Many years ago, in the early ’90s, I had in my possession a copy of the Nintendo Power strategy guide for Ninja Gaiden II. That remarkable book featured bios on all of the game’s adversaries, and I remember being captivated by one character in particular: a gourd-like axe-wielder known as Pumpkin Head.
Jump ahead 35 years, and Pumpkin Head makes his comeback as one of the numerous antagonists in Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a vibrant revival of 2D Ninja Gaiden carefully developed by The Game Kitchen. More precisely, he appears in the initial stage to fling a series of blades at the new hero Kenji, who dons a blue costume that’s only slightly different from the classic attire of series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa.
Honestly, Ragebound represents the pinnacle of 2D Ninja Gaiden, skillfully balancing between honoring the legacy and providing something fresh.