Ninja Reflex review

Ninja Reflex isbasically the ninja equivalent of Wii Sports: six minigames in which you and your friends energetically wave and point Wii remotes in order to swing swords, hurl throwing stars, and do whatever else it is that ninjas do.

The katana challenge transforms the Wii remote into a sword. You yank the controller sideways or lift it above your head to parry attacks, and then you give it a quick shake to finish off the warrior standing in front of you.

During the throwing star challenge, you and your buddies lock onto moving cardboard targets with your color-coded pointers and rapidly toss star-shaped knives by flicking your wrists.

Another minigame has you aiming an on-screen hand at fish in a pond and then quickly pressing the buttons to snatch them when they break the surface. A similar task involves catching flies with chopsticks.

And then there's the nunchuck challenge. It isn't unbridled violence like you'd expect. Instead, it's a Bruce Lee inspired knockoff of Wii Sports baseball. You wave the controller in a figure-eight motion to get the nunchuks going and jab it forward to lash out at the fruits, vegetables, and other objects that sensei throws your way.

Those minigames rock. The duds on the disc are the firefly spotting challenge, where you simply press a button whenever a firefly appears, and the silly interactive meditation guide that's included as a bonus. Sensei's gruff voice does a nice job of talking you through a meditation session, but is that really the sort of thing you want to do when you fire up a collection of competitive minigames?