What games offer up the cheapest deaths?

[MyNameIsVince]

Negative. In fact, I gave up at 5-3. Stupid birds. I should try it again, though. I do want to eventually get to the boss before moving on to NG2.

I used a lot of choice curse-words at 5-3, but the game gets worse...much worse. I can deal with the bullshit of actually getting to the boss, but having to restart and play the three hardest levels over and over again until you beat him? Unacceptable and outrageous.

That's the biggest problem with the first Ninja Gaiden for the NES, and the reason why it is so difficult at the end. Not because of the enemy patterns. Not because of the 3 final bosses. No, it's because of that "glitch" that sends you back to 6-1 when you die at any point during any of the final boss battles, no matter how many lives you had when you died.

If it sent you back to the middle of 6-3 when you died, then I'd be ok with it, but oh no......you get sent back to 6-1 when you die during any of the final boss battles. The only consolation you get is if you beat either the first or the first and second final bosses before dying, you only face the boss (or bosses) you haven't beaten yet (provided you have the patience to get back to the final boss lair).

BTW the farthest I've made it to is the 2nd final boss. But then again I didn't play Ninja Gaiden for the NES until 2011, as opposed to 1989 for some of you.

[J T]

Bumping this one after playing the first Ninja Gaiden for the past four hours...reached the final boss and gave up after being pushed back down to level 6-1. Have any of you guys actually beaten this game legitly?

Yup. Although I had the advantage of playing on Wii VC, so any time I got frustrated I could leave it and come back to it later.

6-2 is a bastard.

Try to hang on to the diagonal fire special.
First form: Slash the core. As the boss approaches with spinning flame, keep slashing until you have to move, then position yourself to take out his flames and still hit the red core with your flames. Run to the back wall, and jump/crawl to the top. When he approaches, leap over him and repeat on the other side of the red core.

Second form: Spam those fire specials on him. The fireballs are now really unpredictable and this is the hardest part of the battle. They run kind of an elliptical shape; try to predict it, but mostly just kill him quick and take hits if you have to.

Final form: Run up and slash out the tail. Jump and slash at the chest. Jump and slash, and occassionally duck, but you won't get hurt if you stay up close.

Succeed and watch the awesome ending!

[alienjesus]

Bumping this one after playing the first Ninja Gaiden for the past four hours...reached the final boss and gave up after being pushed back down to level 6-1. Have any of you guys actually beaten this game legitly?

Yup. Although I had the advantage of playing on Wii VC, so any time I got frustrated I could leave it and come back to it later.

6-2 is a bastard.

Try to hang on to the diagonal fire special.
First form: Slash the core. As the boss approaches with spinning flame, keep slashing until you have to move, then position yourself to take out his flames and still hit the red core with your flames. Run to the back wall, and jump/crawl to the top. When he approaches, leap over him and repeat on the other side of the red core.

Second form: Spam those fire specials on him. The fireballs are now really unpredictable and this is the hardest part of the battle. They run kind of an elliptical shape; try to predict it, but mostly just kill him quick and take hits if you have to.

Final form: Run up and slash out the tail. Jump and slash at the chest. Jump and slash, and occassionally duck, but you won't get hurt if you stay up close.

Succeed and watch the awesome ending!

I preferred to keep hold of the whirlwind slash from the start of 6-3. Its handy in 6-2 aswell (I seem to remember you can pick it up in 6-1), can jump right through the one or two big problem points (the early part with loads of jetpack guys, and the one bit with the guy who throws swords who I usually glitched off screen).

[Retrogamer0001]

Bumping this one after playing the first Ninja Gaiden for the past four hours...reached the final boss and gave up after being pushed back down to level 6-1. Have any of you guys actually beaten this game legitly?

Yup. Although I had the advantage of playing on Wii VC, so any time I got frustrated I could leave it and come back to it later.

6-2 is a bastard.

Try to hang on to the diagonal fire special.
First form: Slash the core. As the boss approaches with spinning flame, keep slashing until you have to move, then position yourself to take out his flames and still hit the red core with your flames. Run to the back wall, and jump/crawl to the top. When he approaches, leap over him and repeat on the other side of the red core.

Second form: Spam those fire specials on him. The fireballs are now really unpredictable and this is the hardest part of the battle. They run kind of an elliptical shape; try to predict it, but mostly just kill him quick and take hits if you have to.

Final form: Run up and slash out the tail. Jump and slash at the chest. Jump and slash, and occassionally duck, but you won't get hurt if you stay up close.

Succeed and watch the awesome ending!

The problem, of course, is having enough life left to actually figure this out and then execute it. Being sent back and having to grind out the exact same levels until you get the boss battle perfectly is a test of patience, one that I don't have the time or inclination for. I have hundreds of games I could be playing instead of wasting my time on a ridiculous one. Getting to the final battle on my own is enough for me.

[J T]

I preferred to keep hold of the whirlwind slash from the start of 6-3. Its handy in 6-2 aswell (I seem to remember you can pick it up in 6-1), can jump right through the one or two big problem points (the early part with loads of jetpack guys, and the one bit with the guy who throws swords who I usually glitched off screen).

That's useful too if you can get a bunch of hits, but you have to get close to execute it. I prefer the diagonal fireball because you can keep your distance and it also can achieve multiple hits per shot if you position yourself correctly. That helps you conserve.

[Gooseberrysoda]

I'll throw Comix Zone into the mix. The bottomless pits at the end of some of the levels are cruel given your limited jumping ability and the fact that you bounce back when hit

[J T]

[Xeogred]

The kicker is how that's only the beginning. Yes, level 2 is the entrance to hell.

The water/surfacing stage has equally cheap instant deaths at times, fall off the moving snakes and you're screwed, the wrap around tower level is crazy, and of course Rat Race. Scariest level in the history of videogames.

[Retrogamer0001]

Just started playing the original Castlevania on NES today...I'm at the grim reaper stage, so I'll likely be using this thread to vent. I guess I didn't learn my lesson with Ninja Gaiden

[KDub]

I'll say it, that level isn't that hard.