Nintendo Classics Adds Ninja Gaiden III, Rage, and Dragon Buster
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom is the draw of the batch, since used copies trade around 5,000 yen and sealed copies for tens of thousands of yen, making the subscription the cheapest way to play it.
Key Facts
- Nintendo added Rage, Dragon Buster, and Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom to Family Computer Nintendo Classics on September 2, 2026.
- Rage is SNK's 1986 top-down action shooter, and Dragon Buster is Bandai Namco's action adventure ported to the Famicom in 1987.
- Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom is Koei Tecmo's 1991 side-scrolling action game starring Ryu Hayabusa.
- All three titles are playable by Nintendo Switch Online subscribers at no extra cost on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
- Used copies of Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom trade around 5,000 yen, with sealed copies going for tens of thousands of yen.
Reporting from 3 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), Automaton, Denfaminicogamer.
Nintendo added three titles to the Family Computer Nintendo Classics library on September 2, 2026. The additions are Rage, Dragon Buster, and Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, all playable by Nintendo Switch Online subscribers at no extra cost on both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Rage is SNK's top-down action shooter, released in 1986. Players control Ralph and Clark as they infiltrate an enemy base, resupplying with ammunition dropped by enemies and using power-up items, tanks, and helicopters. Dragon Buster is the action adventure from Namco, ported to the Famicom in 1987 after its 1985 arcade release. The player is the swordsman Clovis, choosing routes on a map and clearing side-scrolling action sections to reach and defeat dragons. Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom is Tecmo's 1991 side-scrolling action game, in which Ryu Hayabusa is framed for killing Irene and pursues the truth, using pipe and vine climbing, ninjutsu, and a strengthenable Dragon Sword.
The September 2 drop spans three publishers and a five-year window of Famicom history: SNK's 1986 shooter Rage, Bandai Namco's 1987 action adventure Dragon Buster, and Koei Tecmo's 1991 Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers get all three at no additional cost on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
- Rage: SNK's 1986 top-down action shooter; players control Ralph and Clark infiltrating an enemy base
- Dragon Buster: Bandai Namco's action adventure, ported to the Famicom in 1987 after its 1985 arcade release; player is swordsman Clovis hunting dragons
- Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom: Koei Tecmo's 1991 side-scrolling action game; Ryu Hayabusa is framed for killing Irene
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.