Mini Ninjas review
So I just finished playing Mini Ninjas, the new-ish action game from IO Interactive.
And boy, oh boy, good times.
The gameplay is great, the controls are tight and the overall game is cute. I mean, ridiculously cute. So cute I had to wrestle the controller away from the girlfriend.
The sound design is brilliantly executed, though the exclamations made by the bad and definitely evil samurai can get a bit tedious.
Seen in a larger perspective there’s a certain nostalgic feel to the game. Even though it’s a fairly new game and it runs on all the big platforms, there’s still an early 90’s almost arcade-like feel to it. That, and a certain Zelda-ness. Which is absolutely brilliant.
Boss fights are everything they’re supposed to be, with challenges, and unique patterns and solutions.
You play the game as one of several child ninjas, hence the name I presume. Initially you start out with only two to choose from, but as the game progresses and you save your friends, more and more ninjas are added to your merry band of dangerous assassins. Where dangerous means cute.
There’s little doubt in my mind that I am probably not the target demographic for this game, as there is little more than cartoon violence and puffs of smoke. Everything is dialed down to saving the animals from the Evil Samurai Warlord, and by extension thereby saving the world.
I can highly recommend this game if you’re in the market for some fun and light entertainment. Also, this could very well be either a good action/adventure game for your kids, or possibly the game that could lure your better half to trying out console gaming.