Ninja Assault

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}{{Infobox video game | title = Ninja Assault | image = Ninja Assault Flyer.jpeg | caption = North American arcade flyer | developer = Now Production | publisher = Namco{{vgrelease|EU|Sony Computer Entertainment (PS2)}} | composer = Hiroto Sasaki | released = '''Arcade'''{{vgrelease|JP|November 9, 2000<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 7, 2000 |title=Namco Readies ''Ninja Assault'' for Arcades |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/07/namco-readies-ninja-assault-for-arcades |access-date=December 31, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>|NA|November 2000<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=August 30, 2000 |title=''Ninja Assault'': 1st Person Blasting from Namco |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/08/31/ninja-assault-1st-person-blasting-from-namco |access-date=December 31, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>}}'''PlayStation 2'''<br>{{vgrelease|JP|September 9, 2002|PAL|October 4, 2002|NA|November 18, 2002}} | genre = Light-gun shooter | modes = Single-player, multiplayer | platforms = Arcade, PlayStation 2 | arcade system = Sega NAOMI }}

{{nihongo foot|'''''Ninja Assault'''''|ニンジャアサルト|Ninja Asaruto|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 2000 light-gun shooter video game developed by Now Production and published by Namco for arcades. It was ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2002.

== Gameplay == {{expand section|date=September 2013}}

''Ninja Assault'' was developed by Namco, who also created the ''Time Crisis'' series. However, this game has more in common with ''Lethal Enforcers'', ''Virtua Cop'', and ''The House of the Dead'' series, whereby the movement is completely "on-rails" (i.e., with no hiding pedal), and the player must shoot away from the screen to reload. Both versions of this game support up to two players in cooperative gameplay.

==Plot== The story, according to the opening movie, is as follows:

"Once upon a time in feudal Japan, a brutal war raged. No one foresaw its conclusion, at least not in the manner in which it unfolded. And now...the evil Shogun Kigai has kidnapped Princess Koto in order to sacrifice her for his resurrection ritual. But there is hope.... Two courageous ninjas (Guren and Gunjo) have stepped forward. The battle among humans has ceased. And in its place, a new battle has begun: humans against demons."

== Release == {{expand section|date=September 2013}}

''Ninja Assault'' is advertised in in-game email message in Monolith Soft and Namco's ''Xenosaga Episode I''. After finishing the PS2 release of the game, one would unlock a code that could be entered in the contest at Namco's website to win a copy of the game.

== Reception == {{Video game reviews | MC = 60/100<ref name=MC>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ninja-assault/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=Ninja Assault for PlayStation 2 Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=May 8, 2020 |archive-date=February 13, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250213133959/https://www.metacritic.com/game/ninja-assault/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> | EGM = 6.67/10<ref name=EGM>{{cite magazine |author=EGM staff |title=Ninja Assault [Import] |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=158 |date=September 2002 |page=150}}</ref> | EuroG = 5/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Reed |first=Kristan |date=October 14, 2002 |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_ninjaassault_ps2 |title=Ninja Assault |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network |accessdate=May 9, 2020 |archive-date=December 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203142303/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_ninjaassault_ps2 |url-status=live }}</ref> | Fam = 28/40<ref name=Fam>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=1987&redirect=no |title=ニンジャアサルト [PS2] |language=ja |magazine=Famitsu |publisher=Enterbrain |accessdate=May 8, 2020}}</ref> | GI = 6.25/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Ninja Assault |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=GameStop |issue=118 |date=February 2003 |page=98}}</ref> | GamePro = 3.5/5<ref name=GamePro>{{cite magazine |author=Four-Eyed Dragon |date=September 16, 2002 |url=http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/26225.shtml |title=Ninja Assault Review for PS2 on GamePro.com |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG Entertainment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050208055857/http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/26225.shtml |archive-date=February 8, 2005 |accessdate=May 9, 2020}}</ref> | GSpot = 5.6/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Davis |first=Ryan |date=December 2, 2002 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ninja-assault-review/1900-2899186/ |title=Ninja Assault Review |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=May 8, 2020 |archive-date=May 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530065641/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ninja-assault-review/1900-2899186/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | GameZone = 6.5/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Bedigian |first=Louis |date=December 1, 2002 |url=https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/ninja_assault_ps2_review/ |title=Ninja Assault - PS2 - Review |website=GameZone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004110732/http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r20290.htm |archive-date=October 4, 2008 |url-status=live |accessdate=May 9, 2020}}</ref> | IGN = 5/10<ref name=IGN>{{cite web |last=Dunham |first=Jeremy |date=September 16, 2002 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/16/ninja-assault |title=Ninja Assault [Import] |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |accessdate=May 8, 2020 |archive-date=May 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530065642/https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/16/ninja-assault |url-status=live }}</ref> | OPM = 2.5/5<ref name=OPM>{{cite magazine |title=Ninja Assault [Import] |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=61 |date=October 2002 |page=150}}</ref> | XPlay = 2/5<ref>{{cite web |last=Fielder |first=Joe |date=January 20, 2003 |url=http://www.techtv.com/extendedplay/reviews/story/0,24330,3413686,00.html |title='Ninja Assault' (PS2) Review |website=X-Play |publisher=TechTV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030124030617/http://www.techtv.com/extendedplay/reviews/story/0,24330,3413686,00.html |archive-date=January 24, 2003 |accessdate=May 9, 2020}}</ref> }}

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Ninja Assault'' on their December 15, 2000 issue as being the fourth most-successful dedicated arcade game of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - 完成品夕イプのTVゲーム機 (Dedicated Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=624|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=15 December 2000|page=17|lang=ja}}</ref>

The PS2 version received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.<ref name=MC/> In its preview, ''IGN'' compared it with ''The House of the Dead 2''.<ref>{{cite web |author=IGN staff |date=May 2, 2002 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/06/ninja-assault-2 |title=Ninja Assault (Preview) |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |accessdate=May 8, 2020 |archive-date=February 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217232043/http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/05/06/ninja-assault-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> The same website later gave the Japanese version a mixed review over two months before it was released Stateside, along with ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'', ''GamePro'', ''Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine'', and ''PSM''.<ref name=EGM/><ref name=GamePro/><ref name=IGN/><ref name=OPM/><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Review: Ninja Assault |magazine=PSM |publisher=Imagine Media |date=October 2002 |page=40}}</ref> In Japan, ''Famitsu'' gave it a score of 28 out of 40.<ref name=Fam/>

==Notes== {{notelist}} == References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{moby game|id=/ninja-assault}}

Category:2000 video games Category:Arcade video games Category:Cooperative video games Category:Light gun games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Namco games Category:Now Production games Category:PlayStation 2 games Category:Rail shooters Category:Sony Interactive Entertainment games Category:Video games about ninja Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:Video games featuring female protagonists Category:Video games set in feudal Japan