Mini Ninjas Review [Xbox 360]

Not every game I play has to be deep.  On occasion it's nice to play an uncomplicated game and Mini Ninjas fits that mold nicely.  Catered to be very much a family oriented game, Mini Ninjas features a gorgeous backdrop of Japanese art with chibi size assassins that are quite lethal despite their cute looks.  IO Interactive may not be a Japanese developer but they did a candid job at capturing the cultural essence of ninjitsu.

You won't be finding any blood in this game.  Quite the opposite of Ninja Gaiden in comparison.  Rather, you will find a simple theme that lends well to the combat and story progression.  The story begins with an old ninja sensing a disturbance in the balance of nature and sends out his most trusted pupils to investigate.  Each ninja he sends out does not return and eventually he is left with his last two students, Hiro and Futo.   From here on, you will discover the evil samurai warlord has returned and is corrupting nature with dark Kuji magic by turning forest animals into a horde of samurai minions.

Tasked with saving his friends and defeating the resurrected warlord, the player takes control of Hiro from a 3rd person perspective.  Being that the game caters to a children audience, the combat system is fairly simplistic.  The familiar slash is your primary attack and most enemies can be defeated this way.  Later in the game, enemies will be more numerous and in certain situations may require the special attacks/abilities of your rescued companions.  Hiro is special in that he is the only one that can use the ancient Kuji magic which can be a powerful tool for devastating large enemy groups or uncovering hidden Kuji shrines (which teaches new spells to Hiro).

If running into combat and going all out isn't your cup of tea, Mini Ninjas can be played by the way of stealth.  While the experience is nowhere like Sam Fisher in the Splinter Cell series, defeating enemies by backside can be very satisfying.  In fact, sneaking is often the best way to unleash the ninja's special attack to preemptively thin down the number of minions.  If not battling foes or seeking the next Kuji shrine, there are plenty of collectibles to hunt down.  Herbs can be used to concoct potions, sushi is prepared from fishing and coins can be used to buy the latest formulas.

Mini Ninjas is a incredibly linear game and is almost impossible to get lost.  If you lose your way, all you have to do is push up on the D-pad and your character will cast his "Kuji Compass".  A little arrow will appear over the ninja's head pointing you in the right direction.  As such, this feature does take away from the exploratory element that is common in action adventures.  And if this babying isn't enough, in certain scenarios (such as a boss fight), you can push down on the D-pad and a hint will basically tell you what you have to do to in order to progress.

Mini Ninjas is designed for the younger audience and it doesn't pretend to be anything else.  If you can overlook this element, what you will find is beautifully crafted Japanese environments and lovable characters.  To complete the experience is a breathtaking soundtrack that enhances the set pieces of classical Japanese culture.  Despite the simplicity, there is plenty to like and many will be pleasantly surprised by the unique charm.