Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: GOTD 6/1/2016: Ninja Kid (NES)

  1. #1
    celerystalker is a poindexter celerystalker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    St Louis, MO
    Posts
    2,816
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    3
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    16
    Thanked in
    14 Posts

    Default GOTD 6/1/2016: Ninja Kid (NES)

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_223815.jpg 
Views:	7 
Size:	57.1 KB 
ID:	9331Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_221835.jpg 
Views:	5 
Size:	104.5 KB 
ID:	9332Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_221917.jpg 
Views:	3 
Size:	127.2 KB 
ID:	9333Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_222404.jpg 
Views:	2 
Size:	92.1 KB 
ID:	9334Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_222957.jpg 
Views:	11 
Size:	102.7 KB 
ID:	9335Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_223146.jpg 
Views:	4 
Size:	70.2 KB 
ID:	9336Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_223308.jpg 
Views:	4 
Size:	71.9 KB 
ID:	9337Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20160531_223524.jpg 
Views:	7 
Size:	86.9 KB 
ID:	9338

    Ninja Kid for the NES is pretty well known these days for being a license-stripped release of a game based on GeGeGe no Kitaro, a popular horror manga and anime. It's a horizontally scrolling platformer in which the titular Ninja Kid must scour the fields around the evil Shangri-La's hideout for a challenge scroll in order to challenge him and free the stolen souls of innocent humans. Not quite GeGeGe no Kitaro, but close enough... and, hey, they even left the eyeball as the icon for lives.

    Anyway, the game places you on a semi-random overhead mission map littered with little dungeons, temples, and caverns. Entering these structures starts off a level with its own unique winning condition. Some task you to simply kill a pre-set number of enemies, some have you collect floating souls, and some have you guide a ghostly flame that follows you to light candles. Clearing these objectives opens a pair of doors, one leading to an exit, the other to a boss battle with a giant monster that wants to be smacked in the face with some shuriken. Stages loop indefinitely until objectives are met, and if you take too long, you'll be hunted by an invincible creature Evil Otto-style.

    Clearing enough stages and finding a challenge scroll allows you to take on the diabolical, often comical Shangri-La. He has eight increasingly challenging forms, and one appears at the end of each mission map. The game loops with a challenge boost after those 8 are cleared, as it is intended as a high score challenge. There are many power-ups to help along the way like invincibility, weapons like a boomerang or shuriken, speed boosts, and even flutes, of which up to three can be collected both for points and to summon helping critters in the battles against Shangri-La. It's a simple, classic arcade-style approach that works pretty well, and the risk-reward concept of racking up points in stages comes into play, as free lives come at every 60,000 points, but staying too long in a stage will get you killed.

    Ninja Kid's graphics are simplistic but effective, and the backgrounds definitely show that weird NES horror vibe off pretty well. I much prefer the character sprite from Kitaro, but the gameplay is basically identical. Once you get a feel for the pace of the game, it's a fun score challenge to play, and conquering each of Shangri-La's forms is satisfying to me. It's not necessarily a masterpiece, but its horror flavor and interesting format have made it fun for me to play many times, though admittedly I usually play the licensed Famicom game.

    Played this one?

  2. #2
    Strawberry (Level 2) Custom rank graphic
    FoxNtd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    USA/米国
    Posts
    569
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4
    Thanked in
    4 Posts

    Default

    I'm surprised Gegege had any overseas releases at all. I would've guessed they're exclusive to FC.

  3. #3
    Kirby (Level 13) Tanooki's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    5,964
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    3
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    I liked it back in the day, it's still kind of fun now, and back then I could finish it. That said, that damned music. It's like the bubble bobble or puzzle bobble theme. You just need to think of the game or see a picture and it's stuck in your head.

  4. #4
    Great Puma (Level 12) Niku-Sama's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Deadford, OR
    Posts
    4,129
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    5
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    63
    Thanked in
    59 Posts

    Default

    I have played this one and i'll admit it couldn't keep my attention long enough to get through the first few levels.
    and I have the exact opposite of ADD. That being said I have watched other people play it and I think even saw it on game center cx.

    don't know why it couldn't keep my attention....

Similar Threads

  1. GOTD 5/26/2016: Ninja Combat (Neo Geo)
    By celerystalker in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 05-26-2016, 10:27 PM
  2. GOTD 5/16/2016: Gunfighter (PS1)
    By celerystalker in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 05-17-2016, 12:43 PM
  3. GOTD 5/13/2016: The Super Spy (Neo Geo)
    By celerystalker in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 05-16-2016, 11:49 PM
  4. GOTD 5/14/2016: Rollerball (NES)
    By celerystalker in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 05-14-2016, 11:45 AM
  5. GOTD 5/8/2016: Astroblast (VCS)
    By celerystalker in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-08-2016, 01:04 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •