Play Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword Online

Summary

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword turns the DS into a sideways arcade cabinet, with the map on the left screen and the action on the right (or swapped for left‑handed players). The world itself is pre‑rendered, while every character and enemy is rendered in full 3D, giving the game a pseudo‑3D feel that feels fresh on a handheld. All combat and movement are driven by the stylus: a tap fires a projectile, a press‑and‑hold makes Ryu dash, drawing a line across an enemy triggers a directional slash, and a quick upward swipe makes him jump. Ninpo spells are cast by tracing Sanskrit symbols that appear after tapping the magic icon, a clever tweak that replaces the original kanji to keep the system accessible to non‑Japanese players.

Even with a stripped‑down arsenal, Ryu still pulls off his signature Izuna Drop and can absorb essences from fallen foes to unleash powerful Ultimate Techniques by sliding the stylus back and forth. The control scheme earned a Best Use of Control Scheme award from GameSpot, and critics praised the crisp visuals and intuitive touch‑based combat. While most reviewers noted the adventure runs only six to seven hours and lacks the brutal difficulty of its console siblings, they also agreed it stands as one of the DS’s most polished action titles, even earning IGN’s nod as the best DS action game of 2008.

Storyline

Six months after the events of Ninja Gaiden, Ryu Hayabusa has rebuilt Hayabusa Village. When the young kunoichi Momiji is abducted by the Black Spider Ninja Clan on Obaba’s orders, the clan’s true aim is revealed: to obtain the Eye of the Dragon for the ancient fiend Ishtaros.

Ryu’s search leads him to the monastery in Tairon, where he battles hordes of Fiends and discovers a Dark Dragonstone—one of eight stones that together can unleash a power greater than the Dark Dragon Blade. Guided by the village swordsmith Muramasa, Ryu gathers the stones, defeats a transformed Obaba in the Black Spider hideout, and follows the stones to a portal that opens into the Underworld.

In the Underworld Ishtaros holds Momiji hostage and claims all eight stones, but the spirit of the late shrine maiden Kureha helps release the Eye of the Dragon, which fuses with the Dragon Sword to become the True Dragon Sword. Ryu slays Ishtaros, then faces Nicchae, who attempts to resurrect the Holy Vigoor Emperor. The Dark Dragon’s will destroys the Emperor’s form, a cocoon bursts, a Dark Dragon emerges, and Ryu defeats the beast. Momiji reappears unharmed; the pair return to Hayabusa Village, where Momiji visits Kureha’s grave and resumes her training.