Ninjabread Man
Ninjabread Man | |
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![]() North American boxart, Wii version | |
Developer(s) | Data Design Interactive |
Publisher(s) | Metro3D Europe (PlayStation 2 and PC) Data Design Interactive (Europe, Wii) Conspiracy Entertainment (North America) |
Engine | GODS engine, Havok, RenderWare |
Platform(s) | Wii, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows |
Release | PlayStation 2
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Genre(s) | Platform |
Mode(s) | Single player |
Ninjabread Man is a platform video game by developer and publisher Data Design Interactive. The game was released on the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows in Europe in July 2005. A port for the Wii was released in September 2007 in Europe and Australia, and 3 October in North America. Ninjabread Man was published as part of Data Design Interactive's 'Popcorn Arcade' brand of Wii games.
Upon release, Ninjabread Man received universally negative reviews from critics due its camera system, graphics, lack of story, short length and controls; the Wii version received even lower reviews for its use of motion controls, and is often considered one of the worst games of all-time.
Gameplay
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/04/Ninjabread_Man_Screenshot.png/220px-Ninjabread_Man_Screenshot.png)
Ninjabread Man is an action-adventure platformer. There are three levels in the game, plus a tutorial level.[1] In order to proceed to the next level, players must collect eight power rods to activate a teleporter.[2] The Ninjabread Man can attack enemies directly with a samurai sword via a shake of the Wii Remote, as well as throw shurikens from a distance using the Wii Remote's IR functionality to aim. When the player completes a level and plays it again, a menu appears with a second mode available, ‘Score Pickups’. If the level is completed again in this mode, the player will unlock ‘Time Attack’ mode. Completion of this mode unlocks the ‘Hidden Pickups!’ mode, in which the player must find pickups.[2]
Development
Ninjabread Man reportedly started development as a planned third entry in the Zool series, a 2D platforming series released for the Amiga. Not much is actually known about the pitch, though it is believed that Zoo Digital Publishing (Zool's rights owners) weren't impressed by the tech demo and pulled the license. As such, DDI released the game as standalone original game. Despite this, evidence for the gaming originally being a Zool game are still present; such as leftover Zool-themed levels themes and items, and a since leaked intro that shows Zool crashing onto a planet that closely resembles the one used in this game.[3][4]
Reception
Aggregator | Score |
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GameRankings | 31% (PS2)[5] 17.5% (Wii)[6] |
Metacritic | 20/100 (Wii)[7] |
Publication | Score |
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Eurogamer | 1/10 (Wii)[8] |
IGN | 1.5/10 (Wii)[9] |
Jeuxvideo.com | 5/20 (Wii)[10] |
Nintendo Life | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Cheat Code Central | 1.5/5 (Wii)[12] |
Thunderbolt | 1/10[1] |
Ninjabread Man received unanimously negative reviews upon release. The PlayStation 2 version of the game has a 31% average rating on GameRankings,[5] while the Wii version has an average of 17.5%.[6] On Metacritic, the Wii version of the game has an average score of 20/100, based on 6 reviews.[7] The PC version of the game was not reviewed by any major publication.[13]
IGN gave the Wii version a score of 1.5/10, saying: "It’s buggy, often completely broken, somehow manages to have frame issues in tiny levels, and is completely ruthless if (and when) younger players die."[9] Thunderbolt gave it 1/10, criticizing the game's length and the unimaginative use of the character as key flaws.[1]
Cancelled sequel
On 23 January 2008, a sequel titled Ninjabread Man II: Blades of Fury was announced.[14] However, it was never released for unknown reasons and Data Design Interactive later went out of business in 2012.
See also
- Anubis II, Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland and Rock 'n' Roll Adventures - three other games by Data Design Interactive which use the same engine as Ninjabread Man, and all of which were also panned heavily.
References
- ^ a b c Morton, Philip (6 January 2008). "Ninjabread Man Wii review". Thunderbolt. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
- ^ a b "IGN: Ninjabread Man". IGN. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
- ^ "Ninjabread Man - The Cutting Room Floor". tcrf.net. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ "Unreleased Zool animated intro - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ^ a b Ninjabread Man Reviews
- ^ a b Ninjabread Man Reviews
- ^ a b Ninjabread Man (wii: 2007): Reviews
- ^ Lyon, James (16 October 2007). "Popcorn Arcade Roundup". Eurogamer. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ a b Bozon, Mark (8 January 2008). "Ninjabread Man Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
- ^ "Test : NinjaBread Man". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). 7 November 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ Dickens, Anthony (4 November 2007). "Ninjabread Man Review (Wii)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ L. Kondolojy, Amanda. "Ninjabread Man Review". Cheat Code Central. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ Ninjabread Man
- ^ "Data Design Interactive » Highlights » Ninjabread Man – Blades of Fury". Archived from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008.