Article

Imagine walking through an arcade-hall in the 80’s. The smell of cigarettes, strobing lights … and a game you’ve been playing every day after your daily routine has been lived. You know this game inside…

The name of a game is something we tend to take for granted. It’s a symbol, it brings back memories of the past and wishes of the future. Rarely though, is it descriptive. Call of…

When entering your favourite game store, you’re greeted by the past, present and future. Empty cases of upcoming games, new titles wrapped in plastic and older boxes hoping for a second chance at a discounted…

MouseWheel Down to Read Article What you just did… is an experience gamers have gotten all too familiar with. One second you’ll be playing a game, only for it to temporarily stop and tell you…

This article is a follow-up to the previous article focusing on Ninja Gaiden 3 and its development that you can read here. Happy reading! At the base of Mount Fuji on the outskirts of Hayabusa…

History has a way of repeating itself. 1991 saw the release of Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom on the NES with new developer Masato Kato at the helm. After being the writer and graphic designer on the previous titles, he now sought to bring something new to the series. Kato wanted to share the notoriously difficult games with more players, feeling it needed to go into a new direction to be “a game a normal player can enjoy”. Fast forward more than twenty years and we’re at a time where the new Ninja Gaiden series is about to reach its third title as well, helmed by two designers who had previously also worked in the shadows. Fumihiko Yasuda, level designer of Ninja Gaiden II, and Yosuke Hayashi, programmer for Ninja Gaiden and director of the series’ Sigma remakes. However, with a great history comes a great shadow. The original Team Ninja had set the bar high with Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden II -there was a lot to live up to and with a mostly new team no less. Ninja Gaiden 3 would be their first real title where they could be free, without bounds, to make what they truly wanted. A new Ninja Gaiden. And joining them to write the game’s tale … none other than the aforementioned Masato Kato. Their goal? To take the series in a new direction. History has a way of repeating itself.

A question: how many games can you think of that were once so popular, it was installed on more computers than Microsoft Windows? Due to its success and subsequent impact, DOOMhas been analysed for nearly twenty-five years and counting. Each study aims to further unravel what made the 1993 title plus its expansion packs and sequel, tick. From its technical achievements, appreciation for speedrunning and modding to its level design – there’s plenty to cover. More than any single article can encompass. Instead of adding to this ongoing master thesis of DOOM, let’s turn it around and examine what lessons Action games can take from it, good and bad.