"That ninja looks familiar..."

You get to the end of the game, that final cutscene, finally you see Ryu without his mask on. But he's so familiar... tousled hair, wild eyes... isn't that...

KID NIKI, RADICAL NINJA! Wow, he sure has grown up!

Okay, maybe Ryu isn't an adult version of Kid Niki, but you gotta admit they're similar. And I'm not just talking looks. Both of them do a lot to contradict the myth of ninjas as stealthy, silent attackers who prefer to strike at night. Of course this is just a silly American stereotype. Ryu and Kid Niki are true Japanese ninja, running around in broad daylight and whacking little hovering birds. Thank God Nintendo is willing to break down those barriers and give us accurate depictions of Japanese culture.

As for the game: anyone who's familiar with the NES should know about Ninja Gaiden. This was one of the truly groundbreaking games--I'd put it up there with Zelda and SMB for innovation and influence. It had its flaws, but Ninja Gaiden showed us that action-platform games could actually have a story.

Graphics: 10
Above average, for a Nintendo game. The in-game graphics aren't half bad; you can tell what pretty much every enemy is supposed to be when you look at it. Birds look like birds, army guys with bazookas look like army guys with bazookas. And some of the bosses look really cool--Bloody Malth really impressed me the first time I saw him. But what really makes Ninja Gaiden stand out in this department is the cutscenes--something I think Ninja Gaiden was the first game to use prominently. They let you see the characters almost as real people, fleshing them out in a way few NES games did. It gives the game a very cinematic feel.

Sound: 5
SFX are typical for NES--functional but not very lifelike. They neither add nor subtract from the gameplay. If it weren't for the music, you might as well turn the volume off when you play.

Music: 9
The music is very catchy--the first level and boss tunes especially. When I went back and played for the first time in a few years I immediately found myself humming along. The tune that plays when you die is almost too good--kind of adds insult to injury in the parts where you keep dying over and over.

Story: 4
This game deserves props for being the first action-platform to have a story, but it doesn't change the fact that the story is pretty dumb. After the first level he sees this woman named Irene who followed him. Some ninja--apparently this lady in pumps and a bright business suit was too stealthy for him. And when he sees her, what does he say? ''Just a girl.'' Just a girl? Way to go Ryu! I realize Japan is more conservative about gender roles, but even there that has to be considered an obnoxious, sexist remark.
So the game progresses, their paths cross again. Then in the ending scenes--somehow--they fall in love. No explanation is given of how they fell in love. You get to the ending and bam, all of a sudden it's like they have this deep romantic bond.

Gameplay: 8
This game is hella fun to play. Being able to jump off walls was a nice touch--if only they'd let you do it more often! The enemy placement is bizarre, but typical Nintendo: on a mountain you are attacked by giant birds and guys with bazookas. In a cave you are attacked by guys wearing boxing gloves. The one major flaw is a big lack of balance in the game's challenge. The levels get way too hard, and often don't give you enough time--even on the first level, you can easily run out if you take the time to reach all the hard-to-reach bonuses. And the bosses are even worse. Basically, every boss after level 2 boils down to one of two scenarios:
1. Get there with any weapon other than jump & slash: Expect a long, bloody and nearly impossible battle. After many, many tries you might learn the pattern well enough to scrape through with a few health bars left.
2. Get there with jump & slash: Expect to waste the boss in 2 seconds.

Overall: 8
The game's accomplishments still make up for its flaws, and then some. Although I'm as likely to make fun of the game as anybody, there's no doubt it deserves to be considered a classic. I think it really did change the way people look at action-platformers. The dramatic pacing of the cutscenes is very good, as well--even today, I find myself drawn in despite the silly plot. This is the first game I ever played that really felt like a movie.

If you have an NES but not this game, get it! It's not too rare or hard to find, so you should be able to buy it at a good price. Even at $20 or so I think it'd be worth it.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/30/00, Updated 12/30/00