Ninja Gaiden is a side-scrolling action-platformer developed and published by Tecmo for the NES, the first console entry in the series. Ryu Hayabusa travels to America to avenge his father, wielding the Dragon Sword and ninpo magic across six action-packed acts. It was among the first console games to use cinematic cutscenes (“Tecmo Theater”) to tell its story, and is known for its difficulty.
How To Play Ninja Gaiden
Control
Action
D-Pad
Move, crouch, climb ladders and walls
A Button
Jump (and wall-cling to scale surfaces)
B Button
Attack with the Dragon Sword; hold Up + B to use ninpo (ninja magic)
Start
Pause
About Ninja Gaiden
Release date
Famicom (JP): December 9, 1988 · NES (NA): March 1989 · NES (EU): August 15, 1991
Developer
Tecmo
Publisher
Tecmo
Platform
NES / Famicom; also PC, Lynx, SNES (Ninja Gaiden Trilogy)
Genre
Action-platformer
Series
Ninja Gaiden (first NES entry)
Modes
Single-player
Also known as
忍者龍剣伝 (Ninja Ryūkenden) — Japan · Shadow Warriors — Europe
Sheldon has spent over a decade immersed in retro gaming, from NES classics to arcade gems. He's deeply passionate about preserving gaming history and helping others rediscover these timeless titles. When he's not gaming, Shaun writes about the evolution of video games and their cultural impact.
