My love for NES action-platformers is no secret, and anyone who has followed me for really any length of time should already have me pegged as a Ninja Gaiden fan. It may then be a bit surprising that I only played it for the first time just a few years ago, sitting on it for years after the Castlevania series turned me on to the genre.
Platforming is as precise as I like it, with controls that are so tightly designed every input feels like a full body commitment to the outcome. Power-ups have specific use cases, and finding the balance of when to use one and when to abstain feels every bit as good as developing mastery over the subweapons in Castlevania. Repeat playthroughs feel more and more rewarding as you build your skill and familiarity with the game. It's a game made just for me, so much so that I wound up playing all three NES Ninja Gaidens back-to-back, completely forgetting to feed myself in the process. Having to drag your ass to a McDonalds at 3am because you were too caught up playing video games is just a sign that you're having a good time (or that you're possibly negligent about your personal health and well being. Either or!)
It's not a perfect game, however. Much like other games of its ilk the difficulty spikes harshly, though in this case it occurs in the last third of the game, and bosses become so frustrating that I wouldn't blame you for falling back on save states. The wall jumping gimmick is also a little hit-or-miss. Definitely ironed out in the sequels, but somewhat janky here. There's some sloppy enemy placements as well, and the level design is overall a bit less intentioned than Castlevania.
It's a surprisingly cinematic game, too. This was very much an era where a game's narrative was relegated to the first few pages of the manual and almost entirely superfluous to the actual software, but Ninja Gaiden takes pride in its story. It's campy as all hell, blending elements of espionage thrillers and Tokusatsu. Ninjas fighting against ancient magic, other worldly demonic entities, and the CIA... It's dumb as hell and shockingly complex for what it is, and I love it. It helps that the cutscenes look as impressive as they do, with the shot of Ryu looking out towards Jaquio's temple being a particular stand out.
Ninja Gaiden and its two NES sequels were remade and packed together on one cart for the SNES, so if you want to give this game a shot on better hardware, it might be worth checking that out. Either way, Ninja Gaiden definitely earns its legacy and should not be slept on by any fan of the genre.
Platforming is as precise as I like it, with controls that are so tightly designed every input feels like a full body commitment to the outcome. Power-ups have specific use cases, and finding the balance of when to use one and when to abstain feels every bit as good as developing mastery over the subweapons in Castlevania. Repeat playthroughs feel more and more rewarding as you build your skill and familiarity with the game. It's a game made just for me, so much so that I wound up playing all three NES Ninja Gaidens back-to-back, completely forgetting to feed myself in the process. Having to drag your ass to a McDonalds at 3am because you were too caught up playing video games is just a sign that you're having a good time (or that you're possibly negligent about your personal health and well being. Either or!)
It's not a perfect game, however. Much like other games of its ilk the difficulty spikes harshly, though in this case it occurs in the last third of the game, and bosses become so frustrating that I wouldn't blame you for falling back on save states. The wall jumping gimmick is also a little hit-or-miss. Definitely ironed out in the sequels, but somewhat janky here. There's some sloppy enemy placements as well, and the level design is overall a bit less intentioned than Castlevania.
It's a surprisingly cinematic game, too. This was very much an era where a game's narrative was relegated to the first few pages of the manual and almost entirely superfluous to the actual software, but Ninja Gaiden takes pride in its story. It's campy as all hell, blending elements of espionage thrillers and Tokusatsu. Ninjas fighting against ancient magic, other worldly demonic entities, and the CIA... It's dumb as hell and shockingly complex for what it is, and I love it. It helps that the cutscenes look as impressive as they do, with the shot of Ryu looking out towards Jaquio's temple being a particular stand out.
Ninja Gaiden and its two NES sequels were remade and packed together on one cart for the SNES, so if you want to give this game a shot on better hardware, it might be worth checking that out. Either way, Ninja Gaiden definitely earns its legacy and should not be slept on by any fan of the genre.
Vee
1 year ago