Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom

Ninja Gaiden III The Ancient Ship of Doom concludes the series on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The narrative follows Ryu Hayabusa, who is framed for the murder of his ally Irene Lew. He takes up her mission to investigate a mysterious factory, pursuing an imposter who assumed his identity.

This installment introduced several gameplay changes, including a vertical wave attack and levels that scroll vertically. The player's sword could be powered up to increase its reach. Compared to other versions, the North American release is considered challenging due to factors like increased damage from enemy hits, a shorter default sword, and restricted continues.

A separate release for the Atari Lynx handheld system presented a direct port of the NES game. The visuals were adapted for that platform's smaller display, while the gameplay remained identical.