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The Ninja Kids
忍者小子：The s
Released in 1990, The Ninja Kids is a side-scrolling beat-em-up arcade game developed by Taito Corporation. Up to four players simultaneously control young ninja warriors battling through stages filled with enemy soldiers, demons, and bosses. Each character attacks with punches, kicks, and ninja magic, with collectible power-ups scattered throughout. Players walk through horizontally scrolling environments, clearing waves of enemies before advancing to end-of-stage bosses. The game features a cartoonish visual style, distinct from grittier contemporaries, giving characters an exaggerated, almost chibi appearance. Controls consist of an eight-way joystick paired with attack and jump buttons. Multiple stages take players through varied settings including forests, castles, and enemy lairs, each with distinct enemy types and hazards.
- Developer
- Taito Corporation Japan
- Released
- 1990
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.2 / 5 (2.3K)
- Last updated
The Ninja Kids Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for The Ninja Kids on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
The Ninja Kids Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of The Ninja Kids on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"The Ninja Kids" Arcade longplay 1990
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was The Ninja Kids released?
The Ninja Kids was released in 1990 for the Arcade.
Who developed The Ninja Kids?
The Ninja Kids was developed by Taito Corporation Japan, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is The Ninja Kids?
The Ninja Kids is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play The Ninja Kids for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — The Ninja Kids runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play The Ninja Kids in the browser?
No. The Ninja Kids streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in The Ninja Kids?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does The Ninja Kids work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play The Ninja Kids this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of The Ninja Kids. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
