The dying game

Ninja Gaiden (arcade)
The old Ninja Gaiden coin-op has one of the most disturbing continue screens we've ever seen. A descending buzzsaw! Talk about a guilt trip. If you don't put more money in, you'll be responsible for your hero's death. Put in a coin! PUT IN A DAMN COIN! Oh, the humanity...

Final Fight
Similarly, Final Fight offers similar scenarios to Ninja Gaiden. The stick of dynamite in front of the bound character is particularly nasty, but tying up a girl and then filling the room with water? That's just sick. The 2D cartoony graphics do nothing to mask the evil - if anything, they make you imagine more.

Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.