3/5 ★ – PenguinKiddo's review of LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin.

(This is for the 3DS version!) (Update: I found out there’s an 2.0 update to the game, but you aren’t notified about it. I don’t know what it does, but be sure to get it off the eshop just in case!) As someone who recently just got back into Ninjago, I was interested to see this series had anything interesting or fun to offer in its video game entires. After all, Ninjago is an original IP, so there’s so much more potential to create a unique Lego game! Sadly, I don’t think this game ever reaches its full potential. Now it certainly has some good qualities don’t get me wrong! The controls feel much faster compared to main line Lego games and a few levels are fun to play through. The soundtrack has some nice atmospheric tracks, along with some neat rock tracks. Plus, while it doesn’t always look the best, it’s made up by some colorful art direction. Best of all, this game has tons of references to the show and faithfully adapts most of the show’s elements... for the most part. This game isn’t considered canon to the show, but at the same time it feels like it is? It’s definitely strange. However, if you’re not big into the show, or the series in general, I think you’ll find yourself bored after a few levels. Repetition is very common in these games, and this one is victim to it. There are also some vehicle sections that do spice up the gameplay, but they aren’t fun to control and just feel like padding sometimes. Challenge is also not present, as I breezed through this game with no struggles. Then, there’s the voice acting which isn’t that bad, but a few lines have awkward delivery. Some of the ninja just can’t seem to get Nya’s name right! One more thing, I had my game crash during one of the boss fights and I’m not sure what triggered it. It took me by surprise as I had never had a 3DS game system crash on me like that! I guess some ninja bugs snuck into this game. Overall, your enjoyment from this game will depend on how much you love Ninjago as a whole. It’s a nice little game to have on the go, but there isn’t much that makes it stick out. Unless you’re super curious or love Ninjago, I can’t say you’re missing much. (Jump up, kick back, whip around and sigh... 😕) -2/11/21