Kung-Fu Fridays: Ninja Gaiden SMS

Howdy associates. Dan Ryan right here, you… there. Thanks a lot for checking in and in the event you like what you see please remark and share. A very long time in the past on an internet site far, distant, Geekade in the event you’re curious, I wrote a column through the summer season months known as Kung-Fu Fridays. The purpose with these posts was to spotlight a martial arts, learn Kung-Fu/Ninja/Karate/and so on., film, online game, or generally each on the similar time. My love for martial arts media is infinite. It has been a serious a part of my pop-culture identification since I used to be a little bit child and now, as an grownup, it has solely grown. So it’s in that spirit that I convey this new model to you, the reader. And for the primary put up on this new sequence I figured it was solely applicable to have a good time the discharge, digitally anyway on 08/01/25, of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound by trying again to certainly one of my favourite ninja themed video games, Ninja Gaiden for the SEGA Grasp System. As for ranking the video games every month I might 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 printed 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 finished in Japan and North America resulting from a mixture of poor efficiency and a shift to the extra highly effective Genesis/Mega Drive. Nonetheless, in Europe and Brazil notably, the Grasp System was nonetheless going sturdy. (and nonetheless is at this time in Brazil!) As such it made sense to convey Ninja Gaiden to the Grasp System. And whereas some might have been anticipating ports of the NES trilogy, what they received as an alternative was a wholly authentic sport and a reasonably rattling good one at that. (and the one one on the time to be known as Ninja Gaiden versus the PAL moniker Shadow Warriors) The plot sees sequence star Ryu Hayabusa return to his dwelling, Dragon Village, to search out everybody there lifeless 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 option to a ultimate showdown with the Shogun of Darkness himself. Alongside the best way Ryu hacks and slashes his approach by means of a reasonably conventional ninja themed platformer full with many of the abilities you’ll anticipate as a veteran of the sequence 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 sport that’s nicely price your time.

Graphics: 4 Ninja Gaiden is likely one of the finest trying Grasp Programs video games ever launched. The sprites are good and massive and animate very nicely. Backgrounds are detailed and supply a way of depth. Weapons look cool. Bosses are detailed and imposing. IMO this seems 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 in my view. Whereas the tracks for every stage are catchy, they by no means actually follow me, regardless of what number of instances I’ve performed by means of this one. The sound results are tremendous however nothing particular. You possibly can hear your sword however that’s about the one factor that stands proud. There was positively room for enchancment within the sound division.

Management: 4 The management on this sport is superb. Every part feels actually clean and Ryu does what you need him to do. Wall leaping is straightforward to do efficiently and the hand over hand climbing mechanic is a welcome, simple to manage addition to Ryu’s arsenal. The one knock right here is the slipperiness in among the levels that comes off a bit too unforgiving.

Enjoyable Issue: 4 When you like motion video games, you should have an excellent time with Ninja Gaiden. The caveat right here is that you just can’t anticipate to play NES Ninja Gaiden whenever you hearth this up. They’re completely different video games and really feel completely different to play. The problem is excessive however not unattainable particularly with save states on fashionable units. It’s a brief expertise however one that’s price replaying.  

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