Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Developed by A.I and published by Taito in North America in 1990, Wrath of the Black Manta is a side-scrolling ninja action game that mixes elements of Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden with interrogation mechanics, hidden rooms and a surprisingly elaborate set of supernatural abilities. It is rough around the edges and often too easy, but its eccentric ideas and wonderfully cheesy presentation give it more personality than its fairly conventional combat initially suggests. Rating: 6/10.
You play as the Black Manta, a ninja sent by his master to rescue a young boy named Taro and investigate a series of child kidnappings. The trail leads to a criminal organization headed by El Toro, whose gang plans to force kidnapped children into the drug trade. The aggressively anti-drug storyline is unmistakably a product of the late 1980s, giving the game an unintentionally funny tone that has become part of its charm.
Wrath of the Black Manta is actually a major overhaul of the 1989 Japanese Famicom game Ninja Cop Saizou rather than a straightforward localization. Graphics, dialogue, cutscenes, music and parts of the level design were changed for the Western release, resulting in a game with a noticeably different identity.
Most stages play as straightforward single-plane side-scrolling action. Black Manta throws an unlimited supply of shuriken at enemies and automatically switches to a short-range knife attack when they get close. Movement is simple and generally functional, although collision detection can be unreliable and the action lacks the speed and precision of the best NES ninja games.
The more unusual element is exploration. Red-clad criminals can be restrained by grabbing them at close range and interrogated for information. Buildings also contain rooms where kidnapped children are imprisoned, often bizarrely frozen inside blocks of ice. Rescuing them provides hints about secret rooms and other useful information, adding a light investigative element to what would otherwise be a very conventional action game.
Defeating each stage boss rewards Black Manta with a new Ninja Art. These abilities are the game's defining mechanic and include offensive techniques such as fireballs and lightning as well as support powers that can make Black Manta temporarily invincible or allow him to tunnel underground. To activate them, you charge the POW gauge while holding a specific direction on the D-pad.
Unlike limited-use special weapons in many action games, Ninja Arts can be used repeatedly because the POW gauge quickly recharges. You can even charge it while moving, which means stronger abilities can be used almost constantly. Once the invincibility technique becomes available, large sections of the game can be trivialized by repeatedly activating it.
That contributes to one of Wrath of the Black Manta's biggest weaknesses: it simply is not very difficult. Enemy patterns are usually straightforward, health is fairly generous and the Ninja Arts give you powerful solutions to most situations. The occasional awkward hit detection creates frustration, but the overall challenge is considerably milder than Ninja Gaiden.
Boss battles provide some welcome spectacle. Several opponents are large and memorable, and defeating them steadily expands your collection of powers. The final stage also introduces a pseudo-first-person section, an unusual technical experiment that helps break up the otherwise conventional side-scrolling structure.
Visually, the game is a mixed bag. Black Manta and the bosses are reasonably large and clear, while environments are functional but repetitive. The Western cutscene portraits are particularly distinctive, with exaggerated realistic faces that can look unintentionally hilarious. Combined with the dramatic dialogue and heavy-handed anti-drug messaging, they give the game an unmistakable late-'80s personality.
Wrath of the Black Manta is ultimately a solid but unspectacular NES action game elevated by its eccentricities. The basic platforming and combat cannot compete with Ninja Gaiden, and the reusable Ninja Arts make the adventure easier than it probably should be. However, interrogating criminals, rescuing children, searching for secret rooms and experimenting with supernatural ninja powers give it a unique identity. It may not be one of the NES's great action games, but its campy storyline, strange presentation and enjoyable power system make it a memorable B-tier ninja adventure.
Developed by A.I and published by Taito in North America in 1990, Wrath of the Black Manta is a side-scrolling ninja action game that mixes elements of Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden with interrogation mechanics, hidden rooms and a surprisingly elaborate set of supernatural abilities. It is rough around the edges and often too easy, but its eccentric ideas and wonderfully cheesy presentation give it more personality than its fairly conventional combat initially suggests. Rating: 6/10.
You play as the Black Manta, a ninja sent by his master to rescue a young boy named Taro and investigate a series of child kidnappings. The trail leads to a criminal organization headed by El Toro, whose gang plans to force kidnapped children into the drug trade. The aggressively anti-drug storyline is unmistakably a product of the late 1980s, giving the game an unintentionally funny tone that has become part of its charm.
Wrath of the Black Manta is actually a major overhaul of the 1989 Japanese Famicom game Ninja Cop Saizou rather than a straightforward localization. Graphics, dialogue, cutscenes, music and parts of the level design were changed for the Western release, resulting in a game with a noticeably different identity.
Most stages play as straightforward single-plane side-scrolling action. Black Manta throws an unlimited supply of shuriken at enemies and automatically switches to a short-range knife attack when they get close. Movement is simple and generally functional, although collision detection can be unreliable and the action lacks the speed and precision of the best NES ninja games.
The more unusual element is exploration. Red-clad criminals can be restrained by grabbing them at close range and interrogated for information. Buildings also contain rooms where kidnapped children are imprisoned, often bizarrely frozen inside blocks of ice. Rescuing them provides hints about secret rooms and other useful information, adding a light investigative element to what would otherwise be a very conventional action game.
Defeating each stage boss rewards Black Manta with a new Ninja Art. These abilities are the game's defining mechanic and include offensive techniques such as fireballs and lightning as well as support powers that can make Black Manta temporarily invincible or allow him to tunnel underground. To activate them, you charge the POW gauge while holding a specific direction on the D-pad.
Unlike limited-use special weapons in many action games, Ninja Arts can be used repeatedly because the POW gauge quickly recharges. You can even charge it while moving, which means stronger abilities can be used almost constantly. Once the invincibility technique becomes available, large sections of the game can be trivialized by repeatedly activating it.
That contributes to one of Wrath of the Black Manta's biggest weaknesses: it simply is not very difficult. Enemy patterns are usually straightforward, health is fairly generous and the Ninja Arts give you powerful solutions to most situations. The occasional awkward hit detection creates frustration, but the overall challenge is considerably milder than Ninja Gaiden.
Boss battles provide some welcome spectacle. Several opponents are large and memorable, and defeating them steadily expands your collection of powers. The final stage also introduces a pseudo-first-person section, an unusual technical experiment that helps break up the otherwise conventional side-scrolling structure.
Visually, the game is a mixed bag. Black Manta and the bosses are reasonably large and clear, while environments are functional but repetitive. The Western cutscene portraits are particularly distinctive, with exaggerated realistic faces that can look unintentionally hilarious. Combined with the dramatic dialogue and heavy-handed anti-drug messaging, they give the game an unmistakable late-'80s personality.
Wrath of the Black Manta is ultimately a solid but unspectacular NES action game elevated by its eccentricities. The basic platforming and combat cannot compete with Ninja Gaiden, and the reusable Ninja Arts make the adventure easier than it probably should be. However, interrogating criminals, rescuing children, searching for secret rooms and experimenting with supernatural ninja powers give it a unique identity. It may not be one of the NES's great action games, but its campy storyline, strange presentation and enjoyable power system make it a memorable B-tier ninja adventure.
