Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

[atheistgod1999]

Just got back from my haircut.

[atheistgod1999]

Got to 6-2 19 minutes ago.

[atheistgod1999]

Just got to 6-3.

In case you forgot:

DON'T GIVE ME ANY FUCKING ADVICE!!!

[atheistgod1999]

Got to 6-4, died, and...well, you know.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I'm revisiting Captain Claw, this time playing it with a gamepad (my left thumb has fully recovered). I intend to share my impressions when I get any further into it than I had using keyboard.

[atheistgod1999]

Have to do something else for an hour

[Squire Grooktook]

This thread is for discussion kiddo, not a twitter feed. We don't need to hear about your haircut or what homework you gotta do. Keep it on topic, and use the edit button if you have something to add, rather than double or triple posting.

Also don't say the same thing multiple times, it's not fun for the reader/listener!

You're welcome ^_^
what have I unleashed on this thread

[atheistgod1999]

Sorry. The way you worded it made me think I was supposed to keep you updated like a twitter feed.

[Squire Grooktook]

Just play lots of good games and spread the love :3

[BIL]

Got to 6-4, died, and...well, you know.

Who killed ya

Also yeah, Squire is correct as usual. Pls do quality posting! It's Boney-kun's 30th birthday later this year, and I don't want his tribute special buried!

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1337 TIP: If you're the last post in a thread and you got something new to say, edit in the new stuff, then delete and repost the message! BAM, topic bumped with no double/triple/nth post! I do this shit all the time!

[Shoryukev]

Ninja Gaiden's Act VI is where the fun truly begins, get ready for some serious shenanigans. The best advice I can give you is to remember where everything comes from and think a few steps ahead. Oh and last but not least, take a few steps backwards and you'll make some enemies disappear, some re-spawn and some don't come back at all.

It's been awhile since I've played it, but Ninja Gaiden always beat my sorry butt to a pulp when I was a kid. Seeing this discussion makes me want to give it a go again, it is an absolutely fantastic game. It's been a few years, but I think last time I tried I got frustrated with the bird enemies knocking me into pitfalls towards the end and gave up LOL

[atheistgod1999]

I've been playing NG nonstop since around 11:00 AM. I was able to get the final boss's life meter down to just one bar before it killed me once. I'm gonna take a break because I'm getting worse now.

I figured out the secret to the game:

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There's a specific enemy sequence at any given point and I have to exploit the openings in them.

This was my peak performance so far:

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[BIL]

By "final boss" do you mean the samurai, the flying warlock or the jumbo shrimp? Either way, good going! And yes, do take your time. Don't burn out and end up going rogue like our AWOL cadet from the first page, "Edmond The Mad."

[atheistgod1999]

By "final boss" do you mean the samurai, the flying warlock or the jumbo shrimp?

I didn't know there even was more than one phase.

[BIL]

There's three of 'em. ;3 You get a fresh lifebar for each though! You also lose your subweapon for the last two, but eh. If either kill you, you can return with a subweapon and have a much easier time.

[atheistgod1999]

You also lose your subweapon for the last two

Good thing I haven't even used any subweapon once throughout the entire game.

[BIL]

Eh, I'd say you're denying yourself. NG subweapons are good stuff and integral to its peerless blend of set patterns and rough/tumble improv. At least try out the windmill star, it's fun!

[Shoryukev]

There's three of 'em. ;3 You get a fresh lifebar for each though! You also lose your subweapon for the last two, but eh. If either kill you, you can return with a subweapon and have a much easier time.

3?!? That's brutal, but at least it gives you full health at each stage. That's one thing I'll say about NG1, it is damn hard but it never once feels cheap. I'm not an expert, but the hit detection seems great to me. When I die it is always my fault, and getting good at the game takes patience and quick thinking.

You almost have to have the reflexes of a real ninja to beat this game LOL. I can almost beat the original Castlevania on one life and I still haven't beaten Ninja Gaiden, of course I haven't put nearly as much time into NG.

[BIL]

I'd not really thought about it until blackoak's post on the first page, but NG1 has a certain fine balance of memorisation and improv. The majority of the game is static, and the absolute worst chokepoints (6-2) definitely benefit from a strictly executed plan... but there'll always be some slight variances to keep you on your toes, and the game generally gives you the tools to improvise on the spot. Along with the fast pace, dead-on collision and ruthless but fair margin of error, this remains my single favourite sidescroller. Tearing through it as quickly and recklessly as I can never gets old.

Squire also made an excellent point once, that 90% of its fearsome rep is really in the boss rush knockback. If not for that I'd say it's only slightly tougher than CV1... it's a faster, twitchier game but Ryu's a faster, twitchier character. The knockback is undeniably cruel, though, and really forces you to work for those ending credits.

[Squire Grooktook]

Yeah its relatively static and routable outside of a few key chokepoints that can fuck your shit up and throw your rythum off. The biggest source of RNG I know of is the enemy type that lobs arcing projectiles. There's a few others I'm unsure of, like the anemic hopping ghouls.

CV1 might be harder if one attempts it without boss stun-locking sub weapon tricks. Frank, Death, and Drac 1st are each probably more brutal than any singular setpiece from NG when fought without their weaknesses, I think.

[BIL]

Oh yeah, the arc lobber (in his four distinct guises) can throw out some crazy curveballs. My personal favourite was killing the one at the end of 5-2's second floor, then getting knocked into the pit by his still-flying hammer. Speedrunners refer to worst-case pace-breaking arcs as getting "God Hammered," bahaha.

In one of the PCE remake's many, many cockups, they're totally static in that version. >_<

I'm fairly sure (but not certain) that boxers have a random element too - specifically, the precise timings of their jabs. A TASvideos runner claimed their AI is basically "player in striking range? jab at random intervals." I know sometimes I'll gamble on them being a little slow, taking care of something else first, and get away scot-free. Other times *BAM* not so much! Of course even in the absolute worst case, Ryu's sword will beat their jab - so there's no excuse for getting socked provided your zoning is good.

This leads of course to the ol' "BOXERS B CHEEP" brickbat! If you get whapped, use them i-frames to recover! Either let them whiff through you, or outright retreat for another clean shot at them. Of course the latter won't always be a smart move...

CV1 might be harder if one attempts it without boss stun-locking sub weapon tricks. Frank, Death, and Drac 1st are each probably more brutal than any singular setpiece from NG when fought without their weaknesses, I think.

That would definitely put CV1 level with NG, at least - the only thing from the latter I'd call comparable would be Jaquio. And even then, once you've absorbed his behaviour he's easier to keep at arm's length, where those bosses can be brutally aggressive.

[Shoryukev]

Squire also made an excellent point once, that 90% of its fearsome rep is really in the boss rush knockback. If not for that I'd say it's only slightly tougher than CV1... it's a faster, twitchier game but Ryu's a faster, twitchier character. The knockback is undeniably cruel, though, and really forces you to work for those ending credits.

Being sent back to the beginning of an act upon continuing has gotten the best of me many times when playing NG in the past. It always gets to a point where I seem to fatigue/get frustrated and start playing worse, even though I should be memorizing everything and getting better LOL

Maybe it's just me, but I always felt like CV1 should send you back to the beginning of the last level if you have to continue when fighting Dracula.

CV1 might be harder if one attempts it without boss stun-locking sub weapon tricks. Frank, Death, and Drac 1st are each probably more brutal than any singular setpiece from NG when fought without their weaknesses, I think.

The first time I saw someone use holy water on Death to stun and kill him I thought to myself "what's the point?". Sure speedrunners are going to use that as a tool to best a certain clear-time....but for myself I just don't find it fun to corner a boss and stun-lock it.

If that is the truth, then perhaps I need to sink more time into NG and finally conquer it

[atheistgod1999]

Alright, I'm going to resort to using special weapons because I'm (currently) not skilled enough to beat the second phase without it (mainly due to the enemies right before it and the fact that it doesn't replenish health) anytime in the foreseeable future. Have to do it tomorrow, though, because I'm too damn tired to play it anymore.

[BIL]

By second phase you mean Jaquio (flying warlock), right? He's a deceptively nasty boss, will tie you in knots if you're not careful.

Honestly though, going without subweapons is total overkill. None are anywhere remotely as dominating as CV1's best. Even keeping Jumpslash through the game is no instant bullet, with that forcing you to not only memorise the contents of all item boxes in your path, but also making it impossible to jump forward and attack without burning ammo (you can cancel the JS by holding [down] while attacking, but this is awkward).

[Squire Grooktook]

Also its a bad mindset to say "I'm not going to use power ups because I'm HARDCORE!!!!11!!!"

Often times those power ups are half the mechanical fun of the game, and you can severely gimp some titles fun factor by attempting a poorly thought out self imposed challenge. Some games benefit from it, but for the most part, it's best to use what the developer gave you. Self imposed challenges should be considered sparingly, at best.

[BrianC]

Ninja Gaiden series has some sweet power ups.

[BIL]

You can tell they were proud of 'em too, the manuals have some cute doodles explaining how to best deploy the various subweapons. ^__^ Will see if I can rustle some scans up. edit: ah, here we are. Ta HG101.

[atheistgod1999]

You can tell they were proud of 'em too, the manuals have some cute doodles explaining how to best deploy the various subweapons. ^__^ Will see if I can rustle some scans up. edit: ah, here we are. Ta HG101.

My manual doesn't have any illustrations on how to use the subweapons.

[BIL]

It wouldn't, that's from NGII's manual. ;3 Ninja Ryukenden's FC manual has some cute walljump illustrations, though. Here's Ryukenden III's manual:

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Also wao, this is some pretty rad Ryu vs Joe fanart.



Makes me wish the fight had been more 1v1 with the player having to score hits on the orb while fending off another agile ninja. Then again Ryukenden's boss roster is its weak point. I should probably just be grateful for Jaquio, haha.

[Shoryukev]

Well I attempted to tackle the beast that is NG1 last night....I couldn't get past the second phase of the final boss. I tried it twice and then gave up, pushing you all the way back to 6-1 is brutal!!!! LOL The game really makes you earn each encounter with Jaquio

The game isn't as difficult as I remember, but it is definitely a lot of fun. I was holding the spinning jump attack item, and realized I could hold down and attack and cancel it.....which led to another discovery. If you hold down and attack in midair, you can mash the button and attack much faster!!! That discovery made the first phase of the last boss incredibly easy.

One thing that always impressed me about NG is how well they utilized the NES's graphic capabilities. Not that many games on the NES seem to be as detailed with the backgrounds. It looks absolutely incredible, and I don't know how they fit so many cutscenes onto the cartridge. Bravo!

I will try it again this weekend for sure, though I might have to look up some sort of tutorial for that Flying Warlock boss, he absolutely mopped the floor with me

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