 
 
FAQ: Ninja Gaiden Area 6-2 In-Depth FAQ 
Date: 9-25-2001 
Version: 1.2 
Author: Wendell Reynolds (aka SkedarJanitor)                    
Email: plasmagrey@hotmail.com 
 
 
                                                  
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     In-Depth FAQ 
 
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     Legal 
 
Copyright 2001 Wendell Reynolds 
This document is protected by US copyright law. This document may not be  
reproduced whole or in part electronically, on paper, or in any other format,  
except with the author's express consent. 
 
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     Version 
 
9-25-2001 V1.2 Changed formatting so headers vaguely resemble cut-scene screens.  
               Then went and created "powerup" sections within the walkthrough  
               segment for better reading. Finished update with new "Ideas"  
               section for reader contributions. 
 
5-5-2001 V1.0 This would be my first attempt at an FAQ. Hopefully it's  
thorough enough. Send in any questions, comments, playtips, corrections, etc.  
to plasmagrey@hotmail.com, I'd appreciate it. Remember, the real key to making  
this FAQ the best it can be is feedback. 
 
 
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     Why 6-2? 
 
Ninja Gaiden carries the appearance of a simple enough game. One just runs,  
leaps chasms, and hacks things to pieces while collecting cool ninja magic  
powerups, right?  
 
Until Area 6-2. 
 
Were this level a sentient, malicious entity (which I'm sure it is), it would  
express itself with the following quote: 
 
"You'll rue the day you crossed me, Trebek!" 
    - Sean Connery (impersonated by Darrell Hammond) on Saturday Night Live 
 
Oh, yes. I rue the day I crossed this horrid level. Getting shoved off cliffs.  
Getting killed by eagles' talons. Getting shoved off cliffs. And getting a  
large, heavy object to bludgeon my NES. 
 
I was frustrated. And judging by the many diatribes I have seen on various  
sites and message boards, this specific level is a cause of frustration for  
many others. If through some amazing luck you beat this level on the first  
try, the game takes you all the way back to 6-1 if you die on any of the boss  
stages 6-4, 6-5, and 7-1. Ryu's fate is set to the whims of Tecmo  
programmers, so there is nothing you can do about this except to learn how to  
beat the infamous Area 6-2 quickly and easily. 
 
This is the purpose of this FAQ: To teach you what I feel is an effective and  
easy method to get past what many feel is the most difficult section of Ninja  
Gaiden. 
 
 
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     Intro 
 
 
Here's how I will structure my ramblings:  
 
I'll divide the level into Segments. 
 
I'll give you >>>The Setup, or the game situation for each Segment. The Setup  
contains information such as the enemy locations, powerup locations, and level  
layout. 
 
I'll then give you >>>The Strategy for each Segment. The Strategy is a method 
you  
can use to get past each Segment. 
 
I will refer to the boost that gives you 5 ninja power points as the Blue  
Boost. 
 
I will refer to the boost that gives you 10 ninja power points as the Red  
Boost.  
 
The blue 500 point bonus bag will be called the Blue Bag. 
 
The red 1,000 point bonus bag will be called the Red Bag. 
 
Redder is better. 
 
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     AREA 6-2 WALKTHROUGH 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 1  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
As you run left towards the two pillars at the start of the level, four  
enemies will attack you.  
 
1. Guy with a purple baseball bat. He lumbers from the left. 
2. An aspiring Hammer Brother. I mean, a mace thrower. He is standing on the 
   right pillar, throwing "hammers" on your head. 
3 & 4. The knife thrower and devil dog appear simultaneously the moment you  
  get close to the first pillar. The knife thrower is on your left, and the  
  devil dog will attack from the right. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Blue Boost 
   Location: Inside the torch below Mr. mace thrower's feet. 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
You can dispatch the baseball bat guy easily, but watch out for the "hammers"  
falling from overhead, because if you get hit you might stick to one of the  
pillars as you fly away from the impact. 
 
If you do get hit, go ahead and climb up the pillars, making sure to slash the  
mace thrower so you have a safe landing place. 
 
As you approach the right pillar, you can get the powerup if you have good  
timing. Try to leap and slash it. You will land inches in front of the knife  
thrower, so slash him the moment you land or you'll pay the price of greed. 
 
If you don't get hit by the falling objects then run straight towards the  
knife thrower. Pay no heed to the snarling devil dog behind you, nervous  
though you may be. You'll make it.  
Slash the knife thrower as you run and immediately jump onto the high pillar  
to ensure you won't be on "When Possessed Animals Attack". 
Jump back and forth between the pillars so you can take out the mace thrower.  
Then jump on top of the right pillar. 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 2  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
Now if you've jumped to the top of the left pillar, that knife thrower and  
devil dog that come from the left should be of no concern to you. 
 
A baseball bat guy and/or a knife thrower will probably come from the right,  
too. 
 
A third knife thrower will appear as you approach the large concrete brick. If  
you even move to the right the slightest amount, a devil dog will come from  
behind the knife thrower. 
 
On top of the small concrete brick is a mace thrower. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Ninja Windmill Throwing Star 
   Location: On the top of the left pillar 
2. Blue Boost 
   Location: Below the Ninja Windmill Throwing Star 
3. Red Bag 
   Location: To the right of the concrete brick 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy  
 
If you're feeling dramatic, go ahead and leap off of the left pillar and slash  
the Ninja Windmill Throwing Star powerup out of the sky.  
If you're feeling pragmatic, don't. You should save up your ninja power for  
later (you'll see). 
 
Try to get the lower powerup without moving to the right, or a devil dog will  
appear. And if there's an enemy sneaking up on you from the right, ignore him  
- what a fool he is for trying to sneak up on a ninja. Because only women in  
funny suits carrying anesthetic pistols can do that. 
 
Take out the knife thrower and get the Red Bag, if you enjoy futility. 
 
Carefully dispatch the mace thrower. 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 3  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
There is a small concrete brick on the right, and a tall concrete brick on the  
left. In between is a tiny little green footstep. 
 
 
There is a devil dog that appears on top of the tall concrete brick, and it  
runs growling from the left. 
 
There is a drunken vampire bat swaying up and down from the left as you reach  
the end of the small concrete brick. I swear, those vampire bats have got to  
stop feeding off of drunk people. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Red Boost 
   Location: Below the tiny little green footstep. 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
If you have good timing and nerves of steel (or just want to show off), you  
can jump and slash the devil dog as he comes towards you, then make a landing  
on the footstep. 
 
If you don't have good timing, then just walk off the end of the small  
concrete brick and get the powerup.  
Try not to get a whiff of the intoxicated vampire bat's breath as it flies by. 
 
If you haven't slashed the devil dog it will run by harmlessly over your head.  
Now if you can, make the long climb up the wall of the concrete brick.  
 
Here's how to climb a lone wall: 
1. Jump and stick to the wall at the highest point you can reach.  
2. Press the D-Pad away from the wall and press A.  
3. IMMEDIATELY press the D-Pad towards the wall as soon as you let go. You'll  
gain a tiny bit of altitude. 
4. Repeat steps 2-3 until you get to the altitude you want. 
 
If, try as you might, you can't climb the wall, go back to the small concrete  
brick and jump to the small green footstep. You'll have to face down the devil  
dog. 
If you are one of those poor souls who has bad timing AND can't climb walls, I  
give you my most sincere condolences. You will have to take some damage if you  
can't slash the devil dog out of the air or jump out of his way. 
 
Now you are on top of the tall concrete brick. 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 4  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
The left wall of the large concrete brick is a ladder. How convenient. 
 
There is a small platform with a baseball bat guy running back and forth.  
Above this is a Blue Bag.  
If you move to the right here, your old buddies the drunken vampire bat and  
devil dog will come back and attack you from the right. 
 
There is a wall between the two small platforms. This will be important later. 
 
There is another small platform with another baseball bat guy further to the  
left. Take heed, brave ninja, for below is a BOTTOMLESS PIT from which none  
may escape!  
There's a Blue Boost inside the torch above this platform. When  
you reach this platform, an orange rocket pack ninja who throws shuriken  
(ninja stars) will come from the left. 
 
Then above and to the left is the end of a long, skinny "5-star" platform. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Blue Bag 
   Location: Above rightmost small platform with baseball bat guy 
2. Blue Boost 
   Location: Above leftmost small platform with baseball bat guy 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
To safely land on the platforms with the baseball bat guys, you have to press  
the jump button the moment after that they turn to the right. Ninjas do not  
need to follow the samurai code of honor, so when you land, slash the suckers  
in the back.  
I suppose you could use a Ninja Windmill Throwing Star powerup for this, but  
don't - you'll need the ninja power for the Air Slash. Trust me. Watch your  
step if you try to get the powerups. 
 
Be careful when you take out the second baseball bat guy. Unfortunately for  
you, the ninja's lack of dress codes allows the adornment of bright  
orange clothes and rocket packs. An orange rocket pack ninja will blast by  
with deadly diagonally flying shuriken that will surely knock you into the  
dreaded pit if they connect. 
 
If you have perfect (I don't mean good here, I mean PERFECT) timing, you can  
slash every single flying shuriken out of the air and land on the higher  
platform without a scratch. 
 
If you are mortal like the rest of us then you can take advantage of your  
ninja's iron grip: As the rocket pack ninja zooms onto the screen, jump and  
cling for dear life on the wall in between the two small platforms. Now if a  
shuriken strikes you, you will stay exactly where you are and NOT go flying  
off of a cliff.  
 
Then after the rocket pack ninja flies by, you can jump off of the wall and  
land safely on the long, skinny platform. 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 5  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
There is an air slash powerup above the left end of the long, skinny platform.  
Here two rocket pack ninjas will fly by throwing countless shuriken.  
More card-carrying members of the Flying Ninja Club will appear and make your  
life miserable if you wait too long or move to the right. 
 
Below and to the left of the long, skinny platform is a small platform that is  
nearer to the bottom of the screen.  
The cheapest rocket ninjas in the game will come out and knock you off the  
platform as soon as you reach the peak of your jumping arc, either by mid-air  
collision or by hitting you with shuriken. 
 
Beyond this small platform is a longer white platform.  
Above this white platform is a Ninja Windmill Throwing Star powerup.  
Again, as you jump you will be knocked out of the sky by more rocket pack  
ninjas. 
 
Then to the left of the long white platform is a long green platform. At the  
left end of the platform is a Blue Boost inside the torch. The  
exit ladder is here, as well. 
A baseball bat guy will appear on the end of the platform and knock you for a  
grand slam when you land. Then rocket pack ninjas will smack you back and  
forth like a Babe Ruth autographed ball that goes into the crowd. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Air Slash 
   Location: Above the left end of the long, skinny platform 
2. Ninja Windmill Throwing Star 
   Location: Above long, white platform 
3. Blue Boost 
   Location: at left end of long green platform 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
That is, unless you have one item along with plenty of ninja power: The Air  
Slash powerup. This is your lifesaver for this segment, and for most of the  
level if you can hang on to it. 
 
To stay alive on the first long green platform with the Air Slash powerup, try  
to stay in the middle of the platform as the rocket ninjas go by. This way, if  
you get hit, you won't fall into the pit so easily. 
 
When there's a break in the shuriken onslaught, it's time for revenge! Send  
the rocket boys packing (no pun intended) with the power of the Air Slash!  
Just don't run out of ninja power or you're shuriken fodder. 
 
Now here are the three slashing jumps you must perform with the Air Slash to  
make it out of this stage successfully: 
1. From long, skinny platform to low, small platform. The obstacles are rocket  
pack ninjas and errant shuriken. 
2. From low, small platform to long, white platform. More rocket pack ninjas  
here. By the way: DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT get the powerup above the white  
platform. It's a Ninja Windmill Throwing Star, and the Air Slash that  
you've got now is your last line of defense against aerial attacks. 
3. From long, white platform to final green platform. The last obstacle is a  
baseball bat guy who can be taken out if your leap is far enough to the  
left. If it's not, though, he might still manage to knock you off the cliff  
to spite your superior Air Slash powers. For insurance against this, you  
should slash your sword the moment you land. 
 
Now that you have made it past the platforms and flying sharp things, you can  
exit this section of Area 6-2 via the ladder.  
 
If you have Air Slash power, getting the Blue Boost here is  
kind of pointless, because it costs 5 points to get the powerup. You get 5  
points back, bringing you right back where you started. But if you're out of  
power go ahead and get it. 
 
Excellent work. You have made it past the first part of the level. Now if you  
die and have some lives left, you won't have go through this part again. 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 6  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
You'll climb up the ladder and emerge into a new screen. On your left is a  
tall white block. On your right are three small green platforms.  
 
Below and to the left of the tall white block, there is a small green  
platform. On this small platform there is a hunched over machine gun guy with  
either sunglasses or a really nasty scar. The powerup above him is a Red  
Boost. 
 
A loong distance to the left of this small green platform is another one just  
like it. A drunken vampire bat will fly out and try to knock you into the pit  
as soon as you land. There is a Red Bag above this platform. 
To the left of this green platform there is solid ground (finally!), and an  
evil white eagle comes out of the pit when you reach past the second green  
platform. 
 
There is a mad monkey further to the left, waiting to pounce on you. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Red Boost 
   Location: Above machine gun guy 
2. Red Bag 
   Location: Above second small green platform 
3. Art of the Fire Wheel 
   Location: Above and to the right of the monkey's head. 
4. Blue Bag 
   Location: Directly above monkey's head. 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
Make you way up the three green platforms at the beginning, but be careful  
when you jump from the green platform to the tall white block. It's a long,  
risky jump (and unfortunately not the last of its kind), so wait until you  
have reached the end of your runway before taking off. 
 
If you have some Air Slash power remaining, the machine gun guy is really  
easy: just Air Slash and waste him. If you're out of ninja juice, though, wait  
until he is at the far right end of the platform. If there are no bullets in  
the air and he's not about to fire, then take the plunge.  
Try to land so that you are right in front of him. Don't worry, he wouldn't  
dare run into you because he is backing away, cowering before your supreme  
ninja might. Don't let him grovel for too long, though, or in his fear his  
trigger finger will twitch. 
 
Grab the Red Boost. You can use some of your Air Slash power  
to get it, because you'll gain more power than you'll lose. 
 
The yawning expanse of the next jump really boggles the mind. You have to be  
within a few pixels to make this one. Just try to do your best and if you have  
the Air Slash, go ahead and use it to kill the bat before you land on the  
other green platform.  
If you don't have the Air Slash, it is possible to land so that the bat  
doesn't hit you, but your chances of making it are very slim. You have a very  
narrow landing pad that is right in between the edge of the platform and the  
middle.  
Try to slash the bat after landing so it doesn't hit you on its upswing.  
Oh, and don't bother with the Blue Bag here unless you're going for a high  
score or something. Oh, sure, you can get an extra life with every 10,000  
points, but the effort involved is like going for a Ferrari with 150 million  
Kool-Aid points.  
 
At this point one of those nasty white eagles will emerge from the pit. Stay  
away from these guys; they suck off 3 hit points with every impact.  
 
When you jump from the green platform and steer towards good, solid earth,  
make it a small hop that doesn't cover much horizontal distance. If you do  
this, the eagle will swoop under you and miss. Then you can wait on the ground  
and slash it. Or you can just Air Slash it if you've got the juice. 
 
The best way to shock the monkey (who takes off 2 HP) is to slowly walk  
towards it until it is just out of sword's reach, and then to take a quick  
step and slash it. 
 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 7  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
To the left of the monkey is a tall, thin pillar. If you bother climbing up  
the thing you'd find a Ninja Windmill Throwing Star powerup at the top, which,  
once again, isn't better than your wicked Air Slash. 
 
On the ground to the left of the pillar are two fire spitting statues. They  
look like Kelbeross (the twin dog bosses) sitting on tricycles or something,  
but I think those should be skulls, not wheels.  
Above the statue on the far left is a Blue Boost.  
 
Further left is a green footstep, leading to a medium sized concrete block  
with an aspiring Hammer Brother named Jason. I mean, an axe thrower in a  
hockey mask. 
The powerup above him is a puny Throwing Star powerup. 
 
To the left of the medium sized block is a monkey on the ground. Behind the  
monkey is a pillar and a ladder to the next section of the level. 
 
Powerups 
1. Crappy Ninja Windmill Throwing Star That's Not As Good As Air Slash 
   Location: top of tall thin pillar 
2. Puny Throwing Star 
   Location: over Hockey Mask's head 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
To beat the statues, just run directly towards them without missing a beat and  
slash away. This is one of the few examples in this game where charging  
towards the enemy actually works.  
Don't get the Blue Boost above them unless you are out of Air Slash power. 
 
You can use an Air Slash on the axeman, just be careful because the axes still  
might get you when you land if you fall short of him. And don't bother with  
the Throwing Star powerup above him, you've got a bigger and better Air Slash. 
 
Approach this monkey like the previous monkey: walk carefully towards it, and  
then quickly move into range and slash. 
 
Voila. Climb the ladder and you are now done with the second section of the  
dreaded 6-2. 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 8  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
It's a long, lonely climb up the next screen. Then your ladder emerges into a  
strange new section that scrolls the opposite way. Freaky. 
 
There's some ground on the left of the ladder. On the right is one small green  
platform over a harrowing bottomless pit that seems to go on forever. 
 
After a small gap, there's a second long, green platform. There's a saber  
wielding guy with a pimple on his head who shambles along this platform. Both 
powerups above this platform are Blue Boosts.  
When you reach the middle of the second platform, a football player will  
charge from the left, and a bat will wobble from the right. 
When you reach the right end of the second platform, a brown eagle will come  
forth from the pit, along with another loopy bat. 
 
To the right is a third platform. The powerup above it is a Blue Bag.  
When you try to leap to the fourth platform, a brown eagle will appear exactly  
in the peak of your jump and knock you right back. 
 
On the fourth platform is a knife thrower in a hooded cloak. Why he has green  
hands escapes me. Maybe he was giving Swamp Thing a prostate exam. 
The powerup above here is a Red Boost. 
When you land on the fourth platform a football player comes from the left.  
 
The fifth and final platform isn't really a platform but a pillar. This one's  
wide so it looks like a stack of oil drums. The powerup here is a Red Bag. 
 
Then the exit ladder is to the right. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Blue Bag 
   Location: Above the third platform from the left. 
2. Red Boost 
   Location: Above the fourth platform with Mr. Green Hands 
3. Red Bag 
   Location: Above the fifth oil-drum-looking platform 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
Get to the edge of the first green platform. Try not to hit the saber guy's  
zit (eww) as you duck and slash him.  
It's too bad. I'll bet this saber guy is frustrated. I mean, here he is, a  
grown man with acne. There's this whole social stigma about it, you know. It's  
just the kind of thing that makes you want to go out and kill some ninjas. Or  
just walk on a little platform and swing at some ninjas. 
 
Well, anyway, once you leap onto the second platform, watch your back. A  
football player will come from the left as a bat comes from the right.  
 
Slash the bat, then jump straight up as the football player goes under you.  
DO NOT turn to the left. 
DO NOT walk farther right than the torch on the right side of the platform. 
Here's why: If you go left, the football guy will reappear; if you go too far  
right, the eagle will appear. 
 
Now jump straight up and slash the torch containing the Blue Boost powerup  
if you're out of Air Slash juice. If you don't have the Air Slash, don't  
bother. 
 
Run towards the third platform. Jump when you get to the edge, otherwise you  
won't make it. This will allow you to avoid the bat that sways from the right,  
and the eagle that swoops out from under you simultaneously.  
If the eagle has too much momentum, it will disappear off the right side of  
the screen. 
Otherwise you'll have to duke it out with the eagle.  
- If you have 10 ninja power points, you can use your Air Slash.  
- If you have 5 points, or no Air Slash, bite your lip and wait until the  
eagle is a sword's length away before laying down the Dragon Sword smack. 
 
Skip the powerup over the third platform, it's just a Bag. 
The trick here to pass the cloaked knifeman is to step forward a few paces, then  
wait. The swamp proctologist will walk to the right and off the screen into  
oblivion.  
 
Try to get maximum distance on the jump to the fourth platform. When you jump,  
an eagle will appear DIRECTLY in your path.  
- You can Air Slash the eagle into a cloud of feathers.  
- If you can't Air Slash, you will sorely regret the loss. You must execute a  
PERFECTLY timed mid-air sword slash to take the feathered freak down.  
You'll have to press the button the instant before the bird appears. 
 
If you Air Slashed the eagle then you'll automatically pick up the Red Boost  
above the fourth platform.  
 
The moment you land on the fourth platform, jump and do another Air Slash to  
take out an errant football player who comes screaming from the right. Or use  
your magical perfect timing abilities to sword slash the football player in  
the air if you don't have the powerup. 
So how did all these NFL rejects get into this Amazon temple in the first  
place?  
 
Land on the oil drum thing and hop to the ladder. 
 
You can pat yourself on the back, but don't take too long to savor the sweet 
smell of success. You've still got one more section of the level to conquer. 
 
 _____________ 
|             | 
|  Segment 9  | 
|_____________| 
 
>>>>>>The Setup 
 
As you reach the top rung of this ladder, you will see four green platforms on  
your left. The ladder itself is on the side of a medium white block. 
 
While you are leaping from the highest green platform to the top of the white  
block, a sinister white eagle will appear. 
 
There is a bottomless pit about 4 Ryus wide on the right of the medium white  
block. 
 
The powerup on the left of the tall, green pillar is a Blue Boost. If you get  
within range of picking up the powerup, an evil white eagle  
will swoop from the top, and a mad monkey will come from the right to defend  
it with their lives. 
 
Up and to the right of the tall pillar is a Healing Vial to restore 6 of your  
precious hit points. If you move left here, another white eagle will come from  
the left.  
 
A white knight with a scimitar and shield will grumble along the ground from  
the right, as well. His scimitar floats above his head in mid-swing.  
I wish that I had one of those fancy floating scimitars <sniff>.  
You know, when the knight held the shield in front of his face, I used to  
think that the shield was part of his face and he had a big smiley grin. It  
just looked that way. 
 
There is a big white block set in the background of the floor, with 3 big white  
knights on patrol. On the front left of the big white block is a Red Boost 
powerup  
and on the front right is a super-duper invincibility Fire Wheel.  
 
When you reach the Red Boost a green ninja will drop from the left top of  
the screen.  
 
Guarding the Fire Wheel is a man who I swear has a bear trap for a head. I  
think those are knives he's throwing, but they could just as easily be frosted  
hot dogs. 
 
To the right of the white block is a bottomless pit. Over the pit is a green  
step with a Blue Bag powerup. And then across the chasm, at long  
last, there is the exit. 
 
Powerups: 
1. Blue Boost 
   Location: To the left of the first tall, green pillar 
2. Healing Vial 
   Location: Up and to the right of the tall pillar 
3. Red Boost 
   Location: Front left of Big white block with 3 big white knights 
4. Super-Duper-Invincibility Fire Wheel 
   Location: Front right of the big white block 
 
>>>>>>The Strategy 
 
When you make your way to the top of that starting block with the ladder on  
the side, get ready to make some difficult maneuvers. First leap on to the  
white block. 
 
As soon as you land safely be ready for the white eagle. Jump over it and over  
the pit in one dramatic leap. 
If the monkey doesn't show up, that means you are one step away from being  
caught between the hammer and the anvil. Pass the Blue Boost, you've got  
flying death right behind you.  
 
Now step forward to meet Mr. Peepers. 
As the monkey charges towards you, cool your nerves and meet the monkey's  
charge with a forward charge of your own. As soon as it's close enough, show  
the monkey what an opposable thumb holding a sword can do. Then run forward,  
slash the knight, and duck! The white eagle should just barely go over your  
head. Take out the eagle as it prepares to gain momentum to smack into you at 
maximum eagle velocity.  
 
Now run to the right. Ignore the green ninja who falls from the sky, because  
if you keep moving you'll feed him to the screen-scrolling monster. Man, this  
thing is just like those freaky Langoliers. It eats up anything that gets 
pushed too far to the left. 
 
Continue towards the powerup on the right, which is the Fire Wheel that you  
need to make this last part of the level a total cakewalk. Get rid of Mr.  
Bear-Trap-for-a-Head (make sure your sword doesn't stick in his jaws) and  
snatch the Fire Wheel. Now you have the power of Grey-Skull!  
Not really. But it's close. You'll have about 10 game timer seconds of total  
invincibility, so you can go ahead and walk through the enemies with wild  
abandon for the remainder of the level. 
 
Run back to the left and hop on the side of the short pillar. Quickly bounce  
between the pillar and wall until you reach the top of the white block with  
the three armored amigos.  
Pass through them like they didn't exist, and make sure to grab the Blue Bag  
as you hop on top of the green step.  
Why, you ask? Because you're invincible, so why the hell not? 
 
Nonchalantly pass through the exit to Area 6-2.  
And if you get through the door quick enough, you'll have a bit of  
invincibility at the start of Area 6-3! It's like twice the powerup for your  
slash! 
 
Don't worry, the hard part's over. Just a bit more to go and it won't be long  
before you savor the simple, silly, yet somehow satisfying conclusion to Ninja  
Gaiden. 
 
  
 
 
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     Ideas (Reader Contributions) 
 
Here are some strategies for the machine gun guy and that treacherous run 
through  
segment 8, from Bill: 
 
In segment 6, here's how I handle the machine gun man.  
If you don't have the air slash, get your ninja clinging to the wall to the 
right of his platform.  You had better know how to climb walls in this game, 
otherwise jump into the pit now.  When you are on the wall, climb (or drop) 
until the guy's bullets are just above Ryu's head.  Now when he's not firing, 
and he's on the leftmost side of his platform, jump at him while swinging. 
 
In segment 8, in the part where one must put with up with the eagle and the 
knife throwin' cloak man, I have a slighty different strategy. 
  First, I let the cloak man scroll himself off the screen like you said, but 
for the bird I do something different.  I let birdy come on the screen, and I 
dodge him on the platform I scrolled the Scream murderer from.  I dodge the 
eagle again.  I dodge him again and again and again and again and again, 
making sure not to bring back any enemies back.  Soon, that eagle has a lot 
of momentum, and he acts a lot like a stray windmill throwing star.  Pretend 
it actually is one, and go to the exit.  Hopefully those football players 
won't get you.  And I thought John Madden was out of control. 
 
Thanks Bill! 
 
 
 
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     Works 
 
I've contributed to CyricZ's excellent Perfect Dark (N64) FAQ/Walkthrough on  
GameFAQs. There you can find over 15 multiplayer scenarios and a music  
analysis under my alias bustamac. 
Find it here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/n64/game/25092.html 
 
I also wrote the first (and currently only) FAQ for Out of this World 2: Heart 
of  
the Alien (Sega CD). This features passcodes, game controls, tips, and a 
complete 
walkthrough. The plot is so dramatic, though. . .not as much to joke about in  
this game. . . 
Find it here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/segacd/game/8569.html 
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     Final Note 
 
So you've got a better way to make that jump with the machine gun guy. 
 
So you've discovered that I overlooked a football player that comes from the  
left in Segment 5. 
 
So you think that Swamp Thing joke was pretty lame-ass and you've got a better  
one. 
 
SEND IT IN! 
 
I'll give you credit. 
 
And you'll make this guide better. 
 
Email plasmagrey@hotmail.com today. Include "Ninja Gaiden FAQ" in the subject,  
please, or I'll probably overlook your email. 

