Boss Battles

Ninja Gaiden® is one of those games that embodies the phrase “state of the art.” The graphics, third-person camera, and intense gameplay are among the best there is. You wouldn’t want to waste all this technological oomph on a game that didn’t test your player’s skills, so don’t be surprised when the enemies inNinja Gaiden slap you around the first few times. Even the grunts in this game are hard, and the bosses are even tougher. Fortunately, we’ve had some time to figure out how to whittle them down to size.

The match begins.

“I See You Made It This Far.”
After you battle your way through the ninjas and bats in the first level, you will reach the Inner Sanctum. There, a huge, brawny, long-haired bruiser is waiting for you with a pair of nunchaku—and he knows how to use them. His skills are uniformly strong … that is, he has no significant weakness to exploit. He’s fast, powerful, and can block almost everything you dish out. Don’t even bother to use your ranged weapons (shiruken or bow) because he will block the projectile and then send it back at you to do damage. Between his offense, defense, and life bar (which goes all the way across the screen), you’ve got your work cut out for you.

The secret is to stay out of his reach and attack from above: the walls or the ceiling. Never go toe-to-toe with this guy—he’ll eat you alive. Use the open space to put distance between you, and then turn to attack after he swings and misses. Ryu needs to think and fight defensively as well as offensively if he wants to survive such overwhelming odds. It will take time and patience, but this is one of the most important lessons of the game.

Whoa!

Mount Up and Kill That Ninja
Around the back of the Hyabusa village, you will be jumped by three guys on horseback (two come out initially, and the third comes later). These are expert soldiers, skilled in using of a long spear and directing their steeds to trample their enemies. It’s a tight space, and their spears have a huge reach advantage, so once again, you must fight smart. Never get in front of a charging horse, and if you follow, don’t get too close, or the rider will swing around and skewer you when he turns the steed. To score hits, strike from the side, the rear, or above as the horses ride by. Eventually, you will separate the rider from the horse, and the man is much easier to deal with alone. If you’re good with the bow, use it to whittle down the enemy until you can finish him off on foot. Otherwise, work to stay out of their way. Learn their attack patterns, and then, nail them as they thunder past you.

Horror on horseback.

The Bridge
Here’s another mounted warrior … only this one is bigger and stronger, and his horse has fangs. He’s accompanied by a spellcasting warrior, who will hang back and take pot shots at you while the boss rides in to get up close and personal. Here’s where you want to exploit your charged strike. Hold down the Y button until your sword starts to glow, and then release for an explosive charge forward. Keep doing this to the horseman, as you avoid his spear and his horse’s hooves, and eventually you will take him down.

Of course, you can’t do this properly with his sidekick shooting at you, so go straight for the flunky when the fight starts. The spellcaster has a sword of his own, so he’s not a pushover. But, you can take him, if you’re quick. A second spellcaster will jump out to replace the first, and you’ll have to deal with him, too, before turning your full attention on the horseman. These flunkies give you an extra dose of health after they die, so killing them has multiple rewards.

These hints should get you going on your Ninja Gaidenadventure, but rest assured: This game is challenging and addictive enough to keep you coming back until you find your own best ways to win the day.

By Luke Judge