I kinda skipped out on the NES as a kid (Genesis was my first system) and so I've decided to start checking out some of the ole' classic NES games out there, some as reference, some just to try out because they look kinda cool. I hadn't been too impressed with many of them (including the supposedly ageless Mega Man games and Contra), but Ninja Gaiden has stood out.
It's really quite amazing how this game has managed to age. I figured that my modern tastes would dislike the constant need to practice the same levels and deal with the difficulty of the game. I certainly never wanted to with many of the NES games I played.
Yet, Ninja Gaiden was different. Despite many of the flaws like the weird way in which enemies spawn and the rather ho-hum lame cutscenes (I'm aware this is suppose to be its legacy), I've kept at it with Ninja Gaiden.
If I could pinpoint any element as to why I like it so much, it has to be the controls. Ninja Gaiden is just a joy to play. Movement and platforming is so perfectly refined and fun. Bouncing off walls is incredibly awesome, and when you can get to the point where you can climb a standard wall without having to bounce off another, it's incredibly satisfying. Sure, the game is difficult (I'm still stuck around Act 6, and that weird wall thing in Act 5 takes forever) but whenever you start blazing through levels you used to have trouble on, you pull off these awesome acrobatics and it just makes you feel like a badass.
I'm certainly going to come back to the game every couple of days and just keep practicing until I beat it. I'd strongly recommend the game to anybody who's looking for a great NES game to play on the VC.
It's really quite amazing how this game has managed to age. I figured that my modern tastes would dislike the constant need to practice the same levels and deal with the difficulty of the game. I certainly never wanted to with many of the NES games I played.
Yet, Ninja Gaiden was different. Despite many of the flaws like the weird way in which enemies spawn and the rather ho-hum lame cutscenes (I'm aware this is suppose to be its legacy), I've kept at it with Ninja Gaiden.
If I could pinpoint any element as to why I like it so much, it has to be the controls. Ninja Gaiden is just a joy to play. Movement and platforming is so perfectly refined and fun. Bouncing off walls is incredibly awesome, and when you can get to the point where you can climb a standard wall without having to bounce off another, it's incredibly satisfying. Sure, the game is difficult (I'm still stuck around Act 6, and that weird wall thing in Act 5 takes forever) but whenever you start blazing through levels you used to have trouble on, you pull off these awesome acrobatics and it just makes you feel like a badass.
I'm certainly going to come back to the game every couple of days and just keep practicing until I beat it. I'd strongly recommend the game to anybody who's looking for a great NES game to play on the VC.
Its a pity that Shadow Warriors 3 never made it, it would be cool to have for collection purposes.
