Akane the Kunoichi

[table] [tr] [th][h1] My Playthrough [/h1][/th] [th]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97A8UaJG6Zw[/th] [/tr] [tr] [td][h1]The Review[/h1][/td] [td]A short but difficult platformer about a sexy ninja saving her master from a sexy villainess. The sprites looks good and the music is serviceable. For this price I recommend to anyone that are used to snes platformers.[/td] [/tr] [/table]

Gameplay feels like an old movie where the heroine keeps losing balance, and the graphics look like they're from the 1990s. Yet I still smile because it's oddly fun.

[h1]I 100% This Game Out of Pure Spite[/h1] I finished this game not out of joy, but out of the sheer [b]rage[/b] it caused me. Like everything, it has its positives and negatives... though the negatives definitely win here. [hr][/hr] [h2]Positives[/h2] [list] [] The somewhat cutesy, generic art style... it’s okay. [] The ending was sweet; seeing the heroine end up with the main love interest was a nice touch (you obviously need to grab all the kimonos). [/list] That’s... pretty much it. [hr][/hr] [h2]Negatives[/h2] [list] [] [b]NO tutorial[/b] : If you don’t check the controls, you’ll end up wondering why you can’t get a specific kimono on stage 5-1. Turns out, you can switch between three jutsus... but the game never tells you that. [] [b]Artificial difficulty[/b] : Incredibly frustrating, including: [list] [] [b]Very clunky controls[/b]. [] [b]Weird enemy placement[/b] in several areas. [*] Levels [b]4-3 through 5-3[/b] are some of the [i]worst levels[/i] I’ve played in a long time... especially 5-1 to 5-3, which are full of “GOTCHA!” moments that make you want to throw your computer out the window. [/list] [/list] I usually enjoy difficult games, but this one’s challenge…

This game is probably one of those games I used to buy with whatever change was left in my Steam wallet during a Summer sale in the past. It's a simple game, 15 levels, in sets of 3, with a boss in the X-3 level. You get 3 "scrolls" to cast jutsus in any X-1 or X-2 level and none in X-3s (which is just terrible, you could get AT LEAST ONE!). The controls are clunky, even with a controller, the plataforming is not precise due to bad hitboxes, the enemies get WAY TOO REPETITIVE and their hitboxes and hurtboxes are just terrible! Regarding bosses, the first is VERY simple, the second one has a VERY short window to deal damage to the weakspot, the third is a bit annoying and the fourth is just stupid after you get it's movements and dodge the projectiles. NOW, the fifth and last boss summons ordinary mobs while you have to walljump to get one or 2 hits every time while dealing with them (ninjas, dogs, projectile throwing ninjas and dudes that throw their hats). It's not a difficult one, but it's just VERY ANNOYING -- with most of the mobs taking 3 kunais to kill, there's nearly no time to do it and get a hit on the boss, which leads to a lot of wasted time cleaning up to not take …

“Akane the Kunoichi” is a compact, retro-inspired action-platformer that proudly embraces the spirit of classic ninja games from the 8- and 16-bit eras. Developed and published by Haruneko Entertainment, it offers a straightforward but charming adventure centered on Akane, a kunoichi whose master, Goro, has been kidnapped by a rival clan. The story is intentionally thin, functioning more as a stylized backdrop for a series of fast-paced platforming stages rather than a narrative centerpiece. What the game lacks in cinematic storytelling, it tries to make up for with brisk pacing, colorful presentation, and an affectionate tribute to retro action games where reflexes and level memorization mattered more than elaborate plot beats. Gameplay forms the heart of the experience, and Akane’s move set reflects the old-school influences that define the game. She can run, double-jump, cling to walls, and throw shuriken in rapid succession, creating a lively sense of momentum through the 15 stages spread across five themed chapters. Each chapter culminates in a boss fight, often featuring oversized foes whose exaggerated attack patterns evoke classic arcade-style encounters. Levels are pepper…

This game is worth playing because it's actually pretty tough, occasionally to the point of being frustrating. You move through 15 stages and kill five bosses, collecting kimonos along the way. They don't do anything but add to the achievements. A few of the bosses are very difficult, and there were many times where I had to come up with strategies to clear areas because just running through it got me killed. Throwing the knife weapon is fun, and you have three seperate powerups you can use to do an area of effect attack. Nothing special but worth a playthrough.