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[a Master Ninja]

Ninja Gaiden Black is the "definitive" experience, but a year and a half earlier its precursor was already close to perfection.

Anticipation
The Ninja Gaiden franchise had been dormant since the SNES collection in 1995. Ryu Hayabusa's only public appearances were making cameos in the Dead or Alive fighting games. Little did we know that Team Ninja started the "Next-Generation Ninja Gaiden Project" in 1999. Behind the scenes it went from a planned Dreamcast game to a PS2 launch game until finally it was publicly announced at E3 2002 as an Xbox exclusive title.

I remember being oblivious of the game until I played Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball. One of the characters gifted me the TGS trailer and from the moment I watched it I was on board. I then fawned over any bullshots I could find of the game in EGM. Months later I bought the OXM with the Ninja Gaiden demo disc and marveled at the unparalleled console graphics and the fact that the boss in the demo kicked my ass.

March 2nd, 2004
For me, it was the best action game I had ever played and the best singleplayer experience on the original Xbox. The game was long, packed with content, a technical marvel at 480p widescreen and 60fps, and polished as hell. I remember having Ryu stand near a cave wall and rather than his foot clipping through the rock, he put his foot up on it. The attention to detail was staggering. There was even more to disocver in the New Game+ mode. I couldn't stop playing. I even started writing a strategy guide.

Ninjavania
My favorite aspect of the game was that the game was set in an interconnected world with secrets that could only be unlocked by gaining new weapons and abilities. I never forget getting to the Windmill Shuriken for the first time.

Unprecedented Post Launch Support
After the game released, Team Ninja then developed content that became two large expansions that were free for Xbox Live subscribers. Hurricane Pack 1 was a remixed version of the story mode which added the new Lunar weapon, tons of new enemies, new costumes, and a game changing ability called the Intercept that made any attack counter-able with the proper timing. Hurricane Pack 2 was a brutal gauntlet that allowed players to test their skills against brutal new bosses. This content would later be integrated into the "Black" release of the game.

Content Absent from Ninja Gaiden Black
For whatever reason, the Ninja of the Future costume is only unlockable in vanilla Ninja Gaiden. It may be because it looks really dumb. Also, this release features the SNES Ninja Gaiden Trilogy while Black got stuck with the inferior arcade beat-em-up. Also the Intercept move was deemed "too powerful" and never left the Hurricane Packs.

Share your NINJA GAIDEN memories!

 

[Silky]

Come back home, Cookie.

 

[pretty done]

Never played this, but Black is probably my GOAT.

I'm day one on anything Itagaki makes as long as it's not a fighting game (DoA is turrible). Hope Devil's Third comes out in my lifetime.

 

[Phediuk]

Visuals were phenomenal for the time; the Xbox was still in full beast mode in 2004. That and Riddick were both mind-blowing.

 

[CrackPebbles]

Ninja Gaiden is the hypest shit, Itagaki can have my sweet caramel children.

I played more vanilla then black because my OG xbox was dying a slow painful death around my second playthrough of Black unfortunately. But yeah that game is magic.

I think im gonna start playing black again on 360 soon.

 

[GuardianE]

I played the original and Black to death, beating MNM and completing Mission Mode.

Then I played Sigma and did a bunch there, too. If they re-released it on next gen consoles and PC, I'd pick it up there as well. It's that good.

What's with the influx of original Ninja Gaiden threads lately?

 

[Timu]

I played this back when it 1st came out...I was blown away by it, such an amazing experience.

 

[Finaika]

Damn, the game still looks good even after 10 years.

 

[Zalman]

What makes Black a better game than Sigma? I haven't played either, just curious.

 

[Love Deterrence]

Masterpiece! It was, by far, my favorite Xbox-exclusive title. Ninja Gaiden takes so many cakes.

 

[Bgamer90]

Still trying to wrap my head around 2004 being 10 years ago.

 

[Silky]

What makes Black a better game than Sigma? I haven't played either, just curious.

Sigma made the game easier with more save points and shops, made unnecessary property changes to a lot of the weapons and enemies, playing as Rachel is a bore and Sixaxis for stronger ninpos can fuck right off.

Things like Mid-air arrow shots were okay. Twin swords were unnecessary.

Itagaki think it's shit, and when you made the first remake of the game Hayashi's trying to remake, I think you're entitled to say it.

 

[Hesemonni]

Damn, the game still looks good even after 10 years.

And it plays perfectly. Game has clear set of rules which it abides to and in the event of death the only one you can blame is yourself.

 

[pa22word]

The greatest video game ever released. I still play it once a year doing different things, and love it.

Can't wait on devil's third.

 

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

I got an Xbox a few weeks ago primarily to play this game. I've already completed one playthrough and am going through on hard now, and it is seriously a badass game. I love how you can be killed at any moment during battle. I just wish the controller the system came with wasn't broken and that I could control the camera properly.

 

[mullet2000]

Ninja Gaiden Black is an amazing game.

If someone for whatever reason had to argue what was the "best game ever made" NGB would be on the short list. One of my favourite games ever.

 

[The_Endgamer]

One of the very few games I think that is flawless imo.

So perfect, challenging and beautiful. Wish i could go back and play it for the first time all over again. Battle in the church was beautiful easily my GOAT boss. The Underworld survival challenge is a close second.

 

[Lt.Chips]

I was waiting for the 10 year anniversary NG thread. Thanks for the great work OP.

It's kind of sad that the NG title coming out on the franchise's 10 year anniversary is Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z...

 

[bigboss370]

Ninja Gaiden Black was awesomeness. Yet I never understood all the complaints of the game being too hard, I didn't think so and I had a blast playing it.

 

[Grief.exe]

I don't have access to my original Xbox, or a 360 for that matter, so I can't play this gem. I wish Xbox emulation was possible at this point, or Tecmo finally decides to port Black over to the PC.

Spoiler

Hell, I'd take Sigma if that meant Ninja Gaiden on my platform of choice.

 

[Muchi Muchi Pink]

One of the big three character action games. A masterpiece.

 

[ChitoCrisis]

Ninja Gaiden is one of my favourite games of all time. No other game in the same genre can top the greatness that is Ninja Gaiden. Not even Sigma (it wasn't the same). Seriously, NG/NGB is amazing.

 

[bigboss370]

NGB is a classic that's for sure.

If only the sequels lived up to it.


edit: this reminds me...i actually never finished NG2. fuck >_<

 

[BigDug13]

Havin the most powerful system used to be Microsoft's mantra and Ninja Gaiden demonstrated that commitment.

 

[luka]

Last night I hooked up my 360 for the first time in almost 2 years and started playing this again. Not sure what to say other than that it's as close to perfect as I've ever seen a game get. I'll be replaying this until the day I die.

 

[AB12]

I remember my friend letting me borrow his xbox, and it was one of the first games I played on it, truly a masterpiece.

this reminds me...i actually never finished NG2. fuck >_<

Only took me two years.

 

[CadetMahoney]

amazing game, first stage of black sets the tone greatly:

http://youtu.be/QGEha9QOKlA?t=1m36s

 

[Punished_Snake]

One of the best action games ever made, but I like the sequel even more. The sequel wasn't as polished or balanced as the original, but the faster and deadlier combat of Ninja Gaiden 2 gave it the edge in my opinion.

 

[Jopie]

Right up there with Gunvalkyrie on my list of favorite action games on the Xbox. Can't believe it's been a decade.

 

[zsidane]

Best game on Xbox for me. This game and F Zero GX were really challenging, rewarding, amazing technically and fun! Definitely in my top 3 game of that generation.

I remember struggling with who I thought was the final boss, only to find out not only he wasn't the final boss, but I also kicked the true final boss ass in one try and like a champ'
I like the pace, the environment, the details, the graphics, the gameplay and the healthy and nice looking girls in the game.

I miss the old days when Japanese developers ruled the world

 

[TEJ]

This and panzer dragoon orta were what made me strongly desire an original xbox. The system then became my first non-nintendo system since the Genesis. It was a gateway system which lead me to buying other non-nintendo systems.

I was not very good at the game but I loved every minute of it. It was raw, brutal, intense, everything I could want from an action game. I think NGB was only surpassed by bayonetta but NGB is a close number 2 in my heart.

 

[Nicko]

Quite a long time ago, I borrowed an original Xbox from a friend, and rented Ninja Gaiden Black. It was so incredibly satisfying and OMG, the graphics blew my mind. I got my butt totally kicked, and was only able to make it about a quarter of the way through before I had to return the console and the game.

I never forgot that experience, and vowed to someday play through the entire game.

In 2008 I picked up a 360 Elite for relatively cheap, and later picked up Ninja Gaiden II for $20 online. I knew I should play the original before the sequel however, and therefore just left it in the shrink wrap.

Somehow I completely missed the fact that NG black was released on the 360 as a downloadable Xbox classic. I was just randomly browsing one day, saw it, and immediately threw my money at it.

From that point on, played through the entire game to the exclusion Red Dead Redemption, Deus Ex, Gears of War II, and the rest of my new release library. From start to finish, the game was an unequivocal joy to play. It was the perfect difficulty for me. Just hard enough where things didn't feel impossible, just really hard. Needed to get the strategy down, and boy, once you passed an area, the feeling of accomplishment was right there with Dark Souls, and similar games.

After playing through that love letter to action games, I was so pumped up to play the sequel. Unfortunately only after a few hours in to NGII, it was clear that it was no where near the level of polish or perfection of it's predecessor. I think I hyped myself up way too much, and therefore to this day, never finished it.

After reading reviews for NGIII, I didn't even bother to pick it up.

I remember reading the news about the director Tomonobu Itagaki leaving team Ninja. Seriously sad stuff.. To this day, I really believe he was the critical cog that made the original such a splendor to play.

Raise your glasses ladies and gents to the greatest pure action game since the days of SNES.

 

[Zaki2407]

This game is the only reason I bought xbox console (used) in tokyo back in 2004.

 

[pswii60]

Such an incredible game, and the reason I've always struggled to truly enjoy the God of War series, because the combat is so lame compared to NG.

The environments, atmosphere, and super-tight gameplay perfection make NG one of my favourite games of all time. We need Itagaki back.

 

[baphomet]

Me and my best friend were completely stoked for this to release. We lived in a very small town in Tennessee, so we had to wait until games released at Walmart. Usually it would be around launch, but ninja gaiden specifically wasnt. I checked Walmart daily, then one night I was there to buy a hard drive, and saw it was there. I called my friend and told him they finally had it. He drove straight to Walmart and bought his while I was already at home playing mine. I think I played straight to alma that night.

It really is a great game, even today, and probably in my top 3 of that generation.

 

[AcceptableGhost]

Easily in the running for best game of that gen, and easily the best game on the Xbox hands down. NGB on the Xbox is still the definitive version as well.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

I know it's not 60fps and I know it's the Sigma version, but damn do I enjoy playing NG on the Vita. This game blew me away when I 1st saw it, the graphics were unbelievable...and now I can play it on a handheld.

 

[BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!]

I know it's not 60fps and I know it's the Sigma version, but damn do I enjoy playing NG on the Vita. This game blew me away when I 1st saw it, the graphics were unbelievable...and now I can play it on a handheld.

It's pretty sweet on the Vita.

 

[Nervous Sausage]

Yep this game blew my pants off back 2004. Literally made games like God of War and Devil May Cry 3 unplayable to me afterwards because the enemies felt like nothing more than punching bags. Each fight in NG made you feel like your life was on the line. I remember spending way too long farming for money at that area in the city with the windmill shuriken and the Xbox statue that fully heals you. My favorite part was how the levels all flowed together from one area to the next and the light almost Zelda like puzzles.

Unfortunately the sequel pissed that away for disconnected globe trotting levels, zero puzzles to break up the action and blander environments. I really liked NG2 too, but the level design was definitely a lot worse and the game was way more unpolished. The combat was awesome though. As for NG3, I couldn't even get half way through that abortion. It's clear that the only talented staff Team Ninja had are long gone now. Bring on Devils Third.

 

[PirateKing]

And then we got Ninja Gaiden 3 (I spent $150 on this shit) then they had the nerve to release NGS2+ on Vita. What a broken fucking mess.
NGS1+ is pretty sweet and the 30fps doesn't change its aweseness too much.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

I met dude. And got a picture. Homeboy is the GOAT.

 

[MrCookiepants]

Damn, the game still looks good even after 10 years.

You mean the CG promo render? lol

 

[ezekial45]

NGB is one of the greatest action games ever made. It's just fantastic throughout. I adore it.

It's too bad the sequels never managed to come near its quality.

 

[jelly]

One of the best games ever.

They should be milking it dry with HD editions.

I never struggled with Alma which surprised me after reading it was such a pain for many. Ninja Gaiden is one of those tough games I'm actually good at for some reason. A familiar pair on Ninja kicking jeans.

 

[Crunchy20XX]

Loved this game, although I never finished it. I remember attempting to beat Alma every day for a month. A month! And then finally beating her. Still the hardest boss in any game I've ever played. Like I said, even though I've never finished this game, beating Alma is maybe my most satisfying gaming moment.

 

[Eggbok]

I don't have access to my original Xbox, or a 360 for that matter, so I can't play this gem. I wish Xbox emulation was possible at this point, or Tecmo finally decides to port Black over to the PC.

Spoiler

Hell, I'd take Sigma if that meant Ninja Gaiden on my platform of choice.

I still have mine as well!! I'm a really huge ninja gaiden fan. I've bought every game since the first one on Xbox. Hopefully NG4 (not Yaiba) will be way better than 3.

 

[Crunchy20XX]

Me and my best friend were completely stoked for this to release. We lived in a very small town in Tennessee, so we had to wait until games released at Walmart. Usually it would be around launch, but ninja gaiden specifically wasnt. I checked Walmart daily, then one night I was there to buy a hard drive, and saw it was there. I called my friend and told him they finally had it. He drove straight to Walmart and bought his while I was already at home playing mine. I think I played straight to alma that night.

It really is a great game, even today, and probably in my top 3 of that generation.

What area of Tennesee? I was also living in a small Tennessee town when this game came out.

 

[Kysen]

It's the only og xbox game I own. Played it on 360, amazing. The OG xbox really was a powerhouse(never owned one). Such a shame hayashi shat on the series.

 

[Sikamikanico]

One of my all time favourite games. Would love to see a HD rerelease of this on Xbox One. Every time I played and got to another impossible boss, my brain would say it can't possibly get harder than this... it always did, and thanks to the impeccable controls, I always eventually rose to the occasion.

Amazing game.

 

[Keasar]

Bayonetta, Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden is the holy trinity of action games for me. Bought Black the moment I purchased my XBOX 360 and did not regret it. So good.