Cubic Ninja
By Christopher Healy,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Unique, challenging maze game makes you think in 3D.
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Cubic Ninja
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What’s It About?
The story of CUBIC NINJA feels kind of tacked on, but this is essentially a puzzle game and plot frankly isn't all that important. Basically, the game is about the kidnapping of a cubic princess and the heroic cubic ninja's journey to rescue her. You'll help the ninja navigate over 100 obstacle-filled mazes, moving him in three dimensions as you do. You can either move by tilting the 3DS device or using the control stick and buttons.
Is It Any Good?
Cubic Ninja is a game with two different control modes: tilt control (which uses the 3DS's built-in accelerometer) or control stick. It's either an OK game or a great game, depending on which mode you choose. Tilt control is the default mode, and it's easy to see why: it's way more fun. Rocking and angling your 3DS to make the square hero navigate the mazes is incredibly enjoyable -- and it feels totally unique when you realize you can move him in three dimensions: Turn the 3DS completely upside down, and CC will "fall" toward the screen, apparently landing on the glass. It's a blast, even if it's not in 3D (the 3D effect only works when you look directly at the screen, so the tilt mode is only in 2D).
You can play in real 3D by choosing stick control, but that makes the game feel a lot more ordinary and less fresh and different. It's better to play in 2D and get an experience that feels worthy of this next-generation device.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in the game. Does any violence (even unrealistic violence) feel unnecessary in a puzzle game like this?
Does the abstract, polygonal look of the characters minimize the impact of the violence when you see a character broken apart, burned, or shocked?
Game Details
- Platform: Nintendo 3DS
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: UbiSoft
- Release date: June 14, 2011
- Genre: Puzzle
- ESRB rating: E for Comic Mischief, Crude Humor
- Last updated: August 29, 2016
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