326:
contain bombs which will kill JaJaMaru if he touches it. Collecting three different power-ups will summon a giant frog named Gamapa-kun, who JaJaMaru will ride and be completely invincible and be able to eat any nearby enemies. During levels, Sakura will sometimes drop flower petals that can be collected for points, while Namazu will drop deadly bombs. Collecting three petals will transport JaJaMaru to a bonus level, where he must throw shhurikens upward towards Namazu while avoiding his bombs. Bonus points are awarded for hitting Namazu, while hitting a bomb will send the player to the next level instead.
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and are introduced before a level begins. Each level has eight enemies total, who give chase to JaJaMaru if he occupies the same floor as them. Defeating enemies will cause their spirit to appear and ascend to the top of the screen, which can be grabbed for additional points. Once all the enemies are
822:
called it "a primative, challenging
Japanese platformer which becomes a bore quickly", criticizing the game's controls, simplicity, and for the gameplay being boring and lacking in variety. They also wrote that its quality "has the feel of an NES arcade game port in a way", comparing it unfavorably
790:
was more positive towards the game, saying that its simplicity actually made the game fun to play. In light of this, they criticized its high difficulty level and repetitive soundtrack. They commented that the game was worth the purchase simply for the fact it had previously remained confined to
779:
criticized the game for its simplicity and lacking in its gameplay, which they attributed to the lack of variety between levels and for the intelligence of the enemies remaining the same as the game progressed. While they praised the game for its easy-to-know controls and good music for an early
325:
JaJaMaru can destroy bricks scattered in levels, some of which yield power-ups when destroyed. These include a cart that temporarily makes JaJaMaru invincible, a bottle that allows him to walk through enemies, a red ball that increases speed, coins that yield extra points, and 1UPs. Some bricks
797:
said that, while cute, the game was "quaint at best", and that its simplistic gameplay and lack of a true progression through levels would easily bore players. They also felt confused towards the game's high price point, which they stated was needlessly-high and made it difficult to recommend.
34:
335:
288:
on
December 26, 2006, and in PAL regions on September 21, 2007, as part of Ninja Week for the Hanabi Festival promotion. It was released on the North American Virtual Console on October 22 the same year. The game was released on the
809:
was a fun game, namely with the amount of ways to defeat the enemies, it suffered from choppy sprite animation and stiff controls, although claimed the latter was a significant improvement over the Family
Computer port of
317:, the player takes control of JaJaMaru, who sets out to rescue Princess Sakura from the pirate lord Namazu Dayuu, or "Catfish Pirate". JaJaMaru can run, jump, and throw shurikens at enemies, all of which are taken from
755:
1134:
816:. They said that it had several cute touches, such as the Catfish Pirate laughing at the player at the beginning of each level, and that the music, while repetitive, was catchy and memorable.
1643:
906:
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376:. Jaleco had previously ported the game to the Famicom in early 1985, and decided to re-use the Ninja-Kid character for their own home console game, now named
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is tedious and ugly, and it actually induces physical discomfort. You'd have to be crazy to dole out six dollars to subject yourself to this kind of pain".
780:
point in the system's life, they said that it was a generally unappealing-looking game and that its gameplay was tedious and boring, mockingly commenting: "
418:. It is an enhanced version of the original Famicom game with better control, though it uses monochrome graphics due to being an original WonderSwan game.
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1135:"Nintendo News: Nintendo Switch Online Surpasses 100 Classic Games With New Batch of Classic Titles!"
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on their May 15, 1986 issue as being the fifteenth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.
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380:. The name is believed to come from the name of a character from the Japanese educational show
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JaJaMaru-kun has stunned an enemy at the center of the screen in the first level of the game.
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942:"Ninja-kun - Magic Castle Adventure (1985, MSX, Jaleco, UPL) - Releases - Generation MSX"
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921:"Ninja Jaja Maru kun (1986, MSX, Nippon Dexter) - Releases - Generation MSX"
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1270:(in Japanese). No. 284. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 May 1986. p. 21.
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By April 1986, it had sold nearly 1 million units, becoming one of the
233:. It was released in Japan on November 15, 1985, and was ported to the
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Japan, but warned potential buyers of its overly-high difficulty.
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1266:"Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)".
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894:"Overseas ReadersColumn: Jaleco Ships New Game For "VS. System""
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in Japan on
November 18, 1985. The game is a spin-off of
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released in Japan on April 15, 1999, by Jaleco for the
393:
port was released by Jaleco for arcades in April 1986.
1590:
1467:
732:
Ninja JaJaMaru-kun: Sakura-hime to Karyu no
Himitsu
237:in 1986. The MSX version was released in Europe as
195:
181:
169:
89:
65:
55:
43:
26:
254:The game was a commercial success, selling nearly
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322:defeated, JaJaMaru moves onto the next level.
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1277:
1163:"Nintendo Switch Online May 2021 Update!"
618:JaJaMaru Gekimaden: Maboroshi no Kinmajou
366:originally developed by Japanese company
1228:
1226:
1224:
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386:, who was named "Fukurokouji JaJaMaru".
1002:
1000:
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880:
844:
1674:Virtual Console games for Nintendo 3DS
747:Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great Yokai Battle
677:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun: Onigiri Ninpouchou
266:was released in April 1986. A remake,
1233:Marcel van Duyn (21 September 2007).
964:
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633:
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7:
888:
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773:have received a mediocre reception.
444:
1659:Nintendo Entertainment System games
969:Lucas M. Thomas (23 October 2007).
435:
487:
14:
1235:"Ninja JaJaMaru-kun Review (NES)"
1203:. CBS Interactive. Archived from
1284:Retro Gamer Team (2 July 2010).
1193:Provo, Frank (29 October 2007).
801:In a 2011 retrospective review,
647:Ninja JaJaMaru: Ginga Daisakusen
531:
526:
521:
516:
511:
506:
501:
496:
491:
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424:was added as a playable game to
241:, being marketed as a sequel to
1679:Virtual Console games for Wii U
1649:Ninja characters in video games
348:was developed and published by
272:, was released in 1999 for the
1669:Video games developed in Japan
251:for its European MSX release.
1:
1007:Kalata, Kurt (11 July 2011).
1664:Nintendo Switch Online games
1077:Kalata, Kurt (9 July 2010).
247:, a game that used the name
1581:Super Professional Baseball
1195:"Ninja Jajamaru-kun Review"
971:"Ninja JaJaMaru-kun Review"
864:
225:developed and published by
1700:
1629:City Connection franchises
756:best-selling Famicom games
370:, known for games such as
244:Ninja-kun: Majou no Bouken
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707:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun Ranbu
38:Japanese Famicom box art
909:1 May 1986. p. 20.
769:Digital re-releases of
330:Development and release
1511:Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai
764:VS. Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
426:Nintendo Switch Online
342:
310:
295:Nintendo Switch Online
1390:JaJaMaru no Daibouken
907:Amusement Press, Inc.
717:JaJaMaru Jr. Denshōki
579:JaJaMaru no Daibouken
337:
308:
1298:on 12 September 2015
1286:"Ninja JaJaMaru-kun"
1110:"Ninja JaJaMaru-kun"
1049:Kadokawa Corporation
1009:"Ninja JaJaMaru-kun"
1397:JaJaMaru: Ninpō Chō
1207:on 21 February 2019
1089:on 20 November 2019
1083:Hardcore Gaming 101
1019:on 21 November 2019
1013:Hardcore Gaming 101
803:Hardcore Gaming 101
606:JaJaMaru: Ninpō Chō
548:
442:
391:Nintendo VS. System
264:Nintendo VS. System
202:Nintendo VS. System
1624:Arcade video games
1546:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
1404:JaJaMaru Gekimaden
1383:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
1363:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
1322:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
865:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
807:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
805:stated that while
782:Ninja Jajamaru-kun
771:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
692:Ganso JaJaMaru-kun
568:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
543:
440:
422:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
412:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
395:Ganso JaJaMaru-kun
378:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
346:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
343:
339:Ganso JaJaMaru-kun
315:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
311:
278:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
269:Ganso JaJaMaru-kun
211:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
27:Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
1606:
1605:
1427:
1426:
1114:Hardcoregaming101
1055:on 11 August 2019
832:Super Mario Bros.
826:Ghosts 'n Goblins
752:
751:
540:
539:
364:arcade video game
319:Japanese folklore
280:was released for
260:arcade video game
207:
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105:November 15, 1985
1691:
1684:WonderSwan games
1619:1985 video games
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1294:. Archived from
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1247:on 13 March 2019
1243:. Archived from
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1085:. Archived from
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1051:. Archived from
1039:"忍者じゃじゃ丸くん (FC)"
1035:
1029:
1028:
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1024:
1015:. Archived from
1004:
991:
990:
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981:on 13 March 2019
977:. Archived from
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905:. No. 282.
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1483:City Connection
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1169:. 27 May 2021
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1143:. 19 May 2021
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1140:Business Wire
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441:Review scores
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1365:video games
1291:Retro Gamer
1119:27 February
1079:"Ninja-kun"
819:Retro Gamer
446:Publication
362:(1984), an
190:multiplayer
67:Platform(s)
1613:Categories
1468:Franchises
1418:Ninja Taro
1167:GameTyrant
875:References
639:Ninja Taro
590:Rad Action
416:WonderSwan
274:WonderSwan
258:units. An
223:video game
151:WonderSwan
121:April 1986
84:WonderSwan
1639:MSX games
1376:Ninja-Kid
1327:MobyGames
856:忍者じゃじゃ丸くん
813:Ninja-Kid
738:2014–2018
723:2005–2012
698:2000–2002
668:1995–1996
653:1992–1993
557:Ninja-Kid
437:Reception
432:Reception
401:元祖じゃじゃ丸くん
359:Ninja-Kid
341:cover art
256:1 million
1560:Rod Land
1200:GameSpot
852:Japanese
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456:GameSpot
352:for the
301:Gameplay
293:through
282:Nintendo
239:Ninja II
229:for the
220:platform
176:Platform
171:Genre(s)
1591:Related
1532:Moero!!
1525:Big Run
1490:Exerion
1302:7 March
1251:7 March
1211:7 March
1093:7 March
1059:7 March
1044:Famitsu
1023:7 March
985:7 March
860:Hepburn
762:listed
231:Famicom
182:Mode(s)
94:Famicom
90:Release
72:Famicom
1461:Jaleco
1173:27 May
1147:27 May
947:15 May
926:15 May
547:series
461:3.5/10
408:remake
350:Jaleco
227:Jaleco
216:action
214:is an
110:Arcade
76:Arcade
61:Jaleco
50:Jaleco
897:(PDF)
839:Notes
449:Score
406:is a
249:Ninja
1598:PCCW
1553:P-47
1304:2020
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473:5/10
146:1987
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1325:at
975:IGN
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468:IGN
410:of
368:UPL
313:In
235:MSX
126:MSX
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