Ninja Combat

Ninja Combat is a side scrolling action game, which was developed from SNK in 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo-Geo MVS (arcade) and AES (home) systems. Being one of the earlier Neo-Geo games, it takes place in a modern setting, with newer technology. Among action side-scrolling games, it is lengendary for its high level of difficulty.

It was re-released through Nintendo's Virtual Console download service in Europe and Australia on October 26, 2007, and in North America on June, 2008. It also was included in SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1, released for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable in North America on May 1, 2008.

A ninja character from Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2, Pyokotasu, is a fan of the game. Her "blog" dedicated to the classic is here.

Story
The story follows ninjas Joe and Hayabusa, who are waging a battle against a evil ninja clan called the Kage Ichizoku. Make your way into their home fortress, Ninja Tower, which has risen in the center of the big city.

Gameplay
The journey takes the ninja heroes to many places, beginning from the amusement park to the Ninja Tower iteslf. Along the way, they must survive endless attacks from the members of Kage Ichizoku. Joe and Hayabusa uses shurikens as their primary weapon, although other weapons that aid them along the way are nunchakus, maces, ratchets, battle axes, spiked clubs, and katanas. A special somersault attack can be used to knock down a multiple enemies in a row. As an Art of Ninpo (kairou), a fire dragon can be summon to destroy all enemies on the screen.

Warriors can be rescued and became allies, such as Musashi, Kagerow and Gembu, and fight alongside Joe and Hayabusa against the Kage Ichizoku together.

The gameplay requires extremely skilled players to progress through the game, due to its high level of difficulty. Many players and reviews have shown disdain to the slow control response, and mostly the survival rate. The players lose lives if hit by weapon attacks of enemies. Many enemies tend to horde and surround players.