# Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom (NES) Introduction ## Overview *Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom*, released in June 1991 in Japan as *Ninja Ryukenden III: Yomi no Hakobune* and August 1991 in North America by Tecmo, is the third 2D action-platformer in the *Ninja Gaiden* series. Ryu Hayabusa is framed for the murder of his ally Irene Lew and battles the Bio-Noid army led by Clancy, who seeks to unleash a super-dimensional lifeform from an ancient fortress. Known for cinematic cutscenes, new mechanics like ceiling-climbing, and high difficulty (harder than *Ninja Gaiden II* due to limited continues in the U.S. version), it was praised for polish (*Nintendo Power*: 4.3/5) but criticized for punishing challenge. ## Why Play Ninja Gaiden III? *Ninja Gaiden III* delivers relentless NES action across seven acts with 17 levels. Players control Ryu Hayabusa, slashing with the Dragon Sword (B), throwing shuriken (Up+B), and using Ninja Arts like Fire Wheel or Vacuum Sword (A+B with power-ups) against enemies like Bio-Noids and robotic beasts. New ceiling-climbing and sliding mechanics enhance navigation through jungles, caves, and fortresses. The game spans 2-4 hours, with stages lasting 3-5 minutes. Its crisp 8-bit visuals and intense soundtrack appeal to *Ninja Gaiden II* and *Spider-Man: Battle for New York* fans, distinct from *Dragon Warrior Monsters*’ RPG or *Captain Tsubasa V*’s sports RPG. ## Key Features - Slash through seven acts in a 2-4 hour adventure - 2D platformer with ceiling-climbing and Ninja Arts - Battle Clancy’s Bio-Noids and fortress bosses - Use Vacuum Sword, Invincible Fire Wheel, and more - Cinematic cutscenes and gripping 8-bit soundtrack - Authentic NES challenge on our retro ROM platform ## Key Differences: NES vs. Other Versions - **NES (1991/1993)**: 2D platformer, ceiling-climbing, limited continues (U.S.). - **Compared to Ninja Gaiden II (1990, NES)**: *Ninja Gaiden III* adds ceiling-climbing, higher difficulty; *II* has Shadow Clones. - **Compared to Ninja Gaiden (1988, Arcade)**: NES is story-driven platformer; Arcade is a beat ‘em up. - **Compared to Spider-Man: Battle for New York (2006, GBA)**: *Ninja Gaiden III* is 8-bit, ninja-themed; *Spider-Man* is superhero, 16-bit. - **Compared to Dragon Warrior Monsters (1998, GBC)**: Action vs. monster-collecting RPG. - **Compared to Super Robot Taien Compact 3 (2003, WonderSwan)**: Platformer vs. tactical RPG. - **Compared to Need for Speed: Underground 2 (2004)**: Action vs. racing. - **Compared to Captain Tsubasa V (1994, SNES)**: Ninja vs. soccer RPG. - **Re-releases**: SNES (*Ninja Gaiden Trilogy*, 1995), Wii Virtual Console, Switch Online. ## Play Ninja Gaiden III Online Play *Ninja Gaiden III* (1991, NES) instantly on Classic Joy Games with NES emulators. Also available on retro gaming platforms with 4.4/5 ratings from 40 votes. Physical copies cost $20-$60 (cart) or $70-$150 (CIB). Use Nestopia or RetroArch. Strategy: Use ceiling-climbing to avoid traps; save Vacuum Sword for Clancy. Cheat: At pause screen, press Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B, A, B for full power-ups. Note: Some emulators may flicker during fortress stage transitions. Join Classic Joy Games and save Irene now!