Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden is the ninja game that told its story like a film. Ryu Hayabusa’s father dies in a duel, and Ryu travels to America with his letter, where he is drawn into a battle against a cult and the demon it wants to wake. Between the acts, cinematic scenes move the story on. It is Tecmo’s 1988 NES game, famous for its speed and its difficulty, and it plays right here in your browser with no download.

How to play

1. Press Play under the title picture, then Start (Enter) on the title screen.
2. Run with the arrow keys, swing the Dragon Sword with Z and jump with X.
3. Jump into a wall to cling to it, then jump again to climb or leap away.
4. Slash the lanterns to find items: ninja arts such as the throwing star, the windmill star and the fire wheel, and spirit points to use them. Press up + Z to use the ninja art.
5. Watch the TIMER at the top: you lose a life when it runs out.

Controls

Computer: arrow keys move, Z swings the sword, X jumps, up + Z uses the ninja art, Enter is Start and pauses. Move the mouse over the game to show the bar with pause, restart, sound, save state, load state and full screen buttons.

Phone and tablet: the NES pad appears under the game: the cross, B (swings the sword), A (jumps) and Start.

A USB or Bluetooth gamepad also works.

Cheats

Press the magic wand button next to the full screen button above the game. A small panel opens over the game, and the game waits until you close it.

• Unlimited lives: you never run out of lives.
• Unlimited energy: your NINJA bar stays full.
• Infinite time: the timer stays at 150.

Reloading the page turns the cheats off again.

About Ninja Gaiden

Tecmo released Ninja Gaiden for the NES in December 1988 in Japan and in 1989 in North America. Its cut scenes were unusual for a home game of the time, and its birds, wall jumps and bosses gave it a reputation as one of the hardest games on the system.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ninja Gaiden free to play here?

Yes. You can play it free in your browser on Yes This Game, with no download and no sign-up.

Why is Ninja Gaiden so hard?

Enemies come back as soon as they leave the screen, and birds knock you into pits. The Unlimited lives and Unlimited energy cheats make it much friendlier.

How do I use the ninja arts?

Collect an art from a lantern, then press up and the attack button. Each use costs spirit points, shown next to the score.

Can I play it on my phone?

Yes. On a phone or tablet an on-screen pad appears under the game.

Can I save my progress?

Yes. The bar under the game has save state and load state buttons that keep the game in your browser on this device.