1980s
Ninja Gaiden
1988 · Action / Platform · Arcade / NES
Overview
Ninja Gaiden is a classic 1980s action / platform game developed by Tecmo for Arcade / NES.
Deep Dive
Ninja Gaiden is a classic 1980s action / platform game developed by Tecmo for Arcade / NES.
Developer Story
Ninja Gaiden was designed by Hideo Yoshizawa at Tecmo in 1988. The game was notable for its extensive use of cutscenes — between-level cinematic panels that told a story about Ryu Hayabusa's mission to avenge his father. These were the most sophisticated narrative sequences seen in an NES game to that point. The game's difficulty was legendary, particularly the final stages which reset players to an earlier point after the last few bosses.
Did You Know?
- Ninja Gaiden used manga-style panel cutscenes to tell a complex revenge story — narrative depth unprecedented in NES action games.
- The final six stages could reset players back to stage 6-1 if they died after the last checkpoint — one of the most controversial difficulty decisions in NES history.
- Ryu could cling to walls and ceiling surfaces — a traversal mechanic that expanded the platforming vocabulary considerably.
- The soundtrack, composed by Keiji Yamagishi, is considered one of the finest in NES gaming.
