Ninja Gaiden [NES] + R2RKMF: Scrolling Action Monogatari

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
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BIL
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by BIL »

Mortificator wrote:Someone doesn't like a game I do?!?! The kid gloves are off. Time to make fun of his sig line.
You're right Morty, I just can't stand it when people don't like NG. Check out how I ripped into Squire for saying he didn't like it here.

OTOH if someone thinks it's an objectively broken game, well, like, that's just his opinion bro. What's there to discuss ROFL! Am I right? Eh? I expect better posting from a Castlevania fan. :/

I wasn't making fun of his sig line btw, just pointing out he's obviously a complete noob here and shouldn't lecture us about the divine will of our glorious system11 hivebrain!
Ghegs wrote:2010 Street Fighter. A bit unorthodox, but quite excellent.

Jigoku Gokuraku Maru aka. Kabuki Quantum Fighter. Every metalhead's dream game, defeat enemies by headbanging.
Seconding! I own both of these. 2010SF is like the FC's Alien Soldier, takes time to get to grips with its controls but once you do it's all boss all the time (nearly). Hard as hell. Jigoku is ultimately a little easier than it could've been, but quality throughout. Plays a lot like Batman with the subweapon system and gymnastic maneuvering.

I love GUN-DEC too, couldn't mention it as I'm very inexperienced but it's on my list for sure.
drauch wrote:Games can be hard, but understanding and overcoming the difficulty makes the experience so much more worthwhile and appreciative.
Word. That is hardcore gaming. THAT IS LIFE. :cool:
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Paradigm »

Edmond Dantes wrote:I'm not against difficult games, as long as they're fair. Makaimura is fair. Gradius is fair. R-Type is fair. Most Irem games are fair. Most Capcom games are fair. Ninja Gaiden is only challenging because it's blatantly unfair.
Makaimura is the only one of those games which could be considered unfair.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by BIL »

Also,
Squire Grooktook wrote:This post is totally off topic but yeah.
No it's not. ;3
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Squire Grooktook »

BIL wrote:Also,
Squire Grooktook wrote:This post is totally off topic but yeah.
No it's not. ;3
lol I just wanted to take a moment to ramble about my questionable "theories" about fairness in game design.

Also all this talk has given me the thought that maybe I should try Ninja Gaiden again. Maybe my not seeing it as memorable is due to playing it the old credit feeding way. I am told the game becomes progressively more enjoyable the more "serious" you play it.
RegalSin wrote:Japan an almost perfect society always threatened by outsiders....................

Instead I am stuck in the America's where women rule with an iron crotch, and a man could get arrested for sitting behind a computer too long.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by ChainsawGuitarSP »

Devil Hunter Yohko is so good it makes me wonder why they bothered getting a license to make it. Lovely music too. Still my favorite Masaya game.

The Legend of Kage is pretty fun in spurts, especially if you've got a bro with you who can laugh off all his deaths since there will be plenty of 'em.

I'd list more, but I don't think most the games I play are in line with this thread since I prefer straight platforming to general action titles... Does GnG even qualify anymore after part 3...?
Last edited by ChainsawGuitarSP on Tue Apr 02, 2013 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Squire Grooktook »

I'd say GnG qualifies.
RegalSin wrote:Japan an almost perfect society always threatened by outsiders....................

Instead I am stuck in the America's where women rule with an iron crotch, and a man could get arrested for sitting behind a computer too long.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Hagane »

I've been practicing Saigo no Nindo (with savestates, sorry BIL :P), and I feel confident enough to reach level 7 consistently with a bit more practice (the game is not really all that hard with proper strategies and weapon selection), but stage 7 absolutely crushes me. The poison clouds are annoying enough, but what really beats me everytime are the flying, cane-wielding old men.

Any tips for fighting them? They have extreme resilience so speedkilling isn't an option, and I can't figure out if his movement follows a pattern or if he just randomly decides to come down on you. Any good replays I could watch?
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Edmond Dantes »

Paradigm wrote:
Edmond Dantes wrote:I'm not against difficult games, as long as they're fair. Makaimura is fair. Gradius is fair. R-Type is fair. Most Irem games are fair. Most Capcom games are fair. Ninja Gaiden is only challenging because it's blatantly unfair.
Makaimura is the only one of those games which could be considered unfair.
How so? Because of the pseudo-random weapons?
Mortificator wrote:Have you played the original Castlevania, Edmond? While I think Ninja Gaiden's an amazing game, it's not quite as good as the title it copied from.
I've played the NES trilogy, and I own Super Castlevania IV and Bloodlines and the latter is one of my favorite Genesis games, there with Contra Hard Corps.

I recall liking the NES games a lot.
BIL wrote:Wrong, and patronising but I won't hold that against you (see below).
My apologies. My word choice tends to be bad when I'm up late.
You're assuming I've dedicated two-thirds of my life to playing this game.
Well, I assumed you had some sort of childhood experience to draw on. In my own experience, games I played as a kid are fuck-easy for me as an adult, but games I'm playing for the first time as an adult tend to be an issue for me.

Like Battletoads. People tell me its hard, but honestly I didn't have any problems with it when I played it again last year (though, the copy I've always owned is the Sega Genesis one, which I've heard was toned down from the NES original). When I picked up the controller it was literally like I was twelve years old again--the gap of years didn't matter. My back pains and migraines didn't exist anymore.

A game I discovered just recently, like NG or Makaimura, well... for some reason, I find fresh experiences more difficult.
There's nothing to discuss. The game designers set a rule, we players can either deal with it, cheat, or move on. As long as you're not losing unfairly, what the game does with your battered corpse is none of my concern.
That's where I disagree. It sounds like you're saying rules can not be unfair in and of themselves. They can be. Period.
"This forum" is not a hivemind.
WELL IT SHOULD BE! :wink::laughing:
MD Hokuto no Ken sounds like a bitch, but I've never been compelled to play it so I can't comment. I know Ruldra likes it and he's awesome so I might give it a shot sometime.
It's a game I want to like, to be honest. But the whole "one life, no second chances" thing is a hard pill to swallow. Especially as it's a pseudo-RPG (so much of the "challenge" is just grinding until you level up) and you can't back out of an area or boss fight that you just realized is too tough. So its possible to get stuck in an unwinnable situation out of pure ignorance. It almost demands savestates and a FAQ.

I don't normally use emulators though. It seems just silly to pay real money for a real cartridge and then not even use it, and sometimes they introduce issues a real cart won't have. But sometimes its tempting.
Bringing up Superman 64 after linking to HG101 earlier makes me think you're a bit of a noob,
I've been gaming since I was a kid, although admittedly for a long time I was more into RPGs and Zelda-like games.

I'm guessing HG101 doesn't have a good reputation around here (understandible, since their standards are kinda slipshod and its basically just a pretentious review site that bites off more than it can chew. They're still a fun read sometimes, and still better than TV Tropes)
and just need to toughen up and work on your learning processes. :/ If anyone's the resident X-Multiply fan here, btw, it's saucykobold.
Well, then I'm the other resident evil... errr X-Multiply fan.
Work on your timing and accuracy, Edmond!
Now, about that...

I honestly had a lot of questions about your playthru. While I admit it was impressive that you went through the game on one life, up until Act 5 I didn't feel particularly impressed. You stopped to fight enemies you could've just run past (particularly noticable in 1-1), and you took hits that I avoided in my own playthru (the machine gun guys in 3-2). I also noticed more than a few times where you sliced air or accidentally did a backwards jump.

That said, I might give the game one last playthru... if only so I can record all the cutscenes to a DVD-R and be able to enjoy the storyline whenever I want.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Paradigm »

Edmond Dantes wrote:
Paradigm wrote:
Edmond Dantes wrote:I'm not against difficult games, as long as they're fair. Makaimura is fair. Gradius is fair. R-Type is fair. Most Irem games are fair. Most Capcom games are fair. Ninja Gaiden is only challenging because it's blatantly unfair.
Makaimura is the only one of those games which could be considered unfair.
How so? Because of the pseudo-random weapons?
No, not the weapons, you can generally find what you need and stick with it and the default javelin is fine anyway. I was referring to the random enemy spawns and the erratic/unpredictable movement of certain enemies and bosses. Clearing both loops of that game is no joke. I'm talking about the arcade version BTW, I assume you are too but just to make that clear.

BIL, since you're really into action sidescrollers and own a Famicom, are you not a fan of the Rock/Mega Man games? I don't think I've ever seen you mention them.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Ed Oscuro »

Final Fantasy and Mega Man - the franchises I forgot 8)
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

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Hagane wrote:I've been practicing Saigo no Nindo (with savestates, sorry BIL :P), and I feel confident enough to reach level 7 consistently with a bit more practice (the game is not really all that hard with proper strategies and weapon selection), but stage 7 absolutely crushes me. The poison clouds are annoying enough, but what really beats me everytime are the flying, cane-wielding old men.

Any tips for fighting them? They have extreme resilience so speedkilling isn't an option, and I can't figure out if his movement follows a pattern or if he just randomly decides to come down on you. Any good replays I could watch?
Oh, I don't have anything against using savestates! I find I'm happier without them, but it's just a personal preference.

The magnificent BGR has a no-miss of the complete game here which may help (I've not watched it, but he's awesome).
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Edmond Dantes »

Paradigm wrote:No, not the weapons, you can generally find what you need and stick with it and the default javelin is fine anyway. I was referring to the random enemy spawns and the erratic/unpredictable movement of certain enemies and bosses. Clearing both loops of that game is no joke. I'm talking about the arcade version BTW, I assume you are too but just to make that clear.
I am. I generally play via either Capcom Gen 2 for Saturn or else Classics Vol 1 for PS2.

I have the NES version, but honestly I consider it a shit port.

I suppose some of the enemies can be kinda unfair, but its never seemed like a game-breaking issue to me (those ogres that guard the latters are probably the worst thing).
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

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Edmond Dantes wrote:That's where I disagree. It sounds like you're saying rules can not be unfair in and of themselves. They can be. Period.
"Unfair" is a very strong word. What NG does is ruthless but it's not unfair. The designers won't let you slum through the climax on extra lives, that's their decision. Once you've died at the rush the game effectively treats you as a second-rate player. Mean, nasty? Yeah, sure. So is DOJWL confiscating all your extra lives at 2-1. Hardcore gaming is nothing without a little sting in its tail.
I honestly had a lot of questions about your playthru. While I admit it was impressive that you went through the game on one life, up until Act 5 I didn't feel particularly impressed. You stopped to fight enemies you could've just run past (particularly noticable in 1-1), and you took hits that I avoided in my own playthru (the machine gun guys in 3-2). I also noticed more than a few times where you sliced air or accidentally did a backwards jump.
I'm feeling like you're ignoring me here.
Colonel William 'BIG WILLY' Rizer wrote:I get hit quite a few times in the safer areas of my run (part 1 going up now), know why? BECAUSE I DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT :O Any time getting hit means death, I don't get hit.
As I said over and over, it's a sloppy run. Not even worthy of the name "kusoplay." Total work about 25 minutes after not touching the game (or much of anything 2D) for several months. There were a few missed or incorrect inputs and other errors, but so what? Those were all on me. My point is there's nothing wrong or inconsistent with the way the game processes inputs, collisions, etc like you were suggesting earlier.

I can play far better than this when I'm enjoying myself, or trying to create something impressive, but this was a case of neither.

Besides my screwy, inconsistent playing, you should really be noticing how I avoided the beatings that led to you taking 30 minutes on Act VI and no-missed the game in ~20 as an afterthought. Pixel-perfect accuracy and frame-perfect timing help, and separate the superplayers from John Q. Ninja Ryukenden Fan, but they're not everything. You also need to know how to manage the crowds and the enemies' individual patterns. I assume you know it's a bad idea to charge Jaquio head-on now, right?
Paradigm wrote:BIL, since you're really into action sidescrollers and own a Famicom, are you not a fan of the Rock/Mega Man games? I don't think I've ever seen you mention them.
I like the X series' expanded movesets and fiercer sense of destruction, but I find the FC series' action a little bland compared to other system highlights so I don't play them much. I do enjoy reading stuff like the Mega Man Miscellanies topic though, it's certainly a series I respect.

I'd like to pick up the first three at some point, I've played the hell out of them over the years and still enjoy occasionally revisiting for a straight runthrough.
Last edited by BIL on Wed Apr 03, 2013 2:40 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Marble »

Yo BIL, have you considered using the youtube editor to combine your three part replay into one? Would make it a more enjoyable watching experience. Any plans for other sidescroller uploads? Cool vid by the way, I find it really hard to play without sticking to the jumpslash. If anyone is interested in this game, I would seriously consider checking out the replays I posted on the last page. The no-subweapon run is particularly awesome. Any chance you could edit them all into the first post for convenience's sake, since this is the NR thread after all?

Also a +1 to NES Batman, that game is awesome. That and NR2 are my favourite Famicom games after NR. I really like GUN-DEC from what I've played, but I won't be putting much time into it until I actually have my own Famicom.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

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Marble wrote:Yo BIL, have you considered using the youtube editor to combine your three part replay into one? Would make it a more enjoyable watching experience. Any plans for other sidescroller uploads? Cool vid by the way, I find it really hard to play without sticking to the jumpslash. If anyone is interested in this game, I would seriously consider checking out the replays I posted on the last page. The no-subweapon run is particularly awesome. Any chance you could edit them all into the first post for convenience's sake, since this is the NR thread after all?
Thanks! It was really just an off the cuff thing, but now that I know it's possible for me to record emulator footage and upload to YT (neither worked for me before), I'd definitely like to start putting up a few runs. Will have a look at cleaning up the existing vid sometime this weekend.

Will edit the first post right now, good idea.
Last edited by BIL on Wed Apr 03, 2013 2:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Ed Oscuro »

I have said (and written) this word that starts with an F about one time per year over the last decade, maybe less in some years. I go out of my way to avoid it. Just a little perspective I picked up from an old school guidance counselor - the kind of guy who could tell you about things that truly were "unfair." For the generic, value-addled meaning of the word, how exactly are you supposed to judge something? Something failing this test would be, to me, perhaps somebody seeking to deceive you about what you must do and knowing you will be put in an untenable situation - like hustling fat WoW kids off to boot camp without even warning them to start jogging. Sure, time is important, but we're already wasting it playing video games, so "this game wastes my time when I don't grasp what is happening before my eyes" is not inexcusable. What false cues are being fed? What hangs in the balance that makes it a sin for a game to be difficult?

GUN-DEC is pretty awesome, I need to put my actual copy in soon. Fuck, I realize that I've said "I will play this soon" for a few dozen games recently, but don't get around to it...well, I did at least boot up NG2 today. Progress.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

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I love Target Earth, and I hate mechas
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Paradigm »

Edmond Dantes wrote:I suppose some of the enemies can be kinda unfair, but its never seemed like a game-breaking issue to me
Yeah, there's absolutely nothing "game-breaking" about it, but from the games you listed it's the only one that I could understand people labelling as unfair.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

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Leandro wrote:I love Target Earth, and I hate mechas
Cool game, one of the key titles that got me into the MD. There's nothing like it anywhere else, including its own sequels Assault Suits Valken (SFC) and Assault Suit Leynos 2 (SS) (which are must-haves in their own rights).

It's an odd series in that its strengths vary radically between installments. Leynos 1 has brutally random AI that demands total attentiveness, with it being impossible to know what's lurking over the next mountain. Valken loses that aspect totally but jacks the cinematic awesomeness up to 11. Leynos 2 doesn't have either asset but introduces a quasi-simulation level of customisation and control, with an accompanying performance grading system demanding mastery of both. It's a shame Valken 2 (PS1) wasn't the mecha sidescrolling magnum opus it should've been - instead it's a turn-based strategy. A sidescroller incorporating the previous three's best features would've been a hell of a sendoff.

If you haven't already, definitely give Gigantic Army (PC) a go - it's a doujin Leynos/Valken tribute that actually improves on its source in some ways (Shinobi-style automelee, nice score attacking system).

Along with ninja sidescrollers, I tend to consider mecha sidescrollers their own subgenre, with their tendency to put emphasis on controlling a heavy machine and its weapons systems rather than an agile humanoid. Besides the above, Ex-Ranza (MD) and Wolf Fang (AC/PS1/SS) are two more favourites of mine.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Hagane »

BIL wrote:The magnificent BGR has a no-miss of the complete game here which may help (I've not watched it, but he's awesome).
Thanks for the replay. That whole level 7 is such a bitch. The part where you fall and have to avoid the ninjas, dammit. I have memorized when I have to move to each safespot by counting the seconds since I drop from the ceiling. I can't get past that part otherwise. And those sentient boss projectiles, haha. I think I've understood the principle behind the last boss strat, I'll try to get the 1CC soon.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

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Sort of OT, but something I've occasionally wondered...it seems to me that this particular type of action gaming peaked on the NES, with much less entries even on SNES/Genesis and even less from then on. Of course there are some, but it feels the genre's larger focus shifted more towards longer games, that aren't quite as feasible for 1CC playing, with slight RPG elements, save points, and/or other such things. Admittedly I don't have much experience with SNES/Genesis having never owned either system so maybe I'm just ill-informed.

There are some nice PC ones that are out or are coming soon, though. Volgarr got Kickstarted last year and it's looking pretty sweet.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by BIL »

The FC hosts strong, concentrated examples of the style from Capcom, Konami, Tecmo, Sunsoft, Irem and Natsume (among others), making it the flagship platform in my book. But I do think sidescrolling action/platforming with a focus on close combat had a great showing in the subsequent console gen, with highlights like the two Super Shinobis, Hagane, Rocket Knight Adventures, and three quality Dracula sequels. Arcade conversions were good too with MD Strider Hiryu, PCE Ninja Spirit and the MD adaptation of Shadow Dancer.

OTOH, Sunsoft never matched their FC output, Tecmo seemed to vanish (that shoddy Ryukenden comp aside) and Natsume attained brilliance but in other game types. You need both the FC and MD/PCE/SFC to get the best years of these games, I think. After that it's down to a handful of gems like Taromaru and Strider 2.

Spent some time getting re-acquainted with Ninja Gaiden II. I realise now why I don't like this one quite as much as the original - something in the engine was altered to make the sword's OTG and landing hits much harder to pull off. It can still be done but it doesn't feel as certain or powerful... having said that the subweapons and shadows can obliterate enemies by the screenload, and you get a lot more ammo, so maybe this was a toning down for balance. There are certainly more situations where enemies attack from all sides and subweapons become more necessity than luxury (assuming you want to kill 'em all instead of playing defensively).
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

Ghegs wrote:Sort of OT, but something I've occasionally wondered...it seems to me that this particular type of action gaming peaked on the NES, with much less entries even on SNES/Genesis and even less from then on. Of course there are some, but it feels the genre's larger focus shifted more towards longer games, that aren't quite as feasible for 1CC playing, with slight RPG elements, save points, and/or other such things.
Not sure how long is either, but I'd say Castlevania Chronicles and The Adventure of Little Ralph have that 8-bit spitit of compactness.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Ghegs »

They're both about an hour long, Ralph a bit longer, so they're kind of pushing it. I do have Chronicles and plan on tackling that one day.

BIL, do you have any experience with the genre's GB/GBC/GBA offerings? There are some I've got my eyes on, and I know Ninja Gaiden Shadow is fairly decent and Bionic Commando (GB) is quite excellent, even more fun than the NES version thanks to speedier pace and trickier environments to swing around in.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Marble »

Ninja Gaiden Shadow is basically Kage 2. Probably the best of the genre available on the Game Boy. I think the FC would be the best platform for side view-action games, and that's taking arcade into account.

But now with those examples, we've got a bit of genre-splicing going on. I would've thought the Super Shinobi games would fall more into the category of action shooter, since the combat is primarily based on projectiles. Particularly with Super Shinobi 2 you get more movement options and different melee attacks, so a lot of the time attacking up close is pretty viable. But I guess that's not really all that different to a game that's primarily based on melee attacks but still involves a huge use of sub-weapons in the form of projectile attacks, like the Ninja Ryukenden series. It's a fine line, for sure.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

I didn't like GBA Bionic Commando (looked deformed to me), but nothing about Green Beret seemed off. Then again, it should be about the same on MAME.
GBA king is Ninja Five-O. Not sure about length (still undone with it), but the stages can be time-attacked.
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Zaarock »

Yeah, Ninja Five-O is amazing. The game is more about the hook mechanic than your normal platforming though. I had a lot of fun time-attacking the boss fights but never really tried individual levels much. Need to try some of the suggestions in this thread :)
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Ed Oscuro »

Ghegs wrote:Sort of OT, but something I've occasionally wondered...it seems to me that this particular type of action gaming peaked on the NES, with much less entries even on SNES/Genesis and even less from then on.
Had a post started earlier but didn't put it through - I think one of the things that contributes to this feeling is that a number of European and North American development houses (in particular, but also some Japanese as well) started making "good use" of the expanded capabilities of the next-gen systems to implement brain-dead collect-a-thons, or "wacky" ideas which don't really hold up well compared to straightforward actioning. It's rather odd that genres go through shaking-out, even sometimes dropping good types of games, while thoroughly mediocre stuff gets greenlit. For example, after the successful releases of Shadowgate, Uninvited, and I believe Deja Ju on the NES, the ICOM games virtually vanished. They may come into popularity again (if the HOGs haven't eaten up their market first) but for a stretch of time there seemed to be no room for them.

Ninja Gaiden Shadow is lots of fun but maybe a bit simplistic and easy by the standards of the original Ninja Gaiden trilogy, and possibly even by the standards of the first Kage (which has proven very good from what I've played of it so far, although the bone snake proved to be a very challenging obstacle).
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Austin
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by Austin »

Cool topic, and it's interesting to see some of the back-and-forth over the last two pages. On one side, you have experienced players that have probably been playing the game since they were kids, and then someone who picked it up recently for the first time and simply just doesn't understand it.

Personally, the original Ninja Gaiden is probably my favorite NES game. It's got that awesome Castlevania gameplay style, but amps everything up with faster gameplay and greater acrobatics. I especially love the flexibility it gives you to simply goof off and see what kinds of walls you can climb, haha. I really enjoyed the rest of the NES series as well. I recently tried the Famicom version of part three, and I was really amazed at how much easier it actually was. Up to this point I was under the impression it simply gave you a password save system, enemies did less damage, and that was it. Nope! There are less enemies, period! That just blew my mind. Now, I can bolt through the US version with no problem, so that's the preferred version to play, but I will definitely say that if the US game is giving you trouble, play the Japanese one. You can thank me later. :lol:

To Edmond: After watching your videos, you definitely seem inexperienced with the game. Now I'm not saying that in a "holier than thou" sort of way, I just mean it in a "you need to practice" manner, as it's already been said by others. Now I'm no perfectionist (and I will post my own longplay of the game that clearly depicts that), so I won't nitpick about your style like some others will, but you do need to play it more and get familiar with the stages and what is going to come out at you. Like any other game that is difficult, really.

Unlike some other games, Ninja Gaiden's enemies appear at the same place, at the same moment, every time you play it. It's very rigid in that regard. That includes the respawn points, so you can try to control those as well (although I think that takes a LOT of familiarity with the game though, so ignore that for now).

One other thing I noticed is you wasting your power-ups unnecessarily. There are a lot of instances where you are better off using your sword. That gives you greater opportunity to use your special weapons when you really need it. And the whirlwind slash--the one that spins around whenever you jump and attack mid-air--for one, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO KEEP IT. Especially on stage 6. And that means multiple things. A) Have a general idea where the special items are in each stage. That way you don't accidentally get one that will take away the whirlwind slash, and B) Be sure to press down + B when you need to attack in the air. This will pull out a regular sword swipe and save the special items you need to use the whirlwind slash when you actually need it.

Lastly, keep in mind that Ninja Gaiden is NOT an easy game for newcomers. It requires memorization for any ounce of consistent success. It also requires discipline (maybe fitting, considering the theme of the game). Needless to say, it has likely beaten everyone into bloody pulps, as kids and adults alike. However, trust me in that the perseverance pays off, and for me, the feeling I get when blazing through the game nowadays completely negates any kind of frustration I ever had with the game. :lol:

Here is a longplay I did of the game a couple of years ago. It's not a perfect run by any means, but I do manage to complete it without dying, and it shows my general play style. I like to flow my way through the game as much as I can, mowing as many enemies down with jump-slashes as possible to keep my movement going: http://youtu.be/JU-q7caaxZo (maybe mute it if you want, this is a full commentary video).
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Re: Ninja Gaiden [NES] + Action Sidescroller Miscs

Post by BIL »

Ghegs wrote:BIL, do you have any experience with the genre's GB/GBC/GBA offerings? There are some I've got my eyes on, and I know Ninja Gaiden Shadow is fairly decent and Bionic Commando (GB) is quite excellent, even more fun than the NES version thanks to speedier pace and trickier environments to swing around in.
Totally inexperienced with portable stuff - I was actually thinking of getting a GB player setup for those systems. There are definitely some games I'm interested in on there, mainly Capcom's (I remember you mentioning Bionic Commando GB some time ago).
Marble wrote:It's a fine line, for sure.
Indeed - then there's stuff like Ninja Spirit where you can freely alternate between shooting and melee modes, with Batman, Jigoku Gokurakumaru, GUN-DEC and Hagane allowing the same with limited ammo. I think Contra represents a pretty clear line, and although Gunstar Heroes has melee attacks I wouldn't say it plays like the Super Shinobis, so I didn't mention those even though they're highlights of the 16-bit gen for me.

Anyway, I deliberately left this topic a little loose, so it's all good. :smile:
Austin wrote:Here is a longplay I did of the game a couple of years ago. It's not a perfect run by any means, but I do manage to complete it without dying, and it shows my general play style. I like to flow my way through the game as much as I can, mowing as many enemies down with jump-slashes as possible to keep my movement going: http://youtu.be/JU-q7caaxZo (maybe mute it if you want, this is a full commentary video).
Excellent post! Editing your run into the OP if that's ok. I like to go for that feeling of momentum in NG (and similar games) too. There's an almost parkour vibe when you're constantly bouncing off walls, scaling vertical faces and hurling yourself over massive gaps... some of the locales Ryu traverses in all three games are absolutely pants-shitting terrifying, like NG1's 5-2. Something I've come to appreciate more over time.
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