Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Ninja delivers a classic side-scrolling beat-’em-up experience where every level is essentially an all-out brawl. You step into the tabi of a lone shinobi, advancing through each playfield with one primary objective: eliminate every adversary in your path. While the core loop remains simple—move right, fight, repeat—the variety of enemy types and the constant press of foes keep the action from ever growing stale.

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Your arsenal includes a razor-sharp dagger for close-quarters combat and a handful of shuriken for ranged takedowns. These two weapons complement each other nicely: the dagger excels against armed soldiers and armored targets, whereas shuriken allow you to chip away at distant or airborne foes safely. Timing your throws and unleashing flurries of melee strikes feels remarkably satisfying, especially when you juggle multiple opponents on screen.

Interwoven into the combat is a system of collectible “idols,” small statues scattered throughout each stage. Each idol you pick up not only replenishes some lost vitality but also contributes to your final points tally. This dual-purpose mechanic adds a strategic layer: do you risk veering off the beaten path in search of hidden idols, or bulldoze ahead to clear rooms of enemies first? Finally, collecting all idols across the game’s stages is your ticket to victory, giving you a clear, tangible goal beyond mere high-score chasing.

Graphics

Ninja sports hand-drawn, pixel-based sprites that evoke the charm of early arcade classics. Character animations are fluid: your ninja’s swift flips and rapid dagger slashes register crisply on screen, while enemies react with convincing stagger and recoil. Backgrounds, though not overly detailed, use a rich palette of earthy reds and muted greens to suggest temples, moonlit rooftops, and dense bamboo forests.

Enemy designs are varied enough to keep your eyeballs engaged—ranging from unarmored foot soldiers to cloaked assassins wielding longer blades. Each foe is color-coded to signal behavior: red-clad warriors rush in recklessly, blue-garbed archers hang back, and armored samurai require more hits to dispatch. These visual cues help you adjust tactics on the fly, ensuring you’re rarely caught off guard.

Performance-wise, Ninja remains rock-solid. The screen rarely dips below the target framerate, even when a dozen combatants are onscreen flailing limbs at once. Occasional parallax scrolling adds depth to the environment without introducing slowdown. In an era where flashy 3D often outpaces substance, Ninja’s dependable 2D presentation feels like a breath of fresh air.

Story

At its heart, Ninja’s narrative is minimal: you are a silent warrior on a mission to recover sacred idols and wipe out any obstacle in your path. There’s no elaborate plot twist or lengthy dialogue trees—just a straightforward premise that keeps the focus firmly on the action. This no-frills approach may feel bare-bones to some, but it works in the game’s favor by eliminating downtime between fights.

Despite its simplicity, a sense of atmosphere emerges through environmental storytelling. Ruined shrines, flickering torches, and blood-splattered floors suggest a once-peaceful land overturned by conflict. Each collectible idol reinforces the idea of restoring order: you’re not just hacking through goons for sport, but reclaiming sacred relics that symbolize hope for your homeland.

While you won’t find deep character arcs or political intrigue here, the setting and objective—recovering all idols to complete your mission—provide just enough motivation to keep you invested. For players seeking a light thematic layer behind their button-mashing, Ninja strikes a suitable balance between story and straight-up combat.

Overall Experience

Ninja’s strength lies in its purity of design. It knows precisely what it wants to be—a relentless beat-’em-up where skillful combat and strategic item collection go hand in hand. Levels are crafted to keep you on your toes, tossing enemies at you in waves that escalate at a satisfying pace. Weapon balance and enemy variety ensure that no two skirmishes feel identical.

On the flip side, the game’s brevity and lack of modern conveniences—such as checkpoints or adjustable difficulty—might deter players used to hand-holding mechanics. Mistakes can be punishing, as dying forces you to restart a stage and replay sections you’ve already cleared. However, for those who relish old-school challenge and don’t mind a little trial-and-error, this can actually heighten the sense of accomplishment.

In summary, Ninja offers an engaging blend of fast-paced combat, charming pixel art, and straightforward goals that cater to fans of retro-style action. While it may not satisfy players craving a sprawling narrative or deep customization, it excels as a pick-up-and-play brawler with clear incentives to clear every foe and collect every idol. If you appreciate tight controls, memorable enemy encounters, and the adrenaline rush of beating the odds, Ninja is one side-scrolling adventure well worth your time.

Retro Replay Score

6.6/10