I remember playing a little bit of the first at my friend's house. It was the area where you had to run away from the incoming boulder (don't know if it was a tribute to Raiders of the Lost Ark or not) and fight the T-Rex skeleton boss. Badass game, now that I've got a 360 I should probably get the first and then play the second.

I almost want to play the Ninja Gaiden NES games just for the hell of it

__________________
"The world will look up and shout 'Save us!' And I'll whisper, 'No.'" - Rorschach, Watchmen