Willow is a Capcom arcade game adapting the film to its public monitor for action-packed excitement with Willow making use of various forms of magic and Madmartigan fighting with a sword as both battle their way through Queen Bavmorda's forces and utilize a shopping system to spend coins for upgrades, health, information, and extra lives as they step closer to the lair of the evil queen herself and overpower her in order to save the baby from her clutches and prove that both men are among the bravest of their kind. Around the time of release was an NES game loosely adapting the film with it believed it originated as another project before it had the Willow license tacked on with it later adapted into a Japanese-only game book titled Willow: Defeat Nockmaar Castle! by Katsuyuki Ozaki with Futabasha as the book's publisher.
This Arcade game consists of the following tropes:
- Adaptational Badass: This game and the NES game make Willow much more adept with fighting, to take down bosses and monsters all on his own..
- Adaptational Modesty: Fin Raziel was unclothed in the film when reverted back to normal, but is fully dressed on reversion here.
- Breath Weapon: The giant Devil Dog can spew fire at Willow as one of its attacks.
- Canis Major: The first boss of the Arcade game is a Devil Dog scaled up (and given Fire Breath) by Bavmorda's magic.
- Charged Attack: After you purchase your spell/sword upgrades, you have to charge up a meter in order to use the stronger moves.
- Dies Differently in Adaptation: In the film, the Eborsisk died when Madmartigan's sword caused one of its heads to explode. In the arcade game, it continued to attack after one of its heads exploded until the other head blows up.
- Evil Overlooker: The villainous image of Queen Bavmorda appears behind the midwife in the opening as the latter is carrying the baby Elora Danan to safety.
- Final Boss: The climactic battle pits Willow against the evil Queen Bavmorda to determine the fate of the world.
- Inconsistent Coloring: Willow's hair can appear redder in more anime-styled art in-game while the anime-style art on the Japanese flyer depicts him with blonde hair.
- King Mook: Queen Bavmorda turns a Devil Dog gigantic and sics it on Willow as the first boss.
- Rotating Protagonist: Levels alternate having you play as Willow Ufgood and Madmartigan.
- RPG Elements: You collect money as you proceed through levels, and it can be spent in shops to upgrade the characters' attacks, extend the life bar, or block a particular number of attacks.
- Sword and Sorcerer: Willow can attack from a distance with his magic spells, while Madmartigan sticks to close-range combat with his sword.
- You Dirty Rat!: The giant Devil Dog bears a vague resemblance to a rat, including a rat-like tail and it can be a rather nasty customer when it is the first boss fought.