Victory Road

SNK’s Victory Road, released in 1986, is a cooperative shooter where two players navigate side-scrolling environments as warriors on a quest. The game combines elements of shooting action with walking sequences, tasking players with clearing stages filled with enemies while advancing toward an unknown goal. Upon starting the game, players are greeted by a booming voice emanating from a large floating head that issues a challenge before disappearing and initiating gameplay. The experience is part of a series beginning with Ikari, followed by Victory Road, and continuing with Ikari III. Gameplay involves maneuvering through levels while shooting at various adversaries; when a player loses a life, an encouraging voice prompts them to “Come on, let’s fight!” before returning them to the action. The game was originally developed in Japan under the title "Dogosoken," and released for export with English dialogue. Victory Road has appeared on several home computers including Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Atari ST, as well as a Nintendo Famicom port titled Ikari Warriors 2 – Victory Road.