Ninja Commando
Encyclopedia
is a top-down, vertically-scrolling run and gun video game developed by Alpha Denshi and published by SNK
. It was first released in May 1992
in cartridge
format, and in 1994 for the Neo Geo CD
.
characters, all with differing abilities. Each of them has fighting game
-style input commands that unleash their scroll-based ninpo special moves. As usual in the genre, the game's stages end with boss battles.
descendant of the Kōga-ryū
ninja whose weapons are shuriken
, Ryu Dragon, the 23rd descendant of the famous ninja Fūma Kotarō (from World Heroes
), who is using ninja magic fireball
s in combat, and Rayar Eagle, the female ninja of the group, a British
girl who has learned the ways of the Iga-ryū
ninjutsu
and whose weapon is a bow
with flaming spirit arrows) from around the world must team-up to stop the villain Spider and his Mars
Corporation from using a time machine
to destroy the past and control the future. The heroes chase after their enemy in seven time periods, including the Sengoku period
in Japan
(where Ryu avenges his ancestor by killing Oda Nobutada
), the Ancient Egypt
, the Stone Age
, China
in the era of Three Kingdoms
, and World War II
.
gave the game an overral ratings of 6.75, 8.0, and 8.75 out of 10. In 2010, CraveOnline
featured the Ninja Commando in the article Top 10 Ninja Games Of All Time.
's Virtual Console
in North America
on July 14, 2008 (though the Wii Virtual Console version, like most other Neo Geo games, only allows three continues per player, which makes the game very difficult to complete without saving progress). It was also re-released in December 2008 as one of five games in the PlayStation 2
game compilation ADK Tamashii
.
SNK Playmore
SNK Playmore Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of , which was SNK's original name. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986....
. It was first released in May 1992
1992 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:* Gremlin Graphics releases Zool, Amiga's answer to Mario and Sonic. It goes on to become the best selling Commodore Amiga game, boosting the already popular computer to be the leading gaming machine in Europe....
in cartridge
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
format, and in 1994 for the Neo Geo CD
Neo Geo CD
is a game console from SNK that was released in 1994, four years after its cartridge-based equivalent, in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs. It is the second console of the Neo Geo family. The system was originally priced at US$300 new. The unit's 1X CD-ROM drive was slow, making loading...
.
Gameplay
The overall gameplay is similar to this of the run-and-gun classic Commando, with the players battling their way up the top-down perspective screen. The players can choose between three ninjaNinja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
characters, all with differing abilities. Each of them has fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
-style input commands that unleash their scroll-based ninpo special moves. As usual in the genre, the game's stages end with boss battles.
Story
An elite group of three young Ninja Commandos (Joe Tiger, an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
descendant of the Kōga-ryū
Koga-ryu
Kōka-ryū is a historical school of ninjutsu. It originated from the region of Kōka...
ninja whose weapons are shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
, Ryu Dragon, the 23rd descendant of the famous ninja Fūma Kotarō (from World Heroes
World Heroes
is a series of fighting games created by ADK originally created for the Neo Geo MVS arcade cabinets with the assistance of SNK, though some of the games in the series were also ported to the Neo Geo AES and Neo-Geo CD platforms, as well as some non-SNK platforms such as the Super NES and the Sega...
), who is using ninja magic fireball
Fireball
A fireball is a somewhat spherical mass of fire, such that is caused by an explosion or a firestorm.It may also refer to:- Science and technology :* Ryan FR Fireball, an American aircraft* Fireball , a sailing boat...
s in combat, and Rayar Eagle, the female ninja of the group, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
girl who has learned the ways of the Iga-ryū
Iga-ryu
Iga-ryū 伊賀流 is a historical school of ninjutsu. It became one of the two most well-known ninja schools in Japan, along with the Kōga-ryū. The Iga-ryū originated in the Iga Province in the area around the towns of Iga and Ueno...
ninjutsu
Ninjutsu
or may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
and whose weapon is a bow
Bow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
with flaming spirit arrows) from around the world must team-up to stop the villain Spider and his Mars
Mars (mythology)
Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
Corporation from using a time machine
Time Machine
A time machine is a fictional/hypothetical device used to achieve time travel. The term may also refer to:-Novels and films:* The Time Machine, an 1895 novel by H. G...
to destroy the past and control the future. The heroes chase after their enemy in seven time periods, including the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(where Ryu avenges his ancestor by killing Oda Nobutada
Oda Nobutada
was the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga, and a samurai who fought in many battles during the Sengoku period. He commanded armies under his father in battles against Matsunaga Hisahide and against the Takeda clan....
), the Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, the Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in the era of Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
, and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Reception
Staff members of Game InformerGame Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
gave the game an overral ratings of 6.75, 8.0, and 8.75 out of 10. In 2010, CraveOnline
CraveOnline
CraveOnline is a male lifestyle website based in Los Angeles with sales offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. The site is owned by media company AtomicOnline, the publishing division of Evolve Media Corp.- History :...
featured the Ninja Commando in the article Top 10 Ninja Games Of All Time.
Re-releases
The game has been re-released on the WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on July 14, 2008 (though the Wii Virtual Console version, like most other Neo Geo games, only allows three continues per player, which makes the game very difficult to complete without saving progress). It was also re-released in December 2008 as one of five games in the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game compilation ADK Tamashii
ADK Tamashii
ADK Tamashi is a compilation of video games made and released by SNK Playmore in Japan only for the PlayStation 2 console.It includes 5 arcade/Neo Geo games which were all developed by ADK and published by SNK Playmore...
.