Mexican Ninja

Mexican Ninja is exactly the kind of game that wants to grab attention immediately, and in my hours with it on Xbox Series X|S, I could see Madbricks leaning hard into that goal. This is not a cautious beat ’em up that plays it safe. It is a fast, loud roguelike with a very specific personality and a clear desire to feel like a throwback arcade brawler with extra attitude. I appreciated that ambition right away. The core loop is quick to understand, easy to re-enter, and built around the kind of momentum that makes “one more run” feel like a natural impulse. At the same time, I also felt where the game’s rough edges are. The foundation is strong, but not every layer on top of it feels equally developed.

First impressions and identity

What stood out to me first was how confidently Mexican Ninja establishes its tone. The setting of Nuevo Tokyo is a strange blend of street-level grit, exaggerated action, and deliberately crass humor, and I found that combination memorable almost immediately. The game does not waste time trying to be subtle. It wants me to understand the vibe from the start, and in that sense it succeeds. In my early sessions, the presentation and the pace worked together to make the whole thing feel distinct rather than generic.

I also liked how much personality the game has for something that is, at its core, a compact action loop. I usually need a little more time to warm up to smaller beat ’em ups, but Mexican Ninja made a strong case for itself quickly because it knows exactly what it wants to be. I could feel the arcade inspiration in the structure, but I also felt that the roguelike framing gave it a modern hook. That mix kept me curious, even before I had fully settled into the combat.

Combat and momentum

The combat is what convinced me to keep going. I found the controls responsive, the hit feedback satisfying, and the overall pace nicely aggressive without becoming unreadable. In my first few hours, I spent a lot of time learning how to manage spacing, bait enemies into mistakes, and keep my own momentum from collapsing when the screen got crowded. That learning process felt natural, and when everything clicked, Mexican Ninja delivered a very good arcade rhythm. I especially enjoyed how the game rewards staying alert without demanding the kind of long commitment that can make some roguelikes feel like a chore.

What I appreciated most was the clarity. I rarely felt confused about what had hit me or why a fight had gone wrong. That matters a lot in a game built around speed, because the difference between a fair loss and a frustrating one often comes down to readability. Here, I usually knew what I needed to improve. When I played well, it felt earned. When I got clipped, it usually came down to my own timing or positioning rather than the game hiding information from me.

Still, I did run into some encounters that felt a bit too aggressive or messy. A few enemy groups create pressure in a way that leans more toward irritation than tension, especially when multiple threats start acting at once. I would not call the game unfair overall, but I did notice moments where the balance felt slightly off. For me, that kept the combat from reaching the level of polish I was hoping for. I liked the speed and the responsiveness, but I wanted a little more variety in how the game challenged me over time.

Roguelike structure and progression

The roguelike structure fits Mexican Ninja well. I appreciated that runs are short enough to make failure feel manageable, which encouraged me to jump back in instead of stepping away. In my sessions, that design made the game especially easy to enjoy in smaller bursts. It also gave the combat a welcome sense of urgency, because every run felt like a compact opportunity to make progress rather than a huge time investment. That is a smart fit for a game built around arcade-style action.

The progression systems, however, are a little more modest than I would have liked. I enjoyed having reasons to keep pushing forward, but I never felt like I was uncovering a particularly deep build system. The game gives you enough structure to support the action, yet I wanted more meaningful differences between runs and more dramatic choices that could reshape how I approached a fight. As it stands, the roguelike layer works, but it does not transform the experience in the way the best games in the genre can.

That does not make it a weakness in itself, but it does mean the game relies heavily on the strength of its combat and presentation. I was fine with that for a while because those parts are genuinely enjoyable. Over time, though, I became more aware of how much the game repeats its basic ideas without adding many new wrinkles. I kept playing because the loop is fun, not because the progression kept surprising me. That distinction matters, and it is why I would call the structure competent rather than especially ambitious.

Presentation and readability

The presentation is one of Mexican Ninja’s biggest strengths. I liked the retro 2.5D look immediately, and I found the art direction effective at making Nuevo Tokyo feel memorable without cluttering the action. In a game like this, readability is crucial, and I rarely had trouble tracking enemies, projectiles, or hazards even when the screen became busy. That made the whole experience feel smoother and more confident than I expected from a smaller-scale title.

The setting also does a lot of heavy lifting. I found the mix of arcade exaggeration and sci-fi weirdness more appealing than I expected, and it gives the game a distinct identity that helps it stand out from more conventional brawlers. It is not just a visual coat of paint; it shapes how the game feels to move through. I could tell the developers wanted the world to be part of the appeal, and for me that worked. Even when the mechanics were familiar, the presentation kept the experience from feeling bland.

Humor and tone

The humor is where Mexican Ninja becomes more divisive. I had moments where the game’s crass, over-the-top attitude made me smile, but I also hit stretches where the jokes felt forced or overly dependent on shock value. I respect that the game commits to its tone, yet I did not always think the writing matched the confidence of the action. Some lines land because they are so shamelessly silly; others just sit there and ask me to laugh harder than I wanted to.

For me, the style worked better than the comedy itself. That still matters, because the game’s identity is built around swagger and attitude as much as combat. If that brand of humor is your thing, I can see the whole package clicking more strongly. If it is not, the game still has enough mechanical and visual appeal to remain playable, but the personality will feel more uneven. I was somewhere in the middle: I appreciated the boldness, but I did not think every joke earned its place.

Verdict

Mexican Ninja is a fun, energetic beat ’em up roguelike that gets a lot right, especially in combat and presentation. I had a good time with it because it is fast, readable, and easy to jump back into after a failed run. The short structure suits the action well, and the game’s distinct setting gives it more personality than many similarly sized releases. At the same time, I felt the roguelike systems could go deeper, and a few enemy encounters pushed a little too hard for my taste. That keeps it from becoming a standout for me, but it is still a solid and distinctive arcade-style experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for pace, style, and a little bit of chaos.