The Ninja Grade: C-
Photo: destructoid.com
This early Sega Master System title is one of the ones I most often see used as "proof" that the SMS couldn't match up against the NES. Sure, it's not one of the system's best, but I loved The Ninja as a kid, and it still holds up as a pretty fun game.
Gameplay: You control the titular Ninja (not a lot of effort put into that title, huh). Your mission is to rescue a princess from a rival ninja. There is a nice variety in the levels. Many have you walking vertically while fighting off attacking ninjas, but there are other levels that have you fighting on floating logs or climbing a wall. Other levels scroll horizontally while you dodge boulders or stampeding horses. To defeat your enemies, you have throwing knives which can be upgraded to ninja stars that can go through multiple enemies. As you go through the 13 levels, you have to find the 5 green scrolls that allow you entrance to fight the boss. I never (repeat, NEVER) found all five until I was an adult with Internet access.
Graphics and Sound: Backgrounds are sparse, but sprites are clear and well detailed (if not a bit funny looking). The main tune running through gameplay is catchy.
Overall: I have a lot of fond memories here. The Ninja is well worth multiple playthroughs, and don't look up those scroll locations until you're thoroughly frustrated!
Gameplay: You control the titular Ninja (not a lot of effort put into that title, huh). Your mission is to rescue a princess from a rival ninja. There is a nice variety in the levels. Many have you walking vertically while fighting off attacking ninjas, but there are other levels that have you fighting on floating logs or climbing a wall. Other levels scroll horizontally while you dodge boulders or stampeding horses. To defeat your enemies, you have throwing knives which can be upgraded to ninja stars that can go through multiple enemies. As you go through the 13 levels, you have to find the 5 green scrolls that allow you entrance to fight the boss. I never (repeat, NEVER) found all five until I was an adult with Internet access.
Graphics and Sound: Backgrounds are sparse, but sprites are clear and well detailed (if not a bit funny looking). The main tune running through gameplay is catchy.
Overall: I have a lot of fond memories here. The Ninja is well worth multiple playthroughs, and don't look up those scroll locations until you're thoroughly frustrated!
R-Type Grade: A
Classic first boss.
R-Type is the great-granddaddy of all scrolling space shooters. The Sega Master System version is also one of my favorite games for the system. It does so many things right while seamlessly compensating for the weaknesses of the platform (compared to the arcade original).
Gameplay: R-Type is a horizontally scrolling space shooter. You control the R-9, a lone fighter charged with blasting the Bydo Empire back to the 26th century. What sets this series apart is the inclusion of the "Force Pod," an indestructible ball that can be attached to the front or rear of the ship. It can be used as a shield and launched to attack enemies. And there are plenty of enemies. Defeating a level often comes down to memorizing the pattern of enemies, then figuring out the best way to survive to the gory, screen-filling level boss.
Music: The SMS does a wonderful job of recreating the eerie, memorable soundtrack. Battle sounds do come across a bit distant, though.
Graphics: While superb for the system, enemy sprites are quite a bit smaller than their arcade counterparts and use far fewer colors. There is quite a bit of flicker and slowdown can pop up when there are a lot of bullets flying.
Overall: This is a great 8-bit port of a marvelous shooter, and it even includes an extra, hidden level. A definite winner.
Gameplay: R-Type is a horizontally scrolling space shooter. You control the R-9, a lone fighter charged with blasting the Bydo Empire back to the 26th century. What sets this series apart is the inclusion of the "Force Pod," an indestructible ball that can be attached to the front or rear of the ship. It can be used as a shield and launched to attack enemies. And there are plenty of enemies. Defeating a level often comes down to memorizing the pattern of enemies, then figuring out the best way to survive to the gory, screen-filling level boss.
Music: The SMS does a wonderful job of recreating the eerie, memorable soundtrack. Battle sounds do come across a bit distant, though.
Graphics: While superb for the system, enemy sprites are quite a bit smaller than their arcade counterparts and use far fewer colors. There is quite a bit of flicker and slowdown can pop up when there are a lot of bullets flying.
Overall: This is a great 8-bit port of a marvelous shooter, and it even includes an extra, hidden level. A definite winner.
Shinobi Grade: A
Photo: 4 Color Rebellion
Take control of legendary ninja Jo Musashi as he takes down the Ring of Five in a Sega Master System classic!
Gameplay: Shinobi is chock full of 8-bit side-scrollin' goodness. You control the hero through 5 multi-leveled stages full of ninjas, gunmen, strong men, and other varied enemies. While fighting off baddies, be on the lookout for the kidnapped children of every world leader. Rescuing the kiddies gives you points or powerups, including close-combat weapons and health increases. one child also grants access to a between-stage bonus level. The bonus stage switches to a first-person viewpoint where Jo must take out numerous ninjas. Success grants "ninja magic," a devistating, screen-clearing attack. Each stage ends in a boss fight which could involve anything from a giant ninja to a helicopter.
Graphics & Sound: Sprites are beautifully drawn and levels are well designed, if unforgiving. There's some brutal slowdown when too many spider ninjas are jumping around, but that's only frustrating during the second boss fight. You won't be downloading the soundtrack to your iPod, but it adds a sense of urgency to your mission. The only thing somewhat distracting is the odd "bloop" jumping sound effect.
Overall: This is one of the crown jewels of the SMS everyone should own.
Gameplay: Shinobi is chock full of 8-bit side-scrollin' goodness. You control the hero through 5 multi-leveled stages full of ninjas, gunmen, strong men, and other varied enemies. While fighting off baddies, be on the lookout for the kidnapped children of every world leader. Rescuing the kiddies gives you points or powerups, including close-combat weapons and health increases. one child also grants access to a between-stage bonus level. The bonus stage switches to a first-person viewpoint where Jo must take out numerous ninjas. Success grants "ninja magic," a devistating, screen-clearing attack. Each stage ends in a boss fight which could involve anything from a giant ninja to a helicopter.
Graphics & Sound: Sprites are beautifully drawn and levels are well designed, if unforgiving. There's some brutal slowdown when too many spider ninjas are jumping around, but that's only frustrating during the second boss fight. You won't be downloading the soundtrack to your iPod, but it adds a sense of urgency to your mission. The only thing somewhat distracting is the odd "bloop" jumping sound effect.
Overall: This is one of the crown jewels of the SMS everyone should own.
Space Harrier Grade: D
I wish my lawn loked that clean.
Space Harrier is another classic Sega arcade game. Unfortunately, it was way too much for the Master System to handle.
Gameplay: Space Harrier is a third-person rail shooter. You see the back of your jet-pack-wearing hero as he travels into the level as enemies move toward you. The action gets frantic, but thanks to the choppy graphics, it's often difficult to tell what's supposed to be happening.
Graphics: Your character is large, but only has a couple different frames of animation: Two for flying and two for running. The background never changes. You'll be looking at the checkerboard ground and clear sky for the whole game. Only the colour scheme changes. Enemies are supposed to fly toward you from the distance, but the scaling is so choppy that things seem to pop in and out randomly. Most deaths come at the hands of an enemy or piece of scenery that seems to just pop in on top of you. Even worse, all of the sprites seem to actually be tiles, complete with background, so you'll see sky over enemy ships' wings, even when there should be landscape.
Sound: The soundtrack is actually pretty good. Pleasant melodies play over a driving, energetic beat, creating an interesting blend. There is only one explosion sound, so destroying a tree sounds the same as destroying a ship sounds the same as destroying an elephant.
Overall: Space Harrier was an ambitious experiment on the Sega Master System that unfortunately falls flat. The action is fairly addictive, but the cheap deaths and seizure-inducing graphics will drive you away.
Gameplay: Space Harrier is a third-person rail shooter. You see the back of your jet-pack-wearing hero as he travels into the level as enemies move toward you. The action gets frantic, but thanks to the choppy graphics, it's often difficult to tell what's supposed to be happening.
Graphics: Your character is large, but only has a couple different frames of animation: Two for flying and two for running. The background never changes. You'll be looking at the checkerboard ground and clear sky for the whole game. Only the colour scheme changes. Enemies are supposed to fly toward you from the distance, but the scaling is so choppy that things seem to pop in and out randomly. Most deaths come at the hands of an enemy or piece of scenery that seems to just pop in on top of you. Even worse, all of the sprites seem to actually be tiles, complete with background, so you'll see sky over enemy ships' wings, even when there should be landscape.
Sound: The soundtrack is actually pretty good. Pleasant melodies play over a driving, energetic beat, creating an interesting blend. There is only one explosion sound, so destroying a tree sounds the same as destroying a ship sounds the same as destroying an elephant.
Overall: Space Harrier was an ambitious experiment on the Sega Master System that unfortunately falls flat. The action is fairly addictive, but the cheap deaths and seizure-inducing graphics will drive you away.
Zillion II The Tri-Formation Grade: C+
Photo: Wikipedia
It's action-thriller anime time!
Gameplay: Zillion 2 follows the story of J.J. as he attempts to rescue his friends and take down an evil empire in this futuristic side scroller. There are 8 levels which alternate between vehicle and on-foot stages. You begin the vehicle stages infiltrating the base on motorcycle. You must dodge enemies and bottomless pits until you can pick up the "Armorater" power-up, which transforms your cycle into a flying suit of armor. The flying suit is a lot of fun, but it is so big that it becomes very difficult to dodge enemy fire in the later levels. The on-foot levels have you guide J.J. as he shoots the same 3 repeating enemies until finding one of his missing partners and defeating a boss.
Graphics & Sound: Sprites are clean and large. Everything has an engaging futuristic feel, but the backgrounds and enemies are repetitive. The soundtrack carries on the futuristic feel with lots of "computer-sounding" noise, and gunfire and explosions are satisfying.
Overall: A fun, but short and repetitive platformer. Note: press a button on controller 2 to switch between rescued teammates on odd-numbered screens. This can be a lifesaver.
Gameplay: Zillion 2 follows the story of J.J. as he attempts to rescue his friends and take down an evil empire in this futuristic side scroller. There are 8 levels which alternate between vehicle and on-foot stages. You begin the vehicle stages infiltrating the base on motorcycle. You must dodge enemies and bottomless pits until you can pick up the "Armorater" power-up, which transforms your cycle into a flying suit of armor. The flying suit is a lot of fun, but it is so big that it becomes very difficult to dodge enemy fire in the later levels. The on-foot levels have you guide J.J. as he shoots the same 3 repeating enemies until finding one of his missing partners and defeating a boss.
Graphics & Sound: Sprites are clean and large. Everything has an engaging futuristic feel, but the backgrounds and enemies are repetitive. The soundtrack carries on the futuristic feel with lots of "computer-sounding" noise, and gunfire and explosions are satisfying.
Overall: A fun, but short and repetitive platformer. Note: press a button on controller 2 to switch between rescued teammates on odd-numbered screens. This can be a lifesaver.