Ninja Arts

Attacking

Quick attack

Strong attack

There are two different kinds of attacks in Ninja Gaiden 3; quick and strong. Quick attacks do not inflict significant damage, but execute quickly.

Strong attacks take longer to executed than quick attacks, but inflict more damage and can potentially stun an enemy, preventing them from attacking.

There are a variety of quick and strong attacks that change based on the type of weapon used and Hayabusa’s positioning. It is also possible to attack with projectile weapons or Ninpo magic.

Defending

There are a few different ways to defend or avoid attacks. The easiest way is to block an attack, but while blocking, it is possible to dodge in any direction or counterattack, and you can slide under many projectile attacks or use the Wind Run as an evasion technique.

Some defensive techniques are better than others, depending on the situation. However, in most circumstances, blocking should be your first reaction as it will stop a vast majority of attacks from inflicting damage. Do not block or remain stationary for too long or else nearby enemies will use grabs that nullify Hayabusa’s ability to block.

Combos

In Ninja Gaiden 3 you can chain together a series of strong and quick attacks to create a combo. Against most enemies, combo attacks cannot be interrupted if any of the attacks in the combo connect. However, some of the more powerful enemies can interrupt combo attacks with a counterattack, parry, or a strong attack of their own.

If another enemy that you are not actively attacking hits Hayabusa, it will also interrupt a combo. Strong and quick combos have similar properties to individual strong and quick attacks. Most strong attacks used in combos inflict a brief stun on most enemies and are much less likely to get counterattacked, parried, or blocked.

They also break many opponents’ blocking stances, allowing Hayabusa to quickly attack while their defense is down. Quick attacks used in combos execute faster than strong attacks, but are more susceptible to counterattacks, parries, and blocking.

Ninpo Magic

Art of the Fire Dragon

Art of the Dark Void

To use a Ninpo technique, it is not necessary to find a scroll. During day one in the story mode, Hayabusa gains the ability to use the Art of the Fire Dragon Ninpo. From that point forward, as soon as Hayabusa’s Ki Gauge is full, Ninpo can be used.

When the Art of the Fire Dragon is used, it clears the entire area of any visible enemies and fully replenishes Hayabusa’s Health Gauge. During Ninja Trials and Clan Battle, only the Dark Void Ninpo is available, which shoots a projectile attack and does not clear all enemies or replenish health.

Enemies

Hayabusa battles against a variety of enemies throughout Ninja Gaiden 3. Some enemies are standard mercenaries or members of the Black Spider Clan. These lesser enemies are generally stunned by quick attacks and can be quickly defeated with a single Izuna Drop. Stronger enemies, such as fiends, demons, and bosses appear later in the game.

These stronger opponents are more difficult to kill because their attacks can stun Hayabusa and in many cases cannot be blocked. It is important to identify the enemy Hayabusa is facing to ensure you use the best tactic to kill them and avoid taking damage.