Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Last Ninja 3 builds upon the classic mix of hand-to-hand combat and weapon-based fighting that fans have come to love. You’ll face off against a variety of foes—samurai warriors, monstrous yokai and cloaked assassins—using kicks, punches, nunchaku, swords and shuriken. The control scheme strikes a balance between accessibility and depth: basic attacks chain fluidly, while advanced techniques reward careful timing and weapon mastery.

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Beyond pure combat, puzzles play a central role in Last Ninja 3. As Armakuni navigates the ruined temples of Tibet, you’ll collect and combine objects—keys, talismans, mystical scrolls—to unlock new paths. Some puzzles are environmental, involving pressure plates and hidden switches, while others require you to employ specific weapons or items in creative ways. This blend of brain and brawn keeps each level feeling fresh.

One of the biggest additions in this installment is the Bushido system. To earn Bushido points, you must engage enemies honorably—fighting them with the same weapon they wield, refusing to flee, and relying on hand-to-hand combat whenever possible. Accumulating Bushido is essential to open elemental gates and complete each level, adding an extra layer of strategy. You’ll constantly weigh risk and reward: is it worth trading a safer bow shot for a riskier sword duel to preserve your Bushido?

The level design itself is inspired by the elements—Earth, Water, Wind, Fire and Void—and each stage introduces unique mechanics tied to its theme. Earth levels emphasize heavy obstacles and shifting platforms; Water stages feature submerged passages and timed currents; Wind sequences play with floating debris and gusty traps; Fire brings quick-moving hazards and heat-sensitive switches; Void tests your reflexes with disappearing floors and illusions. This elemental progression gives the gameplay a natural sense of escalation and variety.

Graphics

Visually, Last Ninja 3 is a showcase of late-generation 16-bit artistry. The temples of Tibet are rendered with richly detailed backgrounds: crumbling stone archways, ornate carvings of Buddhist deities and distant mountain vistas under a crimson sky. Each element-themed level uses a distinct palette—mossy greens and browns for Earth, cool blues for Water, pale whites and grays for Wind, fiery reds and oranges for Fire, and eerie purples for Void.

Sprite animations are impressively smooth for a side-scrolling action title. Armakuni’s acrobatic flips, weapon swings and block stances feel fluid and responsive. Enemy sprites, from armored samurai to spirit guardians, each boast unique idle poses, attack animations and death sequences. Even small touches—like flickering torchlight or a swirling fog effect—add to the immersive atmosphere.

Parallax scrolling layers lend a sense of depth to each tableau, with foreground rubble and background mountain ranges moving at different speeds. Lighting effects—such as shimmering water reflections, flickering lanterns and the glow of spiritual barriers—heighten the mood. Overall, the game’s graphics serve both style and function, guiding you through complex level layouts while reinforcing the mystical tone of the story.

On more powerful systems, subtle enhancements like dynamic shadows under moving objects and richer color gradients become apparent. Whether you’re playing on a classic 16-bit console or an emulated setup, Last Ninja 3 stands out for its careful attention to environmental detail and consistent visual polish.

Story

The narrative of Last Ninja 3 picks up with Armakuni, the sole survivor of his clan, drawn once again into a conflict with the evil Shogun Kunitoki. The Shogun’s dark ambition is to corrupt the sacred Buddhist temples of Tibet—the source of the Last Ninja’s mystical strength—and use their power to crush any resistance. Armakuni must journey through these ancient sanctuaries, purging the corruption and restoring each temple’s elemental balance.

While the core story is straightforward, it’s elevated by brief cutscenes and environmental storytelling. In dusty shrines you’ll find faded murals depicting past battles, while in waterlogged chambers you may discover inscriptions foretelling the cost of dishonorable conduct. These narrative breadcrumbs deepen your understanding of Armakuni’s oath and the stakes of his quest without bogging down the action.

Dialogue is minimal but purposeful. Encounters with surviving temple guardians or wandering sages provide context for each level’s element and reinforce the importance of Bushido. You sense the weight of tradition, as each temple’s custodians lament the Shogun’s desecration and plead for Armakuni’s aid. The clean pacing ensures the story never overstays its welcome, propelling you forward through five distinct elemental realms.

The final confrontation with Shogun Kunitoki, staged in a sanctified chamber where all elements converge, ties the narrative threads together. It serves as a satisfying climax, testing both your martial skill and honor. In all, the story shines not for its complexity, but for how well it supports the gameplay and atmosphere, giving purpose to every duel and puzzle.

Overall Experience

Last Ninja 3 delivers a challenging yet fair action-adventure experience. The difficulty curve is thoughtfully calibrated: early elemental levels introduce mechanics at a measured pace, while later stages ramp up the complexity of puzzles, the density of enemies and the strictness of Bushido requirements. Occasional checkpoints and generous item placements ensure you rarely feel punished for experimentation.

The combination of combat, puzzle-solving and ethical decision-making (via Bushido) gives the game strong replay value. You’ll often revisit earlier levels to hunt for missed talismans, experiment with alternative weapon matchups or push for a perfect Bushido run. Leaderboards and time-trial modes further extend longevity for completionists.

Audio design complements the visuals and gameplay beautifully. Traditional Japanese flutes and drums underscore combat encounters, while atmospheric temple ambiences—chanting monks, dripping water and distant thunder—immerse you in each setting. Sound cues also play a practical role, alerting you to hidden switches or incoming ambushes.

All told, Last Ninja 3 stands as a high point in the series—an engrossing blend of martial arts action, environmental puzzles and a thematic honor system. Its elemental level design and stylish presentation make each stage feel distinctive, while the core mechanics remain satisfying from start to finish. For fans of side-scrolling action-adventure games and anyone seeking a richly atmospheric challenge, Last Ninja 3 is well worth exploring.

Retro Replay Score

7.6/10