Nine Lives Ninja: Explore!
- March 26, 2024
- JX Games
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"Nine Lives Ninja: Explore" is a feline-themed platformer with metroidvania elements, where you guide a cat-ninja through treacherous caves to find the Fountain of Kitty Youth. With multiple game modes, retro-style graphics, tight controls, and a range of achievements, this game offers a challenging and engaging adventure. The game's story and characters, while humorous, also pose intriguing questions that add to the intrigue.
Reviews
- Charming pixel art design that evokes nostalgia for retro gaming, reminiscent of NES titles.
- Engaging level design that encourages exploration and backtracking, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- Smooth mechanics and well-executed platforming elements, making it accessible yet enjoyable for players.
- The game is quite short, with a total playtime of around one hour, which may leave some players wanting more.
- Graphics, while charming, have room for improvement and may not appeal to everyone.
- Some players found the guide for hidden gems misleading, which could lead to frustration.
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by well-explained and easy-to-learn mechanics, enhanced by a short tutorial level. Players appreciate the solid execution of classic platforming elements, such as double jumping and metroidvania progression, which contribute to an engaging and satisfying experience. The respawn mechanic further adds accessibility, allowing players to tackle challenging jumps without significant frustration.
“But the most notable thing is how well executed all those familiar and basic mechanics are.”
“Quick entertaining playthrough, satisfying and well-tuned jump mechanic kept me engaged throughout.”
“The respawn mechanic makes even those tougher jumps more accessible as you can save your progress at each step.”
“Lots of classic platform mechanics built into this indie game: double jumping, edge jumping, minimaps, and metroidvania area progression.”
“Mechanics are easy to figure out and explained well in the short tutorial level.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The graphics feature a nostalgic retro art style that appeals to fans of classic games, though many reviewers note that there is still potential for improvement. Despite this, the visuals are complemented by a modern sensibility, creating a well-thought-out and cohesive aesthetic.
“Fans of retro games will appreciate the art style, though the graphics definitely have room for some improvement.”
“The retro graphics hide a thoroughly modern feel, and everything feels very thought-through and planned.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for being catchy and engaging, with well-crafted loops that maintain freshness and avoid repetitiveness.
“The music is catchy and loops but doesn't feel repetitive.”
“The soundtrack is forgettable and lacks variety.”
“The background music is too loud and drowns out the gameplay.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While the game is short, its affordable price and the inclusion of various challenges and variations on the core themes provide a decent level of replayability.
“It is short, but so is the price (I thought they reduced it too much actually), and the dev has added plenty of variations and challenges on the basic themes of the game, giving it a bit of replayability.”
“It is short, but so is the price. I thought they reduced it too much, actually. The dev has added plenty of variations and challenges on the basic themes of the game, giving it a bit of replayability.”
