armored knights. A unique password system allows players to resume their grueling ascent across multiple play sessions, while dynamic floor hazards, destructible walls, and hidden treasure rooms demand acute spatial awareness and map memorization.

Keyboard Controls

Arrow Keys / D-Pad: Move character through corridors and dodge enemy projectiles
Action Keys: Cast spells / Execute sword strikes and cycle through collected inventory items
Enter: Start / Pause