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By Anthony Swinnich on June 19th, 2008
Team Ninja’s 2005 update of the Ninja Gaiden series was one of the most remarkable looking titles on the Xbox. More notable is how it still stands today as one of the best action games ever released, difficulty level be damned. Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword tries to carry that mantle into the handheld world, and for the most part it does its pappy proud. It’s one of the best looking games on the system, and the touch-screen based gameplay should be looked at as a "how-to" manual for other developers, Nintendo included. The only real issues are the lack of difficulty and the game’s brevity — this one is short!
"A ’how to manual’ for touch-screen controls"
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While the game lasts around five hours or so, it’s among the best five you’re likely spend with the system in the action genre. The combat system is refined beyond belief in Dragon Sword, despite its similarities to the control scheme found in Phantom Hourglass. Pointing to where you want Ryu to travel is as simple as it sounds. Horizontal slashes with the sword are handled by dragging the stylus across the screen, and vertical slashes are peformed with an upward motion. Slicing up twice performs a jump. Tap your enemies to throw ninja stars or shoot them with arrows. Blocking, probably one of the most important features in the game, is assigned to any of the buttons. What Dragon Sword does right in comparison to Zelda when it comes to the controls is subtle but all too important. When Ryu slashes his sword, he moves toward the enemy. You never miss a sword slash because you’re too far away unless you’re really far. This makes all the difference in the world when fighting enemies that are as skilled as the ones found here. Between the constant need to block and dodge attacks, it’s nice not having to worry about whether or not you’ll land your attacks.
"... a masterfully produced adventure..."
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The game tends to focus on the "clear the room of enemies" style of progression, but there are a few minor puzzles and platforming sections to break things up. The stages are ripped from the Xbox Ninja Gaiden in terms of décor and locale, which is a little disappointing, but the enemies are ripped out of the 360’s Ninja Gaiden 2. The game is set between the two, so it makes a little bit of sense; interested players may want to bone up on the console sequel’s enemies by playing this. Ryu Hayabusa’s DS debut is a masterfully produced adventure, despite the plot’s reliance on the previous (and the following) game’s elements. The touch-screen controls are perfectly implemented and serve as a shining example of how games can benefit from the unique interface of the system. Fans of either Ninja Gaiden or DS specific games will find something of value in this package. | 
