Ninja Spirit Appreciation/Commiseration

[treismac]

I love Ninja Spirit.

http://i2.listal.com/image/408180/600full-ninja-spirit-cover.jpg

That game alone could justify the existence of the Turbografx-16, and it was one of the first games I purchased on the Wii's Virtual Console. If you know the game, I don't have to explain to you how satisfying it is to bust a fury of fully powered up bamboo grenades into a line of oncoming enemy ninjas as you soar through the air in ways that Kage could only do in his dreams. The PC-Engine mode is fun and not too much trouble for a seasoned gamer (providing you memorize the pattern of ninjas rising from the bottom of the chasm on the last stage, of course), but the Arcade mode... It's more than a little tough, eh? I have beat it once a while back on Arcade mode, and am now, for some masochistic reason, in the process of beating it again on my Wii- I'm on level 6. I'm not sure what I want to prove. Perhaps, I want to show the game how much I love it despite all the pain it has put me through over the years in the Arcade mode. I swear, the levels of stress that I endure playing the one-hit kills difficulty almost makes this game not worth it. Almost. I suppose what I appreciate about the Arcade mode is that on some levels it seems like there is only one weapon and one accompanying strategy/pattern you must adhere to that will bring your ass to the boss at the end of the stage in one piece. Once you figure out the needed weapon and strategy, a small window opens in an otherwise impenetrable wall of impossibility. I like/hate that. :)

So, any other fans of Ninja Spirit out there on DP want to praise and/or curse this Irem masterpiece?

[NE146]

Bought the game at launch and loved it. However of course in the default mode on the Turbografx (and using the turbo button fire) I was able to complete it multiple times relatively easily. It was only in recent years when I fired up the arcade game in Mame did I realize exactly how DIFFICULT it was supposed to be.. and then I realized I had never tried out the arcade mode on the home version. Oh well. Great game though. :p

[NeoZeedeater]

That last stage part mentioned is extreme memorization bullshit but besides that I have always loved the game. When I first played it, it felt like a refinement of the Legend of Kage/Demon Sword style (yes, now I'm aware the arcade Ninja Spirit predates Demon Sword but I didn't play it until shortly after the TG16 port came out).

[treismac]

... using the turbo button fire...

Ah! God bless the Turbografx-16 controller with its built in turbo fire! Conversely, damn the single controller port on the system. Anyway...

The game's difficulty is insane in the arcade mode. How many quarters would that game have eaten before a kid beat that beast in the arcade?? All difficulty aside, it is an awesome game- an awesome game that deserves a sequel, even if it is only new levels tacked onto the old one.

[jperryss]

Ninja Spirit is one of my favorite pick-up-and-play games on the TG16, I play through it probably 2-3 times a year. Have not cleared arcade mode yet, only tried it once or twice.


That last stage part mentioned is extreme memorization bullshit but besides that I have always loved the game.

There's a relatively easy way but it still takes a couple tries to pull off. You have to get exactly one character width away from the far left well. If you can get there without drifting, you'll make it all the way to the bottom without getting killed.

[Wraith Storm]

That last stage part mentioned is extreme memorization bullshit but besides that I have always loved the game.

It's nice to see that I am not the only one that has extreme difficulty with this stage. I have actually never beaten it, but I love the game nevertheless.

It looks amazing, controls so well, and sounds fantastic. The sound when you deflect ninja stars is just awesome. Also, even though it sounds cheesy, I love the howling of the wolf in the intro. I can't get enough of it!

Ninja Spirit was also the first game EGM ever awarded a perfect 10. Hows that for bad ass? 8-)

[treismac]

Have not cleared arcade mode yet, only tried it once or twice.

You are a much saner person than me. I only tried it once or twice as a kid, but I became so proficient at beating the game as an adult that I decided to try and beat it as an adult on the Wii using the save feature. There is NO way that I would have ever been able to beat this game in one sitting on the Turbografx-16 on Arcade mode. The game frustrates me so much on that difficulty, I have to walk away and pick up where I left off the next day. My wife said she hasn't seen me so angry at a video game in a long time.


There's a relatively easy way but it still takes a couple tries to pull off. You have to get exactly one character width away from the far left well. If you can get there without drifting, you'll make it all the way to the bottom without getting killed.

;) Well said. It was such a relief when I finally figured that pattern out. I think, if my memory serves me right, that you might have to adjust the pattern a bit on the Arcade mode.


Also, even though it sounds cheesy, I love the howling of the wolf in the intro. I can't get enough of it!

Yes, yes! I think there is a damn good chance that it is from association, but I still love that digitized howl, too. It sent shivers running down my spine when I first heard it when I was a kid. :)

[XYXZYZ]

I also love Ninja Spirit. It's a lot like a more elaborate version of Kung Fu for the NES. I first played it in MAME, and when I tried the TG16 ROM I liked how you can take three hits, as opposed to one in the arcade game, but I was kind of disappointed with the 8-bit music compared to the arcade game, especially the drums.

When I finally found the TG16 game for a good price, ($14) the guy took a long time to ship it. It turns out he had already sold that copy, and didn't tell me about it because it was the third time he'd done that. I wound up getting the game in a normal CD jewel case with the manual, with the turbo chip taped inside.

Anyone want to sell me a Ninja Spirit TG16 case?

[burn_654]

I love this game. When I first got interested in TurboGrafx I emulated a couple games and...this one stuck. It's very fun. I'm looking forward to getting a copy for my new PC Engine Duo :)

[vintagegamecrazy]

I really loved this game too, great pick up and play game as stated earlier. Never played the arcade mode though.

[R.Sakai]

Being that kid who always had to get up in the middle of night to get any games in, let me tell you:

The little high pitched tune with the red Japanese text that showed up before levels creeped me the hell out, every damn time.

Looking back, I remember that game's atmosphere being fairly creepy/dark, actually. And bombs, so much bomb spam.

[treismac]

Being that kid who always had to get up in the middle of night to get any games in, let me tell you:

The little high pitched tune with the red Japanese text that showed up before levels creeped me the hell out, every damn time.

Looking back, I remember that game's atmosphere being fairly creepy/dark, actually. And bombs, so much bomb spam.

Yes, YES!!! That quick little burst of 4 or so of bended notes is creepy as hell, ain't it! I never really thought about it, but you're right about Ninja Spirit's atmosphere being creepy and dark. I suppose my being oblivious to this is akin to fish forgetting that they are swimming in water.

Since you appreciate the dark preternatural atmosphere of Ninja Spirit, R. Sakai, let me plug one of my favorite Japanese flash games of all time: Underworld Trip (http://www.nekogames.jp/mt/2009/05/underworld_trip.html).

http://freeware.remakes.org/images/underw/underw2e.png (http://www.nekogames.jp/mt/2009/05/underworld_trip.html)

It's a short platformer with an awesome Atari 2600, pixelated aesthetic, where you run through the different levels of the Japanese Underworld. I love the hell out of it, and hopefully you'll dig it too. Below is the url to the thread I started where I shared with the dp crew my love for this lil' dark gem.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158350

Oh, returning to your final comment: bomb spam doesn't work for the Arcade mode all the way through like it does on the PC Engine mode. I'm not sure, but I think on level 6, which I am currently on in my Wii game, the sword or sickle and chain is my only hope.

[R.Sakai]

Funny enough, this little flash game, other than the intro text and music which was awesome, it reminds me a hell of a lot more of Samurai Ghost without swordplay. Was waiting for the crazy lady to start laughing after one level.

You know, I got Ninja Spirit before I knew what a PC Engine was, blew my mind when I read some magazine that referenced the name later. Always wondered what the hell PC Engine mode meant :)
All I remember was that one mode gave you a health bar and one didn't? I don't think I bothered playing through both modes, playing the game without a health bar sounded dumb :)

But man, like you guys were saying above, I would rip right through this damn game until the end, where I would proceed to throw myself against rocks in a hole for the next few hours. Drove me nuts.

[treismac]

All I remember was that one mode gave you a health bar and one didn't? I don't think I bothered playing through both modes, playing the game without a health bar sounded dumb :)

Dumb and painful. I couldn't muster the resolve tonight to pick up where I left off. Didn't think my nerves could handle it.


But man, like you guys were saying above, I would rip right through this damn game until the end, where I would proceed to throw myself against rocks in a hole for the next few hours. Drove me nuts.

I do wonder if the programmers would have made the decision to keep that final wall of ninjas, plummet o' death part in the prelude to the final boss if they knew how many people would reach that part and no further. In our modern day of the internet, it isn't as big of a deal to give gamers a skull cracking puzzle with all the resources laying just at the tips of our fingers, but back then, where could you turn to for help, especially in light of how few fellow Turbografx-16 owners there were? Personally, I'd hate to know that so many would get right to the end but never see the end credits roll.

[jperryss]

Anyone want to sell me a Ninja Spirit TG16 case?

If you have a spare TG16 case from another game, I have a Sparky's spine sticker for Ninja Spirit I could send you that will turn it into a Ninja Spirit case.
PM if interested, no charge.

[ccovell]

I was kind of disappointed with the 8-bit music compared to the arcade game, especially the drums.

True, Irem's games' sound quality is quite weak on TG-16, but their FM sound is horrible in the arcades! Games like Ninja Spirit, R-Type II, and Image Fight grate on the nerves 'cause of their poor choice of FM settings.

[TurboGenesis]

I wound up getting the game in a normal CD jewel case with the manual, with the turbo chip taped inside.

Anyone want to sell me a Ninja Spirit TG16 case?

FWIW,
Ninja Spirit was the pack-in hucard game for the Turbo Duo… it was just a loose hucard with sleeve and manual…

I have always enjoyed Ninja Spirit! great fun game :)
I bought the game new back in 1990… I still have the receipt from Children's Palace and the price back then… a whopping $59.99 plus 4% sales tax! I'll say that I got my money worth with that purchase!

[jperryss]

FWIW,
Ninja Spirit was the pack-in hucard game for the Turbo Duo… it was just a loose hucard with sleeve and manual…

The pack-in game changed a few times, Ninja Spirit was only one of several that were offered. If you purchased it on it's own, it did come in a complete case with manual, like most other TG16 releases.

[TurboGenesis]

The pack-in game changed a few times, Ninja Spirit was only one of several that were offered. If you purchased it on it's own, it did come in a complete case with manual, like most other TG16 releases.

I wasn't aware of a different hucard pack in? but I am the only person I know who had bought a Turbo Duo when they were new… and it had pack-in's of Gate of Thunder/Bonk, Ys book I & II (which the disc is different than the retail release), and Ninja Spirit hucard…
what other hucards were there as pack-in's?

I am aware of the stand alone retail release… I bought mine new 21 years ago… still have the cardboard box too!

[R.Sakai]

Waaaaaaay back when, I went for the deal TurboZoneDirect had and traded up my Turbo and CD for a brand new Duo.
It came with the standard pack-ins, and a complete brand new copy of Splatterhouse.

[jperryss]

I wasn't aware of a different hucard pack in? but I am the only person I know who had bought a Turbo Duo when they were new… and it had pack-in's of Gate of Thunder/Bonk, Ys book I & II (which the disc is different than the retail release), and Ninja Spirit hucard…
what other hucards were there as pack-in's?

I am aware of the stand alone retail release… I bought mine new 21 years ago… still have the cardboard box too!

The hucard pack-in was apparently random. From the Wiki (I know, I know):
"The system was also packaged with one random HuCard game which varied from system to system (Dungeon Explorer was the original HuCard pack-in for TurboDuo, although many titles were eventually used, such as IREM's Ninja Spirit and NAMCO's Final Lap Twin, and then eventually a random pick)."

And a user in this thread on PCEngineFX (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=3186.0) mentions Ninja Spirit, Splatterhouse and DE1.

[stargate]

I picked up Ninja Spirit way back in the day. It was/is probably one of the best games on the TG16. The graphics are simply gorgeous and made the Genesis look bland by comparison. Pretty much everything about the game; sound, feel, playability just rocked. I remember thinking it was like Ninja Gaiden on steroids.

One of the few glimmers of hope for a doomed system.

My only complaint is that I beat it in a few sittings. The default mode was just about a walk through. They could have upped the difficulty just a bit on the default mode and it may, in fact, have been the perfect game.

[XYXZYZ]

If you have a spare TG16 case from another game, I have a Sparky's spine sticker for Ninja Spirit I could send you that will turn it into a Ninja Spirit case.
PM if interested, no charge.
Thanks, but I don't have a spare TG16 case.:|


and it had pack-ins of Gate of Thunder/Bonk, Ys book I & II (which the disc is different than the retail release), and Ninja Spirit hucard…
Man, that was one hell of a package, wasn't it? It's like they were eager to prove how awesome the Duo was, just in case you made the mistake of not being interested in those games.

[old man]

Every great game system has a great ninja game. Ninja Spirit is the TG16's.

[treismac]

Every great game system has a great ninja game. Ninja Spirit is the TG16's.

Great quote, old man!

[Dire 51]

Just thought I'd add to the Ninja Spirit love: next to Splatterhouse, it's my favorite HuCard. I have to play through it at least once a year.

[treismac]

4211

Finished. Wolves are running against a scenic backdrop as some kind of murky vengeance was satisfied. It is difficult to say that the experience was worth all the frustration and cursing, but, regardless, I have now beaten that damn game twice on Arcade mode. After the credits finished rolling, I ripped through the game on PC Engine mode like a mythological god (who only needed one continue :shameful:). It was a nice release/reward.

[Black_Tiger]

I rented Ninja Spirit and Aeroblasters around the same time and was blown away by both. I was lucky enough to receive them as Christmas and birthday gifts not long after. Neither game has gotten boring or aged for me and I love the original soundtrack of Ninja Spirit. The game has such style and stands apart from similar ninja games.


I think that the whole random TurboDuo pack-in claim is bs. The rumour was likely started by people who bought OEM aftermarket TurboDuos from Turbo Zone Direct. Dungeon Explorer was originally reported and marketed as the HuCard pack-in for the TurboDuo but TTi changed it at the last minute to Ninja Spirit. Ninja Spirit balanced out the pack-ins better than Dungeon Explorer, even if DE is one of the greatest games of all time.

[sheath]

Ninja Spirit was one of the first games, if not the first game, I bought with my TurboGrafx-16. It is an awesome game all the way through, really shows off what the Turbo can do with its 2-layer backgrounds and gobs of sprites/objects on screen, not to mention huge well animated bosses. If it wasn't more like Legend of Kage I would put Ninja Spirit right up there with the early Shinobi games. As it is, Ninja Spirit is a totally unique high quality 16-bit ninja title.

[Oldskool]

Excellent game. Love it. When I first owned it on the TG16 back when it was fresh, I initially wasn't too impressed. But it grew on me. In fact, the older I get the more I love it. Especially the music. When I hear Ninja Spirit music from the TG16 version, I think to myself "That IS TG16 music". It has a sound that only the TG16 seems to be able to produce.

[elmsa114]

IMO aside from the graphics, the plot and the soundtrack, the true test of a really awesome game is if you continue to enjoy the game no matter how many times you have started and finished it over and over again, and ninja spirit has that quality.

[treismac]

I just beat the Japanese Gameboy version of Ninja Spirit, and I have to say there are a few differences that stood out to me:

a) The boards were way easier as the screen was not filled with enemies nor enemy fire.

b) The bosses were noticeably harder on the Gameboy than the Turbografx-16 version.

c) The infamous leap into the great chasm was more like a hop off a three step staircase. Vast difference between the two final jumps.

d) The final message after beating the last boss is actually readable as it does not stay up for a mere two to three seconds.

All in all, not a bad way to spend ten or so minutes if you're a fan of the TG-16 classic.

[VertigoProcess]

I just bought this game, im working on expanding my turbo collection... which is pretty much nonexistent at this point... wont get here for a few days though...

[treismac]

I just bought this game, im working on expanding my turbo collection... which is pretty much nonexistent at this point... wont get here for a few days though...

Awesome! The Ninja Spirit is fun as hell on PC Engine Mode and hard as hell on the Arcade Mode, and it is definitely one of the TG-16's finest games. I hope you enjoy it. :)

[VertigoProcess]

Awesome! The Ninja Spirit is fun as hell on PC Engine Mode and hard as hell on the Arcade Mode, and it is definitely one of the TG-16's finest games. I hope you enjoy it. :)

Just got it today... was able to play for a few min in between jobs... and boy you're right, haha... can't wait to spend some time with it... this is the kind of game I wanted for my TG, I have the first bonk and it just wasn't really doing it for me... didn't have the edge I was looking for... but this is just right...

But slightly off topic, im still new to the TG and I was just wondering about this... the turbo switches are part of the stock controller, and I've always considered using them on other consoles kind of cheating... since the tg has them stock (and turbo is even part of its name) is this viewed the same way or is it acceptable to use them? I was just wondering about this for awhile...

[treismac]

But slightly off topic, im still new to the TG and I was just wondering about this... the turbo switches are part of the stock controller, and I've always considered using them on other consoles kind of cheating... since the tg has them stock (and turbo is even part of its name) is this viewed the same way or is it acceptable to use them? I was just wondering about this for awhile...

Personally, I don't consider turbo switches cheating, unless you and I were playing a game against each other and I had turbo ability and you did not. I mean, it is bad ass the way Takahashi Meijin could hit a button 16 times per second back in his prime, but I don't see using a turbo feature as unethical in gaming. Slow motion or save states in emulators, on the other hand, are another issue...

On another side note: I can't imagine trying to spin properly in the first Bonk for the TG-16 without the use of the turbo feature. I am fairly certain that the spinning jumps were created with the built in turbo feature of the controller in mind.

[VertigoProcess]

Personally, I don't consider turbo switches cheating, unless you and I were playing a game against each other and I had turbo ability and you did not. I mean, it is bad ass the way Takahashi Meijin could hit a button 16 times per second back in his prime, but I don't see using a turbo feature as unethical in gaming. Slow motion or save states in emulators, on the other hand, are another issue...

On another side note: I can't imagine trying to spin properly in the first Bonk for the TG-16 without the use of the turbo feature. I am fairly certain that the spinning jumps were created with the built in turbo feature of the controller in mind.

I suppose that makes sense, in the world of only trying to beat your own high score. And now that im playing this game more I don't know what id do without that turbo switch...

[treismac]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkWk2HayU5M&feature=related

In his prime he could hit the button 16 times per second with his humming bird wing fingers. To paraphrase Wu-Tang Clan, Takahashi Meijin (aka Master Higgins) ain't nuthing ta f*ck wit.

[VicViper28]

Great game, me and my friend actually sat down one afternoon and beat this bad boy. It wasn't too hard, but that damn part where you had to drop down past all the other ninjas was pretty terrible. we had to go online to see how to get past that mess.:)

[timewarpgamer]

Thank you for starting this thread. My introduction to Ninja Spirit began with the purchase of a heavily-discounted Turbo Duo ($99). To this day, it remains one of the best ninja games that has ever been created. Long before Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon it captured the absurdly gigantic leaps we all apply to ninja tradecraft. Legend of Kage sucked. Ninja Spirit rocked. I love the colors, the huge bosses, the various weapons, the two different modes of gameplay. I'd pop it into my TurboDuo right now if the HuCard hadn't mysteriously disappeared from my parents' house. In short, this game is the bizzomb. Good call.

[treismac]

In short, this game is the bizzomb. Good call.

My pleasure. Ninja Spirit captures the essence of ninja in a way that other retro 2D platform ninja games didn't. As you pointed out, the gameplay with its gravity defying jumps gave us the ninja feel, but I think the game's atmosphere is a large part of why this game is so amazing all these years later. If you took the hero from Ninja Spirit and placed him in a modern/generic setting, the game would have suffered greatly. From the run-down temples, to the bamboo forests, to the lightning streaked mountain tops, filled with enemy ninjas, staff wielding monks, and samurai ghosts, Ninja Spirit took you into the mythical world of the ninja like no other. F*cking love that game, man.

I do have two other awesome ninja game recommendation- both modern- that capture something of the "feel" and the atmosphere of the shinobi: Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Wii) and Ninja Senki (http://www.ninjasenki.com/) (downloadable game for Windows). Here is a video for Ninja Senki:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlGwRX6y4Yk

If you check 'em out, let me know what you think?

[timewarpgamer]

My pleasure. Ninja Spirit captures the essence of ninja in a way that other retro 2D platform ninja games didn't. As you pointed out, the gameplay with its gravity defying jumps gave us the ninja feel, but I think the game's atmosphere is a large part of why this game is so amazing all these years later. If you took the hero from Ninja Spirit and placed him in a modern/generic setting, the game would have suffered greatly. From the run-down temples, to the bamboo forests, to the lightning streaked mountain tops, filled with enemy ninjas, staff wielding monks, and samurai ghosts, Ninja Spirit took you into the mythical world of the ninja like no other. F*cking love that game, man.

I do have two other awesome ninja game recommendation- both modern- that capture something of the "feel" and the atmosphere of the shinobi: Muramasa: The Demon Blade (Wii) and Ninja Senki (http://www.ninjasenki.com/) (downloadable game for Windows). Here is a video for Ninja Senki:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlGwRX6y4Yk

If you check 'em out, let me know what you think?

Thanks for the recs. I've already got Demon Blade--loving it--but I'll have to check out the other one.

[sidnotcrazy]

I love Ninja Spirit. The TG-16 had some really great games, and I am glad that it is appreciated more than when the system was new. I was picked on a lot for having a TG-16, people at my school who even knew what the system was would say "its not 16-bit."

[timewarpgamer]

I love Ninja Spirit. The TG-16 had some really great games, and I am glad that it is appreciated more than when the system was new. I was picked on a lot for having a TG-16, people at my school who even knew what the system was would say "its not 16-bit."

I never got teased, but I got a whole lot of WTF from people whenever I mentioned the Duo. As for that whole "real 16-bit" debate, my #1 comeback has always been: do the games look 16-bit? As soon as I fired up Gate of Thunder and Lords of Thunder for any friend they were awed and realized that the graphics blew at least the Sega Genesis out of the water, and I'd even say that many titles even rival the SNES. There's something about the color encoder in the TurboGrafx that I've never been able to figure out technically, but it produces the most gorgeous, vibrant shades.

[treismac]

There's something about the color encoder in the TurboGrafx that I've never been able to figure out technically, but it produces the most gorgeous, vibrant shades.

True words. The TG16 has gorgeous graphics, regardless of how many bits they are.

[treismac]

Tonight, for no apparent reason, the unshakeable reality that there is no sequel to Ninja Spirit and there never will be one haunted me. Since crying about this to my wife who I'd have to wake from sleep was a poor option, I dug this old thread back up instead. The game deserved a sequel. I wouldn't have cared if it was just the original, more or less, repackaged. We all lived through Mega Man's five sequels on the NES, didn't we? Perhaps one day an unreleased rom of Ninja Spirit's sequel will be unearthed from the Land of the Rising Sun. What a glorious day that would be.

[celerystalker]

Yes. A sequel would have been special. This game was everything Legend of Kage wanted to be. About 15 years ago I ran into a guy with a stack of loose HuCards at a store that wouldn't buy them, so I bought them all for $5 a piece. This was by far my favorite of the bunch. It's probably my very favorite ninja game now. It's a cruel thing how Irem made so many awesome games like this and MetalStorm, but people seem to think of them as just the people who made R-Type.

[treismac]

It's a cruel thing how Irem made so many awesome games like this and MetalStorm, but people seem to think of them as just the people who made R-Type.

I know they made Kung-Fu Master, Metal, Storm, Kickle Cubicle, and, of course, Ninja Spirit, but my first association for IREM is also R-Type, to be honest.

[Gentlegamer]

A spiritual sequel to Ninja Spirit is the type of game an enterprising indie dev could make these days. Rastan got a spiritual sequel in Volgarr the Viking, why not Ninja Spirit?

[celerystalker]

I know they made Kung-Fu Master, Metal, Storm, Kickle Cubicle, and, of course, Ninja Spirit, but my first association for IREM is also R-Type, to be honest.

It is definitely their most popular series, but so many of their other games were really great. Image Fight, arcade GunForce I & II, Vigilante, Holy Diver, In the Hunt, Undercover Cops, Guardian Legend... They did so much cool stuff that is relegated to cult status, and for a prolific developer, they didn't make a ton of clunkers.

[gameofyou]

Ninja Spirit is one of my favorite, and most-played, PC-Engine games. Along with Bloody Wolf, Super Adventure Island, Splatterhouse, and Parasol Stars.