The Legend of Kage/Gameplay

Controls

 * Joystick: Use the joystick to direct Kage in one of 8 directions. Kage can run to the left or to the right.  He can jump straight up by pushing up, or he can jump in either diagonal direction.  Kage can squat or drop to a level beneath him by pushing any down direction.  Kage can also climb up or down many trees or columns.  While jumping through the air, use the joystick to direct the path of the throwing stars that Kage uses.
 * Sword button: Press the sword button to make Kage swing his sword. This is a very close range attack, but it is almost guaranteed to cut through any enemy's defense.  It can also be used to deflect enemy sword and throwing star attacks.
 * Star Knives button: Press the throwing star button to throw a shuriken in any direction. If you do not hold the joystick when pressing this button, you will throw one in the current direction you are facing.  You can change the direction of your throw with the joystick.  You may only throw two shurikens on the screen at one time.
 * 1-2 Players: Press either button to begin a one or two-player game.

Kage
You are in control of Kage, a ninja from the Iga clan. Kage is an exceptional example of his clan, having mastered many of his clan's ninja skills at an early age. He has been given a special assignment to watch over and protect Princess Kiri. One day while looking for her, he heard her scream. From the treetops, he could see her running through the woods until she was overtaken by an invading clan's ninjas. He then dropped to the ground to begin his pursuit. Kage is lightning quick with both his sword and this throwing stars. He can jump extremely high, and even land in tree branches, from which he can spring off, all the while protecting himself and attacking the enemy with his weapons. Kage can bump into, or run through any of his enemies. He is only in danger when they are swinging their swords to attack, throwing a shuriken at him, or blowing flame in his direction.

Princess Kiri
Princess Kiri is the daughter of the region's lord. The lord has allowed the Iga ninja clan to dwell within his lands in return for their protection from invaders. When the land is overrun, and the princess if captured, it is up to Kage to fulfill his clan's promise to the lord. Princess Kiri is captured and held for ransom in order to steal power from the lord and take over the land. Even if the princess is rescued, the forces have a back-up plan, and are prepared to deal with anyone who would dare interfere with their conquest.

Yukinosuke Kiri
Yukinosuke appears to be related to the princess in some fashion. However, his motivation for turning against his own family is unknown. Perhaps the warlord Yukigusa has promised him control over a portion of the land in return for his services. Yukinosuke is a ninja, and quite a deadly one, with the ability to wield two knives in close combat. In the arcade, he is the boss of every odd level. In the NES, he is the boss of every second of three levels.

Yoshirou Yukigusa
This once noble Samurai lost his way, and his purpose, and has become an evil warlord. With no lord to serve, he has decided to become his own lord, and he is beginning to collect land to rule, one region at a time. He has started with Lord Kiri's region, and he devised a plan with the help of Yukinosuke, who knew how to get close to the Lord's family without suspicion. Now he needs to eliminate the one remaining threat to his plan: Kage. In the arcade, he is the boss of every even level. In the NES, he is the boss of every third of three levels.

Ninjas
The rogue band of ninjas that kidnapped the princess has allied themselves with Yukigusa because of his promise to help them wipe out their rivals, the Iga ninja clan. They are dressed head to toe in stealth ninja gear and carry katanas as well as a supply of shuriken. Their instruction: kill anyone who tried to interfere. These ninjas can jump as well as Kage can, and they can throw shuriken without warning. However, their sword swing is quite slow and easy to escape. Ninjas clothed in red are slightly faster than their blue brethren, and they also carry a supply of smoke bombs that are difficult to avoid.

Monks
In addition the ninjas, Yukigusa has also blackmailed a local group of monks to aid him in his conquest. They don't attack in the same numbers as the ninjas, but they have mastered several mystical arts that enable them to breathe fire. Four monks patrol the forest where the princess was captured. The leader dresses in red, and will only appear once the other three monks, dressed in blue, have been defeated. Monks of both varieties are common inside of the castle where the princess is being held captive. In the arcade, the monks blow fire breath which expand and contract, while on the NES, the monks blow a short burst of flame out as a projectile.

Black Ninja
There is only one black ninja in the entire sequence of stages per level. He will appear halfway up the wall on the way to the castle. If you find and kill the single black ninja, he will leave a scroll behind, which you may pick up and begin to kill all of the red ninjas that appear to attack you for a short period of time.

Butterfly
The butterfly appears during the boss battles of both the arcade and NES versions of the game. In the arcade, the butterfly is actually inconsequential. However, in the NES version, Kage will be unable to harm any of the bosses that he fights unless he defeats the butterfly first. It takes five hits to defeat the butterfly, and it will change color with every hit. Once the butterfly drops to the floor, you may attack the level boss with some chance of harming him.

White Monks
The twin white monks are an exclusive additional third boss to the NES version. They will appear as the first boss of every three levels. Of course, in order to defeat either one of them, you must destroy the butterfly first. Once you do, you can take each one out in any fashion you please. They may appear different from the other monks, but they have the same abilities as all of the other monks you will ever encounter. Attack carefully, and be sure to avoid their flame projectiles.

Scroll
You can obtain a scroll towards the end of the forest level. When you grab one, as soon as you land, you will begin to chant the incantation on the scroll. As you do, every ninja within earshot will instantly drop dead upon hearing the words on the scroll. Eventually, Kage will finish reading the scroll, and must continue on in normal fashion. The scroll essentially gives you a brief rest, while increasing your score quite a bit.

Orb
Every time you kill a ninja or monk, there is a small random chance that an orb will appear over their head. These orbs are particularly useful to Kage. When you collect one orb, your red outfit will turn green. Your shuriken will also enlarge, and they will continue to fly forward, even after striking a ninja. If you are hit while your outfit is green, your outfit will return to its original red color, and your shuriken will return to normal, but you will still live. If you manage to collect two orbs, your outfit will turn from green to yellow, and your speed will increase significantly. If you are hit in this condition, you will also revert to your red outfit immediately. Collecting at least one will ensure a greater chance of survival.

Gray Bonus
In the forest stage, if you kill three red ninjas within a particular area, a gray or red bonus face will appear and walk across the top of the screen. If you collect the gray face, you will be awarded 10,000 points. In order to make these bonuses appear, you must not stray too far from a given region of the forest (approximately two screen lengths). If you do, the three red ninja count will reset.

Red Bonus
As with the gray bonus, if you kill three red ninjas in a single region of the forest, a red bonus face may appear instead of a gray one. If you collect the red bonus, one of two bonuses will be applied. You will either gain the ability to throw 8 shuriken at once in different directions, or a mirror image will appear alongside you, and you will be invincible against all attacks. This effect will wear off after a number of seconds. The eight shuriken will shrink in size, and the mirror images will get closer together. If you collect more red bonuses, not only will you reset the timer on the bonus, you may gain both bonuses at the same time.

Blue Bonus
In the underground tunnel stage, slash seven blue ninjas exclusively with your sword. If you do, a blue bonus face will appear and walk across the air, which you can collect for an extra life.