The trivia is one of the reasons why I enjoy your series, back when this game was first announced to be played on Game Center CX, I thought they couldn't get the rights for Ninja Gaiden III, so they settled down for a cheaper clone - now I know that this is a highly-sought after hidden gem over there. Natsume was in a league of their own when it comes to the Famicom contract developers - compare Shadow of the Ninja to something like Ninja Crusaders, for example.
I just recorded an episode on the worst game I think Natsume made for the Famicom under contract. The thing is, it's a very good port of an utterly godawful game. They captured the pain of playing the original version perfectly.
@@RndStranger I really love this game for many years and replayed and finished it so many times so luckily that when I heard the news that a remake for this game had finally finished in its development stage from Tengo Project and it will publish by Nasume Atari Co., Ltd (Formerly Nasume) and honestly I'm really excited and can't wait to have a copy of Kage / Shadow of The Ninja Reborn this year since this is the same development team that managed to make a return to form in a way of remakes to old popular titles like - Wild Guns, Pocky & Rocky (KiKi KaiKai) and Ninja Warriors and to be honest I honestly I have a good faith for many years to come in terms of the remakes that they managed that was beloved by many fans decades prior while these to new player alike. So I salute them for that effort and wishing for more remakes to come.
Excellent art, animation, and music. Famicom games have a high standard to live up to in 1990 and beyond, especially as 16-bit games start taking over.
This is the first NES game I thought was special when I was like 5 years old. I might have been able to get past the first stage once but I still had a ton of fun with it
I never realized it till now but Natsume also never brings Final Mission to anything in Japan yet has brought the US version to all the VCs and NSO for the western region. I wonder if Natsume just has something against Japan.
One I'm pretty sure I rented on NES. Maybe I'm just bad at this one, even now on its NSO appearance I was having a tough time with it. A good game though! I had heard about the game boy version wind up being a Ninja Gaiden game. Apparently natsume has greenlit a sequel much like some of other other IPs like wild guns and kiki kaikai/pocky and rocky. so I'm definitely curious to see how it turns out!
I own Shadow of the Ninja, Shatterhand, The Jetsons and both Power Blades from Natsume; I'd still say it's 'probably' my favourite NES/FC game of theirs, though Power Blades and Shatterhand are also really fun. Shame sales weren't so good usually in their case. Well, they're mostly known for Harvest Moon (in the West) and Medabots (in Japan) these days. Also, why is it always ninjas that have to save the US from terrorists/dictators?
That's one of my favorites on the Famicom. And it exists on that edge of things that people into 8-bit Japanese games know about but no one else does (unlike breakouts such as Recca and Gimmick).
The trivia is one of the reasons why I enjoy your series, back when this game was first announced to be played on Game Center CX, I thought they couldn't get the rights for Ninja Gaiden III, so they settled down for a cheaper clone - now I know that this is a highly-sought after hidden gem over there.
Natsume was in a league of their own when it comes to the Famicom contract developers - compare Shadow of the Ninja to something like Ninja Crusaders, for example.
I just recorded an episode on the worst game I think Natsume made for the Famicom under contract. The thing is, it's a very good port of an utterly godawful game. They captured the pain of playing the original version perfectly.
@@RndStranger I really love this game for many years and replayed and finished it so many times so luckily that when I heard the news that a remake for this game had finally finished in its development stage from Tengo Project and it will publish by Nasume Atari Co., Ltd (Formerly Nasume) and honestly I'm really excited and can't wait to have a copy of Kage / Shadow of The Ninja Reborn this year since this is the same development team that managed to make a return to form in a way of remakes to old popular titles like - Wild Guns, Pocky & Rocky (KiKi KaiKai) and Ninja Warriors and to be honest I honestly I have a good faith for many years to come in terms of the remakes that they managed that was beloved by many fans decades prior while these to new player alike. So I salute them for that effort and wishing for more remakes to come.
NINJA in USA
No wait, this is the other ninja in the USA game.
This was my favourite NES game growing up. And it still is to this day.
Excellent art, animation, and music. Famicom games have a high standard to live up to in 1990 and beyond, especially as 16-bit games start taking over.
This is the first NES game I thought was special when I was like 5 years old. I might have been able to get past the first stage once but I still had a ton of fun with it
I never realized it till now but Natsume also never brings Final Mission to anything in Japan yet has brought the US version to all the VCs and NSO for the western region. I wonder if Natsume just has something against Japan.
That one is weird since it is their own game that they published themselves. Maybe the licensed it to Project EGG or something.
Next game: Kawa No Nushi Tsuri, meaning (Legend of the River King). :D
One I'm pretty sure I rented on NES. Maybe I'm just bad at this one, even now on its NSO appearance I was having a tough time with it. A good game though! I had heard about the game boy version wind up being a Ninja Gaiden game. Apparently natsume has greenlit a sequel much like some of other other IPs like wild guns and kiki kaikai/pocky and rocky. so I'm definitely curious to see how it turns out!
I own Shadow of the Ninja, Shatterhand, The Jetsons and both Power Blades from Natsume; I'd still say it's 'probably' my favourite NES/FC game of theirs, though Power Blades and Shatterhand are also really fun. Shame sales weren't so good usually in their case. Well, they're mostly known for Harvest Moon (in the West) and Medabots (in Japan) these days. Also, why is it always ninjas that have to save the US from terrorists/dictators?
Not a bad game overall, but I still prefer Natsume platformer about a three-eyed boy and his arsenal of arrows :)
That's one of my favorites on the Famicom. And it exists on that edge of things that people into 8-bit Japanese games know about but no one else does (unlike breakouts such as Recca and Gimmick).
You mentioned the 5 continues thing twice, just a very minor nitpick :D
So many games released on August 10th 1990.
Not the busiest day of releases on the Famicom, but it's close.