Strangely awesome.
Gameplay: Legend of the Mystical Ninja has more than one mode of gameplay. At the beginning of each level you will usually be in a town, with a 3/4 overhead view which allows you to move up and down, side to side. You are equipped with a short staff and you will go around bonking strange Japanese enemies on the head. As you do you will accumulate wealth. If coins pop out you get $10 for each one. If a kitty cat pops out, it will upgrade your weapon; first to a long staff, and then to a devastating spiked yo-yo. As you get more and more money you can go into the store to buy items like a piece of pizza which will give you a reserve tank of health, or the sandals which make you run faster and jump higher. You can have up to level 4 sandals, so buy all 4 right when you get there. If you get struck by an enemy you will lose one level on your sandals AND on your weapon, so avoid getting hit at all costs when you're in the villages. The characters can also go into various shops where you'll find mini-games such as gambling, mazes, or even Gradius. You can also learn some advanced martial arts if you have the cash.
Eventually you will make your way into the temple, where the real side-scrolling platformer mode begins. It is more difficult and you will have a boss fight at the end of each side-scrolling stage. Once you make it to this part, you cannot lose your sandals anymore for that side-scrolling level. Furthermore, you can cycle through your weapons to equip coins that you shoot/throw, or use bombs. If you die you will get a password so make sure to write that down.
Pros: Simple yet unique gameplay and style. Strangely artistic. Fun/comical graphics and character design. Supports 2-player cooperative play. During 2 player co-op, one player can ride on the other guy's shoulders. One person runs while the other character swings away, which is quite fun and unique. Also, L.O.M.N. is not the type of game where you get stuck in the same spot for days. The music and characters are totally Japanese. I love the Asian feeling of the game. The platforming mode is solid.
Cons: Kid Yang is very limited in his abilites. Some might say he's kind of awkward or cumbersome to manuever. He isn't very fast and he doesn't jump very high.
Course of action: If you like Mario and Sonic, you will love this game too. I picked up a copy for $10. Why rent when you can own for pocket change?
Overall: I would give Legend of the Mystical Ninja a solid 9.0. The 2 player co-op is really fun and innovative, best part of the game for me. I also like the fact it's not another sword game. It is very Japanese, and that will be the aspect that sets this game apart from others like it.