/vr/ - Retro Games

Favorite's probably Shadow Dancer. It isn't as pretty or as imaginative (or even has as good an ost) as Shinobi 3 (dat Whirlwind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjaW4ZYzVHI)) but goddamn if it isn't one of the most satisfying games ever made.

And the why is pretty simple. Basically a perfect mix of drumskin-tight controls, short and deliberate animations and incisive, short SFX that give off a second to none feedback. It's mechanically impeccable. Comparing it to Shinobi 3 (who is pretty fucking good on those fronts, mind you) is like comparing a Formula 1 car to a BMW station wagon.

And damn, it does have 1 good track (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7uDh4GqnLc)) and one of the few western covers that aren't horrifying, pic related.

A curiosity- if you avoid every enemy and keep moving forward in the last 2 levels before the final boss (5-4 and 5-5 IIRC; warehouse, multi-color ninjas on the 1st, black only ninjas on the second), the controls will seize up and the MD will lag depending on how many are on the screen (you can get like 12 or something, then new ones stop spawning). This should be do-able in 3-2 but it beats me how you stay alive that long without cover.

Oh, only way to play it is no shuriken, level 2 or above.