Ninjas are cool. Everything about them including their weapons, use of stealth and acrobatics, to their overall look, creates an exciting character that is perfect for all forms of media. Their depiction in TV shows, movies, and video games has made them one of the most appealing martial arts characters of all time.
It’s fair to say, there is a certain mystique about ninjas that people find exciting. There have been some awesome ninjas in video games over the years and this list will celebrate some of the most iconic which have been enjoyed by fans across the world.
13 Saboteur
Not to be mistaken with The Saboteur, the World War 2 open-world game released in 2009, Saboteur follows the adventures of a lone ninja who must infiltrate a building and steal a floppy disk before making his escape. Released in 1985, Saboteur featured incredible graphics for the time.
Interestingly, the loading screen for Saboteur was taken directly from the 1983 movie Revenge Of The Ninja starring Sho Kosugi. Saboteur and the sequel, Saboteur 2: Avenging Angel, can still be played today on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.
12 Armakuni - The Last Ninja
The Last Ninja is an isometric action game released across multiple platforms in 1987. There were two sequels released in 1988 and 1991. The story follows Armakuni who must avenge his clan who were wiped out by evil Shogun overlord Kunitoki.
Armakuni has several weapons at his disposal including a sword, nunchaku, and shuriken. The Last Ninja series enjoyed considerable success and sold millions of copies. It is still fondly remembered today by fans who played these games during their initial release.
11 Joe Musashi - Shinobi
Sega made some incredible games in the 80s and 90s. Seeing their iconic logo in the arcade was enough to tempt players to spend their hard-earned pocket money. One such title which combined Sega’s flair for making fun addictive games and ninjas was Shinobi released in 1987.
Shinobi introduced heroic protagonist Joe Musashi who went on to star in numerous Shinobi games including the much loved Sega Genesis title from 1989, The Revenge of Shinobi. Joe Musashi is also a playable character in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The debate has raged over the years about who is the best ninja turtle, so it would be unfair to single out one of them now. The one thing fans can agree on is the ninja turtles have appeared in some awesome games over the years. Their popularity shows no signs of waning, especially thanks to the recently released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder’s Revenge, and the forthcoming Cowabunga Collection.
Interestingly, the original cartoon show was renamed Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles in parts of Europe, including the UK. This was due to controversy about ninjas and their weapons. Michelangelo’s weapon of choice, the nunchaku was also removed from the cartoon and the big screen version movie released in 1990.
9 The Ninja Warriors
Side-scrolling beat 'em up The Ninja Warriors was unique for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the main characters are robots. The more they are damaged during battle, the more of their metallic skeleton is revealed. Not only did this look cool, but it also gave them an appearance that was reminiscent of the original Terminator movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The other unique aspect of the game is the arcade cabinet which featured three screens, giving it an impressive ultra-wide look that made it very enticing for players. The Ninja Warriors can still be played today on the Taito Milestones collection.
8 Kid Ying & Dr. Yang - Legend Of The Mystical Ninja
Konami made some excellent games for the Super Nintendo, and Legend of the Mystical Ninja is certainly one of the more interesting titles in their celebrated history. The game can be played with one or two players who control either Kid Ying or Dr. Yang.
With a plot centered around ghosts and a ninja cat, Legend of the Mystical Ninja was definitely not boring. A neat mixture of action and RPG kept players entertained, as well as the excellent graphics and music. There was a nice dash of humor in the script as well. One level featured several mini-games including the opening level of another Konami game, Gradius.
7 Rikimaru & Ayame - Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
Released in 1998, Tenchu: Stealth Assassins gave players the chance to play out their ninja fantasies in a 3D sandbox environment. Taking control of either Rikimaru or Ayame, players had the freedom to find and kill their target using a variety of weapons and accessories.
Gamers were rewarded for remaining undetected, as a stealth kill meant instant death for the enemy. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins was well received by fans and critics and was a huge success for Activision. A sequel would be released in 2000 called Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins.
6 Scorpion & Sub Zero - Mortal Kombat
There are many famous characters from the Mortal Kombat series, but Scorpion and Sub Zero are arguably two of the most iconic. Each character has its fans, and it’s difficult to choose who is the favorite. A lot of their appeal comes down to their moves and fatalities. Some players will say Scorpion's spear shot accompanied by his catchphrase “get over here” makes him the best ninja.
Scorpion's fatality in the original Mortal Kombat was also relatively easy to execute, but not necessarily as satisfying as Sub Zero ripping off his opponent's head with their spine still attached. Either way, their appeal has remained to this day, and they are a reason why Mortal Kombat is as popular now as when it was first released in 1992.
5 Strider Hiryu - Strider
On the face of it, protagonist Strider Hiryu from the 1989 Capcom arcade game Strider doesn’t have the traditional look normally associated with ninjas. He doesn’t cover his face or wear black clothing, but he does possess excellent acrobatic skills which are put to the test against a variety of enemies.
Strider received many plaudits upon its original release with critics and fans being particularly impressed with the excellent graphics. Strider was rebooted in 2014 and received praise for its updated visuals and added exploration, which took inspiration from Shadow Complex.
4 Kage-Maru - Virtua Fighter
Yu Suzuki was responsible for making some incredible games for Sega during the height of their popularity. Games Like Outrun and Afterburner cemented their place as kings of the arcade. Always pushing boundaries, Suzuki and the AM2 Team made what many consider to be the first polygon-based fighting game with Virtua Fighter.
Virtua Fighter features many interesting characters to select and Kage-Maru is no exception. He has the traditional iconic look of a ninja and brings all of his skills and techniques to the tournament.
3 Ryu Hayabusa - Ninja Gaiden
Ryu Hayabusa is one of the ninjas in this list who has stood the test of time and appeared in many video games over the years. Starting life in 1988 in a side-scrolling beat-'em-up Ninja Gaiden (also known as Shadow Warriors in Europe), Ryu would gain more prominence in the violent and bloody Ninja Gaiden games released in 2004.
Hayabusa has also appeared as a playable character in the fighting game series Dead or Alive. Kane Kosugi (son of Sho Kosugi) played Ryu Hayabusa in the 2006 DOA: Dead or Alive movie.
2 Wolf - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Japanese company FromSoftware is one of the top developers in the video game industry! They have hardly put a foot wrong and have gained legions of fans since the release of Demon’s Souls in 2009. Their legendary status has been cemented with the phenomenally successful Elden Ring.
In 2019, they took their tried and tested formula into the world of Japanese history full of samurai and ninjas with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The player takes control of Wolf who must exact revenge on the enemies who wounded him and kidnapped his lord. The game takes inspiration from the Tenchu series where stealth plays a large part of the gameplay.
1 Jin Sakai - Ghost Of Tsushima
Although Ghost of Tsushima protagonist Jin Sakai is primarily a samurai at the start of the game, he soon discovers he must use the ninja arts to fight against the Mongol invaders. Stealth and distraction become a huge part of the game as Jin and his small band of allies faces overwhelming odds.
Ghost of Tsushima is an extraordinarily beautiful game featuring some of the most state-of-the-art graphics on the PS4 and PS5. These visuals were put to good use allowing Jin to hide in realistic-looking grass as he stalked his enemies.