Ninja Senki DX

So many titles are actually old-school games and so many trying to be like old-school games that it makes it hard to say this actioner is the most interesting or even latest wrinkle on this sort of play. What it certainly has going for it is challenge and a tight distillation of what these sorts of games are and were. Levels aren't all that long but are short and tough enough to remind you how frustrating -- in a good way -- these old action-platformer games are. Your main goal is to run and jump and make it to the end, but there are extra challenges and the promise of better rewards (a different ending) if you kill every enemy and collect every coin in every stage. Those aren't requirements but ways to extend the shelf life.

All that hinges on whether you like what's at the core. You can tell from the screenshots exactly what to expect, so if you're enthused at reliving and replaying some classic gameplay, this is for you. If you're looking for something a little more in depth and a bit different, you might pass it up. Then again, there's a reason the developer's name is Tribute Games -- it's a company that likes to pay homage to the yesteryear of gaming.