KMGR of "99 Ninjas"

Image via Wikipedia

99 Ninjas is a platform game where you play a ninja with graphppling hook, throwing star, sword, crounch, jump, wall climb, and so on. While the tutorial levels are quite educational, the game simply has too many things for you to learn overall.

In the first tutorial level, you get a lot of chance to learn wall-stand (like Spiderman, resting on a wall), as well as grappling hook fly (again like Spiderman). On the 2nd tutorial level a throwing-star proof enemy was suddenly introduced without any explanation, and suddenly you're told to do a Mary Poppins impression by gliding to earth with an umbrella, but avoid the spikes.


The graphics are rather cute, but some parts feel out of place. You, the hero ninja, is drawn a bit anime caricature style... What Japanese would call "super-deformed", wearing red ninja suit. Your master seems to be either riding a flying carpet or a flyign sled, neither of which makes any sense. A bunch of Japanese girls wearing kimonos and Japanese paper umbrella are walking around ready to give you hints (huh?) and a bunch of "practice ninjas" you need to take out populate the levels.

The background is busy, perhaps a bit TOO busy... random swords adorn the walls, and kanji scrolls and paper windows, and so on. This was supposd to be a ninja dojo, but looks nothing like a ninja dojo, except in American ninja movies. :D

Action is a bit on the frenetic side, as it's more exploration than fighting, and unfortunately, that sort of defeats the idea, as the premise of the game is to defeat an evil warlord attempting to re-assemble an ultimate power sword. I was expecting more fighting, less Super Mario, and I am disappointed.

All in all, this game is jsut a platform game, albeit a cute one. Though the exploration aspect overwhelms the fighting aspects, and that goes against the theme of a ninja game.

Overall score: 6.5 out of 10
Pros: cute ninja action, lots of moves this ninja can do
Cons: too much exploration, not enough fighting
Verdict: SuperMario in ninja drag, if you like that sort of stuff.