Nastar (also released in some regions as Rastan Saga II) is a 1988 arcade action game developed and published by Taito Corporation Japan, serving as the direct sequel to the landmark 1987 arcade title Rastan. Released during a period when the arcade market was fiercely competitive and side-scrolling action games were at their commercial peak, Nastar arrived just one year after its predecessor had established Taito as a serious contender in the hack-and-slash genre. The late 1980s arcade scene was dominated by titles demanding both reflexes and endurance, and Nastar fit squarely into that tradition while attempting to expand on the formula that made Rastan a hit.
Mechanically, Nastar places players in control of a muscular barbarian warrior — a clear continuation of the Conan-inspired aesthetic from Rastan — tasked with battling through multiple scrolling stages filled with fantasy enemies including skeletons, demons, winged beasts, and armored knights. The core control scheme is straightforward: a joystick governs movement and jumping, while a single attack button drives the hero's sword swings. The character can attack while standing, crouching, and jumping, giving combat a modest degree of flexibility. Players can also grab onto ropes and chains to swing across gaps or reach elevated platforms, adding a light platforming dimension to the predominantly combat-focused gameplay.
A key mechanical feature carried over and refined from Rastan is the weapon and power-up system. Defeated enemies and opened chests yield temporary weapon upgrades — including axes, maces, and fire swords — each with distinct attack ranges and properties. Armor and shield pickups similarly boost the player's defensive capabilities for a limited time. Managing these pickups strategically, particularly knowing when to prioritize offense versus defense, forms the tactical backbone of a run through the game. The stages themselves are linear but varied in their environmental design, moving through castle interiors, outdoor ruins, and underground caverns, each populated with enemies tuned to challenge players who have grown comfortable with earlier sections.
Boss encounters punctuate the end of each stage and demand pattern recognition rather than pure button-mashing. These larger foes telegraph their attacks and require players to identify safe windows for striking, a design philosophy common to the era but executed with enough variety in Nastar to keep encounters feeling distinct. The game's difficulty curve is steep by modern standards, reflecting the arcade imperative of encouraging continued coin insertion. Health depletes quickly against aggressive enemy groupings, and the absence of a traditional lives system in the conventional sense means players must manage their health bar carefully across each stage.
In its arcade era, Nastar was received as a competent and enjoyable follow-up to Rastan, appreciated by fans of the original for its visual improvements — the sprite work and background detail were a noticeable step up from the 1987 game — and its familiar but slightly expanded gameplay. It did not dramatically reinvent the genre, but it delivered the kind of reliable, visceral arcade action that kept players returning to the cabinet. Home conversions followed on platforms including the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis), where the game reached a broader audience under the Rastan Saga II title, introducing it to players who may have missed the arcade original.
