Zen: Intergalactic Ninja Game Sample – GB

Zen: Intergalactic Ninja is one of two games developed by Konami, based on the comic book franchise of the same name, which was semi-popular for a time and addressed environmental awareness. In these games, you play as Zen, a “failed” alien test tube experiment originally from the planet Baltoon whose life was spared by a scientist who fired him into space as an infant, who has grown up in the “Om System” and was raised as an acolyte and trained in martial arts, becoming one of the finest martial artist the Omnians had ever known, skilled in all hand-to-hand combat as well as possessing unique powers. He then worked as a mercenary.

The game’s plot already goes through his upbringing and he is faced with a plea to save Earth from an alien villain known as Lord Contaminous, who is trying to destroy the planet with pollution and kill Jeremy Baker, the original holder of the “Geocrystal”, which can destroy armies of pollutants and harm Contaminous. So, as a martial arts cleaner, you’re going to save Jeremy, defeat Contaminous, and clean up crime. Cool.

The game is presented in largely typical Konami side-scrolling fair. There are five main stages with four bonus levels, the first four of which you can play in any order. Zen simply whacks enemies, slides, and shoots photon bursts to destroy enemies. You can refill your health and gain invincibility and one-ups, but there isn’t too much variety in what Zen can do, just in the enemies and boss tactics. Zen handles reasonably. The game has decent visuals and pretty cool music. It’s a pretty average Konami effort however. Enjoy.