Ninja Gaiden (NES)

Ninja Gaiden (NINJA外伝), known in Japan as Ninja Ryūkenden (忍者龍剣伝) and as Shadow Warriors in Europe, is a side-scrolling platforming video game developed and published by Tecmo for the NES. It was released on December 9, 1988 in Japan, March 1989 in North America, and August 15, 1991 in Europe. The game was developed and released alongside the beat 'em up arcade version of the same name.

Ninja Gaiden has been renowned for its elaborate story and usage of anime-like cinematic cutscenes. The game's success spawned two sequels, and it was ported to other video game systems, including the PC Engine, the SNES (as part of the Ninja Gaiden Trilogy compilation), the Wii Virtual Console, and mobile phones. It received extensive coverage in Nintendo Power magazine, and it was novelized as part of the Worlds of Power NES game adaptations written by Seth Godin and Peter Lerangis. It has been considered one of the best arcade-style games on the NES as well as the best ninja-related game on the system.

The story follows a ninja named Ryu Hayabusa, as he journeys to America to seek revenge for the death of his father. He then finds himself involved in a sinister plot that threatens the entire world. Featuring platforming gameplay similar to Castlevania, players control Ryu through six levels called "Acts" and find out the mysteries behind his father's death. Players encounter enemies that must be dispatched with Ryu's katana and other secondary weapons.