Mexican Ninja Review: Mariachi Guitar-Swinging Action Earns a Solid 7/10

Mexican Ninja is a game about a man who looks like a ninja but calls himself a mariachi, and he spends most of it trying to save Mexico from an evil organization. It is also, at its heart, a game about running, jumping, and swinging a guitar around to hit enemies. The game has been released for Series X|S, PS4, PC, and PS5, and it asks players to move through levels while fighting off waves of foes, dodging bullets, and solving simple puzzles along the way.

The premise is absurd. That is the point. The game leans into the absurdity rather than apologizing for it, and the result is a title that knows exactly what it wants to be and rarely wanders from that path.

Trailer, via GameTrailers.

The Mariachi as Protagonist

The main character is a mariachi dressed in a wide-brimmed hat and a wide sash, carrying a guitar that doubles as a weapon. He moves through the game’s world with a loping run, a series of jumps, and a swing of the guitar that sends enemies flying. The presentation is cartoonish, with exaggerated movements and bright colors that lean heavily into the game’s central joke.

The humor is consistent throughout, but it is not constant. The game shifts between moments of pure comedy and moments of tense action, and the contrast between the two moods gives the experience a rhythm that keeps it engaging even when individual levels feel similar. The mariachi’s movements — the loping run, the wide sash, the guitar swing — all contribute to the game’s absurdist tone, and the cartoonish presentation makes that tone impossible to miss.

Levels and Structure

Mexican Ninja is built around a series of themed stages, each tied to a region of Mexico. One level might focus on a desert town, another on a mountain village, and another on a coastal fishing port. Each stage introduces new enemies, new obstacles, and new ways of moving through the environment.

The level design is generally strong. Platforms are placed with care, and the difficulty curve rises steadily without ever feeling unfair. Some levels are clearly stronger than others, but none of them drag. The steady rise in difficulty means players are always learning something new, whether that is a new enemy type, a new hazard, or a new way to navigate the terrain.

Here is a rough breakdown of how the levels hold up across the game:

1. Early levels establish the basics of movement and combat.
2. Middle levels introduce new enemies and environmental hazards.
3. Later levels combine everything the player has learned.
4. The final levels ramp up the challenge with tight timing and enemy waves.

Combat and Movement

The combat system is simple but effective. Enemies attack in groups, and the player must dodge their attacks while striking back with the guitar. The controls respond quickly, and the game rewards players who learn the timing of enemy attacks and the rhythm of the swings.

Dashes, rolls, and wall runs are available throughout, giving players several ways to avoid damage. The game does not punish players for failing to react quickly, though it does force them to learn enemy patterns over time. Players can choose the best option for the situation, whether that is rolling to avoid a bullet, dashing past a group of enemies, or swinging the guitar to clear a path.

Music and Presentation

The soundtrack is a highlight. The game uses mariachi-style music that matches the visual tone of the protagonist, and it plays constantly during play sessions. The music is cheerful without being grating, and it helps sell the game’s overall tone.

The presentation is clean and readable. Enemy health bars, hit indicators, and other feedback are easy to see, even in fast-paced combat. The game’s art style is cartoonish but detailed, with character animations that sell the humor effectively.

Where It Falls Short

Mexican Ninja is not a perfect game. Some levels repeat ideas that were better explored earlier, and the pacing can slow down during sections where the game relies more on platforming than on action. The difficulty spikes occasionally, particularly in the later stages, which can frustrate players who are used to a steadier challenge.

The game also lacks a strong sense of progression outside of the levels themselves. There is no skill tree, no upgrade system, and no clear way to improve the protagonist’s abilities beyond learning new moves and finding new paths through levels. This absence does not sink the game, but it means the experience feels more static than some of its peers.

Final Verdict

Mexican Ninja succeeds because it commits fully to its own identity. It is a game about a mariachi who fights like a ninja, and it never once stops to explain why that combination works. The humor is consistent, the combat is satisfying, and the presentation is polished enough to carry the game’s absurdist concept.

The game is not without flaws. Its pacing dips in places, its difficulty spikes unexpectedly, and it lacks a clear upgrade system to keep players engaged outside of level completion. But those issues do not erase the strengths. The core loop is strong, the levels are varied, and the presentation is distinct.

To weigh the strengths against the weaknesses, consider the two sides of the experience:

Mexican Ninja earns a solid recommendation for players looking for a light, humorous action game with a unique hook. It is not a deep game, but it does not need to be.

action game · game review · mariachi · Mexican Ninja · ninja · PC gaming · PS5