But it’s the overall design that leaves a lasting impression. Mark of the Ninja’s 2D presentation is eye-popping, as you’d expect from Klei, a developer still shunning trendy pixel art in favor of hand-drawn animation. The game’s puzzles will utilize all of your available equipment. Mark of the Ninja is undoubtedly aware of this: poke around its levels enough, and you’ll find at least one obvious allusion to the stealth genre’s heavy hitter. The whole thing is reminiscent of a side-scrolling Metal Gear Solid. The game encourages you to try this, with optional equipment, armor, as well as weapon loadouts and bonuses in every level you get through without being detected or resorting to lethal force. There’s rarely a situation that isn’t solvable via several means-lethal, or otherwise. That sort of creative freedom is pervasive in this game. Aside from a few bosses, you can go through the entire game without killing anyone. You could also view the Ninja as an uninvited freelance surgeon. You’re given various techniques and tools to accomplish this, including classic darts, a grappling hook, smoke bombs, flares, and your sword. And the way to solve those puzzles is, in keeping with the theme, murdering a bunch of bad guys.
MARK OF THE NINJA REMASTERED VS ORIGINAL SERIES
While you do control a single character, who runs back and forth in classic 2D fashion, the setup is more like an extended series of puzzles. It’s the way that MOTN allows you to carefully and methodically accomplish this that makes it fun.Ĭalling this game a “platformer” is, appropriately, a bit of a misdirection. It’s your job to sneak through a series of levels and slit as many throats as you can on your way to taking out several bosses. The setup for Mark of the Ninja isn’t all that remarkable: you’re a ninja, you just got your magic tattoo, and a bunch of mercenaries has attacked your ninja clan. The game’s hand-drawn visuals and dark atmosphere are appealing. While the game released to quiet acclaim seven years ago, it deserves a victory lap as, perhaps, the perfect stealth-platformer. If you haven’t played it yet, the Switch remaster is the perfect excuse to pick it up. One such game is Klei’s Mark of the Ninja, first released way back in 2012.
MARK OF THE NINJA REMASTERED VS ORIGINAL PORTABLE
Arguably, the latter is what makes it a highly desirable portable game machine. The Switch has become a home for two things: a smattering of great Nintendo first-party releases and a landing zone for ports from other digital services.