NEW LIFE TO OLD JOINTS
Also for: PS Vita, Windows, Xbox One
My first sessions with 10 Second Ninja X came with the painful
realization that I'm too old for this shit. "I soon won't be able to finish a
game like this", I thought. My stiff hands and fingers struggled to keep up
with the necessary pace. My dulling senses struggled to comprehend what I did
wrong and how to rectify it. In my darkest moments of despair, I imagined
being reduced to playing nothing but Solitaire and Chess in a few years from
now.
The basic idea behind this hardcore, yet charming 2D-puzzle platformer is that
you need to beat each level within ten seconds. You do so by destroying all
the immobile robots before time runs out. Assuming the role of a cool cartoon
ninja, you're equipped with a sword and three shuriken (throwing stars,
y'know), and have the ability to double jump.
It's an exhausting experience, like a series of mental 100-metre dashes. As
soon as you make your first move, the countdown starts. All levels, save for
the first few, require you to make good use of your shuriken, because running
to all of your targets takes too long. If you fail, you immediately get to try
again. Each level gives you infinite attempts.
It's an addictive little gem, albeit not terribly long-lasting. You progress
through the levels in a mobile game fashion, i.e. you get a star rating based
on your performance. The quicker you are, the more stars you get. To unlock a
new world (there are six of them, each containing ten levels) you need a
certain amount of stars. One for each level isn't enough, so you must single
out a few to master. To earn that third star, you need to find the perfect
route and perform a flawless run.
In a game like this, the most important things for the developer (Four Circle Interactive) are to get the controls and level designs right. They do not disappoint;
the ninja responds instantly to your input, and the early levels have that
black hole simplicity that sucks you in and then you're hooked, for better or
worse. Four Circle add a few new features to each new world, like armored
enemies that you need to hit twice, or levers that open and close hatches. In
short, the level design is great with no clear difficulty spikes, but a
steadily mounting difficulty.
You quickly realize when you screw up - like when you waste a shuriken - and
retrying is just a simple shoulder button-press away. Since so many other
games use these as attack buttons, this means you often mistakingly restart
the level in the heat of the moment. In any other game that would count as
frustrating, but here you only lose a few seconds. It's no big deal, and the
ease of a split second retry makes it worth it.
All you do is jump around and destroy robots, but it feels more like a puzzle
game than an actual platformer. What's the quickest route? How can you make
best use of your shuriken? Are some robots lined up so you can utilize the way
the stars continue straight through anything they destroy? You quickly learn
to read the levels as some sort of language, deciphering certain routes as
shuriken paths, and others as ways for the ninja to run. You may unlock hints
revealing the optimal route, but getting it right yourself makes you feel so
accomplished, asking for help takes some of the fun away.
I'm surprised to discover online that the game contains 100 levels. That must
include the unlockable bonus levels and the different marathon modes. You also
have a big airship to explore and a few characters to interact with in a cute
and simplistic story. Some reside in various hidden rooms throughout the ship,
and in finding them you all you may even unlock a survivalist mini-game called
Nunnageddon II: Think of the Children.
10 Second Ninja X always lets you know how close you are to that next star
level. I once missed a third star with an 0.02 second margin (and earned a
trophy for it). I think that simple trick motivates you more than you'd care
to admit. It makes the power fantasy hit even closer to home. You don't get
any character upgrades to aid you in this game, you just power through on
player skills alone. I don't think I'll ever be able to 100% it, but just
watching the ending credits is more than enough for me.
Right after beating it I tried out another hard, old platformer I hadn't
played in awhile, and on my first attempt I got further than ever before. I
owe it all to 10 Second Ninja X, as well as the restored hope in my own gaming
prowess. I feel ready to take on the world. Ninja Gaiden, here I come.
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