Kid Niki: Radical Ninja is Irem’s 1986 side-scrolling arcade brawler, released outside Japan by Data East (in Japan it’s Kaiketsu Yanchamaru). You play a spiky-haired ninja on a mission to rescue a kidnapped princess from the Stone Wizard, fighting through eight stages of enemies and obstacles with a spinning sword.
How to Play
Run, duck, and climb your way through each stage, cutting down enemies with your sword and timing jumps over pits and hazards. Kid Niki can change direction in mid-air, which is key for dodging thrown weapons while still closing in on enemies.
Controls: Arrow keys to move, duck, and climb ladders — Z to spin your sword, X to jump, Shift to insert a coin, and Enter to start.
Tips
- Keep the sword spinning by tapping the attack button repeatedly rather than swinging once and waiting — it clears a path through groups of enemies much faster.
- Use mid-air direction changes on your jumps to dodge projectiles while still landing on top of an enemy.
- Duck under high attacks instead of trying to outrun them; several enemies throw weapons at head height that a standing ninja can’t avoid.
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