10 Second Ninja X PS4 Review

There’s not a whole lot that an average person can do in 10 seconds, but that’s exactly the amount of time that you are given to complete each level in 10 Second Ninja X. It quickly becomes understandable as to why the developer chose a ninja character as the main star – you really do have to have reflexes like a ninja to make any headway in this game.

10 Second Ninja was first released on the PC, but 10 Second Ninja X is the first time that the game has also appeared on consoles. With 60 brand new levels as well as the HD remastering of all 40 levels from the original game, this is a hugely enhanced package in comparison to the original PC version.

The game has cute and colourful cartoon visuals, but please don’t automatically think that the game is going to offer you an easy ride because of this, as this isn’t the case at all. This is one game that should definitely not be underestimated. While 10 Second Ninja X is a very simple game, it’s also one with a very steep difficulty level that asks for lightning quick reactions from your fingers, which might put some players off.

The beginning of each level is where the game intends you to put your brain to good use. The 10 second timer doesn’t start ticking down until you begin moving, so this allows you to plan your attack. The objective of the game is to kill all the cartoon robots within the very short allotted time, so having an idea as to what route you’ll take and the order that you’ll be taking out enemies in is a wise decision.

Each level takes place on a single screen, and the faster you complete each stage, the more stars you will receive for your troubles. Getting the potential perfect three stars on each and every stage is a mammoth task, and only the true ninja-like amongst us will be able to achieve this. With further obstacles being added as you progress, such as electricity and crumbling and rising platforms, and an always climbing difficulty level, the game just keeps on getting trickier and trickier.

The pint-sized ninja lead is equipped with a sword as well as three shurikens in each level, and it’s working out where it’s best to make use of each weapon as well as your jumping ability that will get you the most success in the game. Once you run out of shurikens in a level, you are unable to replenish them, which means knowing the best way to use them and making sure not to waste them are two very important things. You’ll also get your hands on a grappling hook on some stages.

Luckily, each level can be restarted with a single button press, and plenty of players will be doing this time and time again in a bid to improve on their previous attempt. I really can’t stress how difficult 10 Second Ninja X is, and it may be the cause of quite a number of controllers thrown across rooms.

As further batches of levels need to be unlocked with the stars you earn from level completion, unlocking more is quite the task in itself. There’s no disputing the fact that this is one very tricky game that requires masses of patience, and only certain players will be willing to stick with the game because of this. It can take plenty of attempts to earn a single star on many of the levels, so earning all three stars is often a very tall challenge.

The lack of replays is a missed opportunity, as completing a level and witnessing how you were able to do it again would have been welcome. As would being able to view the replays of the top players to get an idea as to how they set quick enough times to be sitting on or around the top of the online leaderboards. Ah well, there’s always YouTube.

All in all, if you are able to see the appeal of the game and have the desire to improve your skills to get the most out of it, then this may prove to be a popular choice, as this is one very well made puzzle platformer with a very unique twist. When things go your way and you earn a full three star rating for your skillful efforts, you really do feel like a ninja of the highest calibre. 10 Second Ninja X can be one hugely satisfying and exhilarating game, but it’s also a very, very challenging one.