Ninja Gaiden (1991). Play Free Online

Summary

Ninja Gaiden for the Game Gear sneaks the franchise’s ninja‑action onto a handheld screen, delivering the series‑style platforming with a few quirky twists. Ryu Hayabusa’s jump feels like a low‑gravity “moon jump,” letting players float over gaps, while his sword swipe is faster and covers a noticeably wider arc than in the NES or Master System entries. The game also lets Ryu scale walls and edges, and he can swap between four secondary weapons as his "Force" – a spiritual strength gauge that maxes out at 99. Though the graphics are clean and the fast‑tempo music catchy, reviewers at the time were split: Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the addition to the portable library but complained about awkward visuals, while AllGame highlighted the reduced difficulty compared to its console cousins. By the summer of 1992 it was listed among the top ten best‑selling Game Gear titles, proving the portable Ninja Gaiden could still draw a crowd despite mixed critical opinions.

Storyline

In Ninja Gaiden for the Game Gear, Ryu Hayabusa races back to his village shrine after a sudden raid and confronts the attacker’s leader. The defeated leader confesses he was hired by a weapons smuggler named Totenkopf. Ryu infiltrates the smuggler’s boat, slays Totenkopf and learns that the cargo was being sold to a Hong Kong crime boss, Mr. Tsin. After a fierce battle Ryu defeats Mr. Tsin, but is captured and taken to India, where the true mastermind—Shiragane, a mind‑controlling demon—reveals his plan to use the Dragon Sword to spark World War III. Ryu finally overcomes Shiragane, destroying the demon’s scheme and ending the global threat.

Edited by Maya Carter