<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
as	O
and	O
as	O
Shadow	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
is	O
an	O
action-platform	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Tecmo	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
Entertainment	O
System	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
development	O
and	O
release	O
coincided	O
with	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
arcade	B-Application
version	I-Application
of	O
the	O
same	O
name	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
has	O
been	O
ported	O
to	O
several	O
other	O
platforms	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
,	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
,	O
and	O
mobile	O
phones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Featuring	O
side-scrolling	O
platform	O
gameplay	O
similar	O
to	O
Castlevania	B-Application
,	O
players	O
control	O
Ryu	O
through	O
six	O
"	O
Acts	O
"	O
that	O
comprise	O
20	O
levels	O
;	O
they	O
encounter	O
enemies	O
that	O
must	O
be	O
dispatched	O
with	O
Ryu	O
's	O
katana	B-Operating_System
and	O
other	O
secondary	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
has	O
an	O
elaborate	O
story	O
told	O
through	O
anime-like	O
cinematic	O
cutscenes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Director	O
Hideo	O
Yoshizawa	O
named	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
as	O
his	O
most	O
commercially	O
successful	O
project	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
features	O
a	O
ninja	O
named	O
Ryu	O
Hayabusa	O
who	O
seeks	O
revenge	O
for	O
the	O
death	O
of	O
his	O
father	O
and	O
gradually	O
finds	O
himself	O
involved	O
in	O
a	O
sinister	O
plot	O
that	O
threatens	O
the	O
entire	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Walter	O
tells	O
Ryu	O
of	O
an	O
evil	O
demon	O
named	O
Jashin	O
,	O
that	O
"	O
SHINOBI	B-Application
"	O
defeated	O
,	O
whose	O
power	O
was	O
confined	O
into	O
"	O
Light	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Shadow	O
"	O
demon	O
statues	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
is	O
a	O
side-scrolling	O
platform	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
takes	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
,	O
Ryu	O
Hayabusa	O
,	O
and	O
guides	O
him	O
through	O
six	O
"	O
Acts	O
"	O
that	O
comprise	O
20	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
screen	O
appears	O
when	O
all	O
lives	O
are	O
lost	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
may	O
restart	O
the	O
level	O
where	O
this	O
occurred	O
by	O
continuing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
attack	O
enemies	O
by	O
thrusting	O
at	O
them	O
with	O
Ryu	O
's	O
Dragon	O
Sword	O
—	O
a	O
katana-like	O
sword	O
passed	O
down	O
by	O
the	O
Hayabusa	O
clan	O
for	O
generations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
can	O
also	O
use	O
secondary	O
weapons	O
that	O
consume	O
Ryu	O
's	O
"	O
spiritual	B-Application
strength	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
include	O
throwing	O
stars	O
,	O
"	O
windmill	O
throwing	O
stars	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
cut	O
through	O
enemies	O
and	O
return	O
like	O
boomerangs	B-General_Concept
,	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
twirling	O
fireballs	O
named	O
"	O
the	O
art	O
of	O
the	O
fire	O
wheel	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
mid-air	O
slashing	O
technique	O
called	O
the	O
"	O
jump	O
&	O
slash	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Ryu	O
's	O
spiritual	B-Application
strength	I-Application
meter	O
is	O
too	O
low	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
cannot	O
use	O
secondary	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
replenish	O
Ryu	O
's	O
spiritual	B-Application
strength	I-Application
by	O
collecting	O
red	O
and	O
blue	O
"	O
spiritual	B-Application
strength	I-Application
"	O
items	O
found	O
in	O
lamps	O
and	O
lanterns	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tecmo	O
first	O
announced	O
the	O
Famicom	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
January	O
15	O
,	O
1988	O
,	O
issue	O
of	O
Family	O
Computer	O
Magazine	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
(	O
which	O
would	O
later	O
be	O
used	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
American	O
version	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
developed	O
and	O
released	O
around	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
as	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
arcade	B-Application
version	I-Application
of	O
the	O
same	O
name	O
;	O
neither	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
were	O
ports	O
of	O
each	O
other	O
but	O
were	O
parallel	O
projects	O
developed	O
by	O
different	O
teams	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
developer	O
Masato	O
Kato	O
(	O
listed	O
as	O
"	O
Runmaru	O
"	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
credits	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
term	O
"	O
ninja	O
"	O
was	O
gaining	O
popularity	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
prompting	O
Tecmo	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
ninja-related	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
NES	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
version	I-Application
of	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
being	O
developed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
Masato	O
Kato	O
's	O
first	O
full-time	O
project	O
as	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
designer	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
contributed	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
graphics	O
,	O
animations	O
and	O
instruction	O
manual	O
illustrations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drawing	O
inspiration	O
from	O
the	O
Mario	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
Yoshizawa	O
kept	O
the	O
same	O
title	O
but	O
changed	O
everything	O
else	O
;	O
it	O
became	O
a	O
platform	O
game	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
a	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
such	O
as	O
Double	B-Application
Dragon	I-Application
;	O
the	O
gameplay	O
was	O
modeled	O
after	O
Konami	O
's	O
Castlevania	B-Application
,	O
with	O
Ryu	O
being	O
equipped	O
with	O
a	O
katana-like	O
Dragon	O
Sword	O
,	O
shurikens	O
,	O
and	O
ninpo	O
techniques	O
such	O
as	O
fire	O
wheels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
further	O
concern	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Yoshizawa	O
,	O
was	O
to	O
appeal	O
to	O
the	O
gameplay-oriented	O
expectations	O
of	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaidens	I-Application
target	O
audience	O
,	O
mainly	O
represented	O
by	O
experienced	O
players	O
who	O
appreciated	O
challenging	O
game	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshizawa	O
placed	O
greater	O
emphasis	O
on	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
unlike	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
version	I-Application
,	O
and	O
wrote	O
and	O
designed	O
a	O
plot	O
that	O
included	O
over	O
20	O
minutes	O
of	O
cinematic	O
cutscenes	O
—	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
an	O
NES	O
game	O
contained	O
such	O
sequences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
earlier	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
,	O
the	O
cutscenes	O
consisted	O
of	O
large	O
anime	O
art	O
on	O
the	O
top	O
half	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
with	O
dialogue	O
on	O
the	O
bottom	O
half	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
contains	O
a	O
feature	O
that	O
was	O
originally	O
a	O
glitch	B-Error_Name
but	O
was	O
left	O
in	O
the	O
final	O
game	O
intentionally	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Masato	O
Kato	O
;	O
having	O
lost	O
to	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
last	O
three	O
bosses	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
sent	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
sixth	O
act	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
decided	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
title	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
(	O
its	O
original	O
working	O
title	O
)	O
when	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
in	O
March	O
1989	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
an	O
interview	O
with	O
developer	O
Masato	O
Kato	O
,	O
when	O
deciding	O
how	O
to	O
translate	O
"	O
Ryukenden	O
"	O
into	O
English	O
,	O
the	O
staff	O
chose	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
"	O
because	O
it	O
sounded	O
cool	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
retitled	O
as	O
Shadow	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
—	O
just	O
as	O
Teenage	B-Application
Mutant	I-Application
Ninja	I-Application
Turtles	I-Application
was	O
renamed	O
Teenage	O
Mutant	O
Hero	O
Turtles	O
—	O
as	O
ninjas	O
were	O
considered	O
a	O
taboo	O
subject	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
many	O
ninja-related	O
video	O
games	O
around	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Kage	I-Application
,	O
Ninja	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Shinobi	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaidens	I-Application
North	O
American	O
release	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
of	O
America	O
,	O
whose	O
play-testers	O
liked	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
gave	O
it	O
high	O
ratings	O
,	O
decided	O
to	O
help	O
with	O
its	O
marketing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
's	O
house	O
organ	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
featured	O
it	O
prominently	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
received	O
strong	O
publicity	O
in	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
in	O
1989	O
and	O
1990	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
received	O
preview	O
coverage	O
in	O
the	O
January	O
–	O
February	O
1989	O
issue	O
of	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
in	O
its	O
"	O
Pak	O
Watch	O
"	O
section	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
preview	O
compared	O
Ryu	O
's	O
ability	O
to	O
climb	O
and	O
spring	O
off	O
walls	O
to	O
the	O
gameplay	O
in	O
Metroid	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yoshizawa	O
would	O
go	O
on	O
to	O
direct	O
the	O
sequel	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
II	O
:	O
The	O
Dark	O
Sword	O
of	O
Chaos	O
(	O
1990	O
)	O
and	O
remained	O
as	O
an	O
executive	O
producer	O
for	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
III	O
:	O
The	O
Ancient	O
Ship	O
of	O
Doom	O
(	O
1991	O
)	O
,	O
while	O
Masato	O
Kato	O
took	O
over	O
directing	O
the	O
game	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
port	O
of	O
Ninja	O
Ryūkenden	O
was	O
produced	O
in	O
1992	O
,	O
published	O
by	O
Hudson	O
Soft	O
and	O
released	O
only	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
appeared	O
as	O
a	O
remake	O
of	O
the	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
Trilogy	O
compilation	O
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
in	O
1995	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
reviewers	O
compared	O
it	O
unfavorably	O
to	O
another	O
updated	O
NES	O
remake	O
,	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Wily	I-Application
Wars	I-Application
;	O
they	O
called	O
the	O
version	O
"	O
an	O
exact	O
port-over	O
with	O
no	O
noticeable	O
enhancements	O
in	O
graphics	O
,	O
sound	O
and	O
play	O
control	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Along	O
with	O
the	O
other	O
two	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
trilogy	O
,	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
version	O
was	O
featured	O
as	O
an	O
unlockable	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
2004	B-Application
Xbox	I-Application
Ninja	I-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NES	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	O
Console	O
on	O
April	O
10	O
,	O
2007	O
,	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
on	O
May	O
14	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
version	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Virtual	O
Console	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
April	O
21	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NES	O
version	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
Virtual	O
Console	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
original	O
release	O
date	O
set	O
for	O
November	O
8	O
,	O
2012	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
delayed	O
until	O
December	O
13	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NES	O
version	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
's	O
Virtual	O
Console	O
in	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
also	O
re-released	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
NES	B-Application
Classic	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
dedicated	O
console	O
in	O
November	O
2016	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
December	O
2018	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
NES	O
:	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
Online	O
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
1990	O
Scholastic	O
Corporation	O
published	O
a	O
novelization	O
of	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
under	O
the	O
Worlds	O
of	O
Power	O
series	O
of	O
NES	O
game	O
adaptations	O
,	O
created	O
and	O
packaged	O
by	O
Seth	O
Godin	O
under	O
the	O
pseudonym	O
F	O
.	O
X	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
book	O
's	O
cover	O
,	O
otherwise	O
a	O
copy	O
of	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
box	O
art	O
,	O
the	O
kunai	B-Application
held	O
in	O
Ryu	O
's	O
front	O
hand	O
was	O
airbrushed	O
out	O
,	O
leaving	O
him	O
prodding	O
the	O
air	O
with	O
an	O
empty	O
fist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pony	O
Canyon	O
released	O
a	O
soundtrack	O
CD	O
,	O
Ninja	B-Application
Ryukenden	I-Application
:	O
Tecmo	O
GSM-1	O
,	O
in	O
February	O
1989	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
continues	O
with	O
enhanced	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
music	O
which	O
used	O
stereophonic	O
sound	O
and	O
additional	O
PCM	B-Algorithm
channels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
CD	O
features	O
music	O
from	O
the	O
arcade	B-Application
version	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2017	O
,	O
Brave	O
Wave	O
Productions	O
released	O
a	O
vinyl	O
box	O
set	O
,	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
-	O
the	O
Definitive	O
Soundtrack	O
,	O
mastered	O
by	O
original	O
composer	O
Keiji	O
Yamagishi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
3	O
on	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Powers	I-Application
Top	O
30	O
list	O
for	O
July	O
–	O
August	O
1989	O
,	O
behind	O
Zelda	O
II	O
:	O
The	B-Application
Adventure	I-Application
of	I-Application
Link	I-Application
and	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
2	I-Application
;	O
it	O
stayed	O
at	O
No	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
Awards	O
'	O
89	O
featured	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
top	O
games	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
preview	O
of	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
II	O
:	O
The	O
Dark	O
Sword	O
of	O
Chaos	O
,	O
the	O
magazine	O
said	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
colorful	O
,	O
detailed	O
and	O
dynamic	O
cinema	O
scenes	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
set	O
a	O
standard	O
for	O
action	B-Application
game	I-Application
narration	O
that	O
has	O
since	O
been	O
widely	O
emulated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
cinema	O
scenes	O
made	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
play	O
almost	O
like	O
a	O
movie.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Reflecting	O
on	O
his	O
career	O
as	O
a	O
game	O
designer	O
,	O
Yoshizawa	O
considered	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
–	O
along	O
with	O
Klonoa	B-Application
:	I-Application
Door	I-Application
to	I-Application
Phantomile	I-Application
–	O
his	O
proudest	O
accomplishment	O
,	O
explaining	O
that	O
the	O
title	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
best	O
sales	O
performance	O
out	O
of	O
all	O
of	O
his	O
projects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Beyond	O
press	O
coverage	O
by	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
received	O
strong	O
reviews	O
and	O
publicity	O
from	O
other	O
video	O
gaming	O
magazines	O
upon	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
review	O
from	O
VideoGames	O
&	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
,	O
the	O
presentation	O
and	O
gameplay	O
were	O
compared	O
to	O
Castlevania	B-Application
,	O
while	O
the	O
cinematic	O
cutscenes	O
were	O
compared	O
favorably	O
to	O
Karateka	B-Application
and	O
other	O
computer	O
games	O
by	O
Cinemaware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
2	O
on	O
the	O
list	O
behind	O
Mega	B-Application
Man	I-Application
2	I-Application
in	O
the	O
November	O
issue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
staff	O
said	O
that	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
"	O
proved	O
to	O
be	O
an	O
instant	O
winner	O
"	O
with	O
its	O
cinematic	O
cutscenes	O
and	O
unique	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
July	O
1990	O
pilot	O
issue	O
of	O
UK	O
magazine	O
Mean	O
Machines	O
featured	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
on	O
the	O
cover	O
;	O
the	O
magazine	O
was	O
distributed	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
July	O
1990	O
issue	O
of	O
Computer	O
and	O
Video	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
review	O
,	O
Julian	O
Rignall	O
compared	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
its	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
arcade	I-Application
counterpart	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
titled	O
Shadow	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
criticized	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
sound	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
said	O
did	O
not	O
fit	O
with	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
was	O
"	O
racy	O
"	O
but	O
added	O
"	O
what	O
's	O
there	O
is	O
atmospheric	O
and	O
suits	O
the	O
action	B-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
highly	O
recommended	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
and	O
combat	O
genres	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mean	O
Machines	O
reviewed	O
the	O
game	O
again	O
(	O
the	O
NES	O
version	O
now	O
officially	O
titled	O
Shadow	B-Application
Warriors	I-Application
in	O
Europe	O
)	O
in	O
its	O
July	O
1991	O
issue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
version	O
was	O
briefly	O
mentioned	O
in	O
the	O
December	O
1991	O
issue	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
review	O
of	O
games	O
that	O
had	O
been	O
released	O
outside	O
the	O
U.S.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
noted	O
the	O
faithful	O
translation	O
from	O
the	O
NES	O
version	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
revamped	O
and	O
more	O
detailed	O
graphics	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
owners	O
should	O
not	O
miss	O
this	O
one	O
!	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2004	O
,	O
Tecmo	O
began	O
releasing	O
low-priced	O
episodic	O
installments	O
of	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
for	O
AT&T	O
and	O
Verizon	B-Application
mobile	O
phones	O
on	O
both	O
BREW	B-Application
and	O
Java	B-Device
platforms	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
official	O
English	O
Tecmo	O
Games	O
 '	O
mobile	O
website	O
advertised	O
it	O
for	O
a	O
future	O
release	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
mobile	O
version	O
of	O
Tecmo	B-Application
Bowl	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
company	O
planned	O
to	O
release	O
the	O
entire	O
game	O
throughout	O
2004	O
in	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
four	O
installments	O
—	O
similar	O
to	O
what	O
Upstart	O
Games	O
did	O
when	O
they	O
ported	O
the	O
NES	O
version	O
of	O
Castlevania	B-Application
to	O
mobile	O
phones	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
installment	O
,	O
titled	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
Episode	O
I	O
:	O
Destiny	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
July	O
15	O
,	O
2004	O
;	O
it	O
included	O
only	O
the	O
first	O
Act	O
from	O
the	O
NES	O
version	O
but	O
added	O
two	O
new	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mobile	O
phone	O
port	O
of	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
met	O
with	O
some	O
praise	O
and	O
criticism	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retro	O
Gamer	O
took	O
a	O
look	O
back	O
at	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
in	O
its	O
March	O
2004	O
issue	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
Xbox	O
remake	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chris	O
Kohler	O
,	O
in	O
his	O
2004	O
book	O
Power-Up	O
:	O
How	O
Japanese	O
Video	O
Games	O
Gave	O
the	O
World	O
an	O
Extra	O
Life	O
,	O
said	O
,	O
while	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
as	O
far-reaching	O
as	O
Tecmo	B-Application
Bowl	I-Application
,	O
"	O
it	O
ended	O
up	O
revolutionizing	O
video	O
games	O
with	O
its	O
courageous	O
,	O
unique	O
,	O
and	O
trailblazing	O
use	O
of	O
cinema	O
scenes	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
its	O
release	O
on	O
the	O
Virtual	O
Console	O
,	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
met	O
with	O
high	O
praise	O
,	O
especially	O
for	O
its	O
elaborate	O
story	O
,	O
amount	O
of	O
narrative	O
,	O
and	O
use	O
of	O
anime-like	O
cinematic	O
sequences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
have	O
bemoaned	O
its	O
gameplay	O
for	O
being	O
too	O
similar	O
to	O
Castlevania	B-Application
;	O
similarities	O
include	O
identical	O
displays	O
on	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
,	O
items	O
contained	O
in	O
breakable	O
lanterns	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
nearly	O
identical	O
"	O
secondary	O
weapons	O
"	O
feature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
1UP.com	O
review	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
two	O
games	O
have	O
different	O
dynamics	O
and	O
that	O
several	O
actions	O
possible	O
in	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
would	O
be	O
impossible	O
in	O
Castlevania	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
have	O
criticized	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
high	O
and	O
unforgiving	O
difficulty	O
level	O
especially	O
late	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
has	O
been	O
considered	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
"	O
Nintendo	B-Device
Hard	I-Device
"	O
video	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Over	O
fifteen	O
years	O
after	O
its	O
creation	O
,	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
has	O
maintained	O
its	O
position	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
NES	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2005	O
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
ran	O
a	O
serial	O
feature	O
titled	O
The	O
Top	O
200	O
Nintendo	O
Games	O
Ever	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	B-Application
Power	I-Application
honored	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
its	O
November	O
2010	O
issue	O
,	O
which	O
celebrated	O
the	O
25th	O
anniversary	O
of	O
the	O
NES	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
said	O
that	O
"	O
Ninja	B-Application
Gaiden	I-Application
was	O
about	O
as	O
cool	O
as	O
an	O
8-bit	O
game	O
could	O
be	O
,	O
especially	O
for	O
ninja-crazed	O
kids	O
of	O
the	O
'	O
80s	O
who	O
,	O
like	O
me	O
,	O
had	O
worn	O
out	O
their	O
VHS	O
copies	O
of	O
Enter	O
the	O
Ninja	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
magazine	O
noted	O
how	O
its	O
use	O
of	O
cutscenes	O
,	O
animations	O
,	O
and	O
overall	O
presentation	O
put	O
the	O
game	O
above	O
most	O
other	O
action	B-Application
titles	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
