DESCRIPTION

The third and final Ninja Gaiden game on NES finds hero Ryu Hayabusa framed for the murder of his friend and confidant, CIA agent Irene Lew. Ryu sets out to investigate Lew's last whereabouts, which leads him to a mysterious factory hidden within a cliff. Inside are numerous enemies, traps, and dangers, requiring Ryu to stay alert at all times. Structured similarly to the two previous Ninja Gaiden titles, Ancient Ship of Doom involves precise jumping, rhythmic wall climbing, and judicious use of magic called Ninjitsu to survive an assortment of deadly encounters across the game's seven acts. Ryu's standard attack once again consists of slashing with his Dragon Sword, which for the first time can be upgraded, but use of magic first requires collecting orange and blue "Ninpo" icons. Slashing at various orbs found throughout each level will reveal one of five possible Ninjitsu attacks, but only one can be active at any given time. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide