Play Ninja, The (USA, Europe) Online

Game Overview

Okay, so Ninja, The is one of those Sega Master System games that somehow slipped under the radar—probably because it sounds like someone forgot to finish the title. But don’t let that fool you. Within five minutes, you’re sprinting through bamboo forests, slashing dudes with your sword, and chucking shurikens like they’re going out of style. The controls are surprisingly sharp for an 8-bit game, which is good because you’ll need every bit of precision when enemies start swarming from both sides.

It’s not exactly deep—no long cutscenes or dramatic backstory here—just pure, unfiltered ninja action. You jump between platforms, duck under arrows, and occasionally face off against a screen-filling boss who probably should’ve stayed in bed that day. The pixel art holds up, too, with these little details like flickering torches and enemies that actually flinch when you hit them. Not bad for a game that came out when neon sweatbands were still cool.

If you’ve got a soft spot for retro action games that don’t mess around, this one’s a solid pick. Just don’t expect mercy from the later levels.