The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors is the 2019 reboot of the SNES classic beat em up Ninja Warriors Again. That is a reboot of The Ninja Warriors, a 1987 beat ’em up classic by Taito, which also appeared in Taito Milestones. Technically The Ninja Saviors is closer to Ninja Warriors Again than the 1987 original. In fact, this game IS essentially Ninja Warriors Again, except it looks infinitely better, with smoother sprites, awesome pixelated backgrounds and a revamped soundtrack. There are also two new characters, which are unlocked once you beat the game. I almost forgot to mention multiplayer.
The story in The Ninja Saviors is that there is a country being ruled by this dictator named Banglar. He is evil and opposed by a resistance that is about the be defeated. The resistance activates three androids, Kunoichi, Ninja, and Kamaitachi, and off you all go to take down an army. Ninja is strong and slow. Kamaitachi is fast but can’t grab enemies. Kunoichi is somewhere in the middle. You walk in a straight line and pummel an army worth of dudes in eight levels, each with their own end stage bosses. At your disposal are combos, specials moves, and a full screen attack using your battery meter.
How is The Ninja Saviors overall? It is a great game, but ultimately, despite the new additions, is more or less a thirty year old game it’s core. The new characters and multiplayer are great, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve played this before, just with a new code of paint and a few new moves. Maybe that’s simply due to beating the SNES original years ago. I’ve given Must Plays to old games before, like Duke Nukem 3D. However, this time I don’t feel The Ninja Saviors deserves it. It’s a great game, sure, but is it worth digging into the slush pile to find? Yes, but if you haven’t bought it yet, there’s no rush. It really isn’t anything you haven’t played before in the beat ’em up genre. It is just an old game refined.
Overall: The Ninja Saviors is a great game, but can’t shake the fact its essentially a thirty year old game, just somewhat refined.
Verdict: Recommended
| Platform | Nintendo Switch |
| Release Date | 10/15/19 |
| Cost | $19.99 |
| Publisher | Inin Games |
| ESRB Rating | T |
