Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 78 | 58 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 224 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 98% | 94 | 4 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 8 reviews sampled · 11 total reviews in window · weighted 5.9 up / 0.1 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (47)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“It's a solid beat-em-up with solid gameplay that brings back some of the fun of the arcade classics like Double Dragon and Final Fight. But once you beat it, unless you absolutely have to have the best leaderboard score, you'll hardly touch it again. If you love old school games as I do, this game isn't a complete waste of cash for the price. The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors isn't a bad game, just not a great one.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It’s like being a kid again, and stands as yet another essential Switch release you really should own.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Part of this game shows its age in a number of ways, but this is not a quick and dirty port by any stretch of the imagination.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“While it got off to a little bit of a slow start the Switch has been blessed with a ton of great beat-em-ups to choose from, and especially for fans of the original arcade title Ninja Saviors is a strong addition to the list...”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Altogether, Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors is an exemplary update to the 1994 original. Both the new and returning characters have impressive move-sets. Discovering how to implement these techniques is very rewarding. The eight stages aren't especially creative, but they all have strong fundamentals. If players want a spot on the online leaderboards, then they have to take as little damage as possible, and accurately gauge threats. While it is fun to mash on hapless grunts, targeting elites is the only way to survive. This is one beat em' up gem that you don't want to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“In a similar regard to Tengo Project's development of Wild Guns Reloaded, Tengo's game works well as a remake, because The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors retains the essence of a well-loved SNES beat-'em-up.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“However, in being a remake of the 1987 and 1994 versions, it also fails to bring anything too interesting or unique to the table. It's a fairly easy recommendation to brawler fans, but I think a wider audience would be better off with the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle, given its much stronger value proposition. Not that it needs saving, but Return of the Warriors isn't quite the savior of the brawler genre.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“ While arcades have become few and far between, it’s nice to know the spirit of those classic games continues to live on. ”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors gets a lot of things right with its presentation, quality action and fun co-op mode. It is that rare fighting game that is both accessible and yet deep as you learn how to best use a character. The updates here are somewhat minimal, which just goes to show how good the original game really was. It is still a great deal of fun for those who have an old-school brawling itch they need to scratch.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“The Ninja Warriors: Return of the Warriors is for those who love classic arcade or console games. Those players are fine with titles being a bit short, since the replayability comes through in getting better with the game or replaying with friends in tow. It certainly helps that everything from the expanded move set to the character differences and presentation is top-tier, 16-bit stuff and rather straightforward, except for the final boss. As long as you're coming in with a mindset of defeating the game more than once, you'll have a great time with this low-key classic.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Ninja Saviours: Return of the Warriors may be out to save the world from brain washed humans, but they may just save a dying genre of games that I miss something chronic.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A remaster of a remake - or something along those lines - this is an exceptional beat 'em-up experience. ”
read full review ↗
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Eurogamer…and 35 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.