Ninja 1987

About Ninja 1987

Ninja 1987 is a single player arcade platformer game. It was developed by SEEP and was released on September 2, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

Ninja 1987 is an action platformer in the classic 8-bit style, paying homage to the great ninja games of the past. Take a nostalgic dive into the 80s with pixel art graphics and chiptune music that captures the vintage sound. Ninja 1987 features 7 levels filled with enemies and traps. Our hero can wield shurikens and unleash powerful ninjitsu attacks. Encounter challenging end-level bosses and…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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Reviews

89%Audience ScoreBased on 18 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

Authentic retro pixel-art style with smooth animations and nostalgic chiptune soundtrack that enhances the 80s ninja game feel.
Precise and responsive controls with fair challenge, generous checkpoints, and infinite lives making it accessible and enjoyable.
Compact and focused level design with engaging boss fights that offer a fun, arcade-like platforming experience.

Lacks depth in level design and enemy encounters, resulting in some flat, repetitive sections and underwhelming boss patterns.
Relatively short gameplay length with limited replay value beyond perfecting runs and achievements.
Some minor control and movement quirks affect platforming precision, and absence of additional power-ups reduces gameplay variety.

graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38% positive mentions, 24% neutral mentions, 38% negative mentions
The graphics effectively capture a retro NES-style aesthetic with authentic pixel art and well-crafted cutscene artwork, appealing strongly to fans of old-school visuals. While the visuals convincingly evoke classic hardware limitations and include impressive manual shading and texturing, some users felt the level backgrounds and textures could be more detailed and dynamic to enhance overall visual interest.
- “Besides some effects that would have caused a NES to melt, the graphics are still extremely convincing and could pass for "authentic" if the screen was in 4:3.”
- “Visually, Ninja 1987 fully embraces pixel art aesthetics inspired by the limitations of early console hardware.”
- “For the moment there I thought you were using some real images for the cutscenes, it looked that good. Props if it's fully manual, I have seen a lot of your artwork but this was exceptionally good with the shading and texturing. You should do more of that, C64 style or whatever you call it, got that sick retro computer vibe to it.”
- “Besides some effects that would have caused a NES to melt, the graphics are still extremely convincing and could pass for 'authentic' if the screen was in 4:3.”
- “I just didn't feel like the stages were all that interesting to play, with many flat sections and similar challenges. Overall, the levels needed a bit more background detail or more textures in general, aside from area one that had some funny posters.”
- “Graphics do the job of making it feel like a retro game, but there could be improvements in visual variety and detail to enhance the experience.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 14% negative mentions
The gameplay of Ninja 1987 is praised for its smooth, responsive controls and accessible difficulty that emphasizes execution over mechanical challenge, offering a polished homage to classic 8-bit ninja platformers. While it successfully captures a retro feel with refined mechanics and an enjoyable experience for newcomers, some players hoped for more creative or memorable level design and greater innovation in platforming elements. Overall, it delivers a solid, if somewhat conservative, take on the genre.
- “Unlike many authentic 8-bit inspirations, Ninja 1987 avoids excessive stiffness or punishing controls, instead opting for a smoother, more forgiving feel that keeps difficulty rooted in execution rather than mechanical limitation.”
- “With simple, responsive controls, the gameplay is easy to pick up and enjoyable even for newcomers to retro platformers.”
- “Developed by the Italian indie studio Seep, it pays clear homage to classics like Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi, while offering smoother and more polished gameplay.”
- “Considering the Ninja Gaiden framework, I expected more creativity in the platforming. While the game isn’t bad, none of the levels are memorable. I was worried it would keep the challenge too primitive and wanted harder mid-air gameplay.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The music features a chiptune-inspired soundtrack that effectively reinforces the game's retro and nostalgic vibe without overpowering the gameplay. It is widely praised for capturing the energy of late-80s ninja adventures, though some desire more variety, such as darker or industrial tones in later levels. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong and catchy highlight of the experience.
- “The chiptune soundtrack is one of the game’s strongest points, instantly capturing the energy and nostalgia of late-80s ninja adventures.”
- “The soundtrack complements this style with chiptune-inspired music that reinforces the retro mood, though it remains understated enough not to distract from gameplay.”
- “Ninja 1987 doesn’t try to reinvent the genre, it delivers exactly what it promises: a fun, nostalgic action experience with a vibrant soundtrack.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The humor in the game is subtle and mainly conveyed through small details like funny posters in the first area, while some players find the comedic elements limited. Additionally, a quirky gameplay mechanic involving rapid wall climbing adds a playful touch. Overall, humor is present but understated and not a major focus.
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The story is criticized for being poorly constructed, lacking challenge and engaging level or encounter design, resulting in a too-easy and mindless experience.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The optimization aspect focuses on stages designed for memorization and refinement, encouraging players to learn layouts and enemy patterns to steadily improve their performance.
- “These stages are clearly designed with memorization and refinement in mind, encouraging players to learn layouts, anticipate enemy patterns, and gradually improve their performance.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Replayability is driven primarily by self-imposed challenges like perfecting runs, minimizing deaths, and improving completion times, offering players motivation to repeatedly engage with the game.
- “Replay value largely comes from self-imposed challenges, such as perfecting runs, minimizing deaths, or improving completion times.”