If you love the idea of speed runs and like the thrill of making every move count to beat the clock, then 10 Second Ninja might be for you. For everyone else, though, 10 Second Ninja is a repetitive and dull game, one whose philosophy on improvement is player-hostile for the entire ride.
In fact, there's art here too - the art of design, of precision and compulsion. 10 Second Ninja is a brief but expertly built piece of work; a game that offers the most hardcore of action-platforming but does so under the guise of simplicity and accessibility.
That's the other half. Thumb-mutilating skills coupled with reset after reset to shave milliseconds off times in pursuit of those required to unlock levels or climb the bragging rights only online leaderboard.
Super Meat Boy, while art is flat and characterless and interstitial story scenes are more indulgent than amusing. In short, the rewards are rarely commensurate with the effort: you’ll feel a strong compulsion to keep playing once you’ve started, but returning for another bout of punishment is surprisingly easy to resist.
Give 10 Second Ninja a minute of your time today – but don’t expect to get to level six. There is even a leaderboard so you can try and beat your friends to become the ultimate fighting master – testing your skills right down to the millisecond. Ready, steady, ninja!
Ultimately rewarding, 10 Second Ninja puts both your reflexes with a controller and your own personal mettle to the test for a game that can be just as hard to put down as it is to pick back up again.
Instant gratification combined with those stellar mechanics mean you’ve got a hardcore platformer with the hooks to keep you coming back for more. In the cold light of day, there could have been a few more levels, but overall, if you’ve got the ability to play PC games, this is one you should be buying as soon as you can.
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