Gaming Target - Game Boy: Ninja Five-0

Written by Matt Swider on July 10, 2003

Review: Konami Marketing Meeting: Well, we call it Ninja Five-0 because it combines the fun skills of a ninja with a plot that is hokier than an episode of Hawaii Five-0. Uneasiness slowly turns into applause

It's tough to determine which characteristic of Ninja Five-0 is more unbelievable: A ninja with the desire to be a cop or a cop that's fit enough to perform martial arts moves. Okay wait, I'm just using an old stereotype here. I'm sure lots of ninjas want to be cops. Any way you look at the odd arrangement though, it's obvious that the main character, Joe Osugi, is really not your average Joe. His determination to take down terrorists with super human powers provides sly, yet stunning 2D gameplay that is a throwback to the 16-bit era. Since these once rampant ninja titles are rare compared to ten years ago, the stealthy release of Ninja Five-0 makes an honorable addition to any player's Game Boy Advance library.

The plot surrounding Ninja Five-0 is extensive in the manual, yet minimal in the actual game. In fact, the gameplay doesn't even involve detective work. Instead, the action centers on using martial arts skills to move around, rescuing hostages in danger, and thwarting the plans of terrorists. Mastering your ninja moves early proves fruitful because certain obstacles can't be overcome without them. This is especially true when it comes to swinging over gaps using the kaginawa grapple hook, a function borrowed from Bionic Commando. Rather than jumping and climbing the entire game, Joe can attach this hook to any ledge, foothole, or wall to swing to new heights or to avoid enemy fire. He also has his own brand of fire in the form of shuriken stars. These stars are weak at first, but their level can be upgraded to a fire and, finally, a laser type that lasts until you are hit with an enemy attack.

Since the ninja stars don't cause a whole lot of damage, the sword strike is the most common attack you will perform at a close range. Successfully slaying an enemy with this move increases the Ninjutsu Guage, which will eventually give Joe the ability to unleash Super Ninjustu. When the meter is full, simultaneously pressing both A and B sends Joe dashing to all sides of the screen and laying waste to any enemy within its bounds. Luckily, it doesn't harm any of the hostages you are set out to save in the process.

In addition to saving innocent lives that are on the line, Ninja Five-0 requires players to swing over spiked trenches, avoid flaming or electrified vents, defeat bad-ass bosses, and climb straight up walls using the grapple hook. These obstacles, along with the techniques used to overcome them, keep this game fresh all the way through. Falling victim to a mistake is common whether it's killing off a hostage or receiving a face full of fire, so all 20 levels in the game remain challenging the first time around. Things do become easier once you master the game's tight controls and learn the level design. Once that happens, there are two other difficulty settings to attempt and a time trial for each level, giving the game extra appeal for the people willing to put the time into it.

It's rather easy to become familiar with the levels since the makeup of each is distinctive for the most part. So, not only is the gameplay kept fresh, but so to is the game design. It may be confined to 2D, but the visuals look pretty impressive nonetheless. It contains a lot of excellent looking backdrops and some great animation that cause Joe to simply look cool from level to level The only thing that's stale in Ninja Five-0 is the in-game music. The same tunes play in the background for the duration of the game, except the very last level where there's simply silence. This is where the sound effects strike a cord showing off a variety of crisp audio clips.

Ninja Five-0

Review: Konami Marketing Meeting: Well, we call it Ninja Five-0 because it combines the fun skills of a ninja with a plot that is hokier than an episode of Hawaii Five-0. *Uneasiness slowly turns into applause*

Review: Konami Marketing Meeting: Well, we call it Ninja Five-0 because it combines the fun skills of a ninja with a plot that is hokier than an episode of Hawaii Five-0. Uneasiness slowly turns into applause