Ninja Cop Saizou is played from a horizontal side view. Saizou advances through fixed stages, defeats ordinary enemies, avoids environmental hazards, and reaches boss encounters or stage-end confrontations. The screen emphasizes short jumps, enemy positioning, and careful timing rather than exploration.

The player can move, jump, crouch, and attack with Saizou's ninja weapons. Progression is stage based, with later areas demanding more accurate movement and quicker responses. The NES release is a single-player game; no documented simultaneous multiplayer mode is present.

Learn the timing of Saizou's jump and attack before advancing into crowded screens. Remove enemies from a safe distance when the stage gives you room, then approach platforms and hazards only after the immediate threat is clear.

Treat each stage as a sequence of enemy patterns rather than rushing continuously. Preserve your remaining life for the later sections, where narrow platforms and faster attacks make mistakes more costly. Boss encounters reward short, deliberate attack windows instead of repeated blind charges.