Kung-Fu Fridays: Ninja Gaiden SMS

Good day associates. Dan Ryan right here, you… there. Thanks a lot for checking in and for those who like what you see please remark and share. A very long time in the past on a web site far, distant, Geecade for those who’re curious, I wrote a column throughout the summer season months referred to as Kung-Fu Fridays. The objective with these posts was to focus on a martial arts, learn Kung-Fu/Ninja/Karate/and many others., film, online game, or typically each on the identical time. My love for martial arts media is infinite. It has been a serious a part of my pop-culture id since I used to be somewhat child and now, as an grownup, it has solely grown. So it’s in that spirit that I carry this new model to you, the reader. And for the primary put up on this new collection I figured it was solely applicable to rejoice the discharge, digitally anyway on 08/01/25, of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound by wanting again to one in all my favourite ninja themed video games, Ninja Gaiden for the SEGA Grasp System. As for score the video games every month I shall be utilizing the wholly authentic, not copied in any respect from any defunct gaming journal, SAG Pod rating system, which is defined under.

Yeah, that does not seem like something to me…

Developed by SIMS and revealed by SEGA in 1992, Ninja Gaiden was solely launched to Europe and different PAL territories. On the time of its launch help for the Grasp System was achieved in Japan and North America attributable to a mixture of poor efficiency and a shift to the extra highly effective Genesis/Mega Drive. Nevertheless, in Europe and Brazil notably, the Grasp System was nonetheless going robust. (and nonetheless is at the moment in Brazil!) As such it made sense to carry Ninja Gaiden to the Grasp System. And whereas some could have been anticipating ports of the NES trilogy, what they bought as a substitute was a wholly authentic recreation and a fairly rattling good one at that. (and the one one on the time to be referred to as Ninja Gaiden versus the PAL moniker Shadow Warriors) The plot sees collection star Ryu Hayabusa return to his dwelling, Dragon Village, to seek out everybody there useless minus one lone survivor hanging on to ship a message; the Bushido Scroll has been taken by the Shogun of Darkness. Ryu instantly begins a journey of bloody revenge taking down the Shogun’s minions and foot troopers on his solution to a remaining showdown with the Shogun of Darkness himself. Alongside the best way Ryu hacks and slashes his means by a reasonably conventional ninja themed platformer full with a lot of the expertise you’d count on as a veteran of the collection and some you wouldn’t, like wall leaping and hand over hand climbing from ledges. General, Ninja Gaiden on the Grasp System is an excellent recreation that’s nicely value your time.

Graphics: 4 Ninja Gaiden is likely one of the finest wanting Grasp Programs video games ever launched. The sprites are good and large and animate very nicely. Backgrounds are detailed and supply a way of depth. Weapons look cool. Bosses are detailed and imposing. IMO this appears to be like higher than any of the NES video games if solely simply.

Sound: 3 The music right here is fairly good however the general sound package deal is a bit missing for my part. Whereas the tracks for every stage are catchy, they by no means actually follow me, irrespective of what number of instances I’ve performed by this one. The sound results are high-quality however nothing particular. You may hear your sword however that’s about the one factor that stands out. There was positively room for enchancment within the sound division.

Management: 4 The management on this recreation is superb. Every thing feels actually easy and Ryu does what you need him to do. Wall leaping is simple to do efficiently and the hand over hand climbing mechanic is a welcome, simple to regulate addition to Ryu’s arsenal. The one knock right here is the slipperiness in a number of the phases that comes off a bit too unforgiving.

Enjoyable Issue: 4 If you happen to like motion video games, you’ll have an excellent time with Ninja Gaiden. The caveat right here is that you simply can not count on to play NES Ninja Gaiden once you hearth this up. They’re totally different video games and really feel totally different to play. The problem is excessive however not unattainable particularly with save states on trendy gadgets. It’s a brief expertise however one that’s value replaying.

However I need to know what you assume. Be part of the Stone Age Gamer discordor yow will discover me on Bluesky to let me know your ideas. Within the immortal phrases of Billy Joel, “Life is a collection of hellos and goodbyes; I am afraid it is time for goodbye once more.” See you quickly.