Blue Shadow: Shadow of the Ninja is one of those NES games that feels like it should’ve been way more famous. You play as a ninja—obviously—but what stands out is how weighty your movement feels. You’re not some floaty acrobat; every jump has momentum, and swinging your sword actually takes timing. Mess up, and you’ll eat a face full of shurikens from some rooftop sniper.

The levels are tight, with just enough hidden paths to make exploration rewarding without being overwhelming. And the bosses? Brutal, but in that satisfying NES way where you can actually learn their patterns instead of just tanking hits. The music’s got that classic chiptune energy too—you’ll catch yourself humming the stage 1 theme later.

It’s not the flashiest ninja game out there, but it nails the feel of being a sneaky, sword-swinging shadow better than most. If you’re into tough-but-fair retro action, this one’s a hidden blade worth pulling out.