The Ninja Warriors

The Ninja Warriors (ニンジャウォーリアーズ) is a side-scrolling hack 'n slash action game originally released in 1988 for Arcades. The game was distributed both in dedicated cabinets, and as a conversion kit for Darius cabinets, utilizing the same three-screen monitor setup used by Darius.

It was ported to the PC Engine in 1989, in the same year in Europe to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 in 1990, and Mega CD in 1993. In 2006, it was distributed as a mobile phone application game to three mobile phone carriers, EZ appli, i-appli, and V appli. In 2008, it was distributed to mobile phone carriers in a form that was faithful to the arcade version. The PC Engine version was released on i-revo as software for Windows in 2006, and was released on the Wii Virtual Console in 2008. The Arcade version was released on Arcade Archives for PlayStation 4 in 2017 and Nintendo Switch in 2019.

In 1994 the game received a remake for the Super Nintendo titled The Ninja Warriors Again.

Gameplay
The Ninja Warriors is a two-player side-scrolling action game. Player one controls the Kunoichi, while player two controls the Ninja; both play exactly the same, though the Ninja has slightly more health than the Kunoichi. Players have no lives, instead each player has a health meter which depletes upon receiving damage, with the game being over once it reaches zero. The player characters can attack in close range with the first button and throw shurikens with the second button; jumping is done by pressing up, being used more as a defensive maneuver to dodge attacks since there is no platforming in the game.

By holding the attack button the characters assume a defensive stance, being able to block enemy attacks and projectiles. By pressing up while on the defensive stance the character will execute a somersault, being completely invincible for the duration of the maneuver. Shuriken come in limited numbers, but they can be replenished by defeating ninja-type enemies.

Story
1993 A.D. What was once a glorious, prosperous country now faced a major crisis. Ever since the evil dictator Banglar became the president with his evil magic, people got brainwashed into servitude, crime rate skyrocketed and society ended devastated. Meanwhile, in order to bring an end to all this chaos the revolutionary leader Mulk began development of high-tech androids with a ninja motif. The two completed machines had but one mission: kill Banglar.

Zuntata Prologue
The Sega Mega CD port of the game includes a special "Zuntata" mode which consists of a FMV cutscene explaining the game's backstory. The first scene shows Mulk discussing with his allies about the soon to be completed Ninja Warriors, which he plans to use to kill Banglar. The next scene shifts to a detective who is investigating a murder, following the evidences to a bar where the Zuntata band performs Daddy Mulk, which is where he learns about the resistance's plans.

Enemies

 * Army Knife
 * Army Machinegun
 * Army Launcher
 * Commander
 * Sniper
 * Ninja Dog
 * Tsuchigumo
 * Flame Ninja
 * Musasabi
 * Shadow Man
 * Bat
 * 3SVO