Mini Ninjas First Look
The Evil Samurai Warlord is no match for the Mini Ninjas.
April 7, 2009 - Yes, one could argue that a more accurate title for Io Interactive's upcoming ninja-fest could feasibly be "Mini Ninja," as "ninja" can act as the plural of itself, but that's neither here nor there. The real issue at hand is coming to terms with the dramatic jump between Io Interactive's previous efforts -- including the Hitman franchise -- to the super-adorable and harmless world of Mini Ninjas. A third-person action game, Mini Ninjas wraps up straight-forward button mashing in a brightly colored, family-friendly blanket, and it already looks impressive. I had the opportunity to go eyes-on with a handful of the game's beginning moments, and I have to admit that Mini Ninjas already has a healthy supply of charm.
We're told that in the Mini Ninjas storyline the Evil Samurai Warlord concocts a plot for world domination and uses ancient Kuji Magic to turn cuddly, fuzzy animals into fearsome samurai warriors. In doing so, the Warlord upsets the balance of nature and throws the world into a series of torrential storms and violent earthquakes. High atop Ninja Mountain, the Ninja Master notices the terrible changes springing up around the world and sends some of his finest ninja warriors out to investigate.
Go, ninja, go!
Unfortunately, none of his skilled pupils return. One after another, the ninja students vanish. The Ninja Master is forced to send his last two students, the tiny Hiro and Hiro's best (and oversized) friend Futo, to investigate. This is the beginning of the Mini Ninjas journey that the developers at IO hope will invoke the same feelings as the epic quests in Lord of the Rings.
The art style of Mini Ninjas is extremely colorful and exaggerated. Even grass is drawn in a cartoonish manner to create a light-hearted tone throughout the entire experience. Also light-hearted is the game's combat, which has absolutely no killing to speak of. When Hiro and his friends defeat an enemy samurai, the samurai simply reverts to its innocent animal form in a stylish puff of smoke. Thus, as Hiro goes around dispatching his opponents, the only thing left in his wake are adorable creatures as opposed to pools of blood.
Hiro and his ninja companions level up as they defeat enemies. This allows them to gain strength and learn special abilities. Besides Hiro's normal ninja attacks, he also has a knack for his own Kuji Magic, which lets him perform visually enthralling spells like throwing fireballs and summoning lightning. Futo, on the other hand, uses his large size to wield a giant hammer and his abilities are much more physical. Each character also has a power attack, which gives them an edge against their enemies. For example, Hiro can leap up into the air and freeze time. During this suspended period, you can sweep the cursor across potential targets and, when you release the time freeze, our little ninja hero darts forward and strikes all of the targets you selected.
Hiro also has the ability to use magic in order to traverse the spirit plane. By doing this, he can possess and control any nearby animal. This can be especially helpful when the animal in question is powerful, like a bear, and has extra abilities to keep your enemies totally at bay.
Our little Hiro.
Stealth also plays an important role in Mini Ninjas. By hiding in grass, Hiro can wait -- completely undetected -- for enemies to walk by and then strike them when their backs are turned. Even though most of Mini Ninjas looks to be very action-oriented, these stealth techniques will add an extra layer onto the experience and appeal to gamers less interested in combat and more interested in wits.
The environments in Mini Ninjas look varied and quite pleasing to the eye. At first glance, things might seem overly bland but Mini Ninjas does a great job taking advantage of its own color palette and usage of space. From massive temple steps to nearly endless snowy mountains, Mini Ninjas should be a treat for the eyes. Add on the flashy abilities multiple characters (whom you can switch to at any time once they've been rescued) and the opportunity to possess a chicken and Mini Ninjas looks to be a promising title for this year.
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