More free-to-play games on the Switch eShop? Well, don't mind if I do! BACKGROUND:
This game was in one of the previous Nintendo Directs. It looked flashy and fun, so I kept the game in mind. There was also a beta for it some time ago, but I unfortunately missed out on it. I heard there were server issues during then, so I was a little concerned going into this. PLOT: A lot of the lore is presented on the loading screens (a practice that I am not personally a fan of). From what little I gathered, this world has ninja battle royales where children beat the shit out of each other, something called Ninja-Gum which is some sort of powerful material that aids in these battles, and there's something called the World Ninja Association that I believe sanctions these battles. There are also references to characters and places you never see in the normal game, and that's about it. Now, there is a Story Mode for this game, but it's unfortunately paid content. If you want to a proper narrative, you'll have to pay up. It is a shame, because this game gave me real Splatoon vibes: a kid-friendly cartoon world with some interesting backstory hidden beneath the surface. PRESENTATION: The Splatoon comparisons don't stop at the setting and premise of child warfare; the overall aesthetic reminds me of Splatoon as well. The cartoony appearances of the player avatars, their super stylish clothing, the incredibly bright and varied colors, the urban locations, and the upbeat tunes all are reminiscent of Splatoon. That's not to say Ninjala is a carbon copy, however; Ninjala is distinct enough in terms of its actual art style and fashion that it feels like its own thing. GAMEPLAY: Ninjala is sold as a battle royale, but it's not like typical entries in the genre. For one, there aren't many players in a match (only 8 at a time). Secondly, Ninjala isn't a shooter; it's an action game where you go right up to your opponents and try and whack the shit out of them with your weapons. I like to think of it as Dissidia, but for children. Combat is simple: you have your basic weapon attack (that you can mix up by teleporting behind your opponent), a heavy weapon attack, a projectile attack, and two specials skills (one "regular" skill with a normal cooldown, and a super move). There isn't a lot of advanced tech or defensive options, so engagements usually go in the favor of whoever strikes first. You have a few ways to get out of a fight, however. The few defensive options you do have are parrying (which activates a clash situation with the opponent), transforming into an inanimate object (which allows you to scurry away or hide), getup rolls in several directions when you get knocked down, and a short dash for dodging (which costs a bar of your energy meter). Parrying in particular is interesting, because successfully doing so activates a little quick-time event thing where you play rock-paper-scissors with your opponent. Whoever wins the clash gets to deal damage. It's like the wager mechanic in Injustice, where you have to guess what your opponent is gonna do. However, parrying isn't an option you can always use, because it costs all of your meter to activate. Though parrying is a fun mechanic, I don't find it sufficient in terms of defensive options. If you're in hitstun and you're out of meter to activate a parry, you're pretty much dead. You're also completely defenseless in the air if you get hit enough times. I would have greatly preferred if there were more options to accommodate situations (like an aerial breakaway or something). It doesn't completely ruin the game for me, but it starts to be a glaring issue when you find yourself getting ass kicked for the entirety of the match. The big hook of Ninjala's gameplay comes in the form of Ninja-Gum, which is the lifeblood of the world's combat. You can blow bubbles of gum during battle, and while that sounds stupid, there's actually a point to it. For one, that's how you use your projectile attacks. For another, pressing jump in midair with a bubble out activates this super dash that gets you around place really quick at the cost of some meter. Lastly, it's used to upgrade your weapon at a certain point, allowing you to increase damage output. Ninja-Gum is a rather novel concept for an action game and is pretty versatile, but I don't find it as ubiquitous as something like Splatoon's squid transformation mechanic. Sure, it's used in plenty of things, but it doesn't feel as essential as it should to the core gameplay. In my early matches, I got by just fine without ever using any of the gum mechanics. I'd love it if you could do more with the gum outside of the three things it can do in the game. As of right now, there are three weapon classes ("swords", hammers, and yo-yos), each with four variations. Each weapon class plays differently, and each variation comes with different loadouts (unique skills, projectile attacks, and passives). There's actually a nice variety to these loadouts, as they each have their own niche to them (some have homing projectiles, others have skills that are better for trapping opponents). They also have some unique designs. You can also equip your character with Shinobi Cards, which grant additional passive skills. These can be upgraded with Assist Codes using Ninja Medals, all of which can be acquired through normal play. Currently, there are only two modes of play in Ninjala: your standard free-for-all battle royale, and team battles. The objectives for both are the same: earn the most points. This is accomplished by picking up orbs (which also refill your meter), destroying drones (which increases your meter capacity), scoring KOs (by depleting an enemy's life bar), and scoring what's called IPPONs (which, to my understanding, is the game's way of saying "beat your opponent's ass so hard the get slammed into the wall). Bonus points are also awarded at the end of every round for players who destroyed the most drones and scored the most IPPONs. There are only two stages available as well, being the basic WNA Academy, and the more interesting Eagle City. The former isn't a particularly interesting map, but the latter is more exciting and actually takes advantage of the wall run mechanic with its verticality. Hopefully they add more varied stages in the future. While you can play these modes casually, there is a Ranked mode for the leaderboard chasers out there. I didn't really mess around with it, though. This is a free-to-play game, so bet your ass it's got microtransactions. In this case, the premium currency is called Jala, and its mostly used to purchase cosmetics at the in-game store (clothes and emotes, mostly). There's also the Ninjala Pass (the Battle Pass equivalent), which allows you to earn more and better rewards as you gain experience in regular play. Lastly, there's a loot box thing that uses Jala called the Gumball Machine, because of course there is. Thankfully, this game doesn't seem to be pay-to-win, so I don't find this particularly scummy. VERDICT: Ninjala is a fun spin on the battle royale with its in-your-face, agile combat and colorful Splatoon-esque vibe. I think it's a pretty solid game, but I feel like it would've crossed the threshold into "great game" territory if some of its combat mechanics were fleshed out and its modes expanded upon. Of course, the game is only in its infancy, and I can easily see this game improve as more updates roll out. It's pretty fun to jump in and play a match or two, but as it is right now, it's not really something I'm looking to play long-term. That said, any substantial additions and improvements can easily get me back into it. This game is free-to-play, so play it for yourself and see what you think. - end -
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June 2024
Derryck
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