Sharpen those katanas and load up on shuriken: developer Sabotage is unleashing an onslaught of retro ninjas on Nintendo Switch later this summer!
A love letter to the classic Ninja Gaiden series, The Messenger follows a young ninja’s journey through a cursed world filled with demonic beings in dire need of decapitation. The game initially presents itself as a fairly straightforward clone with side-scrolling stages, tight platforming, and familiar 8-bit action. The twist? Eventually gameplay transforms into an epic time traveling Metroidvania, swapping its NES aesthetic for 16-bit beauty on a whim. Tack on a memorable chiptune soundtrack and enough deadpan humor to fuel a Leslie Nielsen flick and this is sure to be one seductive adventure platforming fans won’t want to miss.
So whaddya think? Will you be carrying the scroll in the months to come? The game also promises to be chock-full of hidden levels and speedrunning opportunities. Perhaps some sleuthing is in order for a future Speedrun Sunday competition?
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Written by Matthew Weidner
When it comes to playing and writing about video games, Matthew aspires to be the very best, like no one ever was. Writing for Nintendo Wire and the thought of one day finally achieving a perfect, no death Super Meat Boy run fills him with determination.
