Welcome to VC Weekly, N-Europe’s guide to the wonderful world of Nintendo’s download service. Written by Sam C Gittins

If you like Ninja's then you need look no further than this classic re-release. Anyway enough from me and on with the game!
 
Available for download this week we have...     

Ninja Gaiden


 
Price: GB £4.49, EU €4.99
Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Tecmo
Released: 1988
System: NES

Following the vengeance fueled quest of Ninja Ryu Hayabusa who goes on a journey to take out the leaders of a gang who killed his father and are now trying to obtain the all powerful Dragon Sword which was transported to America by Ryu as his fathers last request. They wish to obtain this sword as it's thought to contain the secret to reviving the demon that the group worship; understandably Ryu isn't happy about this hence his aforementioned mission of deadly Ninja assassination begins.

This is considered by many to be one of the very first decent games to depict Ninja's and a style of play which works well with the theme. Plenty of Ninja-like titles have been and gone over the years but Ninja Gaiden not only proves itself as the first game of it's kind to provide a solid stealth experience but in many ways it also set the standard for nearly every other title considered to be similar in vein to ever since.

As a series over the years it has set many benchmarks in it's increasingly impressive and intricate incarnations but what exactly makes the original game groundbreaking? First and foremost from the moment you take control you actually "feel" like you are in control; this is an innovation in itself for it's time as it was the first game of it's kind to offer such an unparalleled and precise level of control which most importantly holds the game together and makes it truly believable as when playing Ninja Gaiden you "are" the Ninja.

In similar style to Sega's Shinobi the game is split into six sections which are divided into a total of twenty sub-sections as you work your way through such places as Galesburg, Death Valley, Yomi's Valley as you journey toward your ultimate goal of the secret hideout in the Temple of Darkness where your enemy resides. As the story unfolds after each major level it is moved forward through well placed cut-scenes which serve their purpose in addition to being something of a rarity for games at it's time of release.

It may not have aged well visually overall but it comes across in leaps and bounds in it's suitably epic audio score which complements the game exceptionally well. Also now infamous for it's difficulty this is a challenging title indeed, sometimes the the point of frustration but with unlimited continues it's well worth persevering with; especially as the addition of save states will no doubt aid you in your quest no matter where you are. If you enjoy Ninja themed titles, platform games or even if you just want a challenging experience, Ninja Gaiden is most definitely worth purchasing.

Verdict : An amazing game that deserves its awesome ninja namesake.  

That's it for another installment of VC Weekly which will return again soon. So until then, enjoy the rest of the week and Game On!