Ninja Gaiden (Sega, 1992, SMS) playthrough

time for one last dip into 8-bit Ninja Gaiden games, with Master System's Ninja Gaiden.

My thoughts:
Well, out of all the 8-bit Ninja Gaiden games this one is definitely the more "ninja". I mean, secret scrolls, samurais, geishas, temples... sumo wrestlers... the yakuza...
Anyway, the gameplay is nice and smooth, ad the graphics and music aren't too bad either, it's just... I know the Master System is technically supposed to be the better console (compared to NES), but for some reason I feel this game is a downgrade in every aspect from the NES versions. The graphics aren't as impactful, the cutscenes practically just a wall of text, the music is only so-and-so, the gameplay feels basic, and even the story is predictable and safe.
If you have the NES games, there really is no reason to play this one, other than intrigue, perhaps. Overall, it's just kind of an average ninja-themed action game, 6/10... It wasn't bad, but it wasn't memorable either.