Ninjabread Man

Ninjabread Man

His special move is the asset flip.

Protagonist:	The Ninjabread Man
Platforms:	Microsoft Windows PlayStation 2 Nintendo Wii
Release Date:	PlayStation 2 EU: July 13, 2005 Microsoft Windows EU: July 23, 2005 Nintendo Wii EU: September 21, 2007 AU: September 27, 2007 NA: October 3, 2007
Developer:	Data Design Interactive
Publisher:	EU: Metro3D Europe (PS2, PC) EU/AU: Popcorn Arcade (Wii) NA: Conspiracy Entertainment
Franchise:	Ninjabread Man
Next Game:	Ninjabread Man II Blades of Fury (cancelled)

Ninjabread Man is a 2005 platforming video game developed by Data Design Interactive and published by Metro3D Europe for the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows only in European regions. In 2007, the Nintendo Wii version was released in North America by Conspiracy Entertainment and DDI as Popcorn Arcade label in Europe and Australia. The game was originally going to be a third game in the long-defunct Zool series, but Data Design failed to acquire the rights, after pitching the game to Zoo Digital Publishing.

Why It Sucks

There are only three levels, and the whole game can be completed within 30 minutes.
Extremely poor camera.
Poor controls. The Wii port is the worst offender, with almost unresponsive motion controls. Who thought flicking the Nunchuk was for jumping?
Little-to-no challenge. You can effortlessly kill enemies from a distance with projectiles that are in infinite supply, and there's always an arrow telling you exactly where to go. The only challenge comes from the unresponsive controls.
Mind-numbingly boring gameplay.
Extremely bad graphics. It would look horrid for a Nintendo 64 game.
Almost non-existent story.
When you collect a heart with full health, you earn an extra life, but your health is reduced in half.
No ending. Once you complete the third level, you go right back to the title screen.
The additional game modes are terrible.
False advertising: Most of the stuff explained in the manual for the game is not actually in the game.
- There is a note where it tells you that you press the Z button to jump, but the game never tells you that. Remember, this is a game about a ninja.
Asset theft: the PC version uses Gingy from Shrek in the load file menu. We're not kidding. Within the game files, a voice clip of Yoshi can be found.
To save costs, Data Design recycled the source code and engine for this game to create Anubis II, Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland and Rock 'N' Roll Adventures. Apart from having a different skin and graphics, the games feature identical gameplay, music, controls and the same level of quality: trash.

Redeeming Qualities

The music, while seems repetitive and generic, is fairly decent.
The cover art is quite cool.
The concept of a gingerbread man ninja was admittedly creative. Too bad it was poorly executed, though.
Clever name pun.

Reception

The game was widely panned by critics upon its release. On GameRankings it has a 31% for the PlayStation 2 version and a 17.5% for the Nintendo Wii version, on Metacritic the Wii version received a 20/100 (generally unfavorable reviews) based on six reviews, and IGN gave the Wii version a 1.5/10, describing "It’s buggy, often completely broken, somehow manages to have frame issues in tiny levels, and is completely ruthless if (and when) younger players die."

Eurogamer gave it a 1/10, similarly like other platforming games from DDI.

Thunderbolt scored the game as 1/10, criticizing the game's length and the unimaginative use of the character as key flaws.

On GRY-Online.pl, the game received a 1.6/10 rating from users, while on Google, Ninjabread Man received 24% likes.