Nintendo Switch’s free-to-play Ninjala has hit 3 million downloads. The multiplayer action video game is developed and published by GungHo Online Entertainment and released on June 24, 2020. Ninjala’s gameplay centers around melee combat, featuring a story mode and multiplayer battles that can be played either solo or in teams of four.
Using Shinobi Cards, players can augment their ninja’s abilities, which offer cooldown reductions and other perks. Performing Ippon Finishes in Ninjala as the coup de grâce in a combo awards bonus points, which players accumulate as they vie for first place in a match. Moreover, ninjas utilize S-energy to get out of tight spots when activating something called an S-burst. Players acquire S-energy by defeating drones or picking up energy orbs, increasing their maximum number of S-energy bars as well as filling those meters.
According to Nintendo Life, Ninjala has hit 3 million downloads since its June 24 release. The game had reached 2 million downloads soon after its launch. In addition, players who download and play Ninjala by August 26, 2020 will be eligible for a free in-game gift in the form of 100 bonus Jala (Ninjala’s currency) on top of the 300 Jala from the game’s previous milestone. Gamers who receive the free gift can use the in-game currency to purchase items in Ninjala’s shop or gum - another in-game item - from gum machines.
The Switch platform is the perfect place for a cartoonish rendition of ninja combat, as most of Nintendo’s brand has showcased much more colorful and arcade style titles since the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Ninjala is no exception to this trend, for while more serious and titles like Skyrim and Mortal Kombat 11 have been ported to the Switch, the ratio of lighthearted games to grittier ones is still lopsided. Nintendo titles tend to offer more silly, family-friendly fun than thought-provoking intrigue.
Ninjala is the kind of game that appeals to a more youthful fan base, though, its competitive nature also attracts more emulous players. Given the title also capitalizes on the current battle royale trend, it’s not difficult to understand why it’s received a tremendous amount of downloads, especially considering many people are still undergoing lockdown. Couple Ninjala’s multiplayer opportunities with its free-to-play model, and GungHo Online Entertainment has a recipe for popularity and longevity. It will be interesting to see how the game fares once the world returns to a more normal state.
Ninjala is available now on Nintendo Switch.
Source: Nintendo Life, Ninjala