History VideoGame / TheTowerOfDruaga

** Your pickaxe will break permanently if you use it too many times.
* MissingSecret: Some levels don't even have a treasure.
** One port has a secret whose trigger is "exit the level".
* NintendoHard: Almost sadistically so for an arcade game.
* OneHitPointWonder: You have a HitPoints value, but you can't actually see it. It's also only used for fighting enemy Knights; slimes, magic spells, and whisps all use OneHitPointWonder logic.

* TimedMission

** Since there was NO GUIDE when the game was released into arcades, people simply had to take it on blind faith that the game WAS winnable at all. Following from that, enough persistence and credits spent causes the game to cough up it's secrets.

Various {{Shout Out}}s and {{Bonus Dungeon}}s based on the game can be found in the TalesSeries and VideoGame/SoulSeries, and ''BatenKaitos'' has a {{Homage}} level that calls back to this game. Also, characters from the series appeared in ''VideoGame/NamcoXCapcom'', with Gil and Ki acting as a playable unit, and Druaga appearing as a boss.

Various {{Shout Out}}s and {{Bonus Dungeon}}s based on the game can be found in the TalesSeries and VideoGame/SoulSeries, and ''BatenKaitos'' has a {{Homage}} level that calls back to this game.

* ContinuingIsPainful: Getting zapped to a lower floor destroys the highest-tier weapon and armor pieces, making the final boss fight unwinnable.

* TheDragon: Quox.

* GodGuise: Succubus on Floor 57 disguises herself as the goddess Ishtar. Killing her is one of the requirements for the Ruby Mace.

* PowerUpLetdown: Most of the weapon and armor upgrades don't actually do anything useful, but are necessary to eventually trade up to the highest-tier equipment, which is mandatory for the final battles.

* VideogameCrueltyPunishment: You can attack Ishtar and Ki instead of rescuing them... if you don't mind being sent back almost to ''the beginning of the game.''

* InvincibleMinorMinion: Will O'Wisps.

* GuideDangIt: In each level of the game, there is a treasure which requires a unique and unguessable action. Even after working this out, some of the items are harmful. Avoiding the treasure isn't an option, either, as some are needed to complete the game.

* VideogameCrueltyPunishment: You can attack Ishtar and Ki instead of rescuing them... if you don't mind being sent back almost to ''the beginning of the game''.

Various {{Shout Out}}s and {{Bonus Dungeon}}s based on the game can be found in the TalesSeries and SoulSeries, and ''BatenKaitos'' has a {{Homage}} level that calls back to this game.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Tower_of_Druaga_logo_7123.jpg
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''VideoGame/TheTowerOfDruaga'' is a 1984 arcade game released by [[Creator/NamcoBandai Namco]], about a knight named Gilgamesh (or "Gil" for short) who has to climb a monster-infested tower in order to defeat the demon Druaga and rescue Ki (pronounced "Kai"), a shrine maiden in service to the goddess Ishtar. It is infamous as the high-water mark of [[http://strategywiki.org/wiki/The_Tower_of_Druaga player-directed cruelty]] in videogames -- the acme of the old school style where videogames existed to challenge and defeat the player.

* UnwinnableByDesign: Let us count the ways...

* LostForever: The treasures under Guide Dang It. Uh oh...

* GuideDangIt: In each level of the game, there is a treasure which requires a unique and unguessable action. Even after working this out, some of the items are actually harmful. Avoiding the treasure isn't an option, either, as some are needed to complete the game.

* SaveThePrincess: Ki, though a shrine maiden and not actually a "princess" per se.

* TakenForGranite: Ki, cursed by Druaga and turned to stone.

''VideoGame/TheTowerOfDruaga'' is a 1984 arcade game released by [[Creator/NamcoBandai Namco]], about a knight named Gilgamesh (or "Gil" for short) who has to climb a monster-infested tower in order to defeat the demon Druaga and rescue Princess Ki (pronounced "Kai"), a shrine maiden in service to the goddess Ishtar. It is infamous as the high-water mark of [[http://strategywiki.org/wiki/The_Tower_of_Druaga player-directed cruelty]] in videogames -- the acme of the old school style where videogames existed to challenge and defeat the player.

* DungeonBypass: The pickaxes, which break walls. The gold one has infinite uses, and makes the game considerable easier ("easy" being a relative term here...)

* GuideDangIt: In each level of the game there is a treasure which requires a unique and unguessable action. Even after working this out some of the items are actually harmful. Avoiding the treasure isn't an option either as some are needed to complete the game.

* ContinuingIsPainful: Getting zapped to a lower floor destroys the highest-tier weapon and armor pieces, which is a death sentence on the final floors for practical purposes.

* ContinuingIsPainful: Getting zapped to a lower floor destroys the highest-tier weapon and armors, which is a death sentence on the final floors for practical purposes.

* ContinuingIsPainful: Getting zapped to a lower floor destroys the highest-level "Hyper" gear, which is a death sentence, for practical purposes.

* UnwinnableByDesign: Finally, after spending EleventyZillion quarters, you've reached the top of the tower and are ready to face Druaga in a climactic... Blue crystal rod? ''What'' blue crystal rod?!

* UnwinnableByDesign: Finally. after spending EleventyZillion quarters, you've reached the top of the tower and are ready to face Druaga in a climactic... Blue crystal rod? ''What'' blue crystal rod?!

* OneHitPointWonder

''The Tower of Druaga'' is a 1984 arcade game released by [[NamcoBandai Namco]], about a knight named Gilgamesh (or "Gil" for short) who has to climb a monster-infested tower in order to defeat the demon Druaga and rescue Princess Ki (pronounced "Kai"), a shrine maiden in service to the goddess Ishtar. It is infamous as the high-water mark of [[http://strategywiki.org/wiki/The_Tower_of_Druaga player-directed cruelty]] in videogames -- the acme of the old school style where videogames existed to challenge and defeat the player.

The game spawned an irregularly released series of games, known as the Babylonian Castle Saga:

In 2008, the game was adapted into an [[Anime/TheTowerOfDruaga anime series]], with its first season being titled ''Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk'' and the second season in 2009, with the new subtitle "Sword of Uruk".

! Tropes present in the game:

''YOU ZAP TO...''