Ninjabread Man

Ninjabread Man is a 2005 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 on October 3, 2007 in North America. Ninjabread Man was published as part of Data Design Interactive's 'Popcorn Arcade' brand of Wii games.

Ninjabread Man
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)
Platform(s)Wii, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • EU: 13 July 2005
Microsoft Windows
  • EU: 23 July 2005
Wii
  • EU: 21 September 2007
  • AU: 27 September 2007
  • NA: 3 October 2007
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single player

Upon release, Ninjabread Man received universally negative reviews from critics due to 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
An upwards motion on the Nunchuk or press of the Z Button allows the player to jump.

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 a standalone original game. Despite this, evidence for the game originally being a Zool game are still present; such as leftover Zool-themed levels 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

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.[12]

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 – Blades of Fury was announced.[13] However, it was never released for unknown reasons and Data Design Interactive later went out of business in 2012.[14][15]

See also

References
  1. Morton, Philip (6 January 2008). "Ninjabread Man Wii review". Thunderbolt. Archived from the original on 28 February 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  2. "IGN: Ninjabread Man". IGN. Archived from the original on 20 August 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  3. "Ninjabread Man - The Cutting Room Floor". tcrf.net. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  4. "Unreleased Zool animated intro - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  5. "Ninjabread Man Reviews". Archived from the original on 28 July 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  6. "Ninjabread Man Reviews". Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  7. "Ninjabread Man (wii: 2007): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2008.
  8. Lyon, James (16 October 2007). "Popcorn Arcade Roundup". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  9. Bozon, Mark (8 January 2008). "Ninjabread Man Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  10. "Test : NinjaBread Man". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). 7 November 2007. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  11. Dickens, Anthony (4 November 2007). "Ninjabread Man Review (Wii)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  12. "Ninjabread Man". Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  13. "Data Design Interactive » Highlights » Ninjabread Man – Blades of Fury". Archived from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
  14. "NinjaBread Man 2: Blades of Fury [Wii - Cancelled] - Unseen64". Unseen64: Beta, Cancelled & Unseen Videogames!. 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  15. "DATA DESIGN INTERACTIVE LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
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