Ninja Gaiden Shadow (GB, 1991)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-8.5 Control-7.5 Challenge-7 Story-4.5
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
+
Some good bosses (2, 3, final)
Decent variation
Some innovative gameplay (dark tunnel with lasers in stage 4, elevator sequence in final level)
Evenly placed power ups (HP)
Nice cutscenes (lack story development though, the only text narrative is in the intro)
Climb certain ceilings (NG3, NG SMS)
Adds a hookshot (Batman MD-style)
Life refill after each boss
+/-
Small delay when attacking
No secrets
Intro is pretty much the same as in Blue Shadow (on which the game was based before Tecmo bought it)
No wall climbing
-
Cheap hits and deaths (1-up placed in falling roof segment, some of the flamer soldiers require special attacks)
Some trial & error (bosses, traps)
Slow paced compared to the console games (enemy positioning and behavior, speed of the game engine)
Short (5 stages)
Generic story (no characters involved except Ryu and the 'evil dictator')
Can't jump while crouching (except downwards on certain platforms)
Can't walk while attacking
No difficulty options
Only one kind of special attack (the upwards fire shot)
Level Design-7 Frustration-7 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
+
Some good bosses (2, 3, final)
Decent variation
Some innovative gameplay (dark tunnel with lasers in stage 4, elevator sequence in final level)
Evenly placed power ups (HP)
Nice cutscenes (lack story development though, the only text narrative is in the intro)
Climb certain ceilings (NG3, NG SMS)
Adds a hookshot (Batman MD-style)
Life refill after each boss
+/-
Small delay when attacking
No secrets
Intro is pretty much the same as in Blue Shadow (on which the game was based before Tecmo bought it)
No wall climbing
-
Cheap hits and deaths (1-up placed in falling roof segment, some of the flamer soldiers require special attacks)
Some trial & error (bosses, traps)
Slow paced compared to the console games (enemy positioning and behavior, speed of the game engine)
Short (5 stages)
Generic story (no characters involved except Ryu and the 'evil dictator')
Can't jump while crouching (except downwards on certain platforms)
Can't walk while attacking
No difficulty options
Only one kind of special attack (the upwards fire shot)