Ikki (1985). Play Free Online

Summary

Ikki (sometimes just called the 'sickle shooter') stands out as a quirky Japanese arcade title where you fling a homing sickle with a button while dashing around a top‑down arena. The joystick controls Gonbe, and in two‑player mode you can team up with Tago, both trying to grab eight gold koban coins that appear on a minimap. Enemies range from ordinary black ninjas to speedy red ones that give double points, as well as bomb‑throwing ninjas, boars and ghostly yōkai that block your sickle. When you snag an onigiri, the game pauses for a bonus stage in which a sennin tosses more onigiri for extra points or an extra life.

The arcade board runs eight looping levels, each ending either when all the coins are collected or when the daikan shows up and is captured. Lives are lost instantly by touching foes or their projectiles, and some handmaidens can temporarily freeze you, adding tension. The Famicom port kept the same control scheme, making it a rare Western‑import curiosity. Fans still cite Ikki’s blend of frantic shooting and collectible hunting as a charming, underrated slice of ’80s arcade history.

Storyline

Ikki (sometimes called Ikki on Arcade) drops players into a medieval Japanese village under the thumb of a cruel feudal lord. The only heroes are the humble farmer Gonbe and, if you choose, his companion Tago. Together they must rally against an endless tide of ninja soldiers to spark a rebellion.

The story unfolds in vertical scrolling stages, with text and dialogue presented in a style that echoes classic jidaigeki cinema. Each screen scrolls upward as Gonbe fights forward, confronting waves of ninjas, spearmen, and elite guards. The goal is simple: defeat the lord’s forces and bring freedom to the village.

Edited by Maya Carter