NINJA GAIDEN Σ

As these all stack with difficulty and there is one for getting Master Ninja on all chapters on Master Ninja, I advise against trying to get all of them individually, even if you are playing through on each difficulty. On the chance that you are though, here are some general tips.

Aim to complete each Chapter in under 30mins, unless that Chapter contains an Ambush (Chapters 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16). For each Ambush present, add 10-15 mins to the target time. Some long Chapters with Ambushes still get the 100,000 bonus Karma at 1hr.

If there is an Ambush present, complete it, as you will not have enough kills to earn the 100,000 Kill bonus if you do not, unless you farm an Ambush worth of kills with respawning enemies.

Try not to buy anything at Muramasa unless you feel it is essential, or know you will make the money back somewhere. Always try and end the level with more Yellow Essence than you started. The Armlet of Benediction and the Holy Gauntlet boost Yellow Essence orb values, while ETs and UTs earn more per kill than just regular combos (and also stack with the Armlet and Gauntlet).

Finish the Chapter with full Ninpo. The bonus for Ninpo is awarded as a percentage, so having 1 of 2 (50%) Ninpo loses you 50,000 Karma, but having 4 from 5 (80%) only loses you 20,000 Karma. If you need to use Ninpo against a boss, refill it with items before landing the killing blow. Especially on lower difficulties where items are cheaper, you can easily replace the ones you used to make sure you got a maximum bonus.

These achievements are retro-active, as in you can get them on Master ninja and get the lesser versions in one shot. However, if you feel you want to gain the experience of doing it on a lower difficulty first, by all means it can be a rewarding experience.

To get master ninja rank, its all about karma gains:

-Enemies killed
-Completing a level in the par time
-Essence collected
-# of ninpo at the end of a mission
-Ultimate techniques
and most importantly,
-Finishing enough fights without the timer expiring.

Here is a list of parameters for each mission on each difficulty:
http://ngrealm.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2000

For hard mode, I recommend this youtube series:

MIssion 1 is probably one of the hardest. The early missions are really tough, but ghost fish make the later missions easier. You'll likely pull your hair out trying to beat some of these timers, so its advantageous to watch someone else who has done it and follow their example.

Personally, I make a save at the start of each mission, and then use a separate slot for each save along the way: trying to save as many times as possible as I complete fights within the par-time. It really is key to do that.
Completing ambushes also helps - but if you fail too many par-times, you'll still not get master ninja. Just keep trying, and eventually, you'll get it.

Good luck!


Extra tips:

- You must get Legendary Hunter rank on Rachel missions as well - but they're generall very easy to do compared to Ryu's levels.

- The azure dragon helm acquired on hard mode after mission 9, increases Ryu's damage so much, that alot of the timer's become easier to to manage. Add to this the grip of murder costume, for beating very hard mode, and the sun bracelet and your damage will increase significantly.
- You can achieve Master Ninja rank on some missions even if you don't get the timer bonus, but it depends on the missions, and how many points you achieved. An extra 20 Ultimate Techniques (5k a pop) will make up for the 100,000 karma you get for achieveing par time - but its not always enough to still net Master ninja. Don't be afraid to try cutting corners and re-trying if it fails.

-Get comfortable using the right tool for the job! Pretty much all weapons have a time and a place.