Little Ninja Brothers (USA)

Little Ninja Brothers is a unique role-playing game (RPG) on the NES that combines traditional adventure elements with intense action segments. Players control two ninja brothers, Ryu and Hayate (or Jack and Ryu depending on the version), on a quest to rescue the princess and defeat the evil forces of the Dragon God.

Most of the gameplay takes place on a vast, top-down world map, similar to classic RPGs of the era. Players navigate between towns, villages, caves, and dungeons. During exploration, you'll encounter various NPC characters to gather information, purchase items and equipment, and receive quests.

Upon encountering enemies on the world map, the game transitions into a turn-based combat mode. This battle system is quite similar to the Dragon Quest series, where players select commands such as Attack, Magic, Use Item, or Run for each character. Each ninja brother possesses unique skills and spells, and coordinating between them is key to overcoming challenging battles. Victory yields experience points and gold, allowing characters to level up, enhance their stats, and learn new magic.

A distinctive feature of Little Ninja Brothers is the interspersing of RPG segments with side-scrolling action stages. When players enter certain areas or face specific types of enemies, the game shifts to a side-view, transforming into a beat 'em up or platformer action game. In these segments, you directly control your ninja, using physical attacks and spells to defeat enemies and overcome obstacles. This combination provides significant variety to the gameplay, preventing the monotony often found in traditional RPGs.

The ultimate goal of the game is to develop the strength of the two ninja brothers, uncover the world's secrets, and ultimately confront the Dragon God to restore peace to the kingdom.