| System: Neo Geo | Publisher: SNK/ADK | Release Date: 1996 |
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Genre: Fighting |
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Ninja Master's is a somewhat questionable title - the japanese characters probably add something to the title; I refer to it as "Tournament" (VERY loosely). This fighting development is supposedly based (however lightly) on the persecution of the Ninja clans (families, etc.) by the warlord Nobunaga, working for the emperor (although he is not portrayed here). Play Inindo - Way of the Ninja (SNES) for some background if you don't like reading history books.
Here are the ten players, with the two bosses (I don't know about the rest):
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All in all, this game is pretty good. The controls are simple, with A+B representing punch/slash strengths and ranges, and C+D representing kick strengths and ranges. You can draw or sheathe your weapon (fighting with weaponry... did I fail to mention that?) by simultaneously de-pressing B+C. This enables some players to fight with their primary weapon (hands/blade/whatever) and execute some variations of special moves, or just give the other player the need for a blood transfusion. The control system is thereby similar to the early Samurai Shodown/Spirits games, with more variety. The system is a time-based one, where you whack ancient butt as quickly as possible. What's unique to this game is the after-match display, which keeps you currently informed of the top three scores, ranking your own against them. The timer is displayed at the top left, above your lifebar. In the end, this secures a signature if you either (1) Gain a top-ten time for completion with your character or (2) Gain a top-ten time for completion of the game. This is a nice area for challenging the perfectionist - getting all the sub eight scores for each character. Continues do not reset the time, as the total time is resumed (from the lost bout). The gauge is standard, with build up to a single maximum level of power being allowed. Each character increases the level with the hits given; just play normally, and when your blows land, your gauge increases. If it is full, you can do a special power move (which is also available with a red lifebar and drains the gauge), a really powerful special move (not too sure, but it quickly drains the gauge), or use the gauge for a "hyper" sequence (A+B+C), which can do damage to the opponent in initialisation (lasts for a medium timeframe), and is supposed to increase your combo-ability. Each is easily seen, and can come out quickly with some characters in combos... floating symbols or red circle flash - and that's it. Some can be held for range/damage (Karasu), and some can change your weapon to a temporarily useless state. They are quite plentiful and can be quite frustrating to find at first, but when you get the drift, they become your methods of domination. One truly wicked concept is the combo system, which is automatic with all characters, and allows a fair amount of flexibility and juggling. Land an air hit, then follow up with rapid light-button taps (blue shadow), and you can finish any way you choose. Many are pre-determined, so you can either use the follow-ups, or leave yourself wide open to damaging recoveries (Ranmaru is really tricky to master). A favourite sequence with Karasu goes like this: (w/ sword drawn) start high, use lk+lk, sp, sheathe weapon, unsheathe weapon, use power move (spinning sword): about 19 hits. Remember that when a character is tired, the weapon falls, so get your combo ready. A strong slash for air-borne opponents knocks them down, so don't waste combo material trying to juggle. Some combos send them very high up in the air... these are juggling opportunities (Ranmaru has a sweet one). Art in the game is really variable. The aftermath screens are something to behold, with a really excellent depiction of your character, and the one-liner made famous by SF. The flashing and slow-motion scenes are also well timed and executed in most instances. The power moves are the standard graphic experiences, which hold most of the effects (Sasuke's piledriver stirs up a few tremors). Winning poses are not really outstanding, but each character has a few (differences for finishing a round with your weapon, and perfect scores). You usually insult the other character (in a sense) if you lost your weapon or have it sheathed; this influences the next round of the battle (whether your weapon is drawn or not). With many characters (Unzen, Karasu), this is really not a problem, as they are extremely versatile when it comes to desperation techniques. For example, Karasu can turn his sword into a raven, which then flies to him, and Ranmaru controls a white serpent. Note that some characters can do damage when drawing or sheathing their weapon, making for extreme combo flexibility (moves are added or varied with this status). |
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Now for the downsides. Few are actually present in this game, surprisingly enough. Some are really disheartening - take the mirror matches, for example. Just when you think that you have learnt your character, the AI comes along and shows you techniques you never even dreamed of. These are always difficult... yeah - I always wish I had used Karasu when I meet a Kamui double, then I would dread the AI Karasu. Then again, this could be a personal problem. The sound effects can use toning down. They are sometimes irritating because they quickly become repetitive with the AI, and the music is sometimes too low to drown out the chatter. Some are just downright dumb, like with Sasuke; he sounds like a fart most of the time. Character balance is not really an issue; I can see three distinct teams here. Nevertheless, there are the Ryu/Ken types (Sasuke/Kamui), the mixes (Karasu, Houoh) and the part-originals. The strong man wrestler is in the form of Unzen, who is by no way a passive character. Goemon handles nicely, and Tenho is the secret powerhouse of the game. The others are good, with their fair share of power and ease of handling. As a final boss, Nobunaga is not the powerhouse you'd expect him to be; he gets his challenges just as anyone else. With respect to the bosses, this game handles them nicely. Ranmaru is a beautiful mid-boss (really!), offers a good challenge, and can whack your tail really fast if you play dirty. Nobunaga is rather reminiscent of Vega/Bison in SF. He has a very quick air attack, and can combo off it or retreat just as quickly. Air defence is supreme, and he can just fend off your projectiles with a swoosh of his cape (probably has something to do with those demons... no?). That is when he has his weapon sheathed, however. His primary weapon is a sword, and he can do multiple slashes (like H-Kagami in TLB), but when he draws the flaming sword, then he becomes challenging. A good boss, not as cheap as (KoF94) Rugal, not as tough as (SFEx2) Kairi, and not as easy as (TLB2) Kouryu - just a damnable average cape-wearer (note that I didn't say right). So, if you prefer your dragon punches coming from retroactive characters and your fireballs looking like shuriken, go for it. Seriously, this could be quite a good investment at your local arcade or your Neo store (if it is still there, that is). The fights are challenging, and the move list is amazing. Nevertheless, hiding a cannon on your back can only be fun, right? |
| Graphics: ( 7.1 out of 10) |
Average Neo backgrounds with only a few oddities and ends - like the birds in Karasu's stage - which is rather unusual. The characters are somewhat strangely represented, similar in style to those of World Heroes Perfect. Proportions are not blatantly ignored, but the "rough" feel is encountered a bit too often (exception:Ranmaru :yeah she's smooth:). |
| Sound: ( 7.2 out of 10) |
Wowee... the music tracks in this game must be the only things worth my time. The intro music is wicked, and a few others are able to stand out (hmmm... can't seem to recall them). The effects are average, however. Voices are rather bad (that echo feel), and they are vastly_overused, giving a quick feeling of irritation. |
| Fun: ( 7.0 out of 10) |
With the over-the-border combo system, an average joe (or jane) can just slam a sequence of buttons and swivel the stick, ending up with a killer chain. So, you don't have to be an expert to have fun... in the versus mode. Single player mode is too tricky to have fun trying to invent combos - you have to land that quick blow and follow up with a combo that knocks, or you get hit hard. |
| Addiction: ( 8.1 out of 10) |
Ooh... I'm probably partial to games involving Japanese history, however faintly. Each character gives a wide variety of styles and moves, offering a challenge for the masters. You will not find two characters who are exactly alike in ability, and the secret moves are enough to keep a SF fan happy for *ahem* weeks. This was quite a draw back in the days, along with the Samurai Shodown series. |
| Total | 29.4 out of 40 |
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