 Chris Kohler, in his 2004 book "", said, while it was not as far-reaching as "Tecmo Bowl", "it ended up revolutionizing video games with its courageous, unique, and trailblazing use of cinema scenes".Upon its release on the Virtual Console, "Ninja Gaiden" was met with high praise, especially for its elaborate story, amount of narrative, and use of anime-like cinematic sequences.Some critics have bemoaned its gameplay for being too similar to "Castlevania"; similarities include identical displays on the top of the screen, items contained in breakable lanterns, and a nearly identical "secondary weapons" feature.