Ninja Gaiden Shadow

ABOUT THE ORIGINAL GAME

Ninja Gaiden Shadow gets moving quickly: Ryu runs, jumps, cuts through enemies, and pushes steadily right through five compact stages. The immediate hook is its extra mobility. Once the grappling hook starts carrying you to higher ledges and letting you climb across, the straightforward side-scrolling action gains a welcome bit of vertical movement.It is a lean Game Boy action game rather than a sprawling adventure, and that focus works in its favor. Bosses cap every stage, the fire-wheel technique gives you a limited heavy-hitting option, and the six-unit life meter leaves little room to coast. If you want an early portable Ninja Gaiden-style challenge with a clear route and no wasted detours, this is an easy game to meet halfway.