Shinobi Legions is a traditional side-scrolling action game, which means that each level must be finished from left to right. Along the way Sho will come across various foes and obstacles that will test the player's skill, including boss encounters. The gameplay itself is largely the same as that in Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master. However this time emphasis lies on the use of Sho's katana instead of his shuriken, and separate buttons are now used to control them.