Ninjatown
SouthPeak Games
Nintendo DS
1-2 Wireless DS Multi & Single Card Play
E for Everyone
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To put it simply, Ninjatown is somewhat analogous to “Starcraft: Lite”. The devilishly cute trappings act only as a mask for a much more complicated affair. This, however, can also be a catch 22 for players expecting a fully realized RTS; Ninjatown is instead somewhere in between.
Ol' Master Ninja is the village elder and overseer to the numerous fights against Mr. Demon's minions. Wee Ninja's act as a player's staple unit in combat and they, like every other unit the game, are bound to a specific area of movement. Because enemies are limited to a particular path and players are limited to creating Ninja Huts -- buildings that produce different Ninja types depending on their color -- in specific areas on the map, careful planning is needed to ensure success. Fortunately, enemies are shown approaching the battlefield beforehand so that players can prepare. When demons enter the combat area (from a specific entrance shown on the map) their main objective is to scurry, dawdle, or fly to one or several potential exits, and whether the Ninjas a player has enlisted pose a threat or not is of little consequence.
If this were simply a tower defense game it'd be fine, albeit a little simple, but because it has the markings of an RTS -- Ninjas can be upgraded, players can set rally points, modifier buildings can be built in later stages, players can destroy and rebuild anything they create -- Ninjatown feels more simple than it should be. For example, a player cannot control individual units but must instead treat them as a whole; additionally, aside from setting a rally point, players have no control over where their units are positioned. Call it nitpicky or simply minutiae but it's disconnects like these that left me wanting more options. Speaking of which, there is only a story mode and multiplayer mode available throughout the game's entirety, which is also disappointing as a map and/or level editor would have been a phenomenal inclusion.
