(Ninja Gaiden art by “zehb br”)
It’s another rainy afternoon, it’s been a slow day at work. The fact that I’ve been suffering from rainy day blues aren’t helping my case either. The rainy season always got me down for some reason. It has been like this for as long as I can remember.
But lately I’ve been feeling an itch. A yearning to experience the magic of the past. It could be a coping mechanism my brain came up with to drive away this dreary feeling.
As a kid I was always been drawn to ninjas and mecha anime. Who doesn’t wanna ride a giant freakin’ robot while saving the world on the side. As for being a ninja probably I got wowed from the “facts” that I gathered as a little twerp, that they can beat anyone with sword and shurikens and they can slice bullets from a heavy gunfire like they’re just marshmallows……at least that’s what I thought.
Even my first anime crush is a ninja or rather a kunoichi, she’s Megumi Oka from the mecha anime Voltes V and to think that I only watched that show during the mecha battles which is the last few minutes of every episode. Back then I really don’t care about the story I’m just there for the action scenes.
I only took mecha anime seriously for the time when I was watching Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. Take note Macross not Robotech. It was locally english dubbed and they retained everything else from the music to the fight scenes.
Funny how this is Gundam fan’s first foray into the real robot sub genre. And how I got to be a Gundam fan is a story I’ll tell some other time.
Through the years I saw how some friends and playmates lost interest on the things they loved before. They no longer have passion for those toys and characters they share about so fondly.
For mine however, they seemed to ride the waves of the ever changing time. Maybe because my fascination is also being shaped by another interest of mine namely video games.
Characters like Hanzo Hattori and Galford from SNK’s Samurai Spirits/Shodown, Mai Shiranui from the Fatal Fury/Garou Densetsu and King of Fighters series and Taki of the Soul Calibur series were the earliest staples of the fighting game genre. Mai who is said to be one of the inspiration for game developer Tomonobu Itagaki’s Dead or Alive series.
For some fanboys this game is pretty famous for its female characters “bouncy” animation.
A series that also features some ninjas notably Kasumi, Ayana,and Hayabusa to name a few.
Hayabusa the protagonist of the first ninja game I played, Ninja Gaiden III The Ancient Ship Of Doom. That’s a mouthful and I ain’t gonna say it again
We only have the Famicom back then and looking at the cutscene dialogue is like watching an unsubbed raw anime.
I remembered that we played it the whole weekend just to finish this frustratingly difficult game. Throughout that playthrough I relegated myself as the group’s unofficial cheerleader. Why you asked? Because back then I really sucked at that game. Each time we lose an attempt we have to pass around the controller making me the one who passes it the most.
Fast forward a few decades everything’s changed, there’s no wingmen to save me now for I’m flying solo this time.
Will this bring back the magic and nostalgia I sought nor this will lead to tragedy no matter how valiant I fought?
Dang it I’m so nervous I’m rhyming.
Hayabusa: This is all a big misunderstanding, you see I’m kinda took the wrong turn.
The first stage got cleared with me almost losing a life. No a very bad start if I do say so myself. This is not as hard as I can remember. Feeling confident after beating the first I say to myself I got this but I was wrong.
From here on out the constantly gave me a beating. So I paused for a while and think there’s must something that I been doing wrong.
Hayabusa: I’m a Japanese I know what a hot spring is and I’m certain this is not one.
Since I’m playing the localized now I finally understand the story. Hayabusa was framed up for killing his “good friend” Irene. A man named Clancy told Hayabusa that a guy named Foster is responsible for Irene’s demise and sets out to help him stop Foster.
The end, thank you for reading.
Just kidding! As expected I wasn’t good as I expected to be I played for four hours and managed to clear only four stages.
Since I was having a hard time progressing I consulted the sage advice of the great YouTube. Turns out no one was able to finish a level unscathed which is a huge relief on my part. As it turns out I wasn’t using the special skills “correctly”. You know the d-pad up + B like the one on Castlevania. Apparently my “untimely” deaths happened during a platform jump when some enemies “conveniently” spawns hindering my jumps. Using a special skill to clear out a path is the most sensible way for a successful jump.
With this new knowledge I laughed and grinned like a mad dork….. I mean scientists a mad scientist.
Another day another grueling struggle with this game. So far I haven’t rage quit a game this year and it’s already June, I have no plans on giving up now.
As I near the last stage I found out Irene is alive and faked her own death. Clancy duped me so he can stab Foster in the back so he can have all those evil thingies all for himself! Classic twist I swear I never saw that coming! (Like duh!)
After all those things I learned from YouTube, you think that I would breeze my way through? Wrong! Skill issues still hits me right between the eyes. It’s hard but it’s harder to look away especially knowing that the end is near.
Ninja - literally means enduring warrior, kinda fitting to call this a “ninja game”.
One must endure and persevere to reach the end.
As I got closer to my my final duel with Clancy the thrill and excitement surges through my whole body. As I’m about to close another chapter in these exploits of mine. Though I played for nostalgia the experience is definitely brand new!
Clancy: Behold and tremble in fear for I am the last thing that you will see!
Hayabusa: Dude didn’t you get the memo? You’re supposed to be a demon not a freaking Metal Gear!
Final duet……I mean final three duel this dude changes form like a freakin Dragon Ball character!
If you’re asking if I were able to capture the magic that I sought for? Yes and a whole lot more! With an epic bragging rights as a bonus. I’ve seen some Vloggers calling this game some names only to say that they rage quit and dropped this game. Unlike them I didn’t play for views and only played it for FUN.
Again another game another journey ended.
Thank you very much for joining me!
This is Stingy Perry
-Signing Off
So Glad to have you back!
