To be clear, all three of these are good games. Instead, the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection contains both Ninja Gaiden Sigma games and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, the significantly reworked version of the third game. The installments that fans actually wanted were undoubtedly Ninja Gaiden Black, an enhanced version of the 2004 original, and Ninja Gaiden II, the sequel that took the mayhem to new heights. What’s here, then? Versions of all three 3D Ninja Gaiden games.

But the series honestly deserved a lot better, and I’m not buying the excuses as to why it couldn’t get it. Instead, it’s a few bare minimum ports of the lesser versions of two of the world’s greatest action games, plus the not-as-awful version of Ninja Gaiden 3, Razor’s Edge. Ninja Gaiden Master Collection is not a definitive compilation. They have tight, rewarding mechanics, extremely high skill ceilings, and some of the most murderous enemies in the medium. Regardless, they’re two of the best action games you can find anywhere.

The first two Ninja Gaiden games are not perfect.