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Ninja Gaiden is the first ninja-themed brawler. Its setting and gameplay are similar to Double Dragon. It innovates with action-platforming segments as well as a unique jump-throw attack.
Ryu Hayabusa, star of Ninja Gaiden, would later go on to appear in several Tecmo games, including the Dead or Alive fighting series as well as Ninja Gaiden on NES, SMS, Xbox, PS3, and X360. This game is playable as an unlockable bonus in Ninja Gaiden Black on the Xbox.
This game established the tradition of Ninja Gaiden: extremely difficult action that seems incredibly easy once mastered. It may seem like a sloppy quarter-muncher at first but once you get a hang of the combat and memorize hazards this is an intense and satisfying experience that looked great at the time. The music's not the best, though.
