Move Like Ninja

I-Ninja, Namco's and Argonaut's new action platformer, takes you inside the bobbly-head of a fledgling ninja. The ninja, or Ninja for short, has just slain his own sensei during a rescue attempt. Now guided by the Obi Wan -like spirit of his mentor, Ninja must track down the evil Master O-Dor across five worlds so that O-Dor's infectious rage can be terminated.

In the process, this bad ass, wise-cracking warrior will battle against legions of Ranx (as detailed in our Hands-On). Although he's just a white belt (his other mission is to eventually earn a belt of black), Ninja has a surprising arsenal of moves he can unleash on the bad guys -- rivaling such famous ninjas as Ryu Hayabusa and Hotsuma. Since, deep down, we all wish we could wear black pajamas and chuck shurikens whilst wall running, what better way to sneak up on I-Ninja than with a little Ninja 101?

Disclaimer: We don't advise you practice these ninja lessons yourself -- leave that to your bobble-headed console friend.

Ever since he slew his sensei, Ninja's soul has lived off a rage. This might be because he was stupid enough to touch a rage orb -- but that diagnosis is pure speculation. What we do know is that as our agile bobble-head kills Ranx, his rage meter fills up. Once it's at its peak, the rage can be unleashed through a berserker mode, which gives Ninja a burst of invincibility (and the desire to cry out "Must Kill!").

The trick here is building up your rage meter. Combos are the key. Ninja has two main attacks -- one is a straight forward slash while the other is a spin move that can knock out multiple enemies. Combining the attacks with the jump button unlocks a few powerful combos, like the lightening chop that slices enemies in half. Juggling Ranx is another ninja favorite, which can be done with stealthy uppercut slash performed by simultaneously pressing the jump and attack buttons. With this knowledge of combos, ninjas won't have to worry about finding inner peace since their souls will be filled with inner rage.

The biggest problem with being a ninja is that there are always obstacles that need passing or bad guys that need avoiding. What's a ninja to do when confronted by a huge wall or menacing sentry bot? Well, young ninja, the secret lies in your ability to do the "Ninja Walk." This isn't a new dance step -- instead lather some super glue on your old wooden sandals and take a leap of faith.

Like his Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi predecessors, Ninja can run on walls simply by jumping towards them and moving forward. However, he's not limited to horizontal movement. Ninja is also able to vertically navigate walls, run up and down half pipes (giving Ninja enough momentum to reach high ledges), and wall jump (propel himself off walls to reach higher structures. You're going to need a whole lot of the glue to get past barriers as you track down O-Dor, so you better learn this lesson well -- just be happy you don't need to talk ninja talk.

Sometimes, even the world's largest supply of super glue will be of no avail since there won't always be walls to run along. To get past this obstacle, you're going to have to use your Ninja Chains. No, you don't need a Spawn-like suit. Instead, always be sure to carry lots of heavy chain and a grappling hook. You can chuck this chain at rings you'll find conveniently attached to ceilings and use them to swing like Tarzan across giant chasms.

If you think there just isn't challenge in chain swinging, as an aspiring ninja you'll also have to use your chains to anchor yourself when you go on rollercoaster-like rides. Ninja has a habit of running down steep inclines and when he comes to a turn in the track he'll have to throw is chains at a post -- or else he'll be propelled over the edge. This takes timing. If you throw too early you won't hit the post, and if you throw to late then you won't make the turn. The same can be said for the release because if you hold on too long you'll go off the inner edge, but if you release too soon you'll fly off the outer one. Practice this skill or else you'll be a very dead little ninja.