Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

SwitchUp review scored 87%. Highly recommended.

A solid 16-bit styled throwback that diverges from classic Ninja Gaiden by leaning into intentional platforming and permanent upgrades rather than random power-ups. While mechanically sound and fun, it doesn't reach the legendary status of the series' best entries and suffers from uninteresting talisman options.

A thrilling, deliberately old-school revival that captures the essence of the classic series with sharp, responsive action, retro SNES-style visuals and music, and fair-but-challenging level design. Smart additions like the hypercharge, guillotine boost, and dual-protagonist play with Kenji and Kumori enrich the combat, while generous checkpoints and replay incentives round it out. The back half drags with repetitive stages, occasional hazard-versus-scenery confusion, and a short overall length, but these blemishes don't detract from a strong experience.

Exceptional combat, platforming, boss fights. 'It just feels right' — plans to play long-term.