Surf Ninjas (1993). Play online

Summary

Surf Ninjas on the Game Gear drops you straight into the role of a ninja‑in‑training, skipping the movie’s prologue about two surfers discovering they’re heirs to a hidden kingdom. The game’s premise centers on Colonel Chi’s plot to seize the throne, sending waves of enemy ninjas after the brothers. Levels swing through places like the Palace restaurant, the Venice docks, and the tropical island of Patu San, each built as classic 2‑D side‑scrolling platform stages bristling with hazards and foes. Control is simple – one button jumps, the other combines with the D‑pad for punches, kicks, throws, aerial combos and a variety of weapon attacks such as shurikens, fireballs, a knife or a sword. An on‑screen options menu lets you track health, strength, reflex and fight stats, request hints from Adam’s Game Gear, call the powerful ninja Zatch, or spend collected coins on extra time, power‑ups, bonus lives or continues. Interestingly, Sega of America co‑financed the film and launched this Game Gear title in August 1993, making it the first movie‑tie‑in released before the motion picture hit theatres.

Storyline

Johnny and Adam are teenage surfers living in Los Angeles with their dad, Mac. Two weeks before Johnny turns 16, ninjas ambush them, but a masked warrior named Zatch intervenes and saves the boys, though Mac is later kidnapped. Adam discovers his Game Gear is echoing the real‑world attacks and realizes he can influence events through it.

Zatch reveals that Johnny and Adam are the lost sons of Patusan’s former king, overthrown by the tyrant Colonel Chi. He takes them to the East‑Asian “Little Patusan” district, where they meet the betrothed princess Ro‑May and learn of their royal destiny.

After another ninja raid, the group—joined by detective Lieutenant Spence—travels to Patusan, sees a burned village, frees political prisoners, and uncovers ancient royal weapons. Zatch trains Johnny, and the villagers fashion surfboards so the brothers can paddle past a reef to the island that houses Chi’s stronghold.

Landing on the island, Johnny and Zatch lead the assault, rescue Mac, and defeat Colonel Chi with Adam’s Game Gear assistance. Zatch is revealed as their uncle, and Johnny crowns himself warrior prince before dissolving the monarchy and establishing a democracy with Ro‑May as princess and Adam as prince.