I'll admit, I was a wee bit shocked to learn that Mini Ninjas was developed by IO Interactive. I'm a BIG fan of their Hitman game series (having played, well, ALL of them), but am pretty ignorant of their work outside the oft-bloody world of ICA assassin, Agent 47 and his handler/life partner, Diana Burnwood. I'm pretty open-minded as it pertains to any game, but knowing that one of my favorite developers had their hand in the mixing bowl is just icing on the proverbial cake.

IO does NOT disappoint with their—rather surprising—foray into the cutesy, bloodless, "NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF" action-adventure game that is Mini Ninjas. Although the game boasts lots of stealth and "killing," it's done in a very "Saturday-morning cartoon" kind of way, complete with hammy bad guys, comical sound effects, and a band of heroic misfits tasked with saving the world from impending doom. It's no wonder the series was turned into an animated series in 2013. The tone and styling of the game practically demands it.

You begin the game as Hiro (a not-so-subtle-pun on "hero") and his predictably large and bumbling friend Futo, the last of a group of ninjas living on the aptly-named "Ninja Mountain." The Evil Warlord has once again returned to wreak havoc across the land, and your fellow ninja comrades—sent to investigate many months prior to the start of the game—have not returned. It's up to Hiro and Futo, literal "last hopes" of the village, to find your friends, stop the Evil Warlord, and with a little luck, restore balance to the earth.

It sounds pretty formulaic...and it is. But Mini Ninjas is so stinking cute and so friggin' fun to play, you should completely ignore anyone who cares. The graphics are both adorable and gorgeous, with lush landscapes and simplistic but breathtaking backdrops of mountains and forests set against beautiful sunsets and stormy skies. There's enough diversity in the styling of the world that even similar scenery has its own little something to distinguish it from the level before. Enemies range from the standard (mini) samurai warrior (capable of little more than swinging swords) to stronger, more problematic opponents (some of which can shoot balls of magic to paralyze the player).

Combat has surprising depth. There are six playable characters to choose from, each with their own unique set of skills and abilities, the most impressive being Hiro himself, the only ninja capable of using the lost art of "Kuji Magic." Using Kuji Magic, Hiro can freeze enemies, call down meteors from the sky, and even possess the bodies of animals to find hidden items scattered throughout the world. All ninjas have the ability to sneak, climb walls, and even perform a bit of limited but impressive-looking parkour. You're given a pretty wide array of techniques (and geography) to experiment with, but the ease of the game rarely calls for more than a spamming of the attack button, even on higher difficulty settings. Even a switch of character is rarely necessary, unless the type of enemy specifically calls for it. (I myself stuck with Hiro for a good 90% of the game. Though I do recommend swapping out to experience all unique character voices and animations. The female ninjas are especially well done.) Victory is pretty easily achieved in earlier levels, and only as you approach the very end of the game do some of the close-quarter battles pose anything resembling a legit threat.

Controls are pretty fluid overall, though navigating water is tricky (read: stupid annoying), and you'll want to be mindful of your surroundings, as it's easy to fall off rooftops and cliffs (especially during combat and snowier levels when the entire screen is basically nothing but the color white). The story and area maps are linear, but collectibles like recipe ingredients and Kuji Shrines give you an incentive to wander a bit from the beaten path. Nothing in the game is permanently missable, as all maps are available for replay in level select.

I clocked in at 23 hours, with all collectibles and characters unlocked. There are no achievements or badges to worry about (on Steam), so once you've cleared the final boss, you're done. Not much replay value here, but it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. If you're looking for something fun, cute, or a game that doesn't require a 100-hour investment of your time, Mini Ninjas is choice. I give it my highest recommendation.

THE WRAP:
-Impressive visuals with a "cutesy" graphical styling for characters and NPCs.
-Subtle but appropriate OST.
-Adjustable "difficulty." Very easy to play. Friendly for all ages.
-Fluid controls. (Minus water. Water sucks.)
-Linear gameplay and story. (But again. You shouldn't care.)
-No replayability outside hunting collectibles and maxing stats.
-100% almost guaranteed. No achieves/badges on Steam.


Disclaimer: Mini Ninjas provided FREE through Square Enix Online promotion in 2018. No compensation received.