There's a good reason why Itagaki's classic has already seen 3 additional iterations since its original release, 8 years ago. Ninja Gaiden is unquestionably one of the finest made action games to ever grace the medium that shows no signs of aging in its gameplay and overall game design. It's a complete package in which everything ties together so masterfully that it never ceases to impress. A must play for all fans of the genre and games in general.
Pros: Fantastic combat and movement, masterful blend of combat, platforming, puzzles and exploration, outstanding level and game design, excellent boss fights, a technical showcase at its time of release that still holds up well thanks to its great visual style, surprisingly atmospheric as well as energetic thanks to its excellent soundtrack, all weapons are useful and fun to use, meaty campaign, satisfying sound effects, excellent enemy variety
Cons: A couple of Ryu's chapters (and all of Rachel's Sigma chapters) are kinda pointless and serve as nothing but filler in this already long adventure, camera can be a bit tricky, lackluster Vita port