Retro-inspired platform games are always very popular in the Indie scene and thanks to indie publishers like ININ Games we get to play them. Here we have a collection of games from the Ninja JaJaMaru franchise. Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle + Hell Deluxe Edition offers a 2D experience that can be enjoyed as a solo playthrough or with a player 2 to bring fun to the game. I will be honest I have no experience of the franchise, so let us take a look below at what we are offered in this title.
Publisher: ININ Games
Developer: City Connection
Release Date: 21 February 2023
Thanks to PR Hound for the review code.
Ninja Power
The main game in this collection is Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle + Hell which is the latest in the franchise. It is a 2D retro platformer and the idea behind the game is an age-old formula that is tried and tested: you are a Ninja that must take out various enemies during the stages which unlock as you progress. Being a Ninja, your weapon of choice is the shuriken which are very effective in taking out any enemies that stand in your way.
Of course you have some other fun tactics to help you and one of these take inspiration from the great Mario. You can jump and hit the platform above you which the enemy is on and this will stun them, so you can get up and finish them off. Every bad guy you take out will drop coins and you collect these so that you can unlock new content which even includes new characters which is pretty fun. When playing you can switch characters after every stage you complete, which will give you different abilities and options to help complete the game easier.
There is also replayability to the game which include replaying mini-missions and completing them by taking no damage or collect all items dropped by enemies. The visuals are inspired by the 8-bit era as the original game was released on the Famicom. The graphics have been given a modern makeover to give a nice, crisp feel to the game. In order to complete it you must rely on various aspects including some nifty skills or by picking up power-ups to turn you into car or a frog. But throughout Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle + Hell. And the co-op option is there to add extra fun by adding a friend.
Wait, there is more…
Buying the Deluxe Edition will see you get five additional games from the franchise and also there is a collection which adds the RPGs from Gameboy, Famicom and Super Famicom. You can also pick up a great physical edition if this takes your fancy from ININ Games by going to the shop link here. Also, you get different options like CRT Filters which has become the norm these days and really add to the authentic experience. The diversity in genres is a great addition and getting the chance to play them in a set is is a must for all retro-inspired game fans from the golden age of gaming.
Final Thoughts
Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle + Hell is a great collection of retro-inspired games in a whole package. The visuals are fun and look authentic and also it is giving us Western gamers a chance to experience a series that never seen the light outside of the land of the rising sun. This is such a worthwhile collection for any gamer’s library.
