Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden was produced by Tecmo, and released in 1988. The game was originally released as an arcade cabinet, but after the boom that the NES started, it was ported over for home gaming in 1989. Watch out America, there's a ninja on the lose!

This game is about a young ninja name Ryu, who is seeking revenge for his father. For some odd reason, in the beginning of the game, Ryu's father goes into a life or death duel with another ninja and loses. Poor Ryu though has no clue, and doesn't find out until he searches his fathers room and finds a note. The note describes that he has most likely dies, and for him to go find an archaeologist named Dr. Smith in America. Your mission is to find two demon statues and separate them to stop total chaos on earth. Ryu though, wants his revenge.

The game is a side scroller where you control Ryu through 6 stages down the streets of America hacking and slashing your way through enemies. The game is really unique in it's self though. To start, I thought the graphics where extremely well done for the time of the release. Though a little dumbed down from the arcade version, the cinematic cut scenes were some of the first of it's time. These really helped grab the player, and bring him in to the story. Also, lets not forget the awesome beats that you get to jam to while hacking your way ninja style through anything that stands in you path. Hiiiiyaaaaah old school. The sound track is recognized, and enjoyed so much, it even had its own sound track released in Japan. (Ninja Gaiden Soundtrack)

But lets get to the bread and butter of this game, the difficulty. Now this was the game that was supposed to "make grown men cry". If you ask me though, the game is not that difficult at all. If you use the right power ups, and time your jumps correctly, the game is a piece of pie. To me the game even started to bore me with its game play. It was the story and bumping music that kept me in the zone to play. Now don;t get me wrong, the game does have its difficulties. Just in the first level alone, it took me a few tries to get past the boss. Also, those jumping boxers chased me up a sign and trapped me like a little ninja raccoon being chased by dogs. Sorry Ryu, you may know how to handle a blade, but I guess you cant teach a ninja how to survive on the streets.

In all though, I am a fan of the Ninja Gaiden series, so haters don't click send on that email quite yet. I have played the versions that have been released for the Xbox, and I did really enjoy pumping hours into those games. They were, if you ask me, at the level of difficulty to make some one cry tears of frustration. Also, they were very graphically bad ass. With the crazy spin moves and combos you can pull off, it really shows that Ryu is a force to be reckoned with. I guess you can teach a old ninja new tricks. Im even considering buying the new PlayStation Vita because the newest handled version of this game looks pretty sweet (Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus). but I do ask one question for the newer releases. Ryu, do you have to take off your entire leather costume just to use the bathroom?

Ryu, you look cool, but when a ninja's got to go, a ninja's got to go

References:
http://www.flyingomelette.com/gamemusic/mp3download_n.html#ninjagaiden
http://www.nintendoplayer.com/reviews/ninjagaiden.htm
http://www.g4tv.com/games/psv/65737/ninja-gaiden-sigma-plus/review/