Seraphinianus
Banned
A thread to discuss the various versions of Ninja Gaiden 1!
Here's a basic FAQ to start. It will get updated with info people provide and things I research on my own. I'll try to break down the inevitable wordiness that happens when I write off the top of my head...sorry bout that
Also, here's a much more in-depth resource:
http://iberiansngrealm.com/index.html
Why does this thread exist?
NG3 is that bad?
What are my options to play NG1?
Side Note: Ninja Gaiden vanilla with Hurricane Pack DLC installed is its own version too, but the only way to access it now is probably through a torrent and you would need a modded Xbox 1 to play it. Maybe a modded 360 could run it too, but I'm not up to speed on the 360 mod scene.
Isn't Black just Vanilla packed with the hurricane packs on disc?
Nope. That was the original plan, but they turned it into a "Super" version of the game instead.
ATTN game preservationists, if you exist: The Hurricane Packs are either extinct or endangered after Xbox 1 Live went down...here's a call for anyone that has it to torrent it or preserve it somehow. A quick search on public and a couple private torrent sites yields nothing.
UPDATE: Apparently it's out there, but Xbox 1 save protection may prevent you from playing it as you needed to log on to XBL1 to start it up. You can only restart offline from the first save point. Apparently, even the best free dlc to ever grace this earth™ has its downsides.
Most of the additions did make it into Black, but not all...it's truly its own version. It's different enough to warrant preservation.
What's the best version?
People generally like Black or Sigma. Sigma Plus is clearly inferior in many different ways. I personally think Black is the more solid game, despite some things being worse (puzzles, namely.) Some people like the streamlined puzzles and other parts in Sigma 1, along with the Rachel chapters+missions.
How's the 360 BC?
WARNING!!! SAVES ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE AND REMOVING YOUR 360 HDD WILL CORRUPT YOUR SAVE. You read that correctly.
What are the differences between the versions?
way more than I'm typing out tonight!
Here are some major differences for now:
Ok, what's the first thing I should do when I boot up a version of this game?
This is the correct way to play "hardcore" style in this game. This is a score attack game and there's a finite amount of points you can get on a playthrough, exploits notwithstanding. Of course, surviving Very Hard and Master Ninja is commendable. Surviving with a high score on those modes? Godlike.
Made it an image because it's a pretty overlooked aspect of the game, yet it adds so much to the experience. You have end of mission scores to show how well you did, but the game scores you during and after each fight, based on:
How do I play?
The combat doesn't have the sheer amount of stuff you can do in DMC3. It's all about speed, finesse, and timing. There aren't many hidden tricks to take advantage of. Moves are simple to do, combos are just mixtures of the two attack buttons + a single directional input on the analog to modify some attacks. Really, anyone can learn all the moves without breaking their hands.
Update- aaxe's awesome combat FAQ: Forgot about this when I made the thread! You can read what I wrote below about combat for good beginner's tips, but this is the go-to in depth guide for the game's combat and with correct terminology, which I am not up to snuff on:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox/928401-ninja-gaiden-black/faqs/39056
Some stuff to get you started
All in all, keep your eye on that fight timer. Keep practicing until you are hitting those time bonuses consistently...if you are, congrats, you're playing the game correctly.
Best way to practice combat?
Use a guide to find the fiend challenges. You'll know you've found one when the fight timer is several hundred seconds long. These will tune your skills nicely and you get a good reward at the end like an extra ninpo charge or extended life bar items.
The camera blows
get used to using the recenter button often and it minimizes the problem. Think of it as another button in combat...sounds terrible on paper, but not that bad when you get used to it. Occasionally, you will just have to feel out a situation without being able to see properly.
About the adventure aspects...
The game is on a somewhat open world format and involves a little bit of exploration and resident evil style "get the crank to open the door" fetching.
There are 50 golden scarabs throughout the game. You want to get these for new weapons, moves, items, etc. Many things can only be gotten through turning in scarabs to Muramasa.
The rewards change with each difficulty. These aren't a big pain in the ass to get and only a few are missable (notably, in the airship chapter.) Use a guide for them.
Scarab Location guide (for every version/every difficulty, this hasn't changed at all from NG1 vanilla): http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox/561532-ninja-gaiden/faqs/29138
The platforming really sucks. How do I get better at that?
¯\_(ツ
_/¯ Dunno, it's the game's big flaw. Ryu was clearly built for combat movement first...
I beat the game! I'm awoesoam.
Not until you beat master ninja. The game is remixed on each difficulty...keep going. The missions too, don't brush those off.
Here's a basic FAQ to start. It will get updated with info people provide and things I research on my own. I'll try to break down the inevitable wordiness that happens when I write off the top of my head...sorry bout that
Also, here's a much more in-depth resource:
http://iberiansngrealm.com/index.html
Why does this thread exist?
because NG3 was so bad that it made people go back and play the other games instead, leading to the NG2 and NG3 threads getting filled up with NG1 discussion, since it doesn't have an OT.
NG3 is that bad?
No amount of cupcakes can help NG3. Please do not send Team Ninja cupcakes.
What are my options to play NG1?
- Ninja Gaiden vanilla - Xbox 1/360 BC
- Ninja Gaiden Black - Xbox 1/360 BC (available on XBL)
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma - PS3
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus - Vita
Side Note: Ninja Gaiden vanilla with Hurricane Pack DLC installed is its own version too, but the only way to access it now is probably through a torrent and you would need a modded Xbox 1 to play it. Maybe a modded 360 could run it too, but I'm not up to speed on the 360 mod scene.
Isn't Black just Vanilla packed with the hurricane packs on disc?
Nope. That was the original plan, but they turned it into a "Super" version of the game instead.
ATTN game preservationists, if you exist: The Hurricane Packs are either extinct or endangered after Xbox 1 Live went down...here's a call for anyone that has it to torrent it or preserve it somehow. A quick search on public and a couple private torrent sites yields nothing.
UPDATE: Apparently it's out there, but Xbox 1 save protection may prevent you from playing it as you needed to log on to XBL1 to start it up. You can only restart offline from the first save point. Apparently, even the best free dlc to ever grace this earth™ has its downsides.
Most of the additions did make it into Black, but not all...it's truly its own version. It's different enough to warrant preservation.
Of course, if you install them, they overwrite NG vanilla.
What's the best version?
People generally like Black or Sigma. Sigma Plus is clearly inferior in many different ways. I personally think Black is the more solid game, despite some things being worse (puzzles, namely.) Some people like the streamlined puzzles and other parts in Sigma 1, along with the Rachel chapters+missions.
How's the 360 BC?
Pretty much perfect as much as I've played. Admittedly haven't done a major run through of all difficulties in Black or Vanilla on the 360 yet...would suck if there were frame drops on Master Ninja mode or something. The 360 BC testers probably did not go through both games in their entirety...
Ninja Gaiden Black has some annoying "install section" when you boot it up for the first time. Some words that I guess are the "backstory" roll on screen for a couple minutes. It does this once when you first boot the game but not on subsequent boots. But it occasionally has to do the long load again, if you go a long time without playing and play other stuff in between. Not sure how this works exactly...stored in a cache on the HDD?
CG cutscenes/TN intro are weird and choppy, but it doesn't affect gameplay [Update: apparently not the case on the disc version]
Ninja Gaiden Black has some annoying "install section" when you boot it up for the first time. Some words that I guess are the "backstory" roll on screen for a couple minutes. It does this once when you first boot the game but not on subsequent boots. But it occasionally has to do the long load again, if you go a long time without playing and play other stuff in between. Not sure how this works exactly...stored in a cache on the HDD?
CG cutscenes/TN intro are weird and choppy, but it doesn't affect gameplay [Update: apparently not the case on the disc version]
WARNING!!! SAVES ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE AND REMOVING YOUR 360 HDD WILL CORRUPT YOUR SAVE. You read that correctly.
What are the differences between the versions?
way more than I'm typing out tonight!
Here are some major differences for now:
- --Vanilla - no master ninja difficulty, no lunar staff, less enemy types, different scoring system. Super NES versions of NG1+2+3 unlockable (I don't know if they're playable on 360)
- --Black - adds the lunar staff, more enemy types + boss fights with fiend ryu, Alma variants Ishtaros and Nicchae, mission mode, master ninja difficulty, different limits on potions (? pretty sure, haven't vanilla in forever.) Arcade Ninja Gaiden unlockable (not sure if playable on 360)
- --Sigma - everything from Black + Rachel missions, streamlined puzzles, in-action mini menu, some new missions for Ryu and Rachel, DLC missions for Ryu and Rachel. Slightly easier, some different stagger/guard crush mechanics. Extra loading everywhere, screen tearing.
- --Sigma Plus - game breaking items, lol 30fps, motion control bow controls/tap to auto-aim, new costumes for Ryu and Rachel, new missions, no leaderboards. Still a good game, but worse than the others. Portability is nice and you do have the option to not use the game breaking stuff. A little slower on the controls at first, but might just make you a believer in "feels like 60fps"
Ok, what's the first thing I should do when I boot up a version of this game?
This is the correct way to play "hardcore" style in this game. This is a score attack game and there's a finite amount of points you can get on a playthrough, exploits notwithstanding. Of course, surviving Very Hard and Master Ninja is commendable. Surviving with a high score on those modes? Godlike.
Made it an image because it's a pretty overlooked aspect of the game, yet it adds so much to the experience. You have end of mission scores to show how well you did, but the game scores you during and after each fight, based on:
- --the time it takes for you to kill all the enemies
- --combo hits (not significant...the game is about speed, not combos)
- --how many UTs you do before the timer runs out (score instantly added to your total karma as you do them.)
- --a small boost for each enemy killed
- --Beat the fight before the time runs out and get 10,000 extra karma (points.) If not, you collect all other bonuses still.
You could just pat yourself on the back for surviving, which is fine, but if you wanna get to the heart of the combat system, challenge yourself with the fight timers. P.S. the score doesn't get tallied until an enemy is fully dissolved...which will infuriate you many, many times and it never gets less annoying.
Unfortunately, there are no leaderboards for Vanilla, Black, or Sigma Plus and the ones for Sigma might some bunk scores. If this thread survives long enough and people are involved, we could get a GAF leaderboard going.
Unfortunately, there are no leaderboards for Vanilla, Black, or Sigma Plus and the ones for Sigma might some bunk scores. If this thread survives long enough and people are involved, we could get a GAF leaderboard going.
Want to play a survival based NG game? Play NG2, it's a blast and a completely different take on 3D Ninja Gaiden. The missions in NG2 are score attacks though, with a completely different finite scoring system.
How do I play?
The combat doesn't have the sheer amount of stuff you can do in DMC3. It's all about speed, finesse, and timing. There aren't many hidden tricks to take advantage of. Moves are simple to do, combos are just mixtures of the two attack buttons + a single directional input on the analog to modify some attacks. Really, anyone can learn all the moves without breaking their hands.
Update- aaxe's awesome combat FAQ: Forgot about this when I made the thread! You can read what I wrote below about combat for good beginner's tips, but this is the go-to in depth guide for the game's combat and with correct terminology, which I am not up to snuff on:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox/928401-ninja-gaiden-black/faqs/39056
Some stuff to get you started
- Essence Attacks/Ultimate Techniques - a raw ultimate technique involves charging with the Strong Attack button. The first burst is for a "level 1" UT worth 2000 and doing less damage. The second burst is a fully charged UT, which generally include more hits and damage, plus 5000 karma bonus and more yellow essence from dead enemies. It is not super useful on its own, except on the slow zombie enemies, who are damage sponges that attack super slow, making it easy to set up raw UTs. You'll also occasionally get into situations in other fights where you could have enough time to charge it, but this is subjective per fight situation.
- BUT- yellow and blue orbs from dead enemies get absorbed by the charge and insta-charge it giving you....--->
- Instant Ultimate Techniques - if you hit Strong Attack as soon as you land from a jump, Ryu skips the animation where he pulls back his weapons to begin charging and instantly absorbs floating orbs, so you can unleash it right away. This makes it the single most useful move in the game if you're going for those fight timer bonuses. If you're done leveling weapons/spending money, you can do this forever. Otherwise, it's a waste of money to absorb the yellow essence that comes from a guy you killed with a fully charged UT-- it's the max essence you can get from a single enemy, but when absorbed, still only gives you a level 1 UT and you waste the money. In some situations, you may not care and just do it to survive. Pay attention to the orbs on screen at all times. If the fight is going well and you have room to breathe, collect the money, use it for UTs, whatever. If it's tense, consider a instant UT. Blue orbs are a little more tricky-- do you want a quick health boost? do you trust your skills to survive and use up the instant level 2 UT for points + more money? These are the kinds of on-the-fly decisions that add to the combat system.
- Little known fact: If you kill an enemy during a UT animation and Ryu still has hits to unleash, you can point the analog towards an enemy next to you and he'll finish the attack on them instead, if they're in range (has to be pretty much right next to you.) If you don't, they might get sucked into the attack or they might get hit by wider swings in the animation but fall out of it and escape.
- Be careful, you can get hit out of the charging animation. But once you let go of the button, Ryu can't be hit from the "dash" animation or the attack animation if you connect. If you whiff, squeeze the block button and roll. About that...
-
- Squeeze the block button and roll - It's the only way to survive. The roll has invincible frames that you'll have to take advantage of in crazier fights. Those frames are short, though, and you'll always have some vulnerability between rolls, so you can't abuse it forever. Roll + light attack is a pretty sound tactic and you can always roll right back out of the attack if you whiff or get blocked or want to reposition yourself.
- Blocking comes with some nuance too. Heavier enemy attacks can stagger you-- there's a light stagger you can roll out of, then there's a critical stagger where you're just wide open. Some boss attacks and heavy enemy attacks beat blocks altogether. You have to get to know enemy attacks to see this coming. Also, throws. Just like fighting games, throws beat block. Unlike fighting games, you're gonna eat that throw with no chance to "tech" out of it. They do lots of damage, they mind fuck you by breaking up the flow of combat, and they are supremely annoying.
- Huge caveat - the game isn't about mastering moves, it's about mastering enemies! And there are tons of them. And they change on each difficulty. A proper guide would break down what to use on who for the optimal kill speed, but it would be a novel's length. The fun is figuring it all out. There's surprisingly little bullshit for such a difficult game!
- Stupid incendiary shurikens... - get into some invincible frames via ut or izuna drop or something. Those iframes are never too far out of your grasp to negate incendiary shuriken damage.
- About the izuna drop - it's tempting to do it every single time. Kills the enemy, painful splash damage on other enemies, free invincible frames and no vulnerability afterwards. BUT it's a long animation and will toll down those precious seconds on the fight timer. You'll jump away and possibly spread the enemies out, making it tough to group them up again. The X,X,X,X (xbox version...4 normal attacks) air combo ends with a quick downward slash that usually kills, puts you right on the ground, and free to move again for another set up. Or do 3 slashes, shurikens to get a hard knockdown on the enemy, but an opportunity for an instant UT at the end.
- General tips - timing is everything. Shurikens can delay your landing speed from a jump, shurikens can interrupt enemy attacks you wouldn't otherwise have time to beat with a normal attack, rolls can cancel or virtually cancel many shorter a, you can stun enemies by pressing the jump button right over their head for better positioning...there are a lot of little things you can do for the edge. Wish I could break down the nuances better off the top of my head, but I play it by feel. So much of the game is situational. If you're constantly losing on a fight, thing about what options you aren't taking advantage of. You probably aren't head stomping those black spider ninjas/cat fiends enough.
All in all, keep your eye on that fight timer. Keep practicing until you are hitting those time bonuses consistently...if you are, congrats, you're playing the game correctly.
Best way to practice combat?
Use a guide to find the fiend challenges. You'll know you've found one when the fight timer is several hundred seconds long. These will tune your skills nicely and you get a good reward at the end like an extra ninpo charge or extended life bar items.
The camera blows
get used to using the recenter button often and it minimizes the problem. Think of it as another button in combat...sounds terrible on paper, but not that bad when you get used to it. Occasionally, you will just have to feel out a situation without being able to see properly.
About the adventure aspects...
The game is on a somewhat open world format and involves a little bit of exploration and resident evil style "get the crank to open the door" fetching.
There are 50 golden scarabs throughout the game. You want to get these for new weapons, moves, items, etc. Many things can only be gotten through turning in scarabs to Muramasa.
The rewards change with each difficulty. These aren't a big pain in the ass to get and only a few are missable (notably, in the airship chapter.) Use a guide for them.
Scarab Location guide (for every version/every difficulty, this hasn't changed at all from NG1 vanilla): http://www.gamefaqs.com/xbox/561532-ninja-gaiden/faqs/29138
The platforming really sucks. How do I get better at that?
¯\_(ツ
_/¯ Dunno, it's the game's big flaw. Ryu was clearly built for combat movement first...I beat the game! I'm awoesoam.
Not until you beat master ninja. The game is remixed on each difficulty...keep going. The missions too, don't brush those off.
