Reception and legacy
Critical reception for Ninja Golf has been mixed, though retrospective media sources have considered the game very memorable due to its unusual premise and mix of genres. Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 felt that neither the golf nor the beat 'em up gameplay were particularly well-realized, leading to a difficult and repetitive experience once the charm of the concept wears off.[2] AllGame reviewer Joseph Scoleri III gave a similar assessment, summarized, "While these facets of the game are imaginative, amusing and fun, the overall gameplay seems a little bland in comparison."[3] John Delaney of the Retro Gamer team noted the serious delivery of its humor as deadpan and its gameplay as fun despite being simplistic compared to other beat 'em ups and golf simulations.[21]
Wireframe contributor Ian Dransfield summarized it as having "sort of Jack Nicklaus-does-Shinobi vibes. Is it good? No, not really. Is it absurd and funny? Yep. Perfect for golf haters everywhere."[22] Brett Weiss wrote in his book Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984 that the game successfully combines distinct genres, lauding the boss encounters as graphically impressive and functionally reminiscent of the bonus stages from the original Shinobi.[23] Atari Gaming Headquarters reviewer Matthew Lippart made a similar observation regarding the boss fights and offered general praise to its graphics. He commended the combat gameplay while noting its difficulty in attacking when jumping and summarizing it "basically Kung Fu with a really bad golf engine thrown in."[24] Andy Slaven briefly mentioned in Video Game Bible, 1985-2002 that the game's premise "may sound wacky" but it is "surprisingly enjoyable".[25]
On his list "The Best and Worst of '80s Ninja Video Games" Den of Geek writer Craig Lines proclaimed, "I'm not sure there's a more quintessentially '80s game in existence than Ninja Golf," calling it "endlessly inventive" and "one of the best of its kind."[26] Levi Buchanan of IGN listed it as the second best release on the Atari 7800, stating in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, "Ninja Golf is a better conversation piece than a game. But how can you deny the concept? Or that box art?"[27]
The game has been featured on other lists by magazines and websites in the decades following its original release. This includes Next Generations "five most bizarre game concepts of all time", CNET's "30 dumbest videogame titles ever", Pastes "10 Goofy Golf Videogames that Aren't Mario Golf, Bleacher Reports "12 Most Insane Sports Video Games Ever", and Complexs "15 Most Violent Sports Video Games".[28][29][30][31][32] The game's cover art has been considered among the worst of all time by IGN,[33] Complex,[34]
