Mini Ninjas

Did You Know?

• The game's origin lies in the developers' desires to make a game that they could 'play with their kids'.
• A Shield Android TV port was released in 2017.

Gameplay

Mini Ninjas is a third-person action-adventure game that follows a linear path. Players can choose from six different Mini Ninja characters, each bringing their own distinct weapons, abilities, and skills to the fight. The arsenal includes special items like caltrops, shuriken, various bombs, fishing rods, and a versatile ninja hat, alongside potions and food. The main character, Hiro, has access to magic such as fireballs, lightning strikes, camouflage, and the power to slow or stop time. He can also briefly take control of animal spirits. These spells require Ki, which enemies drop and potions can restore. The primary foes are animals that have been cursed by the main villain to become samurai warriors. Defeating them lifts the enchantment, turning them back into helpful animals. For instance, brown bears can slash with their claws, warthogs can ram into enemies, and panda bears can pound the ground. These animals also have a strong sense of smell, helping players find ingredients and collectibles in hidden spots. Ghosts are another threat, drifting close to drain the player's life. During the adventure, players gather coins and ingredients like mushrooms, flowers, and ginseng roots. These coins can be traded with the Tengu, crow-like beings who also offer quests and advice, for new weapons and recipes. Health can be restored by shaking trees or bushes to collect fruit, or by eating other foods such as sushi. Hidden around the world are ancient shrines, each holding a scroll that teaches Hiro a new spell. Additionally, one hundred Jizo statues are scattered throughout the game, which players can collect to earn special achievements or trophies.

Plot

Long ago in ancient Japan, a wise ninja master defeated the evil samurai warlord Ashida, bringing an era of peace. After this victory, the master hid scrolls containing the secrets of Kuji magic, which gives control over nature, in shrines scattered across the wilderness. Three centuries later, on Ninja Mountain, that same master has trained six orphan children in the ninja arts, helped by the mountain's tengu spirits. The youngest orphan, Hiro, can wield Kuji magic. He lives peacefully with his friends: the strong but clumsy Futo, the flute-playing Suzume, the archer Shun, the tiger-like Tora, and the spear-wielding Kunoichi.

This long peace begins to fade when strange events happen across the countryside. Animals disappear, and people spot armored samurai in the wild. The ninja master discovers that Ashida has returned and is using Kuji magic to turn forest animals into deadly samurai soldiers. The master sends Kunoichi, Tora, Shun, and Suzume to investigate Ashida's army, but they are all captured. Reluctantly, the master then sends his last two ninjas, Hiro and Futo, after teaching Hiro how to learn Kuji spells from the hidden shrines. Hiro and Futo rescue Suzume from the samurai and sneak into the Earth Castle, where they defeat a huge samurai boss. The castle explodes, and Ashida learns of these new ninjas.

Hiro and his friends push through the wilderness, facing many dangers. They encounter new kinds of samurai with special powers, and tortured spirits that try to drain their life force. Along the way, they find and rescue Shun, Tora, and Kunoichi from the samurai. The ninjas reach the Night Castle and defeat its boss, then do the same at the Water Castle and the Snow Castle. An angry Ashida taunts them to come face him at his fortress on top of a volcano. The ninjas arrive at Ashida's castle, which he brings to life with Kuji, turning it into a giant monster. The ninjas manage to get inside, where Hiro confronts and defeats Ashida, who falls into the volcano and dies. With peace restored, the ninjas return in triumph to Ninja Mountain.

Reception

Mini Ninjas earned a split reception from critics. According to Metacritic, most versions of the game landed in the "mixed or average" range, but the Wii edition managed to pull in "generally favorable" scores. GameSpot praised the game, noting that players of any age could find enjoyment in the little ninjas and their long adventure. The Guardian highlighted the game's steady charm, calling it calming and relaxing to play, and added that watching parents would likely want to try it themselves. Sean Garmer of 411Mania scored the Xbox 360 version an 8 out of 10, describing it as a strong debut from IO Interactive with an engaging story and plenty of content to extend playtime. He was surprised by the cuteness and comedy, and his only complaints were the lack of co-op and the potential for button-mashing tedium. Aceinet of GameZone gave the PS3 version an 8.1 out of 10, stating that while it wasn't the best game on the market, it delivered plenty of fun for almost any gamer. On the other hand, Joseph DeLia gave the Xbox 360 version a 6 out of 10, arguing that despite its vibrant visuals, simple combat, and lighthearted mood, the game was too repetitive, short, and lacking in features to stand out. In 2010, Play UK listed the character Tora among the top ten ninja characters for PlayStation consoles. Two years later, CraveOnline included Mini Ninjas on a list of five "badass ninja games," calling it a quality family-friendly ninja game and praising its best feature: defeated enemies bursting into cute animals instead of blood clouds, which they described as super adorable.

Other media

In 2009, 4Kids obtained the licensing rights to the franchise. Square Enix, which oversees Eidos Interactive, filed a European trademark in March 2012 for Mini Ninjas: Hiro's Adventure and registered the domain minininjashirosadventure.com. This trademark turned out to be Mini Ninjas Adventures, a Kinect spin-off for Xbox Live Arcade. Developed by Sidekick studio, it launched exclusively on June 29, 2012, and Metacritic rated its reviews as mixed. A 2013 mobile spin-off, Mini Ninjas Mobile, arrived on iOS and Android, also receiving mixed reviews from Metacritic. A cartoon adaptation was announced in 2013, produced by Cyber Group Studios, and it aired in 2015 across various networks under the title Mini Ninjas.