Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell review

The Diminutive ’80s Ninja Gets the All-Star Treatment

The Diminutive ’80s Ninja Gets the All-Star Treatment

Modern remakes of last century’s games don’t always succeed. For every Cotton Reboot! or Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap there are a multitude of disappointing misfires like Bomberman: Act Zero or Boulder Dash Deluxe. Pleasingly, Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell falls into the former category, offering a spirited revision that improves on the original.

If you’re not familiar with Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, that’s completely understandable. Although the 1985 title eventually made appearances on Nintendo’s Virtual Console and Nintendo Switch Online services, it remained in Japan for over two decades. And that’s rather surprising, as Jaleco’s spin-off was a commercial achievement on the Famicom, selling over a million copies.

“Sure, I Can!” said the Ninja

With the release of Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell, co-developers City Connection and Hello Guest seem determined to familiarize Western players with the crimson ninja’s exploits. After selecting either a single-player or cooperative game, you’ll be chaperoned through a sequence of progressively challenging levels. While most of the stages scroll in four directions, each isn’t much larger than the screen, recalling the Shellcreeper-kicking setting of the original Mario Bros.

Much like the early Nintendo coin-op, JaJaMaru (or one of the game’s twenty-three unlockable playable characters) shifts across parallel platforms. While the ninja can freely drop down on opponents to stun them, he can only venture upward by breaking a section of floor. Do this when an enemy is stepping on it, and they’ll become prone for a few seconds. But be aware that enemies can do the same, pushing you into a stunned state. Luckily, standard opponents only harm you with their projectiles.

JaJaMaru has an endless supply of shuriken. Several successive attacks can take down tougher foes, while some opponents succumb after being hit once or twice. Pleasingly, you can counter most enemy projectiles with your throwing stars, which helps make JaJaMaru feel mighty. He’ll communicate prosperity as well since adversaries leak gold Jalecoins whenever they are defeated. Given the combination of running, jumping, and emitting a plethora of projectiles, calling The Great Yokai Battle a fusion of Mario Bros. with Bubble Bobble wouldn’t be too reductionist. Like those classics, the conflict is relentlessly engaging, as you strive to eliminate each enemy.

Beware the Human Minecart

Like the best mixtures of mechanics, it’s also a lot of fun. Initially, taking down the spirits is stress-free. But soon, the game tosses larger numbers of increasingly potent adversaries at you, requiring you to evaluate and prioritize each on-screen threat. Like the games of yesteryear, occasionally there’s a power-up lurking in an oddly colored floor tile. Collecting that ability at the right time can be the key to beating some of the game’s tougher levels. Fortunately, Yokai Battle breaks up its gimmick stages.

There are also the standard power-ups that randomly fall when normal floor titles are broken. Some of these can regenerate a bit of health, turn JaJaMaru into a human minecart, or drop a bomb that can injure both yokai and ninja. By gathering enough scrolls, you can even harness the power of Ninpo Gama Pakkun. This ninja magic conjures up a giant frog that you ride on, as you hop about, swallowing foes like flies. It’s also infrequent enough to make you appreciate the power of your kick-ass amphibian.

Hell Mode Brings RPG-style Leveling

An unlockable Hell mode increases the level of adversity but adds an experience system for JaJaMaru. However, The Great Yokai Battle offers plenty of additional dividends. At the end of a stage, collected Jalecoins and souls are counted up, and new items like retro music and development art are unlocked at regular intervals. But the real treat is the additional playable characters, many of which permit you to play as enemy yokai. Each controls differently, has a unique weapon, and offensive and defensive traits, inviting an adjustment to your play style. Lastly, there are online leaderboards for single- and two-player games. But at present, the tables appear to be leisurely updated.

Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell can be purchased digitally for $19.99. But for $10 more, the deluxe edition includes five additional games from the JaJaMaru franchise. From the original Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, three sequels, a Game Boy adaptation, and the SNES version of Super Ninja-kid, the collection reveals the property’s capricious trajectory. Yes, by the third and final Famicom outing, JaJaMaru resembles a Super Mario Bros. 3 hack. But for retro aficionados, the anthology is solid, even if the original Ninja Kid and Ninja Jajamaru-kun: Onikiri Ninpou Chou are notably absent.

Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle +Hell Deluxe Edition was
played on the Switch with review code provided by the publisher.