Nintama Rantarou

About

Nintama Rantarou is a side-scrolling platformer where you play as a bespectacled ninja-in-training or one of his pals. The game follows the trio as they navigate a ninja school full of obstacles, using wall jumps, projectile dodges, and stealth to survive. Early levels double as lessons in basic mechanics like climbing and hiding, while later stages throw increasingly chaotic challenges at you. Combat is minimal but functional, with simple button mashing and environmental traps handling most conflicts. The tone matches the anime’s mix of slapstick and action, though the controls can feel a bit floaty at times. What sets this apart is how it folds educational gameplay into its structure, each level feels like a test you’re constantly trying to pass. Though it’s largely forgotten outside Japan, it kicked off a franchise with five more Super Famicom entries and a dedicated cult following. The 95% completion rate on speedrun sites suggests its challenges are memorable, even if the platforming isn’t always precise. A relic of niche 90s anime gaming, but still a fun slice of retro weirdness.