Welcome to the complete Ninja Gaiden 4 Achievement Guide, your all-in-one reference to earning every trophy and unlocking that ultimate “True Ninja” achievement.
This Ninja Gaiden 4 Achievement Guide breaks down every achievement in the game — from story progression and combat milestones to gear mastery, challenge completions, and no-hit chapter runs.
While some achievements unlock naturally as you play, others will demand precision, skill, and mastery of Ninja Gaiden’s brutal combat system. Let’s walk through every category step-by-step so you can reach 100% completion efficiently.
Step 1: Main Story Progression
Your first playthrough will unlock the majority of story-related achievements automatically. Focus on learning boss mechanics, mastering your weapons, and understanding the timing of Ultimate Techniques and Bloodbath Kills.
Expect to unlock:
- All seal-breaking boss defeats
- All major narrative milestones
- Basic combat and gear usage achievements
You’ll also start to familiarize yourself with Yakumo’s combat flow, which becomes essential for higher difficulty runs later on.
Step 2: Gear & Weapon Mastery
Once you’ve cleared the story, it’s time to focus on weapon proficiency. Each primary weapon has its own mastery track and special attack patterns. You’ll need to level up and learn all weapon skills for the following:
- Takeminakata
- Yatousen
- Magatsuhi
- Kage-Hiruko
- Dark Dragon Blade
During this process, you’ll also unlock combat-focused achievements tied to unique moves, combos, and multi-enemy takedowns.
Step 3: Performance & Challenge Achievements
This step is all about precision-based achievements — the ones that test your reaction time, patience, and game knowledge.
These include no-hit chapters, movement restrictions, and combo-based milestones.
For instance:
- Clear Chapter 02 without falling
- Clear Chapter 06 without hitting obstacles
- Defeat 3 enemies in a row using an Ultimate Technique
- Achieve a 2000-point combo
This is where turning off Auto Movement becomes mandatory to meet the achievement conditions.
Step 4: Missions, Collectibles & Trials
After mastering combat and clearing chapters, move to side content. Complete all Missions, gather every Gourdy collectible, and take on Purgatory Trials.
You’ll also find some of the game’s hardest fights here — perfect training for your Master Ninja difficulty run.
Step 5: Master Ninja Difficulty Run
Finally, tackle the game on MASTER NINJA difficulty to earn the hardest achievement:
“Way of the Master Ninja.”
At this stage, you should have full mastery over your weapons, gear, and movement. This run will also help you naturally achieve the Ninja Fortitude trophy by maxing out health for both Yakumo and Ryu.
Achievement List & Breakdown
Below you’ll find every achievement grouped by category with their conditions and progress notes.
Story Achievements
Unlocked automatically as you progress through the main campaign.
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Oh, Foxy Lady | Defeat the Kitsune Courtesan and break the first seal. |
| It’s a Dog! It’s a Plane! It’s… | Defeat Kurobo and break the second seal. |
| Smile, You Son of a… | Defeat Cetus and break the third seal. |
| Priestess of the Dark Dragon | Revive the Dark Dragon in exchange for Seori’s life. |
| Return of the Super Ninja | Begin Ryu Hayabusa’s storyline. |
| The Priestess’s Wish | Head into the final battle carrying Seori and Kureha’s wishes. |
| Bloodsoaked Fate | Hold your ground against Ryu Hayabusa. |
| A New Master Ninja | Purify the Dark Dragon and save the world. |
Combat Techniques & Forms
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| The Art of Obliteration | Perform an Obliteration. |
| Bloodraven Form | Enter Bloodraven Form for the first time. |
| The Art of the Bloodbath Kill | Execute a Bloodbath Kill. |
| The Art of the Bloodbath Slaughter | Perform a Bloodbath Slaughter. |
These unlock naturally as you experiment with finishers and transformation forms. Bloodraven Form becomes central in late-game boss fights.
Raven Gear Achievements
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Raven Gear: Caddis Wire | Use the Caddis Wire. |
| Raven Gear: Dragonfly Glider | Use the Dragonfly Glider. |
| Raven Gear: Pond Strider | Use the Pond Strider. |
These act as movement and traversal tools throughout the story — essential for exploration-based sequences.
Weapon Mastery
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Master of the Blade | Use Takeminakata to strike 5+ enemies at once. |
| Master of the Drill | Use Yatousen to inflict massive damage in a short time. |
| Master of the Hammer | Use Magatsuhi to perform 5+ Bloodbath Kills rapidly. |
| Master of the Toolbox | Use Kage-Hiruko to defeat an enemy launched midair. |
| Wielder of Darkness | Recover the Dark Dragon Blade. |
| Master of Takeminakata | Learn all Takeminakata Weapon Skills. |
| Master of Yatousen | Learn all Yatousen Weapon Skills. |
| Master of Magatsuhi | Learn all Magatsuhi Weapon Skills. |
| Master of Kage-Hiruko | Learn all Kage-Hiruko Weapon Skills. |
| Master of the Dark Dragon Blade | Learn all Dark Dragon Blade Weapon Skills. |
| Master of Combat | Learn all general Combat Skills. |
Focus on upgrading weapons consistently and rotating between them during missions — this keeps progress even across categories.
Performance & Movement Challenges
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Way of the Dragon | Defeat 3 enemies in a row using an Ultimate Technique. |
| Combo Master | Reach a 2000-point combo. |
| The Grind Never Stops | Clear Chapter 02 without falling (Auto Movement OFF). |
| Free as a Bird | Clear Chapter 06 without hitting any obstacles (Auto Movement OFF). |
| Surf Ninja | Clear Chapter 10 without hitting any obstacles (Auto Movement OFF). |
| Laser’s Edge | Clear Chapter 12 without being hit by a laser (Auto Movement OFF). |
These require memorizing stage layouts and practicing movement timing. Disable Auto Movement for full control.
Missions, Loot, and Secrets
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Ninja Business | Complete 20 Missions. |
| NinjaCoin Miner | Earn 100,000 NinjaCoin. |
| Need, Not Greed | Obtain 30 items. |
| Consumed by Corruption | Defeat Oniwaka in his final encounter. |
Oniwaka’s final battle is one of the game’s more emotional moments — and a solid mid-game skill check.
Completion & Challenge Mastery
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| The One Who Obliterates | Obliterate every enemy. |
| Critter Collector | Collect every Gourdy. |
| Work Horse | Complete all Missions. |
| Annihilator | Complete all Purgatory Trials. |
| Shadow Incarnate | Clear any chapter without dying (excluding Chapters 00 and 14). |
| Challenger of Challenges | Complete all Challenges. |
The Purgatory Trials represent the hardest optional content — aim to tackle them after mastering every weapon type.
Difficulty & Endgame Milestones
| Achievement | Description |
|---|---|
| Way of the Master Ninja | Complete the game on MASTER NINJA difficulty. |
| Ninja Fortitude | Reach maximum health with both Yakumo and Ryu. |
| True Ninja | Acquire every achievement in the game. |
Once you’ve earned True Ninja, you’ve officially mastered everything Ninja Gaiden 4 has to offer — from its precision combat to its punishing challenges.
Ninja Gaiden 4 rewards skill, patience, and persistence. While the path to 100% completion is demanding, the experience feels like a true evolution of Team Ninja’s legacy — brutal yet deeply satisfying for those who commit.
Take your time, experiment with gear setups, and don’t rush through your Master Ninja run. Every achievement here is a mark of mastery — and earning them all proves you’ve become the ultimate Modern Super Ninja.