They said it couldn't be done, or rather, no one elected to even mention such a thing aloud; a stealth game done in a side-on 2D view? It perhaps should've been a recipe for raised eyebrows and puzzled looks, but when you're a developer as gifted as Klei Entertainment - the guys that brought you Don't Starve and Shank - you're able to pack as much charm and perfectly-animated interactions into an experience as possible. Sometimes all you need for a truly great title is tight gameplay and enough narrative to propel you forward. MotN liberally doled out new abilities just as much as it did reward you for experimenting with the ones you had; everything from laying down spike-traps in guards' paths to darting up into the shadows only to take out a roomful of enemies in a swift blur felt tactile and precise. Mark of the Ninja not only proved stealth can 'work' in 2D, but it kickstarted the dormant genre and became one of its all time best in the process.
