REVIEW: Ninja Gaiden 1989 NES
	By: Tecmo Type: Platform Players: 1 Difficulty: Hard

Ninja Gaiden, when released in 1989, broke new ground in the side-scrolling action genre. Tecmo incorporated cinema cut-scenes into the game that illustrated the story of Ryu Hayabusa, the Ninja Dragon, as he tries to find his father and ends up waging the ultimate battle against evil. Gamers must rely on their jumping and slashing skills to their highest levels to unfold the continuing acts of this story, while being treated to above-average graphics and sound and gameplay.

Graphically, the game can be described in two parts, being the cinema scenes and the action scenes. The cinema scenes, as can be expected, are drawn well, with excellent detail and even some limited animation. Color is a little dull, but acceptable. Overall, the cinema scenes are a welcome addition and add a lot to the game by illustrating and telling the continuing story. The action scenes also display dull coloring, but the attention to detail (such as the skeletons in the dungeon and the pentagrams in the fortress) is excellent. Ryu's animations are also good, such as unsheathing his sword to attack. Slowdown and flicker rarely occur in this game, which is definitely a plus.


The music in this game is quite good. The music during the cinema scenes varies to match the mood of the story at the time. The music, as a whole, is unobtrusive and only adds to the gaming experience. The sound effects are
average, with nothing really standing out. Jumping, slashing, and picking up power-ups are all noted by distinct sounds, so players will know what's going on.

Playability is where Ninja Gaiden excels. Running, jumping, ad slashing has never been so easy. With a little time, anyone can become a lethal Ninja in this game. Controls are very responsive, and this adds to the game's overall appeal. Power-ups are plentiful by slashing airborne objects a la Castlevania, such as lamps. It is not possible, however, to see which power-up the player will receive until it is revealed by slashing the lamp. Since Ryu can only have one power-up at a time, this adds a strategy element to the game. Bosses move in set patterns, and for the most part are easy to defeat once the timing is captured. The game does hold challenges, however. Jumping from ledge to ledge is necessary, and the game punishes players for taking those jumps foregranted by throwing an enemy in there to intercept Ryu and knock him from the air down to his untimely death. Players will have to experiment many times in some sections of th game to get the timing right, but it is possible. With unlimited continues, the game is made somewhat easier. Due to the game's lack of password or battery backup, however, the game must be completed before the power is shut off, which is no easy feat. Some players will become frustrated, especially during the later levels of the game.


Overall, this game deserves notice due to its innovative use of cinema scenes and its ability to test even the most seasoned veterans' jumping and slashing skills. The game was immensely popular upon its release, and spawned two sequels and a re-release as part of the Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for SNES years later. I recommend this game for players of intermediate and expert skill levels, although everyone should at least give it a try to test their skills. It's a part of history, and besides... Ryu needs our help!  - Peter J. Skerritt 89%

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