During the Game Boy Advance era, a number of classic games were released, many of which would later be made available on future platforms. Not every game has been so lucky, however, forcing curious gamers to spend a lot of money if they want to play an under-the-radar favorite. Ninja Five-O is one such example, and the game’s value on the secondary market is pretty absurd, with loose copies commanding hundreds of dollars, and sealed or graded options commanding more than $1,000. Thankfully, a much cheaper option is on the way, as Ninja Five-O is coming to modern platforms.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Nearly a year after the game was announced for modern platforms, Konami has finally set a release date for Ninja Five-O on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and PC. The game will receive a digital release on February 25th. Pre-orders are available right now, and the game will cost $24.99. Not only will players get a faithful recreation of the original GBA game, they can also look forward to some new improvements, including a time trial mode, saving and loading at any time, and a rewind feature.
While some gamers will always prefer having an original copy of a game, it’s nice that a lot more people will have a chance to experience what Ninja Five-O has to offer, without breaking the bank. The GBA version was released back in 2003, and was very well-received by reviewers at the time. It will be interesting to see what modern audiences think of Ninja Five-O after two decades, but we won’t have to wait much longer to find out.
For those unfamiliar with the game, Ninja Five-O puts players in the role of Joe Osugi, who happens to be both a ninja and a detective (the game’s European name was “Ninja Cop”). Joe works in Zipangu city, and is tasked with stopping terrorists that are being influenced by the mystical “Mad Masks.” On his quest, Joe will be forced to take down the Mad Masks and protect innocent people that they’ve taken hostage. In total, the game features five missions, which are divided into three levels and a battle with a Mad Mask boss.
RELATED: Nintendo Switch 2 Officially Revealed
With Ninja Five-O set to release next month, it will be interesting to see if more GBA games get a similar treatment. The system remains a fan favorite after all these years, and that’s in large part due to its library. While Nintendo has made a lot of its own GBA games available on Switch, the vast majority of third-party games have never gotten a second release. Titles like Sonic Advance, Gunstar Super Heroes, and Astro Boy: Omega Factor would seem like strong candidates, but we’ll have to wait and see what other games make the jump in the future.
Are you planning to check out Ninja Five-O next month? Did you ever play the game on the GBA? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!