Having recently reached a whopping 500 games in the Arcade Archives series following the release of Space Invaders in December, Hamster has now opened the door to a whole other realm with Console Archives. The Japanese publisher’s efforts at game preservation are to be applauded, ensuring classic titles can be bought and played on current hardware without being tied down to a subscription-based rental system, as is unfortunately the trend in this era. With the first two titles under the Console Archives banner coming in the form of PlayStation’s Cool Boarders and Nintendo Entertainment System’s Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos, the dreams are starting to run wild in the mind given there is a clear sign that these ports won’t just be confined to games from 8- and 16-bit systems.
Tecmo fancied itself somewhat of a cinematic storyteller with its trilogy of Ninja Gaiden games on NES. Known for their brutally tough gameplay, there was a payoff when it came to defeating a boss and completing a level, as players were rewarded with slick widescreen cutscenes featuring detailed pixel portraits and text dialogue that moved the story along with characters old and new, and twists and turns. It’s almost comical to experience today, what with main antagonist Ashtar’s self-proclamation as the Emperor of Darkness, and the talk of good and evil, light and dark – but its narrative structure can be respected, sitting above a host of side-scrolling games of its period, making for a far more engaging adventure than it would be if simply beating stage after stage with no let-up in between.
Tough cookies stages are, too. An example of the difficulty expected of a game from 1990, Ninja Gaiden II asks a lot of Ryu Hayabusa in getting through seven acts that are broken up into individual stages, of which there is a healthy variety both visually and mechanically. On top of the swarms of enemy brutes to contend with, some of which appeared as bosses in the original Ninja Gaiden, Ryu has mother nature to beat, with wind affecting jump distance, running water preventing him from sprinting at his normal pace, and icy terrain causing him to skid.
Platforming requires precision, and this is made all the harder if venturing backwards to readjust, as enemies will be respawned, causing all sorts of chaos in the moment. Birds and bats are nightmares to deal with, and projectile-based fiends will create havoc from a distance. Power-ups are saving graces, which can be collected from the many crystal orbs placed throughout stages. Shurikens to strike from afar and fire rings that provide a brief moment of invincibility, doubling as an instant-kill attack if Ryu comes into contact with a foe, offer a much-needed helping hand, even able to be used while clinging to walls or climbing ladders.
It is the Dragon Ninja’s clone ability that proves to be the pick of the bunch, though. With up to two Hayabusa shadows able to tag along for the ride, they will mimic the master ninja’s every move, jumping, climbing, and slashing their way behind him. The key is to maintain these clones for as long as possible throughout each stage, as they supply a massive advantage when it comes to dealing with waves of enemies, and especially when taking down bosses. It is possible to freeze the ninja doubles in midair, and if positioned effectively alongside Ryu, victory is that much more likely than without their help.
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos will test the patience. It demands the player to lock in and concentrate, with every slash of their sword proving valuable; mistiming a swing can be costly, especially with the speed that some enemies chase Ryu down. This is a punishing game that will cause frustration, particularly when Ryu gets caught at the top of a wall climb, necessitating meticulous button pressing in order to jump off and onto the intended platform. Defeat on any of the final act’s successive bosses will put Hayabusa back a number of levels, forcing him to get back there and redo the fights over.
Playing this the old-fashioned way is not easy, and although with enough time and effort it is possible to get through this arduous hack-and-slash platformer, the safety net features of this Console Archives edition are there for a reason. With save states and rewinding, Ninja Gaiden II can more comfortably be enjoyed, and players that struggled to take down Ashtar back in the day will finally be able to see it through.
