After the hail of bullets and suited gangsters of Dead Connection, we're staying in the world of 90s Japanese arcade gaming with a completely different atmosphere. Enter Charlie Ninja, a wild run-and-gun title developed by Mitchell Corporation and released in 1995.

Mitchell, the Studio of Oddities

Mitchell Corporation is the Japanese studio behind Super Pang, Puzz Loop, and the cult classic Cannon Dancer — a company known for its original concepts and delightfully eccentric catalog. Charlie Ninja fits perfectly into that tradition: a side-scrolling two-player run-and-gun released exclusively in arcades, with no home console port ever made. The game never left Japanese arcades and remains one of the most obscure titles in Mitchell's library today.

Ninjas in the Wild West (and Beyond)

Players take control of one of two available ninjas, hired to eliminate targets for profit across five stages with radically different themes. The visual style embraces a playful parody of American comic books and cartoons, complete with on-screen sound effects straight out of a comic strip. Enemies drop weapon power-ups, the player can temporarily turn invisible, and a range of special moves expands the arsenal. Each stage ends with a boss battle as bizarre as it is memorable.

The One Credit Challenge

Five stages, a gallery of grotesque bosses, and a difficulty curve that ramps up quickly. Charlie Ninja can be cleared fairly easily when played straight through — at least until enemies start flooding the screen. Finishing it on a single credit requires composure and smart power-up management. Sharpen your ninja stars!

🏆 Challenge Rules

Your goal is to achieve the highest score on a single credit.

The challenge runs from June 1st to June 15th at 11:59 PM. You may attempt it as many times as you like.

📢 How to Participate

• Launch the game (ROM: charlien)
• Play and try to beat the highest score
• Take a screenshot or photo of your final score
• Share your score on the #challenges Discord channel, including your username and score.

⚖️ Rules to Follow

To ensure a fair competition:

Your score must be achieved on a single credit, without save states, rewind, cheats, or auto-fire (unless the game itself provides it).

Gentlemen’s agreement: the use of glitches that artificially inflate scores is also prohibited.

🎁 Rewards and Fair Play

The challenge is first and foremost about discovering games, sharing tips and tricks, and, of course, having fun — all while enjoying a healthy competitive spirit!

The winner will receive a game key (GOG, Steam, etc.) of their choice from a list of approximately 100 titles.

If you have won a challenge within the last three months, the prize will be awarded to the next eligible participant.

Your ranking will be added to the One Credit Challenge leaderboard.

The Season 1 Champion will receive either a free RGB Dual 2 or a one-year Recalbox Patreon subscription.

Good luck to everyone, and may the highest score win!