Play Nintama Rantarou Special (Japan) Online

Game Overview

Oh man, Nintama Rantarou Special takes me back. It's one of those SNES games that somehow flew under the radar outside Japan, which is a shame because it's got this weird, goofy energy I've never seen in another platformer. You play as these tiny ninja trainees—like, kindergarten-age ninjas—bouncing around dojos and forests, collecting scrolls while avoiding ridiculous traps.

The first thing you'll notice is how alive everything feels. Teachers chase you with brooms, classmates get stuck in silly situations, and there's always some visual gag happening in the background. Controls are simple (run, jump, throw shuriken), but some stages have these sneaky puzzle-like elements where you need to trigger switches or find hidden paths. And that soundtrack? Pure 16-bit cheerfulness that gets stuck in your head for days.

It's not brutally hard, but some later levels will make you retry a few times—especially when you're dodging falling buckets or outrunning grumpy instructors. If you dig retro games with personality (or just love the anime), this one's a total delight. I still fire it up when I need a dose of silly nostalgia.