Summary
- Ninja Five-O, a cult-classic GBA game, will be re-released on modern platforms with minimal changes.
- Originally named Ninja Cop, the title gained popularity with a North American and European marketing move.
- Konami confirmed the re-release by Limited Run Games for PS4, PS5, Switch, and Steam with added quality-of-life features.
One of the cult-classic Ninja Gaiden successors, Ninja Five-O, has been confirmed for re-release on modern platforms. Originally released in 2003, this Japanese title has become one of the rarest GameBoy Advance games, due in part to its limited cartridge run. Now, over twenty years later, new-gen consoles will get the chance to run Ninja Five-O, giving modern players a shot at one of the gaming industry's most underappreciated gems.
Ninja Five-O is also known as Ninja Cop in some regions as the "Five-O" part was a marketing move for the North American and European releases, playing off the popularity of the 60s TV show "Hawaii Five-O." Developed by the Japanese company Hudson Software, the game was never released in Japan for undisclosed reasons. Even in regions where it was available, Ninja Five-O has remained one of the rarest GBA titles, with some copies fetching over $1,000 on eBay.
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Konami has announced that Ninja Five-O will be re-released on February 25 for PS4, PS5, Switch, and Steam. Physical copies of Ninja Five-O are priced at $34.99 across all platforms, while the sold-out Collector’s Edition bundles were priced at $79.99. Physical copies on the game’s official website are sold out as well. However, players can pre-order the digital version for a lower price of $21.24. It's important to note that this isn't a remake as the game will feature the original controls and graphics. That said, a few quality-of-life improvements have been added to bring the game up to modern standards.
Konami Set to Re-Release 20-Year-Old Game with Minimal Updates
Konami previously confirmed that the re-release of Ninja Five-O is being handled by the American company Limited Run Games. This port removes the game from the list of GBA-exclusive titles. However, the re-release adds minimal changes, with just two quality-of-life features: Quick save and instant rewind. Quick save allows players to exit the game at any point without worrying about checkpoints, similar to many modern games. The instant rewind feature, possibly inspired by Prince of Persia, lets players reverse time by up to five seconds.
Many fans feel the upcoming relaunch is a missed opportunity, as Ninja Five-O is one of the GBA games that truly deserves a remake. On the bright side, this port will give more gamers the chance to experience one of the best action platformers in gaming history. Previously, players had to rely on emulators or pay high prices on eBay to get their hands on the game. Now, they can easily purchase it like any other modern title and either relive old memories or see how games looked twenty years ago.
- Released
- April 17, 2003
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Violence
- Developer(s)
- Hudson Soft
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
- Engine
- Carbon
WHERE TO PLAY
Ninja Five-O entrenches you into the epic and ruthless voyage of Joe Osugi, who is a detective and players become the Ninja Five-O. Utilize a wide variety of masterful ninja skills to uphold justice by solving treacherous crimes such as bank heists and hijackings. Use unique Ninjutsu moves to protect the city of Zipangu and take down the evil Mad Mask bosses.
The key features of the game will be: Ninjutsu, varity of attack modes. Time Trial mode, already cleared stage can be replayed in this timed mode. Each state will have a time target, where the objective is try to clear the stage before the alloted time is up. Save game (progression) at any time, and Rewind feature.
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance
- Genre(s)
- Action, Platformer
- How Long To Beat
- 3 Hours
