The Ninja Warriors

Game Details:

The Ninja Warriors was officially released to the arcade market by Taito in 1987. The game is set in a fictional future under the oppressive rule of the dictator Banglar. Revolutionary scientists secretly developed two killer androids—the male "Ninja" and the female "Kunoichi"—who appear human but are sophisticated machines internally, and sent them to the enemy's headquarters on an assassination mission. The game's primary technical highlight was its ultra-wide arcade cabinet featuring three connected CRT monitors. Combined with a high-caliber rock soundtrack, it delivered unprecedented audiovisual impact and a grand sense of battlefield immersion for its time.

Game Guide:

The core gameplay centers on hardcore horizontal movement, defense, and rhythm control. The game features two characters: the blue 1P male Ninja, who possesses great power and wide hitboxes but slow movement; and the red 2P female Kunoichi, who is agile but has slightly lower defense. Both characters' primary weapons are daggers for melee and a limited supply of shurikens for ranged attacks.

Walkthrough Tips:

Since the game lacks vertical (Y-axis) movement, you must master the blocking mechanic—holding the attack button while moving backward—to survive waves of bullets and enemies. Blocking can negate most frontal projectiles. To handle airborne flamethrower units, time your "Jump Slash" to take them down. Stages 4 and 5 feature numerous cloaked assassins and mechanical hounds; it is recommended to save your shurikens for ranged attrition during these sections. When facing the final boss, Banglar, his actual body has no combat capability, but his elite guards are extremely aggressive. Avoid charging blindly; instead, use the invincibility frames triggered after being hit to push forward, eventually cornering him for a combo to finish the game.