A Polished Tower Defense-style Game
Ninjatown may look like some generic, cutesy baby game, but it most certainly is not. You are put in control of a town of Ninjas who must keep evil Mr. Demon from stealing a secret cookie formula and generally wreaking havoc upon the world.
Sounds like winner, no? Trust me , it is.
Like in most Tower Defense games, you're given a map on which to build structures. These structures will attack or in some way help stop the rush of enemies trying to get from one side of the map to the other. In Ninjatown, you build huts from which various Ninjas deploy from. Some Ninjas are fast, but relatively weak, some are strong but really slow, others shoot projectiles, and there are still some that can attack multiple enemies at once. Each Ninja is used to combat a specific enemy. The challenge is to decide which Ninjas to use, in conjunction with other Ninjas, to best stop the enemy and attain the best possible score.
In addition to the huts that create Ninjas, there are huts that aid the Ninjas. Some give Ninjas better attack range, or speed, upgraded armor or faster re-deployment time. Also, you have special Ninjas that you can use that don't come from the huts, but are only on screen for a few moments. They do things like stun all enemies and give attack bonuses to select Ninjas. Then there are your powers, which range from wind that blows enemies in a direction you choose (you sue the stylus to aim your wind while you blow into the mic), to harnessing the power of the sun, to stopping time.
The graphics are typical 2D top-down style, which is effective for a game like this. I would've liked to see some 3D effects tossed in to help give the visuals some pizzazz, but regardless, it works. The games dialogue (all text, no voice) is humorous and made me chuckle every now and then.
There is a multiplayer mode for either single-cart or multi-cart play, and it involves you and an opponent playing through levels. You lose if the enemy makes it across your map, or if you get the lowest score. The twist is, every now and then, you're given the ability to destroy something of your opponents. The structure is chosen at random, but it can still tip the balance in a close game.
What's missing from this game is a map editor. It would've been fantastic to at least be able to share the maps locally, if online play weren't feasible.
Ninjatown is a solid strategy game with some replay value. Unfortunately, it's becoming harder and harder to find at retail, so if you're looking for a great Tower Defense title to play on the go, pick this one up if you can.
Sounds like winner, no? Trust me , it is.
Like in most Tower Defense games, you're given a map on which to build structures. These structures will attack or in some way help stop the rush of enemies trying to get from one side of the map to the other. In Ninjatown, you build huts from which various Ninjas deploy from. Some Ninjas are fast, but relatively weak, some are strong but really slow, others shoot projectiles, and there are still some that can attack multiple enemies at once. Each Ninja is used to combat a specific enemy. The challenge is to decide which Ninjas to use, in conjunction with other Ninjas, to best stop the enemy and attain the best possible score.
In addition to the huts that create Ninjas, there are huts that aid the Ninjas. Some give Ninjas better attack range, or speed, upgraded armor or faster re-deployment time. Also, you have special Ninjas that you can use that don't come from the huts, but are only on screen for a few moments. They do things like stun all enemies and give attack bonuses to select Ninjas. Then there are your powers, which range from wind that blows enemies in a direction you choose (you sue the stylus to aim your wind while you blow into the mic), to harnessing the power of the sun, to stopping time.
The graphics are typical 2D top-down style, which is effective for a game like this. I would've liked to see some 3D effects tossed in to help give the visuals some pizzazz, but regardless, it works. The games dialogue (all text, no voice) is humorous and made me chuckle every now and then.
There is a multiplayer mode for either single-cart or multi-cart play, and it involves you and an opponent playing through levels. You lose if the enemy makes it across your map, or if you get the lowest score. The twist is, every now and then, you're given the ability to destroy something of your opponents. The structure is chosen at random, but it can still tip the balance in a close game.
What's missing from this game is a map editor. It would've been fantastic to at least be able to share the maps locally, if online play weren't feasible.
Ninjatown is a solid strategy game with some replay value. Unfortunately, it's becoming harder and harder to find at retail, so if you're looking for a great Tower Defense title to play on the go, pick this one up if you can.
