Mini Ninjas

Mini Ninjas
256px European cover art
Developer(s)	IO Interactive Magic Pockets (Nintendo DS) Robosoft Technologies (Mac OS X)
Publisher(s)	Eidos Interactive Warner Bros. Feral Interactive (Mac OS X)
Distributor(s)	Square Enix Valve Corporation<>
Director(s)	Jeremy C. Petreman
Producer(s)	Jonas Lind Luke Valentine
Designer(s)	Ulrik Hauen-Limkilde Thor Frølich Thomas Løfgren
Artist(s)	Henrik Hansen Michael Helmuth Hansen Søren Bech Jensen
Composer(s)	Peter Svarre
Engine	Glacier
Platforms	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, OnLive, Mac OS X
Release date(s)	Windows, Nintendo DS, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 OS X WW 20100708July 8, 2010
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player

Mini Ninjas
Genre	Children's television series
Created by	Nadine Van der Velde Scott Kraft
Directed by	Chuck Sheetz
Voices of	Jon Beavers Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer Tommy Hobson Tara Perry Tom Kenny Keith Silverstein
Theme music composer	Peter Zizzo
Opening theme	"Fresh Beat Band of Spies Theme Song"
Country of origin	United States Canada
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	17
Production
Running time	21 minutes
Production company(s)	Square Enix Europe Benjamin P. Bearl Productions PocketPC.org Entertainment Beetlepedia.com Entertainment Clue Entertainment QRST Entertainment Amberwood Entertainment Corporation
Distributor	Amberwood Diffusion plus New Media
Release
Original network	Family Jr.
First shown in	France Canada
Original release	December 6, 2015 – present
Chronology
Preceded by	The Fresh Beat Band

Mini Ninjas is a 2009 action-adventure game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360. A Mac OS X version of the game was released on July 8, 2010, by Feral Interactive. In December 2011, it was announced that the game will be also made available as a browser game for Google Chrome.

A Kinect/Xbox Live Arcade spin-off game Mini Ninjas Adventures followed in 2012. Another Mini Ninjas spin-off game, an endless runner titled Mini Ninjas Mobile, has been released for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets in March 2013.

Gameplay

File:Mini ninjas sample.jpg

Wii gameplay screenshot with Hiro

The game is a linear action-adventure game viewed from a third-person view perspective. It is featuring six playable Mini Ninja characters - each with their own unique abilities, weapons and skills that can be switched between at any moment once they have been rescued. Special weapons and equipment to collect and use include caltrops, shuriken, different bombs and fishing rods, and a multifunctional ninja hat, as well as a variety of potions and food items. Magic can be used by the main protagonist Hiro, his spells, including fireball and lighting attacks, camouflage and time manipulation. Only Hiro can possess spirits, such as animals, for a short amount of time. Hiro can use his Ki energy for the Kuji arts, which replenishes from collect enemies' Ki or drinking potions.

The Mini Ninjas have to defeat many types of hostile samurai in the game, who really are animals placed under an evil spell. Once defeated, the enemies turn back into animals. Some of these animals have moves which are useful against enemies. For example, brown bears can use their claws, warthogs can use their charge move, and panda bears can stomp the ground with their bottoms. All animals have a keen sense of smell for spotting ingredients and collectables in places that are easily overlooked.

Throughout their journey, the Ninjas can collect coins and ingredients, such as mushrooms, flowers, and ginseng roots. They can exchange the coins for weapons (bombs, shuriken, makibishi caltrops, etc.) and recipes from the Tengu, crow-like humonoids who also give quests and advices. There are altars scattered throughout the world which the player can use to save their progress. Fruits found on trees or bushes can be harvested by shaking the bushes or the trunk of trees, which will restore their health. Other foods like sushi does the same thing.

Scattered throughout the world are ancient shrines, which each contains a scroll. Each scroll contains a spell in the Kuji arts. Hidden near each shrine is an anemone which is used to activate the shrines. Only Hiro can active the shrines and use the Kuji Spells. There are also various ingredients and 100 hidden Jizo statues scattered through the game, that can be collected for special achievements or trophies, which encourages level exploration.

Plot

Characters

Playable characters:

• Hiro is the youngest of all Mini Ninjas, whose talents with Kuji magic are second only to the Evil Warlord. Hiro was found as an infant by the Ninja Master and might become the greatest ninja ever. He is available from the start of the game and is the only player character that can use the various magic spells. His main weapon is a katana sword and his special move is a lock-on-attack that stops time and automatically attacks the enemies that have been selected. Hiro also has a ninja hat which can be used as a shield against arrows or as a boat.
• Futo is the second ninja in the game and is found on the first level. He is the largest of the ninjas and is Hiro's best friend. He carries a large wooden hammer and boasts great strength but is also the slowest one. His special move is to roll into a ball and attack.
• Suzume is an agile, swift and stealthy swift female ninja. She uses a flute, which was left for her by her mysterious mother. Her main attacks consist of high kicks and flute strikes that can stun enemies, while her special attack is playing her flute to mesmerize all nearby enemies. She is the first ninja rescued by Hiro on his quest, and appears to be his love interest.
• Shun is the stealthiest Mini Ninja and is the second ninja the player rescues. He is the most tense of all the Mini Ninjas but he still maintains the unique ninja skill of calming himself to utter silence when it requires it. Shun wears camouflage and uses a bow with which he can pick off enemies from a distance. His special attack enables him to shoot explosive arrows. He is the only ninja who speaks in the game, talking to himself in Japanese.
• Tora, who believes to be a tiger ("tora" in Japanese), is by far the most energetic of the Mini Ninjas, furious in combat. He was left by his parents on the steps of the Ninja Village. Tora's weapon is a pair of self-made tiger claws. He can throw himself into a "tiger dash", propelling him forward at a great speeds and pouncing into a spinning claw attack. He has unstable Ki energy which is useful to cover long distances and is the third ninja the player rescues.
• Kunoichi is the younger and less mature of the girls. Her weapon is a naginata spear, which she uses as a prop for her acrobatic moves. Her special move is a magical spinning attack. Kunoichi is very quiet and does not reveal much about herself. She looks up to Suzume as an older sister and adores Hiro. She is the fourth and last ninja to be rescued.

Other characters:

• Ninja Master is the elder and trainer of the Mini Ninjas. He has successfully banished the Evil Samurai Warlord three hundred years before the game.
• Zen is an elderly Tengu who helps Hiro and Futo finish their training before setting them off on their quest. He lives in the dojo on Ninja Mountain.
• Evil Samurai Warlord (Ashida in the DS version) is the boss of all the samurai and the main antagonist in the game who has been banished three hundred years ago before the start of the game. He can turn animals into samurai or turn them back into animals.

Development and release

Mini Ninjas was announced on January 19, 2009, along with the first official trailer. The game's origin lies in the developers' desires to make a game that they could "play with their kids".

Reception

Mini Ninjas was well received by game critics. As of April 2011, its average review scores according to GameRankings are 80% (Wii), 61.90% (DS), 75.52% (PlayStation 3), 72.56% (Xbox 360) and 75.67% (PC).

GameSpot review rated the game an 7.5 out of 10, saying: "Whether you're big or small, there's a lot to like about these little ninjas and their lengthy journey." IGN gave the PS3 version of the game an 8 out of 10, finding this "family-friendly ninja affair" to be "an extremely pleasant surprise". The Guardian awarded the game 4 out of 5 stars, concluding that the game's "constant charm renders it calming and even relaxing to play" and "any parent watching Mini Ninjas being played will find it hard to resist the temptation to have a go over their own."

Tora was featured among the top ten ninja characters for PlayStation consoles by PLAY in 2011, while Hiro was chosen to illustrate a similar list by Cheat Code Central. In 2012, CraveOnline included Mini Ninjas on their list of five "badass ninja games" as "a quality ninja game that can be enjoyed with the whole family kids", adding that its "best aspect was, without a doubt, how slain enemies burst into cute animals instead of blood clouds. Super adorable."

Legacy

Mini Ninjas Adventures

In March 2012, Square Enix, who preside over Eidos Interactive, filed a trademark in Europe for Mini Ninjas: Hiro's Adventure and created a domain "minininjashirosadventure.com." That trademark was announced to be Mini Ninjas Adventures, a spin-off Kinect game for the Xbox Live Arcade exclusively, developed by Sidekick studio and released on June 29, 2012.

Animated series

4Kids licensed the rights to the franchise in 2009. In 2013, a cartoon series adaptation of Mini Ninjas in production by Cyber Group Studios was announced as coming soon.

Sources

• Michael Knight, Mini Ninjas: Prima Official Game Guide, Random House Information Group, 2009.

External links

• Official website (Eidos Interactive)
• Official website (Feral Interactive)
• Official website (cartoon adaptation)
• Mini Ninjas at MobyGames