Press Start to Play

“Ninja Guiden”

X-Box Exclusive

Publisher: TECMO

Developer: Team Ninja

Rated M

Grade: A-

Put down the old-school Nintendo controllers and pick up an X-Box controller. One of the most popular classics has been revamped and altered to fit into today’s video game world. The skilled ninja Ryu is back in the new and improved “Ninja Guiden.” The game packs a powerful punch with smooth graphics and influences from popular games such as “Devil May Cry” and “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time,” both of which have revolutionized the gaming world.

The new version utilizes abilities from the first “Ninja Guiden” on the NES such as leaping from wall to wall in order to reach higher places. It takes a noticeable influence from the recently popular “Prince of Persia” game, as you have the ability to run along walls for combat and as another way to reach high areas.

This new version of a classic also involves quit a bit of button mashing to take out the opposition. Being able to hone in your skills to block, kick, and slash your sword will come in handy when you find yourself surrounded by bloodthirsty ninjas, all aiming to take you out of commission. Along with the ninjas and soldiers, you will occasionally battle head to head with a few demons that gobble up a few soldiers if they get in their way.

“Ninja Guiden” is also very bloody, like most combat games on the market as of late. With every slash of your sword, blood spurts out of your enemies and they explode into a bloody mess when they are defeated. The battle blood is a semi-realistic graphic, while the bloody explosions created by a downed enemy seem like a bit too much.

TECMO and Team Ninja did an excellent job in bringing back this classic as they made sure even the most avid gamer would have a tougher time through this “Ninja Guiden” than the NES classic. The older versions would have parts where one enemy kept managing to knock you off a cliff, thus preventing you from moving on. In this version, you must deal with multiple enemies all aiming their guns, swords, and other weapons at your head.

While defense is usually the key towards preserving your health, in this game holding the block button can allow an enemy to perform an even more deadly attack. Some soldiers will grab you and slit your throat open, taking a good amount of health away. The only way to avoid getting into these situations is to get practice in using your weapons and combine those skills with kicks and blocking. The button mashing will not save you from most situations in this game.

“Ninja Guiden” also brings back powers found in the older incarnation and gives your character an additional aid when you feel surrounded and low on health. The powers, power-up items and weapon upgrades are all done in a system very similar to the game “Devil May Cry.” You get “soul points,” which are yellow orbs, when you kill most enemies. Saving those up will allow you to improve your characters abilities in order to make some situations a bit easier for you. Much like “Devil May Cry” you can keep slashing away enemies to gain points. The player can use those points to upgrade, and save frustration from the next mission.

The online feature available on the games main title section can be used in the future to download updates and even download emulated versions of the classic “Ninja Guiden” games. It will also be used to conduct high-score tournaments as more people purchase the game.

Overall, “Ninja Guiden” is an extremely good looking and challenging game. It is easily one of the better X-Box Exclusive games to be released in recent months. The secrets will keep gamers hunting to unlock more abilities and others will find themselves trapped playing the game for weeks on end in order to finally complete it.

“Ninja Guiden” is rated M for Mature due to violent content and is available only on X-Box. It is currently available at your local retailer for $49.99.

Reid Davenport is a Collegian columnist.