When most console-oriented games make the transition to the small screens of Nintendo's DS, it usually isn't a pretty sight; most are ugly, clunky rush jobs outsourced to smaller development studios in a bid to use name recognition to suck money out of unsuspecting consumers' wallets. Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword on the other hand, is the antithesis of this mindset; developed by Team Ninja, the same team that develops the console iterations of the series, Ninja Gaiden DS features great stylus controls, buttery-smooth animation and lightning-quick gameplay - things that are almost unheard of on the DS. All other DS developers be warned: the bar for DS action titles has just been raised considerably.

Ryu Hayabusa has his work cut out for him once again, as the Black Spider Clan, led by the fiend Ishtaros, has attacked Ryu's village and captured Momiji, a shrine maiden in control of the Eye of the Dragon, a mystical gem that combines with Ryu's legendary Dragon Sword to unleash its true potential. On a quest to save Momiji, Ryu must collect eight Dark Dragon stones before Ishtaros can get to them, in order to defeat him once and for all.

The majority of the story is told through some clean looking Manga-style cut scenes, with a look that's both sharp and colorful, and a style that makes the 3D models look natural in a 2D setting. Unfortunately, while the game has the presentation down, the story elements are just not up to snuff; Dragon Sword is peppered with dragon-isms throughout - most plot devices are either 'dragon' this, or 'Whatever of the Dragon' that. Are there no other mythological creatures that Team Ninja can think of to include? Also, characters make unfathomably stupid decisions - Ryu's actions at the end are particularly boneheaded (hint: when collecting objects to keep them from a nefarious antagonist, do not bring them with you to the final confrontation) - and the plot is paper-thin, failing to present any real twists or turns worth noting. It's unfortunate that the story isn't better thought out, as the character designs and Manga-style presentation are quite appealing and deserve not to be saddled with such a by-the-numbers tale.

By now though it should be common knowledge that you don't play a Ninja Gaiden game for the intricacies of the story - you play it for the fast-paced swordplay, and that's where the DS installment delivers an unparalleled action experience on the DS. Played while holding the DS like a book (a style that fans of the polar-opposite DS titles Brain Age and Hotel Dusk will be familiar with), the game is controlled almost entirely with the stylus, an admirable undertaking in itself. Like the console iterations of the series, the DS version features lightning-quick action and the game would quickly fall apart without controls that are up to the task. It seems that Team Ninja was more than capable however, creating a stylus-based control scheme that maintains the same feeling of precision found in its console iterations, and even improving it in some areas - the Izuna Drop is easier to pull off than ever and drawing symbols to unleash your Ninpo magic is a neat addition. However, some sacrifices have been made along the way; the myriad of melee weapons at Ryu's disposal in the big brother versions are gone - the Dragon Sword is the lone close-range weapon available here - as are some of the slicker maneuvers, including the ability to run up and along walls. Despite this, the fact remains that Ninja Gaiden DS is the fastest game available on the DS, putting all other attempts at action gaming on Nintendo's little handheld to shame.

Along with the swift gameplay, Dragon Sword also features a blazing frame rate and terrific animation, holding steady in all but the most frenzied of moments - and only for fractions of a second during those - making it one of the smoothest games available on the DS. No other game on the system gives the same exhilarating feeling of zipping across the screen and tearing up enemies, blocking in key moments, and then unleashing more hell when their defense opens up again.

Unfortunately, one of the key components of the series - the satisfying difficulty - is missing here to some extent. In the console versions of the game, even the most basic enemies were a legitimate challenge, meaning that if you weren't on your toes at all times, you'd more than likely get a reality check from a group of grunts tearing you apart. While this style of gameplay could be frustrating and required an inherent love of a good challenge, it also rewarded you with a genuine sense of self-satisfaction and accomplishment when completing a particularly tough area or boss [But never helped any hair loss situation! Ed]. This level of difficulty also made successive play throughs more gratifying, as areas you at one time scraped through by the skin of your teeth became decidedly easier because of the skills you picked up during earlier runs of the game. Some of that challenge, while not completely lost, is well hidden here, and not for a lack of a harder difficulty setting - Head Ninja mode becomes available upon completion of the game on Normal, but it's an odd choice to keep it locked until then. On the Normal difficulty setting, enemies rarely block, deal only moderate damage - which is easily offset by a spell that replenishes health - and most crumple in only a few swipes. Even the boss battles are a cakewalk, with only the final battles providing any real challenge - and even then, I died only once on the final boss, from a cheap shot that you don't know about until you've died from it once.

What this means is that players not accustomed to hardcore action titles will enjoy the game on Normal and most likely feel satisfied with the experience they get from it, knowing that if they want more, Head Ninja mode - and Master Ninja mode after that - are waiting for them if they're craving a more engaging experience. Long time Ninja Gaiden fans, however, will most likely be disappointed at having to trudge through an extremely forgiving campaign for around six hours before a more apt difficulty opens up for them. Once Head Ninja mode is unlocked, the game certainly feels more like a true Ninja Gaiden game and is satisfying as such; it's just too bad that Team Ninja decided to lock up the more challenging content instead of letting the player decide what level of challenge they were ready for.

One feature that will certainly help redeem the game for the hardcore is the addition of an online leaderboard, meaning that obsessive fans of the series have plenty of incentive to play through the game multiple times in an attempt to rank among the best ninjas in the world. Casual players will likely not even touch this feature for fear of being shamed to the bottom of the leaderboards, but the hardcore should eat it up, giving the game legs for the most avid players.

Fans of Ninja Gaiden or just of great action games in general will find a lot to like here. It may have a few shortcomings, and the length on the Normal setting errs on the side of short, but action fans shouldn't have too much trouble looking past the flaws to see the gem inside. Without a doubt, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is the pinnacle of fast-paced action titles on the DS, and deserves attention immediately; although you may have to look a little harder for it than you're used to, as it may be hiding in the corner, lurking in the shadows of your local game shop...

Reviewed by Jordan Wasilka for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).