GOTD – Legend of the Mystical Ninja
Legend of the Mystical Ninja – Action/Adventure(SNES)
Konami
For the last game of the second week, I’d like to call your attention to an excellent game that just didn’t do as well in the States as it should have.
Legend of the Mystical Ninja – one of the successful Goemon games in Japan – is a game that has such a nice system that it really deserves better (probably a better name, too).
The normal game takes place in a semi-3d brawler game. You beat up enemies, they drop money (or powerups), you get to go and buy stuff – straw sandals to make you move faster, pizza to restore life when you’re low, free lives – and, eventually, you can move on to the boss stage of the area, which is done in a platformer 2-d approach.
What makes the game more interesting than other ones is the set of minigames that you can find. Not all of them are great, but they are good ways to make money faster than off of enemies, and they can be quite fun with a second player.
The plot of the game is fairly nonsensical and doesn’t take itself seriously. Although the main story is serious, the subplots are all comedy – and it’s fairly well done.
This game has several random references to Japanese culture – most of the enemies, for example – that can make the game seem intimidating – but don’t worry about it.
I recommend trying this game out – preferably with a second player, as cooperative gameplay is where the game truly shines.
Screenshots:
