Quote Originally Posted by Aussie2B View Post
Huh, and here I had been assuming that Kinniku Banzuke = Ninja Warrior. I never knew Ninja Warrior was just a spin-off. It probably doesn't help that I do have a copy of Kinniku Banzuke: Road to Sasuke but none of the other Kinniku Banzuke games. And I somehow missed Unbeatable Banzuke back in the day but did watch Ninja Warrior, which I really liked (but American Ninja Warrior doesn't appeal me to at all).
I loved watching Ninja Warrior (the Japanese one) with my dad back in my 20s. It was a lot of fun rootung for some of the regulars like Nagano Makoto or the squid fisherman guy who pretty much never cleared the first obstacle. My brother and I used to watch Unbeatable Banzuke and Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (the western edit of Takeshi's Castle), and it was a lot of fun as well. Those shows are the whole reason I own Kinniku Banzuke games, as it was just a fun time as a young adult, and then I'd find myself watching Code Monkeys or something after... back before the world got so serious about everything.

As a game, Road to Sasuke is probably better overall, as it has a bit more to do. I like the sillier takes on Track & Field like these, Crash 'n The Boys, Daiundoukai, etc. It makes it easier in a group to laugh at yourself when you mess up instead of getting frustrated.