Return of the Ninja Gameboy game

Shadow of the Ninja," an NES action game from Natsume released in 1991, distinguished itself from the popular Ninja Gaiden series by offering cooperative play. A decade later, "Return of the Ninja" emerged, suggesting itself as a sequel to its predecessor. However, the connection between the two is tenuous; outsourced to Act Japan, "Return of the Ninja" lacks shared staff and wasn't released in Japan.

Despite this, "Return of the Ninja" features two playable characters, male ninja Tsukikage and female ninja Sayuri, embarking on a quest to recover a stolen scroll. While lacking the NES title's cooperative mode, the characters exhibit unique abilities - Tsukikage wields shurikens while Sayuri employs boomerangs. Unlike its predecessor, which offered various weapons, "Return of the Ninja" emphasizes ninja gear like claws for digging and sandals for increased jump height.

Levels in "Return of the Ninja" are open-ended, though limited Game Boy Color resolution can hinder navigation. The game lacks checkpoints, necessitating restarts upon death. Although the inclusion of ninja tools and exploration sounds promising, execution falls short; items feel more like "lock and key" mechanisms than exciting discoveries. Additionally, a quasi-stealth mechanic adds little depth due to arbitrary enemy placement.

Visually, "Return of the Ninja" is average, lacking the technical prowess of its predecessor. Background variety aids navigation in open-ended stages, but the soundtrack pales in comparison to Natsume's NES games.

While "Return of the Ninja" deviates from typical Game Boy Color fare, it fails to reach the heights of Natsume's NES titles or other ninja games. Its rarity has made it a sought-after collector's item, though its quality doesn't match predecessors or contemporaries like "Shinobi" or "Ninja Five-O.