N I N J A G A I D E N II for the Nintendo Entertainment System Game copyright 1990 Tecmo Licensed by Nintendo *VERSION: final.* This guide copyright 2002 Matt Toothman. This guide is for individual use only. It is ONLY to be found at http://www.gamefaqs.com. If you would like to use this guide on your site, send email to: sakurajin@hotmail.com As a full walkthrough to the game NINJA GAIDEN II: DARK SWORD OF CHAOS, this guide contains much information that could be regarded as spoilers. If you don't want to know about bosses, storyline, etc.... DON'T READ THIS GUIDE!!! ***************** TABLE OF CONTENTS ***************** 1. Version History 2. Story/Intro 3. Walkthrough 4. Credits/Outro ****************** 1. VERSION HISTORY ****************** 4.1.2002. the REAL final version of this FAQ. 3.27.2002: first submission to GameFAQs. forgot to include last boss strategy (heh). 3.26.2002: began work on guide. ************** 2. STORY/INTRO ************** You are Ryu Hayabusa...the Ninja Dragon. When your friend Irene Lew (yeah, the one from the first Ninja Gaiden game) is kidnapped, you have to save her. This really evil guy named Ashtar has plans for her...and you. Can Ryu and his Dragon Sword stand up to Ashtar and his Dark Sword of Chaos? ************** 3. WALKTHROUGH ************** ************** Act 1, Scene 1 ************** Begin your journey on the rooftops of the city. Run right, slashing Barbarians and avoiding Killer Bats and Spider Wights. Near the pack of 3 Barbarians is the first Body Splitting item of the game. Master the skill of jumping back and forth between two vertical walls. Continue towards the right, another Body Splitting item waits. Immediately afterwards, kneel and slash to destroy the Spider Wight and the Dark Ninja with one blow. Make sure to climb down the ladder to reach the lower level. If you just jump, you'll lose a life. This applies for the whole game. Continue downwards and right. Enter the door to face... ************** Act 1, Scene 2 ************** ********************** BOSS: Dando the Cursed ********************** Dando takes several slow steps toward you, then charges. Run up to him and slash a few times, then retreat and climb up the wall. When he charges, jump off just before he hits the wall and land behind him. Continue until he's dead. Despite what Nintendo Power would have you think, Dando is *not* immune to your Ninja Arts. With two Phantom Doubles, enough Ninja Power and the right Art (Art of the Fire Wheel is good), you can defeat Dando before his first charge. Just run up and start flinging stars/fire/dragon balls/what have you. ************** Act 2, Scene 1 ************** Act 2 begins atop a train racing toward the Tower of Lahja. Proceed carefully to the right, as there are lots of Jacksons (red or green shirt, goalie mask, big knife) running from both sides of the screen. They appear suddenly and can knock you back (the first train car has one). Also be careful of Harpies, who appear just as suddenly and will home in on your position. There's a Medicine of Recovery about two-thirds of the way through the level, so don't worry too much about your life bar. Try to pick up an Art of Fire Wheel before you reach the end...there's one in the second-to-last Crystal Ball of the area. ************** Act 2, Scene 2 ************** The wind in this area will be your worst enemy. Enemies are placed so that their attacks, or the wind, or both, will knock you into a pit. Before jumping, make sure that the wind is in your favor. If you hit the ground running as soon as the scene starts, you can clear the first pit before the wind changes. The pit at the top of the 'stairs' after the two Rockmen can be cleared even without the wind's help, but the patrolling Mongolian at the top will knock you in if you aren't careful. When you reach the Slime, slash it on the way down or just use a Ninja Art when you hit the bottom to clear out the area. The platforms at the end of the area should be tackled in an 'S' shape: jump to the first platform on the right, then back to the vertical wall on the left, then to the high platform on the right and up the ladder. Wait for the wind. At the top of the ladder, follow the platform left, up the wall, then back to the right and make the long leap to the ledge on the right. If you've got an Art of Fire Wheel, right at the base of the 'stairs' with the Slimes and Rockman is a perfect place to use it. Make sure to grab the Scroll that your fire knocked down, it will increase your maximum Ninja Power. Jump the pit and immediately slash the Sniper Joe positioned there. If you get shot, you may fall into the pit. Continue right, avoid a Harpy. The Crystal Ball nearest the long gap holds an extra life. Make sure to get it, by climbing up the wall or art-of-fire-wheeling it down. Jump the long gap with the wind's help and slash immediately when you hit the ground to kill the Rockman. A Jackson will jump at you, get him too. The medicine here will help, the boss is just ahead. Kill the Harpy here and climb the ladder to the right. If you've already got Art of Fire Wheel, just keep it, it's the best weapon for the boss. At the top of the ladder, jump the platforms. On the second one where the Kuo-Tao patrols, watch for a Hustlin' Jim attacking from behind you. The Crystal Ball over the pit holds more Medicine, and the second-to-last Ball holds Art of Fire Wheel. Grab them both, but clear out any enemies you can beforehand. ************** Act 2, Scene 3 ************** ****************** BOSS: Baron Spider ****************** With the Art of Fire Wheel, the Baron is really easy. Toss fire at him from the ground and avoid his spiders as best you can. If you have full Ninja Power, he'll die before you do. If you don't have the Art of Fire Wheel, you'll have to actually fight the Baron. When he's on the top platform, climb to his level using the wall on the right and jump towards him. Stab him a few times and he will jump down to the bottom. Follow him down, give him a few more slashes and he'll jump back up to the top platform. Repeat until he's dead. The Phantom Doubles can be very handy here if you place them properly. ************** Act 3, Scene 1 ************** Lightning is your only source of light in this dark level. If you're not sure where the ground ends, wait for the lightning. When you reach the ledge with a Barbarian above, a Rolpher below and a Slime between, you have a choice to make. You have to go down to proceed, but you can take the top road for some Medicine of Recovery, then backtrack. When you reach the area where you must jump from column to column, eliminate the Slime on the left if you can. Its projectiles can get in the way. A crystal ball under you will have Medicine to help after the Barbarian and several Hustlin' Jims. A Hustlin' Jim will attack you as you try to jump the pit immediately to the right of the Medicine. From here on, just continue rightwards to enter the Tower of Lahja. ************** Act 3, Scene 2 ************** As soon as you enter, jump up to the first platform and take out the Sniper Joe and the Basaquer clone. Try to get the Basaquer immediately, as he will jump and throw projectiles if you don't. Under the Bomberhead clone, grab the Art of Fire Wheel and use it on the Bomberhead and the two Rolphers. Climb the wall and grab the Maximum Ninja Power item on the other side. Continue up the ladder to the next area. Just fight your way through the Rolphers and Killer Bats here. The Fire Dragon Balls can be really helpful. When you reach the gap at the end, jump it and then immediately jump again on the other side to avoid Sniper Joe's bullet. Slash him and continue upwards. If you have the Art of Fire Wheel here, just use it whenever you see a Harpy, it will clear the path for you. Make sure to get the Ninja Scroll. If you don't have a suitable Art, just proceed carefully. Watch out for the Harpy who attacks from the left near the Medicine. Continue upwards. Proceed left. Wait for the Rolpher to drop to the step above you, then slash him. Watch for a Harpy from the left and one from the right, then drop down and slash the Bomberhead clone. The Crystal Ball above him holds another extra life. Jump the pit to the left, get the Sniper Joe before he fires, kill the two Rolphers that drop down, and continue upwards. The Malth clone here takes three slashes to kill and can do a lot of damage if you don't eliminate him quickly. Do so, then continue right, avoiding the many Jacksons that come from both sides of the screen. Climb the wall at the end, reverse direction, grab the medicine, and continue left and upwards. Use a Ninja Art to destroy the Malth clone if you can. ************** Act 3, Scene 3 ************** ******************** BOSS: Funky Dynamite ******************** Funky can't be damaged while on the ground. If you have Art of Fire Wheel and some Phantom Doubles, you're in good shape. Just throw fire at him when he flies, and don't let him land on you. If you can place a Double in the air, you can slash Funky as soon as he returns to flight. If you have neither Art of Fire Wheel nor any Doubles, just jump and slash him, avoid his missiles, and repeat. You'll 'rescue' Irene Lew after this fight, but Ashtar will take her into the Maze of Darkness. You'll follow them. ************** Act 4, Scene 1 ************** This is where the game really starts to get surreal. Make sure to kill the Goblin's Eyes (small, white, tentacles) as soon as you see them. Before jumping any pits, approach them on the ground to see if any Psychic Brains will jump out. Time your jumps to avoid them. Just head right, there shouldn't be anything too tough here. When you reach the end and see the ladder, run and jump to avoid the Goblin's Eye that attacks from the left. (when you're on the ladder, infinite Goblin's Eyes will run and fall into the pit. very strange.) Climb to the very top of the ladder here, then jump and slash the Will o' Wisp in midair, or use the Invincible Fire Wheel if you have it. Continue upwards. Proceed carefully here: there are lots of enemies, and it's better to deal with them one at a time. The Crystal Ball immediately after the Medicine holds a Scroll. To get it, jump to the platform to the right of the Ball. Then jump back and slash in the air to collect the scroll. Continue to the right: try to jump and grab the side of the ledge so that the pacing Mongolian doesn't knock you into the flames. When you reach the columns, go right as quickly as possible to avoid the Will O' Wisps, but be careful. There are two Oblis that fly at you. Jump to the ladder and climb into the hole to proceed to the next area. ************** Act 4, Scene 2 ************** The flowing blue stuff will carry you away if you let it. Head right, watching out for Hustlin' Jims who attack from the back. When you reach the vertical wall with a Slime, kill it. When climbing down, just hold Down and Right and climb down off the wall. You'll land right on the platform. From this point on, just run to the right as quickly as possible until you're back on the blue stuff: several Hustlin' Jims attack from behind you and will knock you in the pit if you are on the small platforms. Go down the ladder to the next area. This should be easy enough. Just go left, then back right. Avoid the Harpy on the small platforms, then back left and down the ladder. This area has several Killer Golems that attack when you get close. Stab them ASAP. The area with the small platforms has many Will O' Wisps. Use whatever Ninja Art you have to defend yourself. Grab the Medicine. If you want, you can backtrack on the upper platforms to the platform where the Kuo-Tao is. The Crystal Ball there has a 1-up, which reappears if you get it and go back up the ladder to the left, then return. Continue to the right, moving quickly to avoid Hustlin' Jims. Kill the Pumpkin Heads here quickly, before they spit fire. Continue right to face... ************** Act 4, Scene 3 ************** ***************** BOSS: Naga Sotuva ***************** This boss can be defeated quickly and without taking a hit if you know what you're doing. Stand on one platform, jump and slash twice or three times if you can, then drop down to avoid the claws. Climb up the side opposite whichever claw is onscreen, and repeat *yawn*. Sotuva is pretty cool looking, though. ************** Act 5, Scene 1 ************** If you're low on Ninja Power, go left and across the platforms, killing a Basaquer clone on the way, to get a Max Ninja Power item. Otherwise, go right until you reach a vertical wall. The Goblin Eye above you will jump down to your level if you wait, climb up when it jumps down. Kill Sniper Joe, then pause until the Goblin Eye below you jumps into the pit. Use your throwing stars to knock down the Invincible Fire Wheel (it's in the second crystal ball from the left). Advance until the Fire Wheel will fall just at the edge of the screen, otherwise it might fall in the pit. Grab it, it will make the next section much easier. Continue down the ladder. Loop around, kill the three Dark Carriers and climb up. Jump the flame and then immediately activate the Invincible Fire Wheel to kill the Harpy and the Slime. Run right and destroy the Bomberhead clone. Wait until your Fire Wheel wears off, then activate it again and run right. Kill the Malth clone and grab the Ninja Scroll after him. Don't let it fall in the fire! Carefully jump down between the spikes. Grab a 1-up on the way down by slashing it, or use Fire Wheel for a guaranteed extra life. In this next area, kill a bat. As soon as you see a Bomberhead clone above you, activate Invincible Fire Wheel and run to the end of the area. ************** Act 5, Scene 2 ************** The ice makes you slide here, but you can stop your forward progress by jumping straight up. Make sure to grab the Art of Fire Wheel before you enter the 'cave' area (where the background changes from outside to ice-cave). It's useful to kill the giant spiders ahead. Grab the Fire Dragon Balls on the high platform with the Kuo-Tao. When you reach the two 'stairs' at the end of the area, use the Dragon Ball to eliminate the Harpy and Kuo-Tao and free the Medicine for Recovery. Continue down several ladders. Watch out for a Hustlin' Jim attack as soon as you land on the main platform. The third Crystal Ball contains Art of Fire Wheel, which you should get. If you have full Ninja Power, just continue right, the balls have nothing of interest. If not, the fifth ball contains a Max Ninja Power item. The path splits where a Harpy, Killer Golem, and Hustlin' Jim attack. The lower route has an Invincible Fire Wheel, but if you can do without it, do so: you'll have to backtrack to the top route to continue. Just run to the right, slashing as you go. When you reach the small platforms, don't stop until you reach the end, as several Hustlin' Jims will chase you. Hop in the door to finish this Scene. ************** Act 5, Scene 3 ************** ************ BOSS: Ashtar ************ If you've got the Art of Fire Wheel and full Ninja Power this fight will be really easy. Don't even worry about the fireballs, just stand below Ashtar and throw fire until he's defeated. With your sword, wait until he fades in, get a slice in if you can, avoid the fireballs, get another slice in if you can, avoid the fireballs again and repeat. If you hang on the right wall just above the ground, neither Ashtar nor his fireballs will touch you. ************** Act 6, Scene 1 ************** Just move towards the right, watching out for Obli as you go. The Goblin Eye will jump in the pit, as usual, if you wait for it. Jump down the wells to the next level. Go right, take out the Killer Bat, and jump down, slashing in the air to kill the Mongolian. Take the Art of Fire Wheel with you. There are hidden platforms that you can jump on to get to the Crystal Ball (it contains a Scroll). If you fall off, just knock it down with the Art of Fire Wheel. There's also Medicine hidden to the left on the lower level. Just walk left and slash until you find it. Proceed slowly, as several Runnin' Stans, a Bat, Obli, and a Psychic Brain will attack all within the next screen or so. Dispose of them, then continue carefully past the Rockman. You can land right in front of him to slash. The stalagmite on the screen with the Will O' Wisps hides an extra life. Use the Art of Fire Wheel to knock it down. ************** Act 6, Scene 2 ************** Make sure to get the Max Ninja Power in the second Crystal Ball. Advance with caution, but you're probably going to take a few hits from the Harpies or Fire Snakes. There's an Invincible Fire Wheel on the third 'step' of the bridge, so you can use that. You should grab the Windmill Throwing Star towards the end, though. ************** Act 6, Scene 3 ************** *************** BOSS: Kelbeross *************** These dog-like demons were defeated by Ryu in the original Ninja Gaiden. One dog is invincible, just stab one and see if it takes damage. Stay under one of the pedestals and run out to stab when you get a chance, or use a Ninja Art. You can knock the invincible dog out of the left door if you hit it with a Ninja Art. This makes the battle a lot easier. ************** Act 7, Scene 1 ************** This is the last Act. It features awesome backgrounds, some pretty cool and challenging bosses and great music. Ready? The upper ledge at the beginning here holds a Max Dragon Power item. Grab it. Go slow here, kill the Harpies ASAP. Grab the Dragon Ball art and use it when a Harpy comes up from directly beneath you. After you're past it, take the Art of Fire Wheel. Continue up the ladder. When the 4 Will O' Wisps attack, you can either use an Art of Fire Wheel to wipe them all out, or your sword. Wait until the bottom left one is near you, then stab it and run under the upper left one. Take that one out and then the other two. Quickly climb the ladder before the Wisps return. The first (or second, depending on your point of view) Crystal Ball contains a Scroll. Make sure you get it. Don't make any jumps here without first dealing with the Harpies. If you've got the Art of Fire Wheel already, stay on the bottom level and you won't have to deal with the Rockman/Fire Snake combo up top. When you reach the Psychic Brain, dodge its fire and quickly jump to the column. Use your Art of Fire Wheel to kill the Fire Snake on top, but avoid the Windmill Throwing Stars. Jump down to the platform, and use your Art of Fire Wheel to destroy the Fire Snake, Mongolian, and Psychic Brain all at once. Continue upwards. The next screen almost requires the Art of Fire Wheel to avoid a hit. Wait as long as possible before firing to get as many Wisps as you can. Continue upwards. Pause on the first 'stair' and turn around to kill a Basaquer clone. Wait on the third 'stair' (the top one) for an Obli to attack. Proceed to the left. There's an extra life to the left, but you should clear out the enemies before you attempt it. Get the lower Sniper Joe first, then the Goblin Eye, and then finally the higher Sniper Joe. ************** Act 7, Scene 2 ************** When you jump up to the first ledge, an Obli and Killer Bat will attack. Kill them, then proceed right, using your Art of Fire Wheel if necessary to clear out the path between the large square platform and the platform on the left. Time your jump here so that the Mongolian is out of the way and the Fire Snake has just fired its venom. Slash them both. Continue left, avoiding an Obli and a Psychic Brain. The Crystal Ball over the pit just after the Fire Snake up high contains an Invincible Fire Wheel. Grab it if you don't have Art of Fire Wheel. Stay on the high platform and kill the Bat before jumping down to deal with the Fire Snake and a Runnin' Stan. Take them both out at once with your sword. Continue upwards. The next screen has a Fire Snake and Slime, but just ignore them. Grab the Art of Fire Wheel in the first Crystal Ball and use it immediately to take out the Bomberhead clone above you. Take the Fire Dragon Balls from here on. Use them on any Harpies you don't think you can stab. The Ball above and to the left of the two columns just after Basaquer holds an extra life. It's hard to avoid getting the Windmill Throwing Stars here, so don't worry about it. Continue right, grab the Medicine, you probably need it after all those @#$% Harpies. Jump and slash the Bomberhead clone before he throws any rings. Sometimes you can scroll him off the screen, otherwise just kill him. If you get hit by Bomberhead's rings just right while jumping, often you will land on the platform where he is. Try it. Jump and slash the Harpy in midair, and quickly climb the ladder. Will O' Wisps attack, but just run and climb as quickly as possible. If you're fast, they won't get you. Keep going, you're almost there... Wait for Malth's attack before you jump down and slash him. Proceed very carefully to the right. Just past the Nixie, Harpies and Runnin' Stans attack. Kill them with your sword if you can to conserve Ninja Power. The highest Crystal Ball here contains Medicine for Recovery, a welcome sight. Take the Windmill Throwing Star with you into the door. ************** Act 7, Scene 3 ************** ********************* BOSS: Jaquio (Form 1) ********************* Hopefully you have the Windmill Throwing Star. Toss away. If you miss Jaquio, jump the Windmill when it comes back so it will keep killing fireballs for you and you won't waste Ninja Power. You can climb the walls to avoid the fire, but it's hard to avoid Jaquio himself by climbing. Just Windmill away until he's dead. (sorta...) ************** Act 7, Scene 4 ************** ********************* BOSS: Jaquio (Form 2) ********************* Yeah, he's not dead. Again. This part is probably impossible to do without getting hit. You have to hit Jaquio in the nose to do damage, while acid pours from the ceiling and he spits a projectile at you. The acid does one bar of damage, and the projectile does 2, so try to avoid the projectile, even if it means getting hit by acid. If you stay on the ground right in front of the skull, the only thing that will hit you is the rightmost acid drop. Take your hits, but make sure you get in plenty of your own. ************** Act 7, Scene 5 ************** Jaquio is still not dead, surprisingly *cough*. He attacks you at first with two claws that slide horizontally across the screen. The upper claw slides all the way across the screen, the lower doesn't quite make it. Avoid the skull's fireballs (they really hurt) and jump and stab the skull in the face area. It won't look like you're doing damage, but keep at it until you destroy the skull. The claws will be gone, too, but now Jaquio will drop bones (vertebrae? life force, anyone?) from his back. Your new target is the crystal-looking core (it's big and pink...) You'll have to avoid the bones to get there, though. Wait for an opening in the bones, and dash through. If you have any Ninja Power at all left, now is the time to use it. Avoid the bones as best you can, but try to keep up a steady assault on the core. It'll go down eventually, and you will have finally defeated Jaquio!! Congratulations! Enjoy the ending to a fantastic game! ************* Credits/Outro ************* A hearty THANK YOU to: Nintendo: for producing the most innovative, fun, and influential games out there. Tecmo: it's their game. *clap clap* seriously. Nintendo Power's strategy guide for hilarious comics and enemy/boss names. Whoever made the .NSF player for WinAmp. Kevin Horton? you r0x0r, whoever you are. This document is legal and intellectual property of Matt Toothman, 2002 fin.