Little Ninja Brothers (1989-)

• Developer: Culture Brain

• Publisher: Culture Brain

• Genre: Action

Little Ninja Brothers is an action RPG developed by Culture Brain for the NES and released in 1989. It was published by Culture Brain in North America and Japan and is the follow-up to the game Ninja Boy, which serves as a prequel. The NES version continued Culture Brain’s experimentation with blending action, adventure, and RPG mechanics, offering a unique hybrid experience for players. While primarily released on the NES, the game’s mechanics and style would influence future Culture Brain titles, including the Super Chinese series, which built upon the action-RPG formula introduced in this title.

The game follows two ninja brothers, Jack and Ryu, as they embark on a quest to defeat the evil Black Ninja and save their homeland from a looming threat. Its design was inspired by martial arts films and traditional Japanese folklore, combining story-driven adventure with combat and exploration elements. Players traverse villages, forests, caves, and dungeons, encountering enemies, allies, and puzzles along the way. The narrative emphasizes teamwork, strategy, and heroism, giving context to the player’s actions as they progress through the game world.

Gameplay in Little Ninja Brothers blends real-time combat with RPG-style mechanics. Players can control both brothers, each with unique abilities, engaging enemies in action-oriented battles while also managing character progression through experience points and item collection. The game includes town exploration, side quests, and interactions with non-playable characters, adding depth beyond standard action platformers. The NES soundtrack features dynamic and energetic music that matches the fast-paced action and adventurous tone of the game, supporting both combat and exploration sequences effectively.

Little Ninja Brothers is part of a broader series, following the prequel Ninja Boy and leading into subsequent titles within the Super Chinese series. Promotion emphasized the game’s combination of martial arts action and role-playing depth, highlighting the ability to control two brothers and engage in cooperative gameplay. Reception was largely positive, with praise for its engaging combat system, innovative hybrid design, and replayability, though some critics noted that the graphics and controls were simpler compared to later NES RPGs. Over time, it has been recognized as an early example of combining action and RPG elements on the NES, influencing subsequent games in the genre.

Images from MobyGames