Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Ninja Gaiden. We could just leave it at that, to be honest. This NES classic gave players nothing more than a blade and some shurikens to take on the hordes of foes it threw at you, and with such underwhelming equipment and defenses that was not going to be easy. Even the birds wanted Ryu dead, swooping in at the most annoying angles to chip away at your health bar while escaping the short reach of your blade’s slashes. Games don’t get much tougher than the ones that belong to this masochistic series.
You had to be nimble, precise, and fearless to finish this adventure. Hesitating in the face of projectiles and dashing foes, or doubting your ninja senses will leave you staring at the game over screen pretty quickly. If you ever feel like pulling your hair out, you should give this gem a run.
