For this month's "Maps Of The Month" featurette, I wish to draw your attention to feos's Zen: Intergalactic Ninja (NES) maps.
As Earth Day is coming up, this game is a reminder that our world is threatened ecologically by our own actions. Pollution, waste, destruction of the environment - if these were personified, they might take the form of the evil Lord Contaminous. You don't necessarily have to be an intergalactic ninja like Zen to fight back and make a difference, though who doesn't want to be an intergalactic ninja, really? And in this game, you are!
Many NES games have horizontal scrolling. Some have vertical, or both. Zen: Intergalactic Ninja certainly does, and even has diagonal scrolling! Whoa! Not only is Zen intergalactic, he's also multi-directional! Besides the presentation, there's some variety in the gameplay too, including bonus games about recycling!
Like other Konami NES games, the graphics are detailed and colourful, the animation is smooth, and the music is catchy. It probably didn't get the attention it deserves - especially in comparison to other NES games - due to being released in 1993, after the next generation, the 16-bit consoles, were already in their prime. But hey, at least feos took notice, and mapped this out for us!
So to recognize that he has helped us to "find our Zen", feos's Zen: Intergalactic Ninja (NES) maps will be known as VGMaps.com's Maps Of The Month for April 2016.
