Test of the Ninja was the 5th book in the Super Endless Quest series, which was also where the series officially finished changing its name to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Gamebooks.
The reader controls Kurasai Hidenaga, a samurai in training, but who chafes against the rigid expectations of honor and tradition this places on him. Unknown to him, these rebellious qualities lead to him being tested for membership in a more secretive organization...
Test of the Ninja provides examples of:
- Black Swords Are Better: Kurasai's sword has a black blade, although why, we don't find out.
- Gameplay Grading: After each "level", Kurasai finds a different kind of shuriken on his pillow the next morning as an indicator of how well the ninja recruiters think he did (something the player's supposed to keep track of to determine which ending they get, but aren't told to do this).
- Named Weapon: Kurasai's black-bladed sword is named Kurodachi.
- Period Piece: A little unexpectedly, the book isn't set in a fantasy kingdom oddly similar to feudal Japan, but historical Japan itself.
- Rite of Passage: Kurasai's getting near the end of his samurai training, for one, but he's also being watched by a ninja clan to see what kind of member he'd make.
- Silk Hiding Steel: The princess is also a member of the secret ninja cabal.
