Play Ninja Crusaders Online

Ninja Crusaders came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, developed by NMK. It was one of those side-scrolling action games that felt right at home on the NES, a platform filled with experiments in ninja and monster themes. You don't hear about it as much as some other titles from that era, but it had its own particular charm.

You control one of two ninjas fighting to reclaim Earth from an alien invasion. The main goal is to battle through each stage, defeating monsters and bosses screen by screen. Your character can use a basic sword attack, but the real hook is collecting power-ups that transform you into different animals, like a tiger that claws or an eagle that flies and shoots projectiles. The pacing is fast, and the difficulty can spike unexpectedly in later levels. It feels like a straightforward, sometimes messy brawl where quick reflexes matter more than intricate strategy.