Developer: Wolfteam Publisher: Renovation Release: 03/94 Genre: Action
The Sega CD library is a bit underrated even today. While it was flooded with assy FMV games initially by late 1993 it began to build up a respectable library. While many of its games are CD versions of Genesis titles many are the definitive versions of the game like Earthworm Jim and Eternal Champions. But the ghost of FMV games past was still lingering in the background. Revenge of the Ninja is the last of a dying breed, and while it is enjoyable for what it is it does not compare to the more popular FMV games on the system.
Hayate is a teenage ninja who is on a mission to infiltrate a ninja castle to rescue the love of his life, Princess Terri. A mass of traps and otherworldly creatures stand in his way but despite his age Hayate id determined. Revenge of the Ninja was originally released in the arcade as Ninja Hayate in 1984. It is not as well-known as the likes of Dragon’s Lair which makes it an odd choice for a Sega CD release. Like most of the FMV games on the system the video quality suffers but the gameplay is intact, such as it is.
Revenge of the Ninja follows the FMV formula to a tee. As you watch the video play out arrows will signal the direction to press to avoid the numerous dangers that Hayate will face. In the more action packed sequences you will need to attack at the right time to progress. There are three difficulty levels with each reducing the amount of time to enter commands. Hard mode does not tell you the commands; instead the word action flashes and you must decide the right course of action on your own. This mode is ridiculously hard, to the point Renovation would send players a Master Ninja diploma if they sent in proof they beat the game on hard.
The premise of a ninja storming a stronghold makes for an awesome set of scenarios. The game begins innocently enough, as you make your way through the initial hallway with a few traps. From there you fight flying ninjas, a robotic lizard, duel a fire breathing tengu, and run afoul of the undead. The game’s tone is humorous; Hayate is clearly in over his head. It is often funny to see him stumble from one exotic scenario to the next. My favorite is the killer wolves in the forest. Although Hayate avoids them initially they pin him down and steal his sword (seriously) and begin using it against him. Moments like these are the reason people play FMV games at least once but they are few and far between sadly.
Revenge of the Ninja is longer than many of its contemporaries but that works against it. The ninja castle is not as interesting as Time Gal’s various time periods or the planet hopping of Space Ace. The game tries to spruce things up by randomizing stages 2-15. It works somewhat and makes sense within the game’s premise. Because you are storming the castle it can be rationalized that you are taking a different route every time. The traps are also randomized but they suffer from the same problem, repetition. Many of its stages are very similar and recycle the same traps and enemies. In fact it recycles animation too! I do not regret playing the game despite this but at the same time it does not have the replay value of Time Gal, meaning it becomes a coaster after one run.
Like many of the Sega Cd’s FMV games Revenge of the Ninja suffers from grainy video. The overall game takes place in many dark environments and the muddy video makes it hard to see anything. The game would have benefited from redrawing its animation to fit within the Sega CD’s limitation like Time Gal. Because of the bad video you do not get to appreciate some of the game’s sight gags and such. The one upgrade in this version is the soundtrack. The arcade game had no music outside of its opening and ending. This version has a full soundtrack that is pretty good. It makes you wonder what could have been if they put the same effort in to its graphics.
In Closing
Revenge of the Ninja is a decent FMV game. But after the work done with Time Gal to make these games more interactive it feels like a step back. The action is not as funny or thrilling as the other games in the genre, leaving an overly long adventure that you will tire of long before its conclusion.
