Gameplay
The first player controls a ninja dressed in blue, while the second player controls one dressed in orange. Like most beat-'em-ups, players proceed through stages by defeating enemies scattered through each area.
The controls consist of an eight-way joystick with a button installed on top and two additional action buttons for attacking and jumping. The button on top of the joystick allows the player character to grab onto any overhead bar or tightrope and hang from there. There are five primary techniques performed by pressing the joystick and buttons individually or in combination with each other. These consists of the "Triple Blow Combination" (3段連続攻撃), the "Flying Neck Throw" (首切り投げ), the "Hang Kick" (反動蹴り), the "Tightrope Walk" (綱渡り術), and the "Phoenix Backflip" (飛鳥返し), which becomes an attack if the player has a sword.
The player can destroy certain objects in the environment (such as telephone booths, signposts, dumpsters) by knocking or throwing enemies onto them. These will uncover hidden items that will award the player with bonus points, health recovery, time extensions and even an extra life. One particular item will temporarily arm the player with a sword that can be used up to ten times before reverting to his standard punches and kicks.
The first five stages are based on actual American cities and landmarks including Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas, North Carolina, the Grand Canyon, and a transcontinental railroad. The sixth and final stage is set inside the enemy's hideout. The recurring bosses include a sumo wrestler, a pair of wrestlers resembling the tag team Road Warriors known as the Daor Warriors (ドーロウォリアーズ), and a trio of claw-wielding masked acrobats known as the Men from Nanto (南斗の男たち). The final boss, Bladedamus, wields two swords and has a fire breath attack.[8]
