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The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors

94%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
story, grinding
94% User Score Based on 316 reviews

Platforms

PCSteam DeckWindows
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About

"The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors" is a self-remastered game based on the 1994 spinoff of Taito's 1987 arcade classic, "The NinjaWarriors." The game features five android ninjas, each with unique techniques, and offers both single-player and two-player co-op modes. It maintains its 16-bit style while expanding the playfield, adding new backgrounds, animations, and explosive pyrotechnics, as well as multiple difficulty levels and multiple soundtrack options.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors screenshot
The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors screenshot
The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors screenshot
The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors screenshot
The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors screenshot
The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors screenshot
The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors screenshot
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94%
Audience ScoreBased on 316 reviews
music56 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning pixel art and animations, with a great soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Each of the five playable characters has unique abilities and playstyles, adding depth and variety to the gameplay.
  • The remaster improves upon the original with new mechanics, unlockable characters, and a rewarding combat system that encourages skillful play.
  • The game lacks save points or the ability to continue after exiting, requiring players to complete it in a single sitting.
  • Some bosses are frustratingly difficult, with hit detection issues and design choices that can lead to tedious gameplay.
  • The two-player co-op mode shares a life bar, which can make it challenging and less enjoyable for players.
  • music
    102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many praising its fantastic compositions and the inclusion of multiple soundtracks, including unlockable versions from the original arcade and SNES games. While some players noted that the new tracks can feel generic compared to the original, the overall sound design and integration with gameplay have been highlighted as exceptional. The remaster successfully enhances the audio experience, contributing to the game's engaging atmosphere and replayability.

    • “The music is absolutely fantastic, the animations are the work of a team that has been doing this for 30 years and been together the entire time and it shows.”
    • “The soundtrack alone is god tier.”
    • “Presentation is also amazing with top tier 2D pixel art and a kickass soundtrack.”
    • “No real bells or whistles beyond unlocking the original soundtrack after a playthrough and the new characters Yaksha and Raiden.”
    • “Really hope players can choose to switch back to the original stage 5, like switching between music in the SNES version or the Once Again version.”
    • “I only wish the game had the Mega CD redbook audio soundtrack.”
  • gameplay
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this beat 'em up game is praised for its fun, simple mechanics and engaging character variety, making it accessible yet challenging. While the remake introduces new characters and improved mechanics, some players note issues with character balancing and hit detection. Overall, the game offers a visually stunning experience with tight controls and a rewarding gameplay loop, appealing to both newcomers and fans of the genre.

    • “An excellent side-scrolling beat 'em up with good art, mechanics, animations, and a well-made remake that adds a lot to the game.”
    • “The game is not difficult by all means, but what makes it attractive is the not overly difficult gameplay, the correct set of special moves each character has, and the fact that it does not feel grindy and tedious. It's one of those games that you want to challenge yourself to beat as fast as possible.”
    • “All in all, this is a great choice for anyone interested in classic, arcade-style 2D action, with unmatched pixel art visuals, excellent soundtrack, and deceptively simple gameplay that lends itself to skillful play once you master it.”
    • “Gameplay issues and erratic hit boxes, however, prevent me from loving this old school game.”
    • “Bad character balancing where two characters can't even jump so you can't avoid ground bombs, and one can't even grab which is a huge mechanic in the game.”
    • “Your general gameplay goal is crowd controlling swarms of enemies through stages with your slow-as-hell ninja.”
  • graphics
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning pixel art, improved animations, and vibrant aesthetic that enhance the overall experience. The remaster successfully updates the visuals while maintaining the nostalgic feel of the original, making it a standout in the beat-em-up genre. Overall, players appreciate the combination of great graphics, engaging sound design, and fluid gameplay, solidifying its status as a top choice for fans of classic arcade-style action.

    • “The graphics are amazing.”
    • “Graphics are amazing, some of the best pixel art I've seen.”
    • “This is an incredible beat 'em up with excellent pixel art graphics/animations and great music.”
    • “The visuals and audio are obviously improved but it's still a flawed beat-em-up that takes under an hour to beat with very little additional content and very few improvements.”
    • “Visualshock!”
    • “Remake of the '94 SNES original, featuring improved graphics and additional content.”
  • replayability
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game offers significant replayability through various features such as unlockable characters, multiple soundtracks, and different gameplay modes, which enhance the experience for both solo and co-op players. However, some users feel that certain bosses detract from the overall enjoyment, and there are calls for additional content to further extend replay value. Despite these concerns, the polished gameplay and diverse character mechanics contribute to a highly replayable experience, especially for fans of the beat 'em up genre.

    • “Can be played by 2 players (was originally a solo player game), highly replayable and speedrunner friendly.”
    • “Every character is their own world, with their own mobility, special attacks, grabs, and such, which greatly enhances replayability since every one of them is such a different experience.”
    • “I'm not sure this game has a meaningful replay value.”
    • “A DLC, or an update with more playable content, would expand the life of the game.”
    • “Those extra achievements, co-op, HD widescreen, 3 soundtracks, 2 new characters to unlock, and a few new moves certainly boosted replayability.”
  • story
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is described as simple and minimalistic, focusing on a nihilistic theme with the main objective of assassinating a character named Banglar. While some players appreciate the nostalgic elements and creative design, they note that the narrative lacks depth and could benefit from additional cutscenes. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a significant draw.

    • “I still come back to it to try to beat my times and enjoy the story. It's really simple, but hey, I like it.”
    • “Whole new experience, but the story, plot, main enemy, and objective were still the same: assassinate Banglar.”
    • “Not that the story was a big draw, but it would have been nice if they added a couple of cutscenes.”
    • “A minimal nihilistic storyline, some badass ninja androids kicking the crap out of an entire army and some creative design decisions that make all of them play a bit differently.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and aggravating, particularly due to the slow pace of the ninja character and limited effectiveness of throwing attacks. However, many appreciate the overall gameplay for its balance of challenge and fun, noting that it doesn't feel excessively grindy and encourages players to complete it quickly.

    • “It's doable, but very tedious and aggravating since you have a slow ninja and roughly only one, maybe two of your throwing attacks will have any chance to work.”
    • “The game is not difficult by any means, but what makes it attractive to me at least is the not overly difficult gameplay. The correct set of special moves each character has makes the game fun, and it does not feel grindy and tedious. It's one of those games that you want to challenge yourself to beat as fast as possible.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers express disappointment in the game's atmosphere, noting that it feels like a downgrade from the original arcade version, reminiscent of the SNES iteration. Despite a strong appreciation for the developers' previous works, the atmospheric elements in this title do not meet expectations.

    • “While I'm a massive fan of these guys' work on Pocky and Rocky (Kikikaikai) and Shadow of the Ninja Reborn, this one feels like a downgrade in terms of atmosphere from the original arcade.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by users who express deep affection for it, describing it as a wonderful retouching of a beloved classic. This sentiment reflects a strong nostalgic connection and appreciation for the game's enhancements.

  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its smooth performance and enjoyable gameplay, reminiscent of classic SNES titles, complemented by great music.

    • “The game runs smoothly, great music, and it's as much fun as playing it on an SNES.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the humor in the game stems from its "hilariously awful" design choices, which lead to a mix of frustration and amusement during gameplay. The questionable decisions contribute to a comedic experience, especially during time attack runs.

    • “I have multiple top times in this game's stage time attack, but doing a whole run is just hilariously awful because there are so many questionable decisions.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight the game's stunning pixel art and character designs, but they do not provide specific insights into character development. Instead, the focus is on the visual style, soundtracks, and gameplay mechanics, suggesting that character growth may not be a central element of the experience.

  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game demonstrates excellent stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report smooth performance without issues.

    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
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