The Legend of Kage

Download The Legend of Kage and step into the shoes of a ninja warrior! Master your skills, defeat your enemies, and rescue the princess in this classic action-packed adventure. The path to glory begins – play now!
a game by Taito
Genre: Platformer
Platform: NESNES
Editor Rating: 7.5/10, based on 2 reviews
User Rating: 8.0/10 - 11 votes
Rate this game:
See also: 2D Platformer Games, Side Scroller Games, Old School Games, Cult Classic Games
The Legend of Kage
The Legend of Kage
The Legend of Kage

Ahh, The Legend of Kage! What we have here is an arcade classic from the good folks at Taito that was first released all the way back in 1985 when yours truly was only four years old. This is a game that has been released on tons of platforms over the years, most notably the NES. It even got a reboot on the PS2 a few years back! However, today we are taking a look at the original classic game.

Movie Or Game?

For a game that was released in 1985 one of the things that Taito did very well with this game which was unusual at the time was making the game a tad more cinematic. While there is no large amount of text moving the story or cut scenes. What I mean is that the game has this cool credit list that lists all the cast members.

Also, The Legend of Kage looks great for its time. It is not just the way the game looks, but the speed at which it moves as well which captured people’s attention back when it was first released. I think the visuals have held up very well if I am honest, I can see why someone younger may think the game is lacking in the visuals, but when you consider what else was around at this time it looks good. The effects in the background, in particular, are very impressive for a game from 1985.

Kriss Kross Will Make You Jump!

The gameplay of the game is that of an action platformer. I found that Kage controlled very well and the craziest thing about the game is the way that he jumps. Kage clearly never missed leg day as this dude can jump a full screen in height! You need this as some of the levels have a more vertical design to them. I found the gameplay in The Legend of Kage to be fun when I first played it and still pretty fun now.

You kill anything that comes your way and also some end of level bosses too. I do wish that these bosses had a bit more of a creative design, but they are still pretty challenging. As much as I like the gameplay of this game, I will admit that there is not a great deal to it and you can beat it pretty quickly.

8

While I consider The Legend of Kage to be a real arcade classic, this is one game that I feel does not get the credit that it deserves. I think you could make the argument that games such as Shinobi might never have been made! It may be short and shallow, but what is here I feel still holds up and is a fun time. If you are in the mood for something “retro” I highly recommend you give this a playthrough as it is a lot of fun.

Pros:

  • I love the setting of the game
  • The action is fast and fun
  • Kage is a pretty cool character
  • I liked the story of the game
  • The jumping is awesome

Cons:

  • While fun, it is not exactly a deep game
  • Some of the home console versions added more content

Download The Legend of Kage

NES

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • P-200, 32 MB RAM

Game Reviews

Published by Imagine Software and developed by Taito Corporation, this video game was released in 1986.

Kage, a skillful ninja has a mission to rescue Princess Kiri from the warlord Yoshi. Armed only with a sword and 'star knives', he has to battle his way throughout the forest, along the secret passageway, up the fortress wall and through the castle, rescuing her two times to win the game. The seasons change each time he rescues the princess. Grabbing a scroll makes the ninja stand still and meditate for a few seconds, while approaching enemies drop to the ground dead. Kage's moves include the abilities to jump really high in the air, grab and climb trees, block and attack with his sword, and throw shuriken.

Snapshots and Media

NES/Famicom/Dendy Screenshots