Nine Lives Ninja: Explore!

I'm loving the music and fun character in this game. It's very simplistic, and could be further refined to be sure, but my partner played this game from beginning to end and appreciated the ability to "quick save" at any point. I am looking forward to what JX Games puts out next!

Very short and basic platformer that doesn’t justify the price. Update: the price has been lowered. The tutorial can be skipped because you won’t learn anything new. The cat’s only ability is to jump, and there are no kind of attacks or other powers. However, there are several artifacts, which improve the jump – such as double jump, boots to destroy spikes, etc. Now, this isn't some massive metroidvania. The primary adventure mode takes approximately ten minutes. It takes place on a single, small map, where you search for artifacts and gems. Other modes aren't engaging because they use the same screens as the tutorial. The difference lies in how they are presented. The linear mode places you in the center, with artifacts to the left and right. So you move left, get an item, then turn right to collect another, then back left, and so on. It's quite dull. The second is a considerably faster portal mode, with each portal transporting you to a different artifact. It's simpler and less bothersome than linear. Score attack and time trial are simple modes that provide nothing unique. The price is brutal for the content it delivers. It should be reconsidered and dropped significantly because you can get platforming classics for the same price.

You can die from fall damage... As a cat... Unless you have padding...? Same few stages over and over again, little to no variety...

Normally, I would stay away from sadomasochistic games IWBTG and SMB, but this game was too hard to pass on for 99 cents. Loved the SFX and BMG and the level design is very thoughtful. Lots of classic platform mechanics built into this indie game: double jumping, edge jumping, minimaps, and metroidvania area progression. If only I could double jump better...

Hopefully this is just the beginning. Game was a lot of fun!

I already liked this simple retro platformer before I knew it was a new dev project, but that makes it even more special. It is short, but so is the price (I thought they reduced it too much actually), and the dev has added plenty of variations and challenges on the basic themes of the game giving a bit of replayability. But the most notable thing is how well executed all those familiar and basic mechanics are. It is super smooth, jumping having all the exacting requirements of this type of game and exploring the absolute limit of your double jumps and edge landings. The retro graphics hide a thoroughly modern feel and everything feels very thought-through and planned. And having achievements just add to the worth of giving it a try. For a first time dev exploration I am really impressed, and wish Josh and Keanu all the best in their future learnings together!

Fun short little game (~1 hour total play time to play thru every mode) The game gets a lot easier to play as you pick up the powerups thru the larger levels The Adventure 2 level is really large compared with the Adventure 1 levels Could use some monsters!

"Nine Lives Ninja: Explore!" is a platformer with a cute ninja cat. You find artifacts that help with improving your jump (double jump, destroy items, etc) and try to reach the end. The game is one of those rare examples that managed to turn a negative review to a positive one! The developer listened to player feedback and made impactful changes! The price droped, fixes were made and new features and levels were added. Our cat is really cute and looks alive now! And he makes the adorable "meow" that cannot be missing from a cat game! The animations have been fixed, the modes and overall gameplay are now easy to understand and enjoy. It turned from a mess to a fine small indie game to have fun for a few hours! Although the jump was never an issue, it is something I never mentioned in my original review. It's [b]very[/b] precise! So much so, that I still wonder how initially the dev managed to make only this right... Such an accurate jump is usually the Achilles' heel of platformers! There are many more small fixes that were made but what matters is that now is at a very good and stable state! Try it out! Help our ninja cat in the search for the Fountain of Kitty Youth! ^^ Collect gems, find new powers to progress, figure out the mystery of the Fountain and the nine cat lives, and help the cutest cat become strong enough to restore his lives! Various mechanics, cool powers and amazingly precise and tight controls await you! Your fate is in YOUR hands! No button or mechanic will make you lose; if you die, it's on you! For more reviews, follow my curator https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44864435-Mewesome-Reviews/ Original negative review: [strike]"Nine Lives Ninja: Explore!" is a platformer with a cute ninja cat. You find artifacts that help with improving your jump (double jump, destroy items, etc) and try to reach the end. The game is quite short and somewhat confusing. You have many different modes that don't really have a clear purpose and most aren't fun. The cat animation looks a bit stiff. It needs various fixes and additions such as better explanations, more animations, more use of color and better platform design, and more. Right now, it's a bit all over the place but, above all, it misses the most basic game purpose; it's not fun. Nothing makes you laugh, nothing makes you wanting to see what will happen, no compelling story and a stiff cat that doesn't meow. With some improvements and a price drop, I can see it as a complete small indie game. For more reviews, follow my curator https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44864435-Mewesome-Reviews/ [/strike]

Fun game

A short and entertaining platformer puzzle style game. My first play through on Medium difficulty I died a lot, which is just a reminder than my OG Super Mario days are looooong in the past. 😄 Looking forward to what's next!