Play Little Ninja Brothers Online

Little Ninja Brothers came out on the NES in 1989, developed by Culture Brain. It was part of that wave of late 80s RPGs that tried to mix different genres together, standing out with its cooperative focus and some really oddball ideas.

You control one or two young ninjas, Jack and Ryu, exploring an overworld screen by screen. Your main goal is to defeat the warlord Malkil, which involves traveling between towns, talking to people for clues, and delving into dungeons for key items. The combat switches to a side-scrolling brawler where you punch and throw shurikens at enemies, and you can also enter separate athletic contests or strange minigames, like popping balloons on a track, to win special prizes. The pacing is brisk for an RPG of its time, though some of the later dungeons can get pretty tough. It feels like a cheerful, slightly unhinged adventure you're meant to share with a friend.