The Return of Ishtar/Gameplay

Controls

 * Joystick: Use the 8-way joystick to direct Ki (or Gil if you're player 2) around each room. (The screen will only scroll according to Ki's location). While holding down the second button, Ki can use her joystick to cycle through the six different types of magic spells ("ATTACK", "PROTECT", "ASSIST", "LIGHT", "MEDICAL" and "SPECIAL") and select them with first button.
 * First Button: Use this button to make Ki cast her currently-selected spell at the enemies. (Gil will automatically draw his sword whenever an enemy gets close enough to him). While holding down the second button, Ki can use this button to select a different spell. There are a total of sixty-four different spells in the game - but she will only start out with ten of them.
 * Second Button: Use this button to make the menu of spells appear in the bottom-left corner of the screen. As mentioned in the section on the joystick above, Ki can cycle through the six different types of spells with her joystick, and select them with first button, but she will lose the ability to move and cast her currently-selected spell at the enemies while doing so.

Ki and Gil
The two protagonists of the game; player 1 controls the spell-casting Princess Ki (shown in the image to the left), while player 2 controls the sword-wielding Prince Gilgamesh (shown in the image to the right). The screen will only scroll according to Ki's location - so if you are player 2, you will have to stay close to your partner if you want to explore the rooms. Ki will attack by casting spells at the enemies, while Gil automatically draws his sword whenever an enemy gets close enough to him; however, each time Gil kills an enemy with his sword, the numerator of the fraction in the bottom-right corner of the screen (the denominator starts at 15) will decrease by a preset amount depending on what enemy type it was. If it goes down to 0, he will evaporate, and it is game over for both players - and it is also game over for both players if Ki is touched by any enemy at all, which instantly makes her evaporate.

Ishtar
The goddess after whom the entire game is named appears as a hologram, in both Forgotten Room and Entrant Hall - and Ki and Gil can walk through her as if she was not there.

Quox
This sleeping green dragon appears in Dragon's Lair, and Ki and Gil can walk through him as if he was not there; however, if Ki uses the Sleep spell on him (which is the only "ASSIST" spell she starts out with), he will give her the key that opens the door at the top-left of the room. Ironically, he previously appeared as an enemy in the original game.

Masanobu Endō
The game's then-33-year-old designer (born Monday 2nd February 1953) appears unconscious in Dead End, and Ki and Gil can walk through him, as if he was not there; however, if Ki uses the Blue Crystal Rod spell on him, he will regain consciousness and the text "THANK YOU" will appear on the screen before the game proceeds to Room 91 - Calvary Prison.

Bugs
Four of these minuscule insects appear on the wall at the top-left of Harness Storage, and will begin to fly around randomly when Ki and Gil approach them. They will not cause any harm.

Keys
In every room of the tower, you will come across at least one of these small yellow keys lying on the floor as you walk around; each one unlocks a specific door in the room, and once the player who has collected a specific key walks up to the door it unlocks, it will open up for them. Once both players have walked through the open door together (neither player can walk through an open door individually like in Namco's own Toy Pop), the name of the room it leads to will be shown on the screen and you will be given a three-character "Room Pass".

Treasure Chests
In some rooms of the tower, you will come across one of these small brown chests in a "hole" in one of the walls as you walk around; if Ki pushes the second button to bring up the menu of spells in the bottom-left of the screen and uses her joystick to select the Blue Crystal Rod spell, then uses it on the chest while facing it, it will disappear and its effects will be transferred to her until she and Gil leave the room. Some of them will even give her new spells, which will be displayed in the bottom-left menu of spells under their respective types.

Fork
This piece of cutlery appears in the Kitchen, and can only be collected by Gil, as Ki will just walk through it; it will give him the power to deflect the Magicians' spells with his sword.

Trophy
This symbol of victory appears in the Trophy Room, and like Fork, can only be collected by Gil, as Ki will just walk through it; it will not have any noticeable effect on him, however.

Beaker
This poisonous glass appears in the Alchemist's Room, and like Fork and Trophy, can only be collected by Gil - however, it will slow him down to half of his normal walking speed.

Book
This work of literature appears in the Library, and like Fork, Trophy and Beaker, can only be collected by Gil; like the Trophy, it will not have any noticeable effect on him, however.

Test Tube
This scientific vial (which says "DRINK ME!") appears in the Laboratory, and can only be collected by Gil - however, it will decrease the denomination of his energy fraction to 100.

White Sword, Golden Armor, Redline Shield and Golden Helmet
These treasures from the original Tower of Druaga appear as holograms in Weapon Storage, Armor Storage, Shield Storage, and Helm Storage respectively - and can all be walked through by Ki and Gil, as if they were not there. However, this also means that they cannot collect any of them - but given that they now have a maximum sixty-four at different spells their disposal, why should they want to? The White Sword originally appeared on the fifth floor of the tower, the Golden Armor originally appeared on the twelfth floor of the tower, the Redline Shield originally appeared on the thirteenth floor of the tower, and the Golden Helmet originally appeared on the thirty-seventh floor of the tower (not as holograms, however).