NINJA COMBAT

written by Robi15
 revision and screenshots by Mouse_Master

Well, this is, as we say, a 'classic' game for the Neo Geo. It was made in 1990 and is a whopping *46 Megs* in size! Well, I thought it would be cool to make a review on a game that does not cost much and is relatively easy to find. The game reminds me of Sega's arcade game (and later a Mega Drive/Genesis title) Golden Axe. Back then, those games were extremely popular among arcade gamers and later home players as well. I personally like those kind of games. They are simple, just crush everybody and continue on!

Characters and Graphics 5

The graphics look more like what is seen on a Mega Drive/Genesis than what we usually see on the Neo Geo, if you look at them compared to what we have today. Back then it was advanced and beautiful, but if watched closely, we see that this game is more advanced then the consoles just mentioned. Many times we see mode 3 graphics, like the train wagon in the first stage that rolls down from the horizon towards you. Bosses move more fluidly than they ever could on the Mega Drive/Genesis. Many enemies are used over and over again throughout the game, only changing their colors.

The main character's movement are kind of jumpy and stiff, but they are acceptable. The game begins with the two pals Joe and Hayabusa. For me, they look more like brothers because on screen they look exactly the same, just in different colors. On is blue while the other is red. Through the game, you will have other characters that offer to help while you on on your quest. The first one you meet is a Japanese legend Mushashi, a fighter with a two sword technique. Next a girl name Kagerow, who has some wind powers and finally there is this blocky, retard, muscle man name Gembu.

Bosses are average, but the last boss gave me a smile when I saw him for the first time. All I can say is that he is big and I like big bosses! (See, I'm trying not to ruin the game!) The last boss is the climax of the game. You *MUST* see him! Here we can tell that this is a Neo Geo. Huge sprites are being used and all of them move very fluidly and without any slowdown at all.

I have to say that I like the graphics in this game. Sure, they are a little outdated and very reminiscent of the SNES and the Mega Drive/Genesis, but what the heck. It is a Neo Geo game, and that is enough!

Music 6

There is nothing special here. Some melodies that just play in the background. The screams that are made when you die are very cool though! Kagerow's scream us quite load and filled with horror. I like it!

Between the stages there are some conversations between the characters either about a new plan or meeting a new character. The voices of these characters seem to play through some sort of filter. The sound is more like an 8-bit playback than a 16-bit playback. Not exactly the Neo grade sound we all know, but remember that the game was one of the first Neo Geo home games, so that explains a lot!

Gameplay 7

The controls is OK.... All of the moves are kind of stiff and blocky. The characters Joe and Hayabusa are OK to start the game with, but later you will find characters that will join you that are much more useful. My favorite character is Kagerow. She has a long reaching tornado attack that can hit enemies that are far away and her dying scream is classic! Musashi is also good but Gembu is the worst! With his stiff movement, he is just terrible to control. Just ignore him totally!

You can do some special attacks also. Just hold down the A button a little longer, then release. These attacks do not always kill everything around you all the time, but they do help in tight situations. Every time you perform a special attack your life meter will decrease one bar, so use them wisely. On the other hand, you have as many continues as you like, so this game is relatively easy to finish. Ninja Combat gives you just a hour or so of entertainment.

Interest in this game will probably not last long but this game is still worth getting for the home system. It gives you this retro feeling. If you were a gamer back in the early 90's then you know what I mean. The game is easy to find and costs around $20 to $30 US. Why do we, the 2D graphic lovers, go back and search for older games? Is it the memories? Did the games have more quality than the games now? I think so. Ninja Combat is a retro game that brings back memories of the 2D glory days. That is why Ninja Combat works!

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More Reviews of This Game:

by Kazuya_UK - Courtesy of Kazuya's

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