Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 37
  2. Negative: 0 out of 37
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  1. Mini Ninjas is just purely, simply a great video game. Period.
  2. Lack of replay value aside, this is a game that you absolutely should not miss.
  3. Play Magazine
    90
    Mini Ninjas is simply wonderful on PS3 and 360. An original break-the-mold adventure filled with tight, constantly evolving action spread across 6 super cool ninja, and more (and better) exploration than the majority of open-worlds. Biggest surprise yet, this year.
  4. Mini Ninjas is an adorable game that will certainly appeal to younger gamers, while more advanced gamers may only play it for a couple of hours.
  5. 83
    Mini Ninjas is for the little gamers. The game has a lot of great humor and a very interesting visual style. But the missing cooperative option is a great miss.
  6. Mini Ninjas is about having fun. It might not be the best game on the market but it should provide plenty of fun and enjoyment for almost any gamer.
  7. Despite the disappointment of there being no co-op play in Mini Ninjas' campaign, the game does enough to keep players entertained through well mixed gameplay, loveable characters, stylistically beautiful environments, and good humour. The Japanese story is finely applied and a wide audience will enjoy this title, meaning that it fulfils its remit and then some.
  8. 80
    Even though Mini Ninjas might not be as in-depth or content heavy as its modern peers, it's still a beautiful, fun game that opens up ninja culture to kids.
  9. Mini Ninjas is a rare gem amongst the mediocrity of E-rated rubbish. It probably won't win any awards for its gameplay, but you'll be having so much fun that you won't notice you are only pressing a few buttons.
  10. Play UK
    80
    It might not light the world on fire, but Mini Ninjas is a good, solid game. [Issue#74, p.74]
  11. Mini Ninjas offers a colorful and fun glimpse into the culture of ninjas. The game itself is a little bit short but it makes up for it by adding a wonderful mix of charming characters and moments that are suitable for all ages. Simply put, this is a must have if you love ninjas and Japanese culture in any way.
  12. AceGamez
    80
    Be you 6 or 60, IO Interactive have created a game that can be enjoyed by just about anyone, without succumbing to the pitfalls of modern day 'casual game' design, and in doing so have given this gamer hope for the future of family gaming.
  13. At the end of the day, Mini Ninjas may not be the most innovative arcade game in terms of play, however it’s a sturdy game that although doesn’t try to be clever, it manages to get the job done.
  14. 78
    Mini Ninjas is a good action game, entertaining, enjoyable and able to offer some hours of good fun, but far from being one of the great games of the genre.
  15. This is one of those productions where there isn’t anything glaringly bad and there’s a healthy gameplay mechanic at its core.
  16. As a result of all the hard work, this is a rewarding game to play and one that everyone should experience.
  17. Whether you're big or small, there's a lot to like about these little ninjas and their lengthy journey.
  18. If you don’t put the cute ninjas and animals under a magnifying glass, you can see a great game underneath the happy exterior . The graphics are ok, and you can see IO has tried to put down a Japanese style for the game. The gameplay is throughout the game pretty much the same thing and a lot of challenge you wont find. But in the end Mini Ninjas is a simple and entertaining game.
  19. With Mini Ninjas you’ll get an entertaining and entertaining action adventure. I can recommend it to children and adults who are looking for a nonviolent game.
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 80 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 80
  2. Negative: 12 out of 80
  1. Nov 27, 2015
    8
    I hesitated a lot between 9 and 8 so think more of this review as an 8.5, now why did I hesitate ?

    Artistically Mini Ninjas is very hard
    I hesitated a lot between 9 and 8 so think more of this review as an 8.5, now why did I hesitate ?

    Artistically Mini Ninjas is very hard not to love with lovely musics and sounds than delight the ears are in perfect harmony with the action, and some of the cutest graphics I've ever seen even if the textures are a little rough on the edge they're okay for a 2009 game, really a great art job IO.

    The story is what you'll expect from a childish ninja game, with little jokes to please the older audience of the game, and if you want to finish the game to the 100% it will take you about 12 hours (with some replay value if you want to try different styles of gameplay), which is again what you'll expect with a game like that.

    Now gameplay wise if some camera issues during the fights is clearly the weak point of the game, the first hours were so awesome you'll be introduce to so many things you can choose to fight like a warrior, a ninja or a wizard using magic, collect ingredients to make potions, etc... That's when you realized that the same developers also did Hitman, you can deal with each situation in different ways, of course it's not as developed as in Hitman but still very nice to have. the issue is that you're given too much at the start and don't get anything new at the end of the game, and that the lack of difficulty, even in the hardest mode, also make those different not very important, no matter what you choose it'll always be easy.

    In conclusion this was a lovely game, especially the first hours that were awesome, but the lack of difficulty, a weak camera and some trouble in game design may ending boring you. Still a must for young players and recommendable for everyone else. A shame they didn't get a chance to sharpen the experience with a sequel.
    Full Review »
  2. Feb 18, 2023
    9
    This game was Hifi Rush before Hifi Rush. The developers went out of their confort zone and made this game, a really good childhood memory ofThis game was Hifi Rush before Hifi Rush. The developers went out of their confort zone and made this game, a really good childhood memory of mine. Really cool esthetics, enjoyable cartoon graphics and a chill vibe altogether.
    This score is not objective, but for me it was truly a 9/10 experience.
    Full Review »
  3. Sep 15, 2021
    9
    great game one of the best games i have played on playstation 3