So is Ninja Gaiden The Best Ninja Game Of All Time?

[Damian79]

So Hagane is not even in the running here?

As far as flipping out and killing people is concerned, Mark of Kri owns every other game in existense when playing in the later arenas with the axe. It is like every second you got someones legs being chopped completely off, someone split in two, someone decapitated all with awesome animation to boot.

[FuryFox]

Just checked: Hitting Y next to the purple guys when they're grounded is an instant decapitation for the Flail.

I guess I didn't consider that instant since it takes so long to get that swing out (charging Y group of moves). I meant something akin to the X+A->Y with the sword (although, I think the flail will decapitate at times with that move...but never the big zombies, and it can't chop off arms either).

[Clash!]

This is a great ninja game, but its just not good enough to be the best ever. Yeah its got plenty of wall running decap action, but its so empty in terms of style else where. Outside of bosses and fighting its all pretty bland. Having you return to this main city over and over again was a poor idea because its so boring, the city has nothing to it. Also its a bit too much of a DMC rip off, it feels so much like it. Continuly returning to past areas only they are slightly different, same menus, it takes quite a bit away from what should have been more unique. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the game, but it does not hold up to the Ninja Gaiden name like it should have.

[NeoZeedeater]

Also its a bit too much of a DMC rip off, it feels so much like it.

'Tis true. I was surprised how much it resembles Onimusha and Devil May Cry. I think it surpasses those Capcom series but it does rip them off a little too much.

[MechDeus]

I guess I didn't consider that instant since it takes so long to get that swing out (charging Y group of moves). I meant something akin to the X+A->Y with the sword (although, I think the flail will decapitate at times with that move...but never the big zombies, and it can't chop off arms either).

Don't charge at all, when Ryu stands next to a downed monster and you just tap Y he'll overhead swing and it'll come clean off. But I haven't found anything as swift as A->Y Dragon Sword that'll decapitate, probably done to balance the weapons or some such.

[FuryFox]

Don't charge at all, when Ryu stands next to a downed monster and you just tap Y he'll overhead swing and it'll come clean off. But I haven't found anything as swift as A->Y Dragon Sword that'll decapitate, probably done to balance the weapons or some such.

No, I know. Even if you just tap Y, he winds up and pauses a bit before striking. If you hold down the button, he'll charge-up in the that "chambered" position. Even without charging, I find that move too slow to use on unstunned enemies. The enemies that are slow enough to use it on can't be decapitated anyway.

I suppose I should change my statement to say the flail doesn't have a quick, lunging decap move. It's fine the way it is, but I never use it to go outright for power hits.

edit: Oh, you mean downed, like, prone enemies. Before you said "grounded", and I just thought you meant "non-jumping". Hitting prone opponents with Y is equivalent to the sword's overhand deathstab, and not really what I'd consider a decapitation. If they're on the ground already, I'll just use their prone body as a combo starter for all the dangerous, standing enemies.

[MechDeus]

edit: Oh, you mean downed, like, prone enemies. Before you said "grounded", and I just thought you meant "non-jumping".

Oops, sorry about that.

Hitting prone opponents with Y is equivalent to the sword's overhand deathstab, and not really what I'd consider a decapitation.

For me it has always been an instant decapitation the instant it hits, no matter how strong they are or if I knocked them down with only one hit (as opposed to enemies living through the sword's downward thrust).

At TNL, every NG-related thread is a gameplay discussion thread!

[PKBMax]

Come on, the best Ninja game is clearly Ninja Golf.

[StriderKyo]

One word: Splinter.

Hey, if npcs count, Punch Out is my favourite Mario game.

I gotta say that with its camera problems and unfriendly difficulty to casual gamers. It's not the best game for 'Ninjas'.


It's a great game, but not the best of all time. That award goes to a game that has taken every group of gamers into consideration.

I don't want to have a stroke while playing a game.

All truly great ninja games, shooters and beat 'em ups starring toads are really hard. Obtain skills!

'Tis true. I was surprised how much it resembles Onimusha and Devil May Cry. I think it surpasses those Capcom series but it does rip them off a little too much.

You left out how much it rips of PS2 shinobi, and how much the menus & chapter starts resemble Fatal Frame. Heck, it evens feels like they grabbed stuff from EA's Lord of the Rings games.

Of course, Onimusha was Resident Evil with combos, and DMC never met a John Woo movie it didn't want to borrow from. And then there's the contention that the NES Ninja Gaiden was just a Castlevania clone in the first place. NG feels like they just wanted evrything nd the kitchen sink in there so nobody could say "hey, this doesn't have X like game Y does."

I'm not complaining. There's far more than enough originality in there to make it a worthwhile enterprise.

[burgundy]