In fact, the only area Dragon Sword doesn't excel is length. We tore through this ninja side-story in five hours, ranking Master Ninja on nearly every level. Actually, we checked our stats with the Wi-Fi Connection's global ranking, and as of this writing, we're number three. In the world. Not sure what that means, but realize we struggled through the original like everyone else. That means series regulars will eat this game alive on standard difficulty. There are, of course, much harder settings to try.
Beyond beating the game, there are various trinkets to collect and power-ups to purchase, but most will be found/bought in one trip. So, it's a short ride, but like any quality roller coaster, it'll rattle your senses and challenge your reflexes. On DS, Dragon Sword has no equal, no fitting comparison, and for that we applaud Team Ninja. Only slight control issues and the general feeling of sameness after 13 levels of hacking keep it from soaring even higher.
Mar 12, 2008
