This game is kind of a piece of torture software but it's still good, too. Most of the game is not too bad, and in fact if you're familiar with Ninja Gaiden's reputation then you might be wondering where the difficulty is that everyone talks about -- until you get to the end of the game.

The fifth stage of this game is absolutely brutal, and long, but it does have a few checkpoints -- and eventually you'll claw your way through it and get to the last boss. Then you'll fight the last boss and die, because it's very difficult to beat on the first try or even figure out the pattern with any kind of certainty.

Then guess what? The game will dump you all the way back at the beginning of chapter 5 after giving you security in the feeling of having gotten that lengthy, nearly impossible chapter behind you with some checkpoints to your name. That's right -- whenever you die at the last boss, you'll be put ALL the way back about 8 screens or something (and the screens in this game are very wide), to do it all again. And you will die to the last boss a lot, because it's hard as crap. So what I'm saying is, if you undertake this game, I wish you luck. It's good, but either bring an emulator with save states or bring your big boy or girl pants, because you're gonna need one or the other, or maybe both.

All that aside, this game looks and sounds great, sporting detailed cutaway cutscenes with impressive artwork for the NES. It plays great too except for that last hateful stretch. If the last boss had a regular checkpoint, I think I would give this a 4.5. It's just too frustrating not to dock at least a half point for.

4 - Great: A good, solid game that is enjoyable