Ninja Gaiden

Instead of throwing you straight into the action, Ninja Gaiden first sets the story in motion — and does so cinematically, in a way consoles in 1988 practically didn't know. Between the levels, animated, anime-style cutscenes unfold, with detailed shots, dramatic cuts, and a tale of the revenge of the ninja Ryu Hayabusa. For its time it was a small revolution in how a game could tell a story.

When you set down the controller after the cutscene, action awaits that is every bit as intense as the story. Tecmo created a lightning-fast ninja platformer here in which Ryu climbs walls, leaps from wall to wall, and cuts down enemies with his katana and throwing techniques picked up along the way. The movement is nimble and elegant, but the environment is merciless — enemies reappear the moment you shift the camera, and a single mistimed jump can knock you back whole sections.

It was precisely the difficulty that became legendary. The game's final stretches rank among the hardest the NES had to offer: the last bosses, being sent back to the start of a level after death, and precise timing that forgives not even the slightest hesitation. For many players, beating Ninja Gaiden remains a badge of honor to this day.

This game's influence reaches far beyond 1988. The combination of cinematic storytelling and fast, technical action inspired entire generations of action titles, and the franchise itself later received a highly acclaimed 3D reboot that introduced Ryu Hayabusa to a new generation as one of the toughest fighters in the genre.

So Ninja Gaiden is a double milestone at once — as a pioneer of video-game storytelling and as a test of reflexes that still challenges even seasoned players today.

Why play: A pioneer of cinematic cutscenes on consoles and brutally fast ninja action — a storytelling milestone and a merciless test of reflexes in one.