Ninja Five-O

""Go, ninja! Go, ninja! Go!""

Ninjas - shadow warriors who practice the art of invisiblity. Someone must have forgotten to pass that memo along to the ninja clans some 20 years ago, because back in the 80s, ninjas were everywhere in pop culture! Movies, TV, comics, and most of all, video games. Whether it was saving the world, or kidnapping the President, ninjas were a major part of just about everyone's video game diet. But then, the 90s came around, and ninjas just about all but disappeared from the gaming scene. No one knows why or how it happened, but I suspect they were humiliated by that awful ''Ninja Rap'' song Vanilla Ice did back around that time. All of a sudden, these shadow warriors were considered horribly unhip, and despite the odd Shinobi sequel every now and then, they seemed to have finally gotten that ''art of invisibility'' thing right.

Now, in the dawn of the 21st Century, history has begun to repeat itself. Old reliable franchises like Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden are being restored on next generation consoles. The time has come for ninjas to take center stage once more, and this is beautifully evidenced in Konami's latest title, Ninja Five-O. Developed by Hudson Soft, this game is a throw back to the classic days of yesteryear, and will immediately send thoughts of games like Bionic Commando or Shinobi to any gamer who grew up back on the NES and Genesis. If you can look past the stupid title, you will find a game that deserves to be the sleeper hit of 2003.

Like most of the classic games that this title is modeled after, the plot does not matter much, and is only there to set up the action. You are Joe Osugi, ninja turned detective. The time has come to put your skills to the test when an evil terrorist group gets a hold of an ancient evil power known as the Mad Masks. These artifacts, which have been guarded by ninja clans for countless centuries, hold great magic - bestowing whoever wears the masks unimaginable power. It's Joe's job to rescue innocent people who have been taken hostage by this group, and defeat the various leaders who are using the Mad Masks for their own wicked advantages.

Even though old Joe's a detective, don't think you're gonna be doing much sleuthing during your mission. The six stages, with a grand total of over 20 levels, are your standard old school hack-n-slash material that gamers cut their teeth on back in the 80s. But don't let that fool you into thinking the game's not fun or a cakewalk. There is some stealth involved, such as surprising an enemy from above. And thanks to great level design, along with gameplay that's challenging yet never frustrating, Ninja Five-O has a kind of fun simplicity that has not been seen in years.

Our hero is armed with a trusty ninja sword for attacking enemies up close, and an unlimited number of shurikens that he can throw from a distance. Throughout the game, Joe can find lightning bolt icons that can power up his throwing stars up to 3 times. But perhaps the most important item in your inventory is the grappling hook. This handy little item allows Joe to swing over pits too wide to jump, and climb up to higher platforms. As previously mentioned, it's a lot like Capcom's Bionic Commando, only much more evolved. Instead of just using the hook to latch onto overhead ceilings like in that earlier game, Joe can use his hook to swing, glide, and climb with amazing agility. The levels are huge, and you'll have to do a lot of exploration and climbing to higher areas if you want to find all the hostages hidden on the level.

Like any good side scrolling action title, the controls are wonderful to the point that they become second nature after a while. Before long, you'll be making Joe performing acrobatic leaps and feats in no time at all. And just like the classic Shinobi or Ninja Gaiden games, Joe can climb walls and has a simple slide attack at his disposal. The moves may seem limited, especially compared to today's games, but you really won't mind, especially with how they are brilliantly implemented into the level design. The levels are built to utilize all of your character's skills at different points, so you'll be thankful that it's quick to get the hang of the game.

Speaking of levels, Ninja Five-O's level design stresses patience and memorization over charging through. Each of the game's stages are intricately designed, with plenty of areas to explore, and enemies placed in tricky positions that you'll have to find the best way to get through. You only get one life in this game, so you're going to have to memorize where everything is, and when to perform what action. This may sound tedious, and in the wrong hands it could have been. But, the designers have made the game so that it's tough, but fair. If you die or get hurt, it's always your own stupid fault, not the game's. Each obsticle and enemy has a certain method or pattern that you must figure out in order to clear it safely. This harkens back to the days when I used to obsess over the level maps in the latest issue of Nintendo Power. Fortunately, the levels are always the same with all the power ups, enemies, and hostages in the same location every time. And if you feel you've truly mastered a level, try the optional ''Time Trial'' mode that the programmers have included where you must complete a stage within a given amount of time.

The graphics in Ninja Five-O keep the old school spirit alive with a look that could have come right out of an early 90s SNES title. The character sprites are small, yet beautifully animated. Seeing Joe in motion and his almost acrobatic movements is something to truly savor. The game certainly does not tax the hardware, though. This is standard side scrolling action with no real special effects to wow jaded gamers.

In terms of sound, the game boasts a solid soundtrack with plenty of thumping beats that won't blow you away, but will keep you playing. The game features a modern-sounding driving soundtrack that matches the fast paced action of the game. The sound effects are also surprisingly good considering the GBA's tiny speaker. From the fire of the enemies' guns to the slashing of Joe's sword, every sound is crystal clear, especially if you play with headphones. Nothing groundbreaking here, but quality stuff nonetheless.

Are there any shortcomings with this wonderful game? Well, I wished it was longer. With only 6 missions, you'll be hoping for more by the time you reach the end. There are some optional difficulty levels for you to try and the previously mentioned Time Trial mode, but it still isn't enough for me. If this game had lasted as long as some of the games it was inspired by (the original Ninja Gaiden for NES is twice as long), this could have been one of the best games on the GBA.

Unfortunately, it seems Konami doesn't want you to know about this little gem. The game has received a very limited release here in the US, and few stores carry it. It's more than worth the effort to track it down, however, especially if you often find yourself going back and blowing the dust off your old console systems from back in the day. Ninja Five-O is the best nostalgia trip a gamer from the 80s can have, and best of all, it's a good game on its own. Yes, the ninjas have finally returned to the video game realm. And if there are other games are this good, I welcome them with open arms.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/16/03, Updated 07/16/03