 Players dispatch enemies by either thrusting at them with his Dragon Sword or by defeating them using Power Boosting Items. These special items consume Ryu's "ninja power", also located on the top of the screen. Power Boosting Items include the following: shurikens; "Windmill Throwing Stars" that move back and forth like a boomerang; "The Art of the Fire Wheel" which hurls fireballs diagonally upwards; "Fire Dragon Balls" which hurls fireballs diagonally downwards; and the "Invincible Fire Wheel" that creates a barrier of three fireballs around Ryu, destroying any enemy that touches them. These items can be found in various crystal balls scattered throughout the levels, and they can be switched out by collecting another Power Boosting Item. The amount of ninja power used depends on the type of Power Boosting Item used. At the end of each Act Ryu fights a boss which has its own strength meter, located on the top of the screen. The boss's strength meter decreases every time the player damages it, and the boss is destroyed when the player completely depletes its strength meter.
