Super Shinobi, The (Japan)

Getting started: You play as Joe Musashi, a ninja out to rescue your kidnapped fiancée and defeat the evil organization Neo Zeed. The first level drops you into a city street where you must move right, jumping over obstacles and slashing enemies with your sword or throwing shurikens at ranged foes. The core loop is simple: clear each stage by reaching the end while defeating ninjas, soldiers, and bosses. You have a magic meter that lets you unleash special attacks when full, such as a temporary invincibility screen wipe. The Japanese version features slightly different enemy sprites and level layouts compared to the overseas release, including a notorious Spider-Man boss later removed from Western versions. The menus are in Japanese, but the flow is straightforward: press Start to begin, then use the D-Pad for movement and X to jump, S to attack. Learning enemy patterns and using ninja magic at the right time is key to surviving later levels.