In Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, the player takes control of JaJaMaru, who sets out to rescue Princess Sakura from the pirate lord Namazu Dayuu, or "Catfish Pirate". JaJaMaru can run, jump, and throw shurikens at enemies, all of which are taken from Japanese folklore and are introduced before a level begins. Each level has eight enemies total, who give chase to JaJaMaru if he occupies the same floor as them. Defeating enemies will cause their spirit to appear and ascend to the top of the screen, which can be grabbed for additional points. Once all the enemies are defeated, JaJaMaru moves onto the next level.
