The Legend of Kage

Released by Taito in 1985, The Legend of Kage is an action game in which the ninja Kage battles to rescue Princess Kiri from a demonic army. Players use an eight-way joystick to move and jump, utilizing a sword and shuriken to defeat enemies. The sword is essential not only for melee attacks but also for deflecting enemy shuriken; combined with shuriken that can be thrown in any direction via the joystick, this allows for a versatile range of actions. While the excellent soundtrack helps bring the game’s world to life, the title features the unique quirk of allowing players to control the protagonist during the demo screens in stages 1 and 4, as well as a technical limitation that results in no background music playing during the stage 1 demo mode.

Kage, a ninja training in the village of Iga, rises to rescue Princess Kiri, who has been abducted by the minions of the Demon King. Wielding his sword and shuriken, Kage fights his way toward the Demon King's castle, cutting down the enemies that close in on him. Players control Kage as he traverses stages such as the forest, the castle walls, and the interior of the Demon King's fortress to save the princess.