Return of the Ninja is a platform game with stealth elements developed by Act Japan and published by Natsume Inc. for the Game Boy Color in 2001 as a spiritual successor to 1990's Shadow of the Ninja.

Return of the Ninja
Developer(s)Act Japan
Publisher(s)Natsume Inc.
Producer(s)Naoki Eriguchi
Hiro Maekawa
Designer(s)Tarō Sasahara
Programmer(s)Kunihiro Takahashi
Takanori Kuwana
Artist(s)Reiko Hirota
Kōichi Mashimo
Masanori Kitsuta
Composer(s)Kiyoshi Kusatsu
Yoshio Watanabe
Platform(s)Game Boy Color
Release
  • PAL: March 30, 2001
  • NA: April 28, 2001[1]
Genre(s)Platform, stealth
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

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The player takes role of a ninja (either the male Tsukikage and or the female Saiyuri), using the D-pad to move and the buttons to jump and attack. Various special items called Shinobi Tools need be collected to master the five arts of ninjutsu (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and Heaven) and proceed through the game. Guards may alert the others and can be avoided. The player's rank at the end of each stage is determined by how fast the level was completed and how many times the protagonist has been spotted by human enemies, and cards can be awarded to the player.[1][2]

Plot

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Reception

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Return of the Ninja received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[3] Retro Gamer highlighted it as one of the most memorable games about Japanese warriors.[7] Nintendo Power gave it an average review nearly four months before the game was released.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Harris, Craig (November 16, 2000). "Return of the Ninja (Preview)". IGN. Ziff Davis.
  2. ^ Schou, Henrik (April 4, 2001). "Return of the Ninja". GameSector (in Danish).
  3. ^ a b "Return of the Ninja for Game Boy Color". GameRankings. CBS Interactive.
  4. ^ Thompson, Jon. "Return of the Ninja - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  5. ^ Uncle Dust (April 13, 2001). "Return of the Ninja Review for Game Boy Color on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 18, 2005. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Return of the Ninja". Nintendo Power. Vol. 141. Nintendo of America. February 2001.
  7. ^ "Return of the Ninja". Retro Gamer. No. 129. Imagine Publishing. p. 47.
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