|
|
|
|
Computer Times
Editors' Choice Game Ninjatown Reviewed by Angie Kibiloski
Ninjatown (Retail $30.00), by SouthPeak Games is an adorable title for Nintendo DS, based on the Shawnimals line of characters from designer Shawn Smith at www.shawnimals.com. It stars a cast of the cutest little Ninjas you could imagine, each with his own special power. You play as Ol’ Master Ninja, defending Ninjatown against Mr. Demon and his nasty little Wee Devils. There are 36 levels in total, each containing progressively more challenging opponents. This cuddly Action/Strategy game will bring hours of fun to both kids and adults.
In each level, you are provided with a selection of Ninjas, with varying talents, to position throughout the battlefield and fight off the attacking Devil armies. The Devils each have their own unique talents too, so strategy is key in figuring out which Ninjas to position where for the best defense. Once a Ninja is placed it must remain within a set radius until the end of the round, but the enemy Devils are constantly moving through the level, passing all of your semi-stationary Ninjas. If you find your have planned poorly, and are being overrun by baddies, don’t stress, you get to play the level again.
The primary citizens of Ninjatown are Wee Ninjas, who will make up a good portion of your Ninja army. Anti-Ninjas, in their bright orange outfits, don’t care about being stealthy, but have honed their combat skills to be super-strong, yet consequently slow. Sniper Ninjas are pretty darn cool, with their long distance pea shooters, great for taking down flying Devils. White Ninjas are also great against airborne enemies, with a reserve of snowballs to fling with deadly accuracy. These are only a few of the unique Ninjas that you will be able to use. In addition to Ninjas, sometimes you will be given a token to use, which is a special item that will help you fight the Devils, that you can place anywhere in the battlefield. One such is the Baby Ninja, who is just so cute, enemies will stop to coo at it. Another is the Ninja Dropping, which is exactly what the title suggests, and produces a foul smell to keep enemies away from the area it is placed in.
As for Mr. Demon’s army, his Devils have varied talents as well. The Wee Devils are the counterpart to the Wee Ninjas, plentiful and possessing the most common skills. Flying Devils are tricky. They are mean little buggers who can only be attacked by Ninjas with long range weapons like pea shooters, fireballs, or snowballs. I won’t tell you too much detail about your enemies beyond these first 2 types you will encounter, as it doesn’t seem terribly fair to poor Mr. Demon.
Ninjatown is very easy to learn, and lots of fun to play. You will really get into watching your huggable little Ninjas kick the fangs off of the, admittedly, equally cute Devils. Whether you are new to the strategy genre or an old pro, this game is sure to make you smile. Also check out all the other fun Shawnimals products, like figurines, comics, and plush critters at www.shawnimals.com, as well as Ninjatown wallpapers to download.
|
|
Send mail to
comptimes@aol.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
