This is actually not only one of the best Master System Titles that trumps it's NES ports, It's actually one of the most interesting and impressive titles for this whole generation and genre of fighting games... I went back to this for some reason to see the whole thing and i really couldn't believe how much game they managed to shoebox into this cart.

This version over it's NES port has many enhanced features such as better music, sound, graphics, a better color palette, really cool cut scenes/story, and really clever puzzles befitting for a ninja! 🐱‍👤

A beautiful bamboo forest greets a young apprentice seeking to master their 8-bit combat skill with lush green platform pixelated perfection

I gave up on the NES version kinda early, but this version is incredible. You have the moist sadistic and complex traps and jumping puzzles, timed jumps/sequential moves. and lots of stuff that is just beyond that of ordinary humans. It's a fun challenge to play through with rewind and save states to get through, and i enjoyed imagining how many Japanese kids probably really did feel like ninjas when they beat this first level.

Environments and enemies are varied, some look like hired hitmen in suits with pistols, others are uzi wielding soldiers, and of course, there are ninjas, lots of them.enter image description here

A challenging component of this is the timer. You must not only get through the level but climb up it in ways that almost feel like you are hacking it, and do it with enough time to defeat the boss in a boss battle, which is really hard.

Golem or Ninja. Who is the ultimate Master of the Dark Art of fighting and magic?

I really recommend people look at this one. It's both a testament to the time of games in which they were made, sega, genres, and heck maybe even Japan as these games were as violent and difficult as this as they pushed players to the brink of insanity to become Ninja Warriors. This feels like a fundamental game in many ways, in its design, approach, challenge, and maybe even statement to the power of Japanese mind mastery and control, lol.

ARE YOU NINJA?