We end this Ninja suite with a run-and-shoot game that’s as innovative as it is frustrating: The Ninja. Or Sega Ninja, if you will. This title, like so many others, originates from the arcades. Unfortunately, the Master System version has cut and donated much of what did Ninja Princess, the original title, so unique. Kvar is a game that’s still in a class of its own (at least as far as the Master System is concerned), but could have been a classic.
To begin with, have Ninja Princess a female ninja in the main role. Perhaps it’s a direct effect of pioneer Rieko Kodama being the one honored for the game’s illustration. Anyway, the Master System release has a male main character who is supposed to save the princess in question instead. In addition, some courses have been relocated here, according to the Wikipedia article. But seriously, side by side, which do you prefer?
Image borrowed from GameFAQs.
The Ninja is a good game though – surprisingly good. I just wish I had the manual for my copy. It had saved me a lot of pain, when I completely misunderstood the control at first. Two Three times! After fiddling around with only being able to shoot in the direction I was facing, I discovered that the other button on the controller allowed me to shoot straight up the screen, no matter which way I was facing. On closer reflection, I remember that the same thing happened to me in the opening round a decade or so ago – but then the other way around, that is, that I thought you could only shoot straight up. It takes a special pucko to have such a poor grasp of button commands on a controller with two buttons. Which reminds me of the third time, when I figured out how the hell you do to go up in smoke. You can become temporarily invisible/immortal if you press both buttons. This is not only an effective maneuver – it is basically indispensable.
The deep sigh later I can only state that although The Ninja seemed like a hell of a hard game at first, I can almost play it well now. I just wish the game gave one more than three measly lives, or maybe even a continue or two. As it is now is The Ninja a title that the brain has to get used to first – git gud, as the young people say. And it took its fair share of time.
Bull’s eye!
If you can’t bear to start from the beginning, but have a little patience, there is a bug that gives you a couple of extra lives right away. But then you have to be prepared to shoot wildly to get 0% accuracy at the end of any lane. Then the game freaks out and gives you the maximum score, 9,999,999. Not only does it take a hell of a long time to get there; it takes just as long to count down! But what do you not do to squeeze out those extra attempts?
Besides a fairly brutal level of difficulty contains The Ninja an impressive variety of courses for a Master System game. It also has an extremely troll-friendly soundtrack that stays on for a little while after the console is turned off. However, I can’t help but think the PAL speed feels more right on this game as well. At least as far as the music is concerned.
2023-12-21 07:00:00
#Days #Master #System #SEGA #Ninja
