Ninja Gaiden (Game Gear)

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US/EU JP
Ninja Gaiden
System(s): Sega Game Gear
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Japan System House
Licensor: Tecmo
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code JP 1991-11-01 ¥3,5003,500 G-3215 US 1992 $39.9539.95 2312 EU 1991-11 2312 UK 1991-11 £24.9924.99 2312 BR 199x 013470

Ninja Gaiden (忍者外伝) is a 1991 side-scrolling action game published by Sega for the Game Gear. It is based on the series of the same name originally produced by Tecmo, this is an original creation by a different developer. Despite the "reprogrammed by Sega" line on the title screen, this game is not directly based on any previous Ninja Gaiden title.

While the Ninja Gaiden series was traditionally known as Ninja Ryuukenden (忍者龍剣伝) in Japan and Shadow Warriors in Europe, this game was released under the Ninja Gaiden name in all regions. A completely different game also called Ninja Gaiden was released for the Sega Master System around the same time.

Story

The Dragonsword is an ancient and magical blade that imbues its wielder with special powers. It has been passed down through the generations and is now in the possession of the ninja Ryu Hayabusa. One day, the sword is almost stolen, which sets Ryu on a journey to discover who is behind the attempted theft and what their motivations are.

Gameplay

The game is an side-scrolling action game. Ryu moves with and and crouches with . The screen follows him as he moves right through the level (called "acts"), but the screen does not move left, so the player cannot backtrack. Ryu can swipe his sword with and jump with . He can use his sword while running or jumping. He clings to walls when he jumps on them and can scale them with or descend them with .

Ryu can gain a special ability by picking up a Ninjutsu item. He can only hold one Ninjutsu item at a time; the current Ninjutsu item is shown as an icon in the top-center of the screen. Ryu uses his Ninjutsu ability with +, which also works in midair. Ninjutsu abilities cost a certain amount of Force each time they are used. The amount of Force varies depending on the ability. Ryu gains Force from finding items; his current amount of Force is shown as a number in the top-right of the screen. He can have a maximum of 99 Force units.

Ryu's vitality is shown as a gauge in the top-left of the screen. He has 16 health markers total. He loses health whenever he takes damage from an enemy. When he loses all of his health, he loses a life. Each act is timed, and Ryu also loses a life if time runs out. The game ends if Ryu loses all of his lives. Ryu starts each act with full health and no Ninjutsu item. Ryu has a very short period of invulnerability after taking damage, so it is possible to take multiple successive hits from a single foe if Ryu cannot move out of the damage.

As with the other games in the Ninja Gaiden series, the story unfolds through cutscenes in between each act.

Items

	Item Container
	Destroy to release an item. Collect the item by walking over it before it disappears.
	Blue Power Ball
	Increases Ryu's Force by 5 units.
	Red Power Ball
	Increases Ryu's Force by 10 units.
	Scroll
	Increases Ryu's Force by 30 units.
	Blue Pot of Herbs
	Heals Ryu by 4 health markers.
	Red Pot of Herbs
	Heals Ryu by 8 health markers.
	Shuriken
	Gives Ryu the Shuriken ability.
	Wave
	Gives Ryu the Wave ability.
	Enemy-Seeking Ring
	Gives Ryu the Enemy-Seeking Ring ability.
	Scatter Bomb
	Gives Ryu the Scatter Bomb ability.
	Circling Flame
	Causes flames to encircle Ryu for a duration. Flames defeat enemies that they touch and render Ryu invulnerable.
	1-Up
	Gives the player an extra life, up to a maximum of 9.

Ninjutsu Abilities

	Shuriken
	Ryu throws a shuriken horizontally for 2 Force units.
	Waves
	Ryu emits a wave that travels directly above him for 3 Force units.
	Enemy-Seeking Ring
	Ryu shoots a ring that seeks and destroys the nearest enemy for 5 Force units.
	Scatter Bomb
	Ryu fires a scattershot of three fireballs for 7 force units.

Acts

	Assault
	Ryu fights through the hills of Kyoto to find the leader of the attempted thieves, the Monk of the Red Tiger Cult.
	Smuggling
	The Monk tells Ryu that he was hired by a man named Totenkof, who can be found at Kobe Harbor. Ryu infiltrates the boat to battle Captain Totenkof.
	Skyscraper
	Ryu learns that Totenkof is dealing arms to a man named Mr. Tsin, so he travels to Mr. Tsin's office building in Hong Kong.
	Counterattack
	Ryu is captured and taken to India.
	Final
	The person who wants the Dragonsword reveals himself to be Shiragane, a demon capable of mind control who has been manipulating the nations of the world into a catastrophic final war.

Production credits

• Executive Producer: Pi
• Producer: Birdie
• Director: Monty
• Editor: Tenchin
• Chief Programmer: Ed.SRX GBC00462
• Assistant Programmer: Q.Py, Kumaisan
• Chief Designer: Wozl
• Assistant Designer: Auau
• Writer: P
• Screenplay: Paison
• Subtitles: Bobby
• Music Composition: Yama
• Sound Effects: At.At
• Performed by: Game Gear
• Special Makeup: Ampa
• Costume Design: Nova
• Computer Graphics: Croquette
• Optical Effects: Liar
• Matte Paintings: Potato
• Casting: Carrot
• Test Play: Yuta, Tomocya, Momonga, Megucya
• Special Thanks: Pentan, Kaba, Revo
• Presented by: Sega Enterprises

• Japanese cover artist: Jun Satoh

Source:

Sega TV Game Genga Gallery

File:Sega TV Game Genga Gallery.pdf

• Western cover artist: David McMacken

Source:

Uncredited

Magazine articles

Main article: Ninja Gaiden (Game Gear)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1991-10: "October 1991" (1991-09-07)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score ACE (UK) 80 Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 55 Console XS (UK) PAL 74 Computer & Video Games (UK) 89 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 68 Game Mania (UK) 84 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 72 Games-X (UK) 80 Génération 4 (FR) 91 Game Zone (UK) NTSC-J 74 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 60 Hobby Consolas (ES) 82 Joypad (FR) 89 Joystick (FR) 84 Mega Force (FR) PAL 85 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 86 Player One (FR) 80 Play Time (DE) 67 Power Play (DE) 68 Score (CZ) 40 Sega Power (UK) PAL 81 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 71 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 70 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 84 Sega Force (UK) PAL 71 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 45

	74
Based on 26 reviews

Ninja Gaiden (Game Gear)

Game Gear, JP
Cover
Cart

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, FR (Blister pack)
Cover

Game Gear, BR
Cover
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
?	CRC32 20ef017a MD5 51458678cbdc2405483b202786512afe SHA-1 acedddaa928a96085544440c2bec2685a6cdf501	128kB		Cartridge (JP)
?	CRC32 c578756b MD5 764388b8b5dc2e762fab9badd0eca6ba SHA-1 1a5c44e76a0e913d76f590affae3b2e24fbd0f59	128kB		Cartridge (US/EU)

References

Ninja Gaiden games for Sega systems
	Ninja Gaiden (1991)
	Ninja Gaiden (1992)
	Ninja Gaiden (unreleased)
	Ninja Gaiden (unreleased)