Star Ninja has been available at the Windows Phone Marketplace for some time now and pits ninjas against pirates. Not exactly your classic conflict but entertaining nonetheless.
The game includes four game modes and fifty levels of play. It does have a Shuriken Ninja feel to it but challenging enough to stand on its own. To find out more about Star Ninja, skip on past the break.
Game Layout
From Star Ninja's Main Menu you can view the local/online leaderboards, access options (sound, music, username), and enter the game. Star Ninja has four game modes that are progressively unlocked. The ultimate goal of each mode is to take out all the pirates. The modes are:
Focus Mode has a limited number of stars to throw per level with a time based bonus awarded at the end of the level.
Frenzy (my personal favorite) has unlimited stars to throw but a limited time to take out all your enemies.
Campaign Mode has you work your way through the levels with a limited number of stars at your disposal. Your score is cumulative over all the levels.
Speed Run is similar to the Campaign Mode but adds a timer to the mix. The faster you complete the level, the more points you accumulate. As with Campaign Mode, your score is cumulative over all the levels.
You begin by playing the Focus Mode and after you reach the 10th level in this mode, the Frenzy Mode becomes available. As you progress further, the other two modes become available.
Game Play
Game play is simple. In Focus and Campaign Modes, you have a cross hair that you aim your throws with. Once you have the aim set, tap the ninja to throw.
In Frenzy and Speed Run, ninja stars are thrown by simply tapping the screen where you want the ninja to throw at. This interface is designed for speed.
Throwing stars will ricochet off the tops and sides of the screens and off walls. You also have items that will help you take out the pirates such as black powder kegs that explode and anchors that will drop down on the pirates.
Once you take out all the pirates, the ninja glows with an aura of success and you progress to the next level. Speaking of which, the same fifty levels span all four game modes. Not sure if that's a bad thing or not.
Overall Impression
Star Ninja is a fun, entertaining, short game. Between the four game modes, there's plenty of gaming but it goes quick. Luckily you can re-play each level to try to top your previous score.
I would have liked to have seen more levels of play and hopefully more will be added with the next update. The game ran without a hitch and was fun while it lasted. It just didn't last too long.
There is a free trial version available for Star Ninja with the full version running $1.29. You can download both here (opens Zune) at the Marketplace.
