The Ninja

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TheNinja Title.png

TheNinja SMS JP Title.png

The Ninja
System(s): Sega Master System
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Action[1]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Master System
JP
¥5,0005,000 G-1308
Sega Master System
US
5066
Sega Master System
EU
MK-5066-50
Sega Master System
DE
41012
Sega Master System
UK
£19.9519.95[3][4] MK-5066-50
Sega Master System
SE
Sega Master System
AU
5066
Sega Master System
BR
023350
Sega Master System
KR
Sega Master System
TW
G-1308

The Ninja (忍者) is a Sega Master System run-and-gun game developed and published by Sega. A redesigned port of the 1985 Sega R&D 1 arcade title Ninja Princess, it was first released in Japan and Europe in November 1987, and was later brought to the United States the following month.

Story

The game is set during Japan's Edo period. The ninja Kazamaru must journey to Ohkami Castle to rescue the princess, who has been kidnapped by the tyrant Gyokuro.

Gameplay

Ninja SMS, Map.png

Ninja SMS, Scroll 1.png

Ninja SMS, Scroll 2.png

Map and hidden scrolls

The game is an overhead run-and-gun. The player controls the ninja Kazamaru, who is moved in any direction with the D-pad. Kazamaru throws shurikens at enemies in the direction that he is facing with 1. He throws shurikens forwards, regardless of which direction he is facing, with 2, which allows him to strafe targets. Shurikens can collide with enemy projectiles and neutralize each other. Kazamaru can disappear for a brief duration with 1+2, during which he is impervious to damage but also unable to attack. He can continue to move while disappeared, which makes the ability useful for repositioning or evading enemy fire.

The goal is to progress to the top of each stage, fighting or eluding enemies along the way. Enemies appear when Kazamaru reaches certain points of the stage but do not respawn once defeated (except on the last stage). A boss encounter awaits at the end of the stage. A few stages diverge from this and autoscroll sideways. With the exception of these autoscrolling stages, the player is free to backtrack with Kazamaru.

Kazamaru can find colored scrolls in the stages. Red Scrolls upgrade his weapon, and Blue Scrolls increase his movement speed. These effects persist to the next stage. There are also five Green Scrolls hidden throughout the game that must be collected to access the final stage. Once all five have been collected, the player is given a hint for a secret shortcut in the Castle Courtyard stage that skips to the last stage. This shortcut only works if the player has all of the Green Scrolls collected. If the player completes the penultimate stage without all of the Green Scrolls, the player is sent back to a stage with a missing scroll and must find the remaining scrolls and play back to the end of the game.

Kazamaru loses a life if he is hit by an enemy weapon. He loses his Red and Blue Scroll bonuses if he loses a life. The game ends if the player runs out of lives. The player is awarded an extra life at 30,000, 100,000, and 200,000 points. The player is given bonus points for accuracy (number of targets hit per shots fired) at the end of each stage. The piercing shots given by the Red Scrolls can greatly improve accuracy and can even be used to get an accuracy score of greater than 100%.

Items

Red and Blue Scrolls are occasionally dropped by defeated foes if their effects are not already active.

Ninja SMS, Items.png
Red Scroll
Upgrades Kazamaru's weapon to Pinwheel Darts, which are larger shurikens pierce through targets.
Ninja SMS, Items.png
Blue Scroll
Increases Kazamaru's movement speed.
Ninja SMS, Items.png
Green Scroll
Collect all five hidden Green Scrolls to unlock the last stage.

Stages

Ninja SMS, Stage 1.png

Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 1.png

  • Ninja SMS, Stage 1.png

  • Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 1.png

Grassy Field
The first Green Scroll is dropped by a ninja disguised as a rock.

Ninja SMS, Stage 2.png

Craggy Cliff

Ninja SMS, Stage 3.png

The Prairie

Ninja SMS, Stage 4.png

Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 2.png

  • Ninja SMS, Stage 4.png

  • Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 2.png

A Shrine
The second Green Scroll is found by attacking the left statue.

Ninja SMS, Stage 5.png

A River Bank

Ninja SMS, Stage 6.png

Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 3.png

  • Ninja SMS, Stage 6.png

  • Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 3.png

Town Street
The third Green Scroll is found by standing in front of a tree.

Ninja SMS, Stage 7.png

A Small Town

Ninja SMS, Stage 8.png

Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 4.png

  • Ninja SMS, Stage 8.png

  • Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 4.png

Residential Samurai Area
The fourth Green Scroll is found by standing in front of a tree.

Ninja SMS, Stage 9.png

Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 5.png

  • Ninja SMS, Stage 9.png

  • Ninja SMS, Hidden Scroll 5.png

A Stone Wall
The final Green Scroll is found at the top-right of the stage.

Ninja SMS, Stage 10.png

Inside Terrace
If the player has collected all five Green Scrolls, Kazamaru can skip to the last stage by approaching the third stone lantern from the right side, attacking it three times, and then disappearing three times.

Ninja SMS, Stage 11.png

Inside Ohkami Castle 1

Ninja SMS, Stage 12.png

Inside Ohkami Castle 2

Ninja SMS, Stage 13.png

Inside Ohkami Castle 3
The last stage can only be accessed if all five Green Scrolls have been collected. This is the only stage where enemies respawn after being defeated.

Versions

Though similar in design and overall gameplay, the Sega Master System version of Ninja Princess features a different soundtrack, re-arranged stage layouts, and most notably, a male protagonist.

Hints

Magazine articles

Main article: The Ninja/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Notavailable.svg
Print advert in Atuagagdliutit (GL) #1990-11-14 (1991-11-14)
Notavailable.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
79 №1, p25
Sega Master System
79
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
68
[5]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
78
[6]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
80
[7]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL
80
[8]
Console XS (UK) PAL
75
[9]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
80
[10]
Play Time (DE)
39
[11]
S: The Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
71
[12]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[13]
Sega Pro (UK)
75
[14]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
73
[15]
Software Gids (NL)
80
[16]
Tilt (FR)
60
[17]
Sega Master System
72
Based on
13 reviews

The Ninja

Master System, JP
TheNinja SMS JP Box Back.jpgNospine.pngNinja SMS JP cover.jpg
Cover
TheNinja SMS JP Cart.jpg
Cart
NinjaSMSJPManual.pdf
Manual
Master System, US (℠ variant)
Ninja SMS US Box SM.jpg
Cover
Master System, US (® variant)
Ninja SMS US cover.jpg
Cover
Ninja sms us cart.jpg
Cart
Ninja sms us manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, EU
Ninja SMS EU cover.jpg
Cover
TheNinja SMS EU Cart.jpg
Cart
NinjaSMSEuManual.pdf
Manual
Master System, EU (Sega®)
Ninja SMS EU R cover.jpg
Cover
NinjaSMSEuManual.pdf
Manual
Master System, EU ("No Limits")
Ninja SMS EU nolimits cover.jpg
Cover
NinjaSMSEuManual.pdf
Manual
Master System, UK
Ninja SMS EU nolimitsenglish cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, DE
Ninja SMS DE cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, BX
Ninja SMS BX Box.jpg
Cover
Master System, SE

NinjaSMSSEManual.jpg
Manual
Master System, AU (Hotline/NIAL stickers)
Ninja SMS AU hotline cover.jpg
Cover
Ninja SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, AU (NIAL sticker)
Ninja SMS AU nial cover.jpg
Cover
Ninja SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, AU (Classics)
Theninja sms au cover.jpg
Cover
Ninja SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, BR
Ninja SMS BR Box Alt.jpg
Cover
TheNinja SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, BR (newer)
NinjaSMSBRCover.jpg
Cover
TheNinja SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, KR
TheNinja SMS KR cover.jpg
Cover
TheNinja SMS KR cart top.jpg
TheNinja SMS KR cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, KR (Alt)
Ninja SMS KR cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, TW

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 66a15bd9
MD5 2c620ba64fcaac940b4b1566733037b3
SHA-1 76396a25902700e18adf6bc5c8668e2a8bdf03a9
128kB Cartridge (EU/US)
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 320313ec
MD5 41e20afe05c2fbe45ac5f3a9c8111047
SHA-1 e9acdae112a898f7db090fc0b8f1ce9b86637234
128kB Cartridge (JP)

References


The Ninja

TheNinja Title.png

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