Salmon Ninja

#yoin! everything as expected, saw it many times in the stream and it's hilarious to play and watch. good luck furthermore D. you and this game deserve it! best wishes from Germany, Link

https://www.ticgn.com/review-salmon-ninja-steam/ Here’s an indie title that took me by surprise: Salmon Ninja! The name may not say much upon first glance, but the actual game states otherwise. It’s a challenging platformer that is not unlike that of Super Meat Boy. Like the aforementioned title, it’s kind of a good game to say the least. Story The story in Salmon Ninja is a simple one. Our ninja character here is lost and wants to find his way home. There are cutscenes at the beginning and ending of each world that provide some character interactions as a means of substance for the minimal story. While I do wish a couple of the characters spoke English, the dialogue is otherwise amusing and almost makes me wish the respective speakers had more screen time. Graphics I never tire of the pixel art in these games. The graphical style in Salmon Ninja in particular is an enchanting use of pre-16-Bit-esque visuals. It helps that the performance is at no less than sixty frames per second! Considering how the game does thrive on being difficult and giving the player several looks at the death screen, it’s a treat to realize that the transitions between everything are as instant as they could ever be. There are no loading screens; the action is front and center – as it should be! Speaking of, the animations and special effects are fluid and can be dazzling in their own right even if portions of the level get painted red with enemy or player blood. Audio The music is whimsical and atmospheric. The sound effects complement the pixel art. Together, this creates for a distinct kind of sound only some of the top-tier indie games seem to enjoy displaying. It gives off a bit of a Thomas Was Alone vibe to it. Although Salmon Ninja obviously doesn’t play by the same rules as that game, the atmosphere does display a feel of something grand thanks to the audio complementing the scale of the level layouts. Gameplay Salmon Ninja, as said earlier, takes quite a lot of inspiration from Super Meat Boy. There are four worlds, and each world contains several levels that are more-or-less bite-sized platforming gauntlets. The ninja has wall-jumping abilities, a sword, and a grappling hook at his disposal to help progress through unscathed. He’s also a glass cannon, however, so one hit from anything and he’s done for! Thankfully, each level has a generous amount of checkpoints. That way, no level ever gets too frustrating. I was actually pretty surprised how I managed to play through this one. Since players use the mouse to wield the sword or fire the grappling hook, I thought I was in for a danger zone I could never be able to finish playing through. In theory, it seemed like the mouse functions would only complicate the precise platforming players have to go through. But you know what? The game actually works wonders with the tools provided! Granted, the default button for jumping shouldn’t have been the spacebar, but interchangeable controls make this a nonissue; I found myself being comfortable with using W for jumping and A and D for moving. Salmon Ninja also has a solid degree of challenge. There is admittedly an emphasis on trial-and-error in a few places, but the checkpoint generosity and the magnificently swift transitioning from death to respawn drastically diminish the problems I typically have with trial-and-error gameplay. It assists in shifting the focus to what obstacles lie straight ahead and how the player should overcome them. Basically, legit challenge and not fake difficulty. Adding to the fun factor is the abundance of interesting enemies, obstacles, and clever design layouts. Verdict The overall result is an awesome title that is well worth your time! Salmon Ninja has all the right elements for a great Meat Boy-ish game, and it used them properly and triumphantly! I highly recommend it to players looking for a good ol’ hardcore stroll.

A small and fun challenge-platformer that uses grapple mechanics. The graphics are simple yet neat and the cutscenes are light-hearted. Definitely has its own charm. The game is way more platforming-focused, since the bosses are a cakewalk compared to the platforming that becomes quite brutal near the end (especially when going for gold medals).

This is a really solid, cute little platformer with a hook mechanic and low-res art style. Controls are keyboard to move and mouse to attack and aim the hook. The character movement is quick and not the easiest for precision platforming, but the game (mostly) doesn't demand anything beyond the tools it gives you. The story and dialogue is adorable. It's a one-sitting game, so the $9 price tag might seem like a high ask, but if you're looking for a fun speedrun project, I recommend giving it a look. You could stretch the 1-2 hour playtime to dozens of hours trying to get to the top of the leaderboard (or especially do full game runs). I really enjoyed it.

This game reminds me a lot about Super Meat Boy--the jumping mechanics feel very similar and the level of difficulty is on par with it. The addition of the grapple hook is what really sets it apart from SMB. It makes the movement feel even better than it already was. It definitely has some flaws in terms of QoL, but they're not too much of an issue. A few examples would be: -Pressing the F key switches between fullscreen and windowed modes -Some of the gold times are extremely difficult to get. That wouldn't be much of an issue, but there are certain levels that require you to get a gold medal to advance. It's for sure doable, but, at times, makes the game feel like more of a task than anything else. -And probably the most annoying QoL bug is that your mouse doesn't get locked within the window when you're in windowed mode. You'll get used to it, but it takes time at first. Ultimately, I recommend the game. It's pretty fun, yet difficult, and the QoL issues really aren't that bothersome as you put more time into the game and get used to everything.

Salmon Ninja, developed and published by Krax Games, is a fast-paced indie platformer that builds its identity around precision movement and momentum-driven gameplay rather than narrative or spectacle. At a glance, it presents itself as a simple, almost understated experience, but once you begin playing, it becomes clear that the game is designed around mastering a tightly focused set of mechanics. You take control of a small ninja navigating a series of increasingly demanding levels, accompanied by a quirky salmon companion that adds a light layer of personality to an otherwise mechanically driven journey. The core of the experience revolves around movement, and this is where the game truly shines. Instead of relying solely on standard platforming actions like jumping and running, Salmon Ninja introduces a grappling hook that fundamentally changes how you approach traversal. This mechanic allows you to swing across gaps, latch onto surfaces, and maintain momentum in ways that feel both fluid and satisfying once mastered. The game encourages players to think in terms of flow rather than isolated actions, chaining movements together to maintain speed and efficiency. When executed well, navigating through a level feels almost rhythmic, with each successful sequence reinforcing a sense of control and mastery. Level design plays a crucial role in supporting this movement-focused gameplay. Each stage is constructed to test your timing, awareness, and adaptability, often requiring quick reactions and precise inputs. Obstacles and enemy placements are arranged in a way that pushes you to fully engage with the grappling mechanic, and the difficulty steadily increases as new challenges are introduced. The game can be unforgiving at times, especially for players who are not accustomed to high-speed platformers, but it rarely feels unfair. Instead, failure tends to highlight areas where improvement is needed, making progress feel earned rather than handed to you. Combat, while present, takes a secondary role to movement. Attacks are simple and integrated into your traversal, allowing you to eliminate enemies without breaking your flow. This design choice reinforces the game’s emphasis on momentum, ensuring that combat does not interrupt the pace but instead becomes part of it. However, because combat mechanics remain relatively basic throughout the experience, they do not evolve significantly, which can lead to a sense of repetition over time. The focus remains firmly on how you move rather than how you fight. Visually, the game adopts a clean and minimalistic style that prioritizes clarity over detail. This approach works well given the speed of the gameplay, as it ensures that important elements are easy to identify even during fast sequences. While the visuals are not particularly elaborate or groundbreaking, they are functional and consistent, supporting the gameplay without becoming distracting. The presence of lighthearted elements, such as the salmon companion and brief narrative touches, adds a bit of charm that helps balance the otherwise skill-focused experience. One of the defining aspects of Salmon Ninja is its commitment to simplicity. It does not attempt to introduce a wide range of mechanics or systems, instead choosing to refine its core ideas. This results in a cohesive and focused experience, but it also means that variety is somewhat limited. As players progress, the gameplay loop remains largely the same, and while the increasing difficulty keeps things engaging, there are few major shifts to keep the experience feeling fresh over longer sessions. Despite these limitations, the game succeeds in delivering a satisfying and well-crafted platforming experience for those who appreciate precision and speed. It rewards practice, patience, and skill, offering a gameplay loop that becomes more enjoyable as you improve. While it may not appeal to players looking for a rich story or a wide range of mechanics, it stands out within its niche as a game that understands its strengths and builds around them effectively. In the end, Salmon Ninja is a focused and engaging indie title that excels in its movement mechanics and level design while remaining modest in scope. Its simplicity can both enhance and limit the experience, but for players who enjoy challenging platformers that emphasize flow and control, it offers a rewarding journey that is easy to pick up but difficult to master. Rating: 7/10

Maybe fine if you play platformers on keyboard anyway but if you care about speedrunning/getting the gold medals then playing on kbm is a must because the controller support for this game is terrible.

Very fun but very challenging. The pacing, color scheme, and level design is unique and pretty addicting. I love the incorporation of the leaderboards as well.