This is the definitive way to hear the original Ninja Gaiden tracks and it proves these compositions were always more than just chiptune. Vol. 1 of the Definitive Soundtrack covers both the arcade and NES versions, letting you hear how the same material translated across completely different hardware.
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Like a Howling Gale on the NES is one of the most intense pieces of 8-bit music ever written, all urgency and forward momentum. The Moonlight Duel sets up the story with this moody tension that still works perfectly. Melancholy Destiny hits somewhere you don't expect a ninja game to reach.
The arcade versions sound rawer, grittier, a whole different vibe from the same DNA. Essential listening if you care about how NES sound design shaped an entire generation of game music.