Segas Shinobi series makes its Game Boy Advance debut in this original adventure unrelated to 1989s Genesis game of the same name. As a ninja warrior skilled in the arts of stealth and combat, you begin a quest to recover five elemental swords needed to free the land from the curse of Goaku. Each sword can be found in five distinct lands, but in order to retrieve them, you must defeat their masters: Shogun warriors possessed with special powers. Once a sword has been released from its captor, you are free to wield it and tap into its unique abilities.

A total of 20 levels are available in the game, each offering both vertical and side-scrolling movement as well as various secrets. Fans of previous titles in the series will recognize a similar power-up system, which imbues the protagonist with magical powers. In addition to using sword attacks and shuriken throws, players can overcome adversity with the skills of decoy, stealth, spirit, double jump, and more. Each level also has secondary objectives that, when completed, award you with special bonuses.