Senran Kagura – Shoujotachi no Shinei

Senran Kagura – Shoujotachi no Shinei is a side-scrolling platforming game developed by Tamsoft for the Nintendo 3DS. It was released exclusively in Japan on September 22, 2011. In Senran Kagura: Shōjotachi no Shinei, players control one of five female ninja students from the Hanzo National Academy. Asuka, Ikaruga, Katsuragi, Yagyuu, and Hibari are five novice ninjas with different powers, but all of them have one aim: to rid the world of evil.

Each character has their own storyline, providing different perspectives and motivations within the game’s narrative. The game features side-scrolling combat where players battle waves of enemy ninjas using a combination of melee attacks and special moves. As characters take damage, their clothing becomes torn, revealing more of their bodies—a feature that utilizes the 3DS’s stereoscopic 3D capabilities to enhance the visual experience. Take the girls in a horizontal scrolling action adventure, slash at the obstacles that block their way, and combo enemies in the air.

When gamers execute a move beautifully or satisfy some other challenging conditions, the girls will reward them with special cut scenes full of fan-service moments. The combat system allows for combo attacks and special techniques, offering a degree of depth to the beat ’em up mechanics. The fast-paced fights will appeal to action fans, while the bishojo lovers can enjoy the cut scenes. But don’t skip the story, as the scenarios are written by Kitashima Yukinori of 428 Fuusa sareta Shibuya fame.