Alex Kidd in Shinobi World

The game is divided into four rounds, with three levels each, where Alex must travel through various locations like office blocks, construction sites, shipyards, and jungles. He must defeat ninjas and other wildlife to progress through the levels. The final levels feature boss battles against Kabuto, Heli, Robster, and Hanzo. To survive some levels, Alex must learn a secret jumping technique described in the game's instruction manual.

Alex starts with three lives and an energy bar with three units. Losing an enemy will deduct one unit from the energy bar, while losing all three units results in losing a life. If all lives are lost, the game is over. Additional energy units can be obtained by collecting hearts that can be found by breaking treasure chests, up to a maximum of six units.

Collecting hearts earns extra lives, and breaking certain treasure chests yields weapons like spears and power swords. A special Tornado icon allows Alex to transform into a tornado, sucking enemies towards him or sending them off-screen. This unique ability can be used strategically to overcome challenges.