(4/23/2014 - 4/29/2014) Game of the Week: Ninja Spirit

[SamIAm]

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April 16 - April 22: Ninja Spirit
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[screenshot pending - I'm on lunch break at work now]
(Chosen by csgx1)

Lords of Thunder came and went quickly, didn't it? It's nice to have a reason to play the big classics. But next up is a game that reminds me of the other side of GOTW: a reason to play games I've never given any real time to before.

Ninja Spirit is one of those well-reputed Turbo games that I've always meant to play but never did. Well, now is my chance, and I bet that it's the same for many of you, too. And even if you have played it before, by all means, give it another shot!

By the way, we are out of submissions!! Let me know what you want to play!

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GOTW Schedule:

January 15-21: Battle Royale (TheClash603)
January 22-28: Drop Off/Drop Rock (esteban)
January 29-February 4: Bonk's Adventure (roflmao)
February 5-11: Silent Debuggers (vestcunt)
February 12-18: Somer Assault (BigusSchmuck)
February 19-25: Splatterhouse (FiftyQuid)
February 26-March 4: Bloody Wolf (Jibbajaba)
March 5-11: The Lost Sunheart (Gogan)
March 12-18: Sapphire (BlueBMW)
March 19-25: Energy (PunkCryborg)
March 26-April 1: Air Zonk (JoshTurboTrollX-16)
April 2-8: Veigues Tactical Gladiator (Punch)
April 9-15: 1943 Kai (lukester)
April 16-22: Lords of Thunder (munchiaz)
April 23-29: Ninja Spirit (csgx1)
April 30-May 6: OPEN!!

Rules:
-All members are allowed one submission. When there are no further submissions, we will have a reset and everyone will be able to submit another game.
-Each game may only be submitted once.
-If you wish to retract your submission, please do so at least two weeks before your game is due. Your next submission will go to the back of the cue.
-Please don't submit games that have a high language barrier or will take too long to complete (particularly RPGs).
-Please don't submit games that are too expensive. Below $50 is best. Above $100 won't work.

(If you have any questions or comments about the GOTW system, please either PM me or post in the old thread)

[geise]

Like Nulltard I didn't really play much Ninja Spirit till I got my Duo.  I had it on my Amiga and ST, but the Turbo version was just so much better!  This is going to be a good week with this game.

[munchiaz]

played this game awhile back for the first time and really enjoyed it. Took me awhile to figure out that last level. Hopefully i can find some time to play this one this week

[johnnykonami]

Count me in with the Duo pack-in wagon.  I'm a life-long fan now, though.  In all fairness though I never ran into it in the arcade and passed it up or anything, or I probably would have tried it.  My sister and I spent hundreds of quarters on Legend of Kage, so I imagine it would have caught our attention. 

There's also a Game Center CX where Arino challenges the PCE Ninja Spirit you guys should check out.  He beats it fairly easily if I recall.

[T2KFreeker]

Hey Yo! This game is a classic. Used to play the Arcade Version at the local Round Table pizza that is no longer there. Was funny though. I was so bummed when the game was taken out of the joint and replaced with a Shinobi machine as I had never seen nthe arcade cab before and for the longest time, never saw one again. A month later my B-Day rolled around and guess what I got? Ninja Spirit for my Turbografx 16. At the time I didn't even know it was on the system! Awesome stuff and an awesome choice for everyone to play. I hate the last level, but with work and memorization, you'll get past it. First game in EGM, back when it actually meant something, to get a perfect score too. There's a good reason for it.

[csgx1]

Great story T2KFreeker!  Lucky you, I've never seen the arcade at any of my local arcade spots. 

I totally forgot about EGM giving it a perfect 10.  I'm pretty sure I have that issue(s) and I'll have to dig out my EGMs when I get a chance. 

Ninja Spirit has been one of my favorite Ninja action games.  I haven't played it in recent years.  I've played through the PCE Shinobi not too long ago and it definitely doesn't compare to Ninja Spirit.

[pceslayer]

Ninja Spirit is my most favorite Ninja game ever!

F' that last stage though... Falling into jumping Ninja's... ugh... BS

[esteban]

I always loved sound tests/debug screens that are more than mere text.

Ninja Spirit has awesome 80's multi-channel "peak meters" as songs play. I reckon they might actually match up with the TG-16's 6 sound channels.

CRAPPY AMERICAN PLAYERS: I play PCE mode because Ninja Spirit American (NSA) is too easy.

[HailingTheThings]

This game is yay! One of the first games I bought for the Turbo!

[munchiaz]

Ninja Spirit is my most favorite Ninja game ever!

F' that last stage though... Falling into jumping Ninja's... ugh... BS

(Pssst... there is a secret to that falling ninja thing... find the spot to the far left where not a one of them will ever be.)

Its more fun when you figure this out on your own

[Psycho Punch]

I suggest Fighting Street or Final Zone II for the next GOTW, cheapie titles.

[HailingTheThings]

I suggest Final Zone II and nothing else for the next GOTW, cheapie title.

Fixed. mewmewmew

[Phase]

so I threw the game in earlier to take it for a spin I was doing ok I made it to the block boss and was going to switch to bombs so I hit pause and stuff-guess what happened?

Edit: yes I reset the game  this was an accident but sometimes I do an anger reset mash out of habbit. I don't like reset on the controller 

[geise]

Haha!  Sorry man!  Every true Turbo fan has done that at some point.

[HailingTheThings]

Happened to me while playing Ninja Warriors.

[Phase]

Haha!  Sorry man!  Every true Turbo fan has done that at some point.

yeah a couldn't believe it though, havent reset on accident for a while now

So true... I've cursed the controller reset many a time, but for rage quitting i wouldn't trade it for the world.

yeah I rage quit though all the time so then when you get pissed after say.. a low rage life loss, some times you do it out of habbit and then your like damn I wanted to keep playing  (this isn't as bad as the accident reset though that is just a punch to the gut)

Happened to me while playing Ninja Warriors.

sorry to bring back painful memories (..pictures you having a vivid black and white flashback)

[HailingTheThings]

Happened to me while playing Ninja Warriors.

sorry to bring back painful memories (..pictures you having a vivid black and white flashback)

Cute, very cute. I need to put in some time with Ninja Spirit soon, was gonna try tonight, but feeling like shitty mcshitterton over here, coming down with something again. Possibly tomorrow I can play it if I hop myself up on cold meds err something, would make the game feel scary. Ahhhh!!! lol

[Phase]

Just beat the game for the first time here   gonna go for a 1cc tomorrow. man I almost accidentally reset again switching weapons with select and wanting to pause.
Ending had some text that goes too quick and I couldn't read it fast enough

[csgx1]

Just beat the game for the first time here   gonna go for a 1cc tomorrow. man I almost accidentally reset again switching weapons with select and wanting to pause.
Ending had some text that goes too quick and I couldn't read it fast enough

This review shows a screen shot of the ending text:
wayback.thebrothersduomazov.com/2009/02/ninja-spirit.html


I did a 1cc, PCE mode for the first time.  Also did a play through on Arcade mode for the first time as well.  Arcade mode is really difficult.  Actually quite surprised how difficult it is since I died a lot on areas/enemies that were a breeze on PCE mode.  I lost count of how many times I continued. As a arcade/coin-op, this game is a quarter muncher.  Also never realized there's a slightly different ending for Arcade mode. 

A high score for this game is probably not a good measure for skill since most enemies respawn infinitely and there's no time limit. 

[esteban]

Cgsx1: Indeed, high scores are meaningless in Ninja Spirit because you can rubber-band the controller at certain points, walk away and max out the score.

I did this back in the day for an EGM/GamePro/whatever contest back in the day.

I can 1cc PCE mode, but I usually make clumsy/stupid mistakes in Arcade mode that make 1cc elusive.

However, it's really a matter of knowing when to advance slowly VS. aggressively rushing through...some segments are actually easier when you power through them (I know because I have tried trudging slowly through the entire game...)

 The game is so much more fun when you're aggressive and rushing, and, generally, you actually have leeway to be a *bit* reckless due to the forgiving jump/float/attack/power-up mechanics. This is why I love NS so much, it's actually quite forgiving in many respects. As if the designers knew that it felt great (fun!) to sprint-n-slash. Yes, I proclaim a new genre: sprint-n-slash.

[Psycho Punch]

I hate the endless falling part. Hate.

[CrackTiger]

I hate the endless falling part. Hate.

Protip: Hold Left.

[csgx1]

Cgsx1: Indeed, high scores are meaningless in Ninja Spirit because you can rubber-band the controller at certain points, walk away and max out the score.

I did this back in the day for an EGM/GamePro/whatever contest back in the day.

I can 1cc PCE mode, but I usually make clumsy/stupid mistakes in Arcade mode that make 1cc elusive.

However, it's really a matter of knowing when to advance slowly VS. aggressively rushing through...some segments are actually easier when you power through them (I know because I have tried trudging slowly through the entire game...)

 The game is so much more fun when you're aggressive and rushing, and, generally, you actually have leeway to be a *bit* reckless due to the forgiving jump/float/attack/power-up mechanics. This is why I love NS so much, it's actually quite forgiving in many respects. As if the designers knew that it felt great (fun!) to sprint-n-slash. Yes, I proclaim a new genre: sprint-n-slash.

Nice; 'sprint-n-slash' is a fitting term/genre for Ninja Spirit.  

Good tip.  I too found that being more aggressive and just pushing forward really makes it easier to get through some areas.  Also, (kind of like Gradius) dying and losing all power ups makes certain areas are a lot more difficult.

I did another play through on Arcade mode and it wasn't any easier than the first time.  Maybe I just suck at this game but I died and continued countless times again.  1cc Arcade mode seems impossible for me. The 4th stage and last stage & boss is where I probably die the most.  The guys with samurai swords (Mr. Ryuichi from manual) are super tough, agile and relentless.  Also being more aggressive on the last stage at the gas emitting cave seems to get me killed faster. 

Now I see why they added the PC Engine mode since the Arcade seems really difficult and kind of frustrating at times.  If anyone can 1cc or come close to a 1cc run on Arcade mode, then you must be a grand master at games with unbelievable skills. 

Any differences in the Japanese PC Engine version?

[roflmao]

Ninja Spirit is one of my desert island games.  Even though it's ridiculously short, I'm always left happy when I finish it. 

Here's a playthrough I posted to Youtube awhile back:

It's a playlist - each level is it's own video.

I'm off to go play it again.

[PukeSter]

Such an awesome game. That last stage with the secret spot in the ninja pit is ridiculous though.

One of the PCE's best.

[FraGMarE]

NINJA SPIRIT is a 10 out of fucking 10!

This is my favorite US TG-16 HuCard game and my favorite ninja themed platform sidescroller game across ALL systems.  Even more so than the Ninja Gaiden trilogy on the NES, if that tells you how i feel about it.  The TG16 version is amazingly close to being arcade perfect (albeit with some flicker and slowdown in spots).  The TG16 version's music might actually be BETTER than the arcade, depending on your tastes.  It's just a really badass game, imo. 

Irem, apparently, just didn't give a shit about hardware limitations.  They were going to make their home ports arcade accurate or gtfo.  They did something similar with R-Type.

[CrackTiger]

NINJA SPIRIT is a 10 out of fucking 10!

This is my favorite US TG-16 HuCard game and my favorite ninja themed platform sidescroller game across ALL systems.  Even more so than the Ninja Gaiden trilogy on the NES, if that tells you how i feel about it.  The TG16 version is amazingly close to being arcade perfect (albeit with some flicker and slowdown in spots).  The TG16 version's music might actually be BETTER than the arcade, depending on your tastes.  It's just a really badass game, imo. 

Irem, apparently, just didn't give a shit about hardware limitations.  They were going to make their home ports arcade accurate or gtfo.  They did something similar with R-Type.

I think that the PCE Ninja Spirit has much better music than the arcade and it is a beautiful and great fun game. But it and most of Irem's own ports aren't nearly as arcade faithful as so many other arcade to PCE ports, such as R-Type which was done by Hudson, as they tend to redraw and cut a lot of the graphics.

[termis]

Definitely one of the must-own titles on the system.  It blows away all other ninja games fo' sure - and that's a category chock-full of excellent games in its own...