Ninja Gaiden is a hack & slash action franchise created by Tecmo in 1988 and owned by Koei Tecmo. The original 2D series was known as Ninja Ryūkenden in Japan. In 2004, a reboot 3D series was created by Team Ninja, using the name Ninja Gaiden in Japan.[1] As of 2025, the franchise has sold over 10 million units worldwide, including over 2.5 million 2D games and 7.5 million 3D games.
Games[]
2D series[]
| Title | Year | Platform | Market | Sales | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja Gaiden / Ninja Ryūkenden | 1988 | Arcade | Worldwide | 2,800 | |
| Ninja Gaiden | 1988 | Arcade | USA | 800* | [2] |
| Ninja Ryūkenden | 1989 | Arcade | Japan | 2,000* | [3] |
| Shadow Warriors | 1990 | PC | Unknown | Unknown | [4] |
| 1991 | Lynx | [5] | |||
| Ninja Gaiden | 2009 | Wii (VC) | [4] | ||
| Ninja Gaiden / Ninja Ryūkenden | 1988 | NES | Worldwide | 985,547 | |
| Ninja Ryūkenden | 1988 | Famicom | Japan | 85,547 | [6] |
| Ninja Gaiden | 1989 | NES | USA | 900,000* | [3] |
| Ninja Ryūkenden | 1992 | PC Engine | Japan | Unknown | [7] |
| Ninja Gaiden | 2004 | Mobile | Unknown | ||
| 2007 | Wii (VC) | ||||
| 2012 | 3DS (VC) | ||||
| 2014 | Wii U (VC) | ||||
| Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos | 1990 | NES | Japan | 338,314 | |
| Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos | 1990 | Arcade | Unknown | Unknown | [8] |
| Ninja Ryūkenden II: Ankoku no Jashin Ken | 1990 | Famicom | Japan | 338,314 | [6] |
| Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos | 1990 | NES | Overseas | Unknown | [8] |
| 1991 | PC | Unknown | |||
| 2007 | Wii (VC) | ||||
| 2013 | 3DS (VC) | ||||
| 2016 | Wii U (VC) | ||||
| Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom | 1991 | NES | Japan | 21,594 | |
| Ninja Ryūkenden III: Yomi no Hakobune | 1991 | Famicom | Japan | 21,594 | [6] |
| Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom | 1991 | NES | Overseas | Unknown | [9] |
| 1993 | Lynx | Unknown | |||
| 2008 | Wii (VC) | ||||
| 2013 | 3DS (VC) | ||||
| Ninja Gaiden | 1991 | GG | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Ninja Gaiden | 1991 | GG | Unknown | Unknown | [10] |
| Ninja Gaiden Shadow | 1991 | GB | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Ninja Gaiden Shadow | 1991 | GB | Unknown | Unknown | [11] |
| Ninja Gaiden | 1992 | SMS | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Ninja Gaiden | 1992 | SMS | Unknown | Unknown | [12] |
| Ninja Gaiden Trilogy | 1995 | SNES | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Ninja Gaiden Trilogy | 1995 | SNES | Unknown | Unknown | [13] |
| Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound | 2025 | Worldwide | 119,000 | ||
| Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound | 2025 | PS4 | Unknown | Unknown | [14] |
| PS5 | |||||
| PC | Worldwide | 119,000* | [15] | ||
| Switch | Unknown | Unknown | [14] | ||
| XB1 | |||||
| XBS | |||||
| Total sales | 2,619,000 | [16][15] | |||
3D series[]
| Title | Year | Platform | Market | Sales | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja Gaiden | 2004 | Worldwide | 2,992,155 | ||
| Ninja Gaiden | 2004 | XB | Worldwide | 1,200,000 | [16] |
| Ninja Gaiden Black | 2005 | XB | Japan | 3,886 | [6] |
| USA | 250,000 | [17] | |||
| Europe | 20,000* | [18] | |||
| Ninja Gaiden Sigma | 2007 | PS3 | Japan | 76,095 | [6] |
| NA | 500,000 | [19] | |||
| Other | 480,000* | [20] | |||
| Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus | 2012 | PSV | Japan | 18,426 | [6] |
| USA | 50,000 | [21] | |||
| Other | 100,000* | [22] | |||
| Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection | 2021 | Multi-platform | Worldwide | 293,748 | |
| Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword | 2008 | Worldwide | 340,000 | ||
| Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword | 2008 | DS | Worldwide | 340,000 | [23] |
| Ninja Gaiden II | 2008 | Worldwide | 2,032,622 | ||
| Ninja Gaiden II | 2008 | X360 | Worldwide | 1,100,000 | [23] |
| Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 | 2009 | PS3 | Worldwide | 480,000 | [24] |
| Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus | 2013 | PSV | Japan | 9,574 | [6] |
| USA | 8,300 | [25] | |||
| Ninja Gaiden 2 Black | 2025 | PS5 | Unknown | Unknown | [26] |
| PC | Worldwide | 141,000* | [27] | ||
| XBS | Unknown | Unknown | [26] | ||
| Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection | 2021 | Multi-platform | Worldwide | 293,748 | |
| Ninja Gaiden 3 | 2012 | Worldwide | 1,153,329 | [28] | |
| Ninja Gaiden 3 | 2012 | PS3 | Japan | 48,637 | [6] |
| X360 | Japan | 6,563 | [6] | ||
| PS3, X360 | USA | 90,000 | [29] | ||
| PS3 | Other | 140,000* | [30] | ||
| X360 | Other | 70,000* | [31] | ||
| Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge | 2012 | Wii U | Japan | 17,133 | [6] |
| Overseas | 190,000* | [32] | |||
| X360 | Japan | 20,040 | [6] | ||
| PS3 | Japan | 2,408 | [6] | ||
| Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection | 2021 | Multi-platform | Worldwide | 293,748 | |
| Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z | 2014 | Worldwide | 429,000 | ||
| Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z | 2014 | PS3 | Overseas | 90,000* | [33] |
| X360 | Overseas | 50,000* | [34] | ||
| PC | Worldwide | 289,000* | [35] | ||
| Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection | 2021 | Worldwide | 293,748 | ||
| Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection | 2021 | PS4 | Japan | 14,483 | [6] |
| PC | Worldwide | 271,000* | [36] | ||
| Switch | Japan | 8,265 | [6] | ||
| XB1 | Worldwide | Unknown | [37] | ||
| Ninja Gaiden 4 | 2025 | Worldwide | 177,809 | ||
| Ninja Gaiden 4 | 2025 | PS5 | Japan | 13,809 | [38] |
| Steam | Worldwide | 164,000* | [39] | ||
| XBS | Unknown | Unknown | [40] | ||
| Total sales | 7,500,000 | [41] | |||
Mobile[]
| Title | Platform | Year | Downloads | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja Gaiden X | iOS/Android | 2004 | Unknown | [42] |
| 100 Man'nin no Ninja Gaiden | iOS/Android | 2012 | ||
| Total downloads | Unknown | |||
Notes[]
* Contains estimates
References[]
- ↑ https://www.pcgamesinsider.biz/news/71953/ninja-gaiden-series-has-sold-68m-copies-to-date/
- ↑ 1988
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 1989
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ninja Gaiden (arcade game) - Wikipedia
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden for Lynx - GameFAQs
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 "Game Search". Game Data Library. Famitsu.
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden (NES video game) - Wikipedia
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos - Wikipedia
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom - Wikipedia
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden (Game Gear) - Wikipedia
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden Shadow - Wikipedia
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden (1992 video game) - Wikipedia
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for Super Nintendo - GameFAQs
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound - Wikipedia
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 https://playtracker.net/insight/game/114663
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 2008 CESA ゲーム白書 [2008 CESA Games White Papers]. Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association. 2008. ISBN 978-4902346176.
- ↑ Campbell, Colin; Keiser, Joe (July 29, 2006). "The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century". Next Generation. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007.
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden Black for Xbox - Sales, Wiki, Release Dates, Review, Cheats, Walkthrough
- ↑ Greatest Hits (PlayStation)
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden Sigma for PlayStation 3
- ↑ "NPD (Circana) 2012 Full Year Results". NPD.
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden Sigma for PlayStation Vita - Sales, Wiki, Release Dates, Review, Cheats, Walkthrough
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Microsoft PowerPoint - 2008本決算説明会資料（ENGLISH）.ppt
- ↑ コーエーテクモグループ 2009年3月期 決算説明会
- ↑ "NPD (Circana) 2013 Full Year Results". NPD.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Ninja Gaiden II - Wikipedia
- ↑ https://playtracker.net/insight/game/104327
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden 3 ships 630,000 worldwide, Tecmo Koei profit up 69 percent | GamesIndustry.biz
- ↑ "NPD (Circana) 2012 Full Year Results". NPD.
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden 3 for PlayStation 3 - Sales, Wiki, Release Dates, Review, Cheats, Walkthrough
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden 3 for Xbox 360 - Sales, Wiki, Release Dates, Review, Cheats, Walkthrough
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden 3 for Wii U - Sales, Wiki, Release Dates, Review, Cheats, Walkthrough
- ↑ Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z for PlayStation 3 - Sales, Wiki, Release Dates, Review, Cheats, Walkthrough
- ↑ Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z for Xbox 360 - Sales, Wiki, Release Dates, Review, Cheats, Walkthrough
- ↑ https://playtracker.net/insight/game/9680
- ↑ https://playtracker.net/insight/game/68159
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden (2004 video game) - Wikipedia
- ↑ Famitsu Sales: 10/27/25 - 11/2/25 [Update] - Gematsu
- ↑ https://playtracker.net/insight/game/113293
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden 4 - Wikipedia
- ↑ https://www.koeitecmo.co.jp/e/ir/docs/ir3_20250127e.pdf#page=23
- ↑ Ninja Gaiden - Wikipedia