Return of the Ninja

 
Some random ninja-themed sidescroller I played as a kid, this was released by Natsume near the end of the Game Boy Color life cycle. Recently, I finally settled my score with the game, and overall, it turned out to be rather underwhelming.

Because of its unique presentation style, I always thought Return of the Ninja was one of Natsume’s stronger sidescrolling titles. However, revisiting it now, I found it noticeably weaker than other Natsume GBC sidescroller games such as Action Man or Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. What originally caught my attention was the collectible card system you unlock as you progress through the game. Back then, it made my younger self imagine the game as something much larger and deeper than it actually was. Fast forward to today and Return of the Ninja simply does not live up to those expectations.

In terms of gameplay, Return of the Ninja feels similar to a pre-Igavania-style Castlevania sidescroller, spanning six stages with some light attempts at branching paths. The game does try to stand out by incorporating stealth mechanics to better fit its ninja theme, rewarding players who dispatch enemies quietly within the limitations of the GBC hardware. It also features several ninja tools and gear upgrades that function as power-ups, allowing the player to bypass certain obstacles and explore alternate routes.

Still, Return of the Ninja is ultimately not a particularly noteworthy ninja game, especially when compared to Shinobi from Sega, which remains a far more definitive ninja action experience. Interestingly, Return of the Ninja did receive a limited physical re-release in 2020, which is quite fascinating for a relatively mediocre GBC title that originally came out two decades earlier.