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The Return of Ishtar
伊丝塔之归来：The
The Return of Ishtar is an action game released by Namco in 1986 for arcades, serving as a sequel to The Tower of Druaga. Players control Gilgamesh and Ki together in a cooperative two-player format, navigating through a series of overhead-view stages. One player moves and attacks with a sword while the other casts magic spells to defeat enemies and progress. The game features a continuous stage-based structure where the pair must escape from the tower. Enemies appear throughout each stage and must be cleared or avoided. The cooperative design, where each player controls a different character with distinct abilities, was a notable feature for its time. Single-player mode is also available, controlling both characters simultaneously using separate inputs.
- Developer
- Namco
- Released
- 1986
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.5 / 5 (3.4K)
- Last updated
The Return of Ishtar Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for The Return of Ishtar on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
The Return of Ishtar Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of The Return of Ishtar on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"The Return of Ishtar" Arcade longplay 1986
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was The Return of Ishtar released?
The Return of Ishtar was released in 1986 for the Arcade.
Who developed The Return of Ishtar?
The Return of Ishtar was developed by Namco, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is The Return of Ishtar?
The Return of Ishtar is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play The Return of Ishtar for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — The Return of Ishtar runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play The Return of Ishtar in the browser?
No. The Return of Ishtar streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in The Return of Ishtar?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does The Return of Ishtar work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play The Return of Ishtar this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of The Return of Ishtar. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
