Play Ikari II - Dogosoken (Japan) Online

Ikari II - Dogosoken (Japan) is one of those NES games that makes you feel like an unstoppable force of nature—until it reminds you how brutally hard old-school shooters can be. You start off with this ridiculous rotary cannon that chews through enemies like paper, spinning it wildly while explosions fill the screen. It’s pure chaos, but the controls are surprisingly tight for a top-down shooter.

The first level throws you right into the action—no tutorials, no mercy. You’ll die a lot, but each run feels faster, smoother, like you’re barely scraping by on reflexes alone. The music’s this weirdly catchy military march that somehow fits perfectly when you’re mowing down tanks and soldiers. And yeah, it’s got that same punishing-but-fair vibe as Contra, just with more spinning and way more explosions.

Honestly, half the fun is just seeing how long you can last before the game inevitably kicks your butt. But when you finally clear a tough section? Nothing beats that rush.