Ninja Five-O

Even if it’s not a bad experience, I don’t exactly get the appeal of this Ninja Five-O re-release. It’s not exactly a hidden gem from the GBA era, nor a cult classic. It’s a 2D platformer that gets the job done, provides you with a couple of hours of moderate entertainment without reinventing the wheel, and that’s pretty much it.

Just don’t expect this to be the GBA’s surprise Ninja Gaiden II or Shinobi III tier masterpiece, and compared to other Konami action games, this one is pretty simple in comparison.

It doesn’t have a ton of extras that make this package feel as premium as it should, but the game makes up for it. This is a game that deserves to be played, so if you enjoy classic ninja action, this game would make Michael Dudikoff proud.

Overall, Ninja Five-O on Switch is a great re-release of a fun and uncomplicated Game Boy Advance game. With an easy-to-learn gameplay, but challenging enemies and creative stages, this game is great to play in small doses, making it perfect for quick leisure moments. Not counting the fact that it's absurdly short, the additional content implemented in this version perfectly preserves a rare and obscure Game Boy Advance game that would be easily forgotten with time.

I'm very happy to have finally experienced Ninja Five-O and if you enjoy retro 2D ninja-based action games, you're sure to love it, too. 🗡️

Ninja Five-O does an unexpected and much worthy rescue of an excellent title from the Game Boy Advance early days that ended up obscured by other big names that came out at the same time. Fans of Joe Musashi and Ryu Hayabusa who give a chance to Joe Osugi will definitely not disappoint.

Ninja Five-O delivers fast combat, grappling hook action, and modern features. Short but satisfying, it’s the best way to play this classic.

I enjoyed my brief time with Ninja Five-O. If you're feeling nostalgic for the heyday of the GBA, this is a great way to experience an apparently rare entry in its library.

Ninja Five-O was a great game when it was released in 2003 and it remains one today. Thankfully, this underrated Konami classic is now widely available and can be experienced by all. It’s one of Hudson Soft’s hidden gems and this is a lovely port of it that has some cool features and quality-of-life upgrades.

Players now have the golden opportunity to try one of the better games on GBA without taking out a second mortgage to do so. Before they do, though, they should understand that this is essentially an enhanced port, not a remaster or remake. If they reconcile themselves with that reality, and prepare for the game's short running time and old-school level of difficulty, they'll be in for a very good time.