IO Interactive love violence. Just look at their CV - Hitman, Kane & Lynch, Freedom Fighters; this is a company that clearly loves to spill a bit of claret. So, with that in mind, I guess that developing a videogame based on the deadly world of the ninja made perfect sense; after all, what is Agent 47 if not a westernized take on the traditional Japanese ninja.

But wait - Mini Ninjas? That doesn't sound very violent, very, y'know, IO Interactive. Well, that's because it isn't. In fact, Mini Ninjas may well be the most downright adorable game of 2009.

Sure, there are swords, there are shurikens, heck, there's even a giant hammer, but one thing you won't find in Mini Ninjas is blood. Not a single drop. And you know what; the game is all the better for it. Mini Ninjas may well be aimed squarely at the kids, but just like any animated movie worth its salt, Mini Ninjas has more than enough up its sleeve to entertain even the most cynical of adult gamers.

Although many will likely approach Mini Ninjas with a fair degree of trepidation, I can quite happily assure you that, while not ground breaking in anyway, IO Interactive have managed to create a game that not only serves as a fitting tribute to ninja culture, but also plays exceptionally well in its own right.

While the combat does get a little repetitive towards the end of the game and the level of challenge may be a little on the low side, thanks to near perfectly pitched gameplay mechanics, a beautifully coherent world to explore and the kind of audio/visual package that makes you plain happy to be a gamer, Mini Ninjas easily transcends its minor issues.

Like the best ninja tales out there, Mini Ninjas keeps things nice and simple. As the fittingly named Hiro, you are tasked with embarking on an adventure to rescue your four missing ninja brethren with the portly, but extremely powerful Futo in tow.

On your journey to rescue you friends and take down the diabolical Evil Samurai Warlord, you will battle an array of evil samurai adversaries in mortal combat.....wait, that almost sounds violent. That's ok - turns out said evil samurai adversaries are actually just cute as a button woodland critters, forced to do the bidding of the Evil Samurai Warlord thanks to his evil Kuji magic - strike them down and 'poof', you've got a violence free, Sonic the Hedgehog style transformation to look forward to. Honestly, it really is quite adorable.

As you move through the adventure and rescue your ninja buddies, each one will become an instantly playable character, meaning that, at the height of the adventure, you are able to switch between any of the 6 mini ninjas at the touch of a button. Although each ninja has the same basic move-set of weak attack, strong attack and special move, thanks to each ninja's unique aesthetic and animations, you will definitely want to try out each ninja as you unlock them throughout the game.

Sadly, while it is pleasing to have the option to change between all 6 ninjas, Hiro is so much more powerful than his ninja counterparts (thanks largely to his character specific use of Kuji) as to make the others all but redundant. Regardless of whether you prefer one of the other 5 ninjas, it's just too tempting to come back to Hiro, especially given that at no part in the game are any of the other ninjas called upon for specific skills. There are some enemies later in the game that are more susceptible to the attacks of the other ninjas, but these moments are a little too fleeting as to make Mini Ninjas feel like a real team adventure.

Also, and quite bizarrely I might add, IO Interactive have seen fit to create delightfully crafted character introductions for each unlocked ninja, only to hide them from the main adventure and tuck them away in the menu. Strange.

While these are no doubt odd design choices on the part of IO, Mini Ninjas is still a hugely enjoyable adventure - even if you do stick with Hiro for the entirety of the journey. Combat, while simple, is a solid system that allows for multiple approaches thanks to the use of projectile weapons and magical powers that are unlocked as you progress through the game - the best of these being a spell that allows your ninja to take control of the animals you save on your journey, giving you the chance to turn them upon their captors. Ok, so most battles can be won by mindlessly bashing on the weak and strong attack buttons, but later in the game, when the number of enemies starts to swell, those magic abilities become a lot more than pleasing distractions.

Of course, if combat isn't your thing, you can just as easily utilize Mini Ninjas stealth mechanic. By ducking down in long grass or sneaking through the shadows, you can choose to side-step many of the potential enemy encounters. While the system does work well, due to the lack of rewards for successful stealth manoeuvres, skipping battles can be detrimental to your progress in the long run. You see, upon defeating your enemies, you are rewarded with experience points that increase your abilities, health and special-move usage and with no such rewards for sneaking past enemies, you can end up with an underpowered ninja when the going gets a little tougher towards the end of the game.

Still, whether you're hiding from your enemies or going all out attack, the controls are absolutely spot on. Be you running up walls, cutting down enemies or sneaking through the shadows, the simple control scheme always feels just about spot on; movement is smooth and actions are pleasingly simple to pull off. The camera is a bit of a pain, but a quick flick of the right stick usually sorts out any problems you might be having.

Although many would have expected Mini Ninjas to lean strongly towards combat (don't worry, there's plenty of it), the game's strongest point actually comes from its open level design and opportunities for exploration. While the actual adventure is fairly linear, each level has multiple paths and numerous hidden items to be found - something that is made all the more enjoyable thanks to Mini Ninjas exemplary level design. From shrines and Jizo statues to herbs and fruits needed for potions, there is plenty to collect as you move from one lovingly crafted locale to the next.

From the snowy mountains to the bamboo forest, each location is expertly complimented by the games excellent audio. Be it the simple flute accompanying your lonely trek across the snowy mountains or the more adventurous beats of combat, the games audio always seems to hit the nail bang on the head.