Ninja Gaiden 4’s gruesome, lightning-fast trials respectably preserve and build upon the core of its ancestors. It should also introduce a whole new audience of challenge-seeking players to the joys of ninja limb-lopping and the pride of overcoming a blockbuster game that seems to give the player almost no quarter, even as its robust movement and deeply customizable fighting styles convey sleek, ruthless empowerment. It’s not perfect, but that sheer speed and aggression still builds a convincing case for what Team Ninja’s heroes offer that Dante and Kratos do not.
Jamboree may not be about to hit the tournament circuit, but its very recognition of demand for a Mario Party with game balance is encouraging. Its basic game rules preserve series norms in all their highs and lows, while its motion-based gimmick modes offer nostalgic throwbacks to the wrist-twisting game designs of the Wii. But it’s the overtures to a more tactile, grounded, skill-rewarding board game experience that indicate developer Nintendo Cube’s interest in a future, and not just a past, for the genre of party mayhem.