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Ninja Gaiden(arcade game)

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Ninja Gaiden
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Tecmo
Director(s)H. Iijima
Artist(s)Shinobu Iwabayashi
Writer(s)H. Iijima
Composer(s)Mikio Saitou
Ichiro Nakagawa
Ryuichi Nitta
Tamotsu Ebisawa
SeriesNinja Gaiden
Platform(s)Arcade,Amiga,Amstrad CPC,Lynx,Atari ST,Commodore 64,MS-DOS,ZX Spectrum
Release
October 1988
  • Arcade
    MS-DOS
    • NA:1990
    • NA:February 15, 1991(re-release)
    Lynx, C64
    • WW:1990
    Amiga, Amstrad, ST, Spectrum
Genre(s)Beat 'em up
Mode(s)Two-player,co-op

Ninja Gaiden,released in Japan asNinja Ryūkenden(Nhẫn giả long kiếm vân,lit.Ninja Dragon Sword Legend)and inEuropeasShadow Warriors,is a 1988side-scrollingbeat-'em-upgame, originally released byTecmoas a coin-operatedarcade video game.[3]It was first released in North America and Europe inlate 1988,[2][1]and then inJapanin February 1989.[2]It was the first game released in theNinja Gaidenfranchise. The arcade game was a major commercial success in North America, becoming the highest-grossing arcadeconversion kit of 1989in the United States.

Plot

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Set in aretro-futuristicversion of 1999, the player controls a ninja hired by the United States government[4]to defeat an evil cult led by Bladedamus, a descendant ofNostradamuswho seeks to fulfill hisend of the worldprophecies. Flooding the streets of the United States with criminals released fromAlcatraz,Bladedamus has kidnapped the President and acquired codes for launching the nation's ICBMs.[5][6]

Gameplay

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The game's first stage, with the advertising sign having been damaged

The first player controls a ninja dressed in blue, while the second player controls one dressed in orange. Like most beat-'em-ups, players proceed through stages by defeating enemies scattered through each area.

The controls consist of an eight-way joystick with a button installed on top and two additional action buttons for attacking and jumping. The button on top of the joystick allows the player character to grab onto any overhead bar or tightrope and hang from there. There are five primary techniques performed by pressing the joystick and buttons individually or in combination with each other. These consists of the "Triple Blow Combination"(3 đoạn liên 続 công kích,Sandai Renzoku Kōgeki,a series of punches and kicks that serve as the player's standard attack),the "Flying Neck Throw"(Thủ thiết り đầu げ,Kubikiri Nage,performed by attacking the enemy while jumping),the "Hang Kick"(Phản động xúc り,Handō Keri,performed by attacking the enemy while hanging from a bar),the "Tightrope Walk"(Cương độ り thuật,Tsunawatari Jutsu,in which the player moves while hanging from or standing above a tightrope),and the "Phoenix Backflip"(Phi điểu phản し,Hichō Gaeshi,a backflip performed after running into a wall),which becomes an attack if the player has a sword.

The player can destroy certain objects in the environment (such as telephone booths, signposts, dumpsters) by knocking or throwing enemies onto them. These will uncover hidden items that will award the player with bonus points, health recovery, time extensions and even an extra life. One particular item will temporarily arm the player with a sword that can be used up to ten times before reverting to his standard punches and kicks.

The first five stages are based on actual American cities and landmarks such asLos Angeles,New York City,Las Vegas,North Carolina,theGrand Canyon,and atranscontinental railroad.The sixth and final stage is set inside the enemy's hideout. The recurring bosses include asumo wrestler,a pair of wrestlers resembling thetag teamThe Road Warriorsknown as the Daor Warriors(ドーロウォリアーズ),and a trio of claw-wielding masked acrobats known as the Men from Nanto(Nam đấu の nam たち,Nanto no Otokotachi).The final boss, Bladedamus, wields two swords and has a fire breath attack.[7]

Ports

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TheNinja Gaidenarcade game was produced and released almost simultaneously with itshome console counterpartfor theNintendo Entertainment System,although they are different games with only a few similarities.[8]The designer of the arcade game is only credited as "Strong Shima", but Masato Kato, who worked on the NES version, identified him as one "Mr. Iijima".[9]

Home versions ofNinja Gaidenwere released under theShadow Warriorstitle in1990byOcean Softwarefor five different computer platforms (Amiga,Atari ST,Commodore 64,ZX Spectrum,andAmstrad CPC). The game was published for theIBM PCbyHi-Tech Expressions,and a single-player game for theAtari Lynxhad to be programmed from scratch which was done byBlueSky Software.The arcade version ofNinja Gaidenis also included as a hidden bonus game inNinja Gaiden Blackfor theXboxin2005.[10]

This game was ported to theNintendo Wiias a downloadableVirtual ConsoleArcade game and released in Japan on July 28, 2009, in PAL regions on November 13, and in North America on December 21.[11]ANintendo Switchport was released as part of theArcade Archiveseries on May 9, 2019.[12]

Reception

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The arcade game was a major commercial success in North America, becoming the highest-grossing arcadeconversion kit of 1989in the United States.[25]In Japan,Game MachinelistedNinja Gaidenon their March 15, 1989 issue as being the second most-successful table arcade unit of the month.[26]

The arcade game was well received by critics. Nick Kelly ofCommodore Usercalled it "the next generation forDouble Dragonfans "with praise for the controls, background variety and two-player mode, but with some criticism towards the" slightly washed-out "graphics and" gory "continue screen.[1]Computer and Video Gamescalled it a "slick beat 'em up" similar toBad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja(1988) with "smooth" graphics and "masses of action" that is "great fun" in two-player mode, despite the lack of originality.[14]

Reviewing the Atari Lynx version, Robert A. Jung withIGNsaid the story was irrelevant and the game was a scaled down version of the arcade original. He praised the graphics but in his final verdict he wrote that "Ninja Gaidenis not a bad game; it's just not a good game, either. "[17] Rob Swan withComputer and Video Gamessaid the game was exactly the same as the arcade coin-op and felt the game was a little short of superb but really addictive.[16] Les Ellis gave the game a positive review inRaze.[18]

Reviewing the Atari ST version,ST Reviewwrites, "One of the better arcade conversions, this is a game that has stood the test of time."[19]

Reviewing the ZX Spectrum version,Your Sinclairpraised the colorful graphics and interactive backgrounds.Crashliked the animation, but had grown tired of the genre.Sinclair Usersummed it up with "there isn't really a speck of originality about Shadow Warriors. Nonetheless, it will be a stiff challenge." Reviewing the Amiga and Spectrum versions,C+VGhighlighted the music and sound effects.

See also

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  • Rygar,another Tecmo game referenced in background graffiti

References

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  1. ^abcdKelly, Nick (19 December 1988)."Arcades: Shadow Warriors".Commodore User.No. 64 (January 1989). United Kingdom:EMAP.p. 103.
  2. ^abcdAkagi, Masumi (13 October 2006).アーケードTVゲームリスト quốc nội • hải ngoại biên (1971-2005)[Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005)] (in Japanese). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 49, 138.ISBN978-4990251215.
  3. ^"Ninja Gaiden".The International Arcade Museum.Retrieved6 October2013.
  4. ^"Retro Game Museum".Retrieved23 March2022.
  5. ^Joe Yamada (February 1989).Thiệu giới - nhẫn giả long kiếm vân.Gamest(in Japanese).29:103. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-07-04.Retrieved2010-01-03.
  6. ^Satoshi Tajiri(1989-01-06).ぼくたちゲーセン dã lang.Family Computer Magazine(in Japanese). pp. 114–115.Retrieved2015-11-27.
  7. ^"ビデヲゲーム thông tín 62".ファミコン thông tín(in Japanese) (69 (1989, No.5)). March 3, 1989.
  8. ^Hardcore Gaming 101 editorial staff."Ninja Gaiden at Hardcore Gaming 101 - Interview with Masato" RUNMAL "Kato".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-05-16.Retrieved2016-09-02.Kato: Both (the arcade and NES versions of Ninja Gaiden) were developed side by side on the same floor, at the same time. However, we only shared the same title, while each team developed their game as they pleased.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^"Signature Series:Ninja Gaiden".Retro Gamer.No. 92.Bournemouth:Imagine Publishing.July 2011. pp. 78–81.ISSN1742-3155.OCLC489477015.
  10. ^Brightman, James (February 10, 2004)."Ninja Gaiden Extras Confirmed...Again".GameDaily.Retrieved2006-08-23.[dead link]
  11. ^"500th Downloadable Wii Game Makes for a Smashing Holiday Season".Nintendo of America. 21 December 2009.Retrieved22 December2009.
  12. ^"Arcade Archives | HAMSTER Corporation".www.hamster.co.jp.Retrieved2019-05-14.
  13. ^"Photographic image of game review"(JPG).Wos.meulie.net.Retrieved2016-10-19.
  14. ^ab"Arcade Action: Shadow Warrior".Computer and Video Games.No. 88 (February 1989). January 1989. pp. 102–3.
  15. ^ab"Photographic image of game review"(JPG).Wos.meulie.net.Retrieved2016-10-19.
  16. ^abRob Swan (August 1991). "Lynx Lowdown".Computer Videogame Magazine.No. 117. p. 37.
  17. ^abRobert A. Jung (6 July 1999)."The second Tecmo arcade conversion for the Atari Lynx is somewhat disappointing".IGN.Retrieved18 August2018.
  18. ^abLes Ellis (August 1991)."Ninja Gaiden".Raze.p. 54.Retrieved18 August2018– via archive.org.
  19. ^ab"SHADOW WARRIORS (Issue 2, June 1992 page 88)".ST Review.
  20. ^"Photographic image of game review"(JPG).Wos.meulie.net.Retrieved2016-10-19.
  21. ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-02-15.Retrieved2016-07-31.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^"Impossible to Display Scan".
  23. ^Game review, Computer & Video Games issue 103, June 1990
  24. ^Game review, Your Sinclair issue 57, September 1990
  25. ^"Special Report: 1989's Best Videos and Pins".RePlay.Vol. 15, no. 4. January 1990. pp. 44, 46.
  26. ^"Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル hình TVゲーム cơ (Table Videos)".Game Machine(in Japanese). No. 352.Amusement Press, Inc.15 March 1989. p. 21.
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