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Ninjala for Switch is the weirdest game I played at PAX.

Don Fluffles

Don Fluffles

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,090
Look at this promo art. Tell me it's not a ripoff of Splatoon.
Ninjala-logo.png


After playing it, however, it's unlike Splatoon - or any other multiplayer game I've played - whatsoever. The color scheme and character design sensibilities are essentially the only thing lifted from the former.


In a nutshell, the game goes like this:
  1. Players hold a button to blow bubble gum as large as possible.
  2. Players then press another one to convert it into a melee weapon, with its power dependent on the size of the bubble.
  3. Players gain score by defeating opponents and drones in the level with their weapon.
  4. Anyone attacked while blowing gum(you need to press a button to withdraw it) will get stunned and vulnerable to an instant kill.

I noticed it getting a lot of attention at PAX thanks to their booth sticking out like a sore thumb, with attendees getting life-size inflatable bats as seen in the promo pic.

I'm cautiously looking forward to Ninjala after playing it. What do you all think?
 

Deleted member 8791

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Oct 26, 2017
6,383
It's basically the first Splatoon "clone" (not specifically gameplay wise, more going for the same style and feel artistically with an organic gameplay gimmick). Very interested to see how this does really, I'm cautiously interested.
 
carlosrox

carlosrox

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,270
Vancouver BC
Hmm, I'm rather curious about it. I think the art style is rather nice.

I don't necessarily see the Splatoon connection. The promo art and maybe general vibe, maybe, but there's actual Splatoon clones out there that are much more obvious.
 

Deleted member 1839

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Some impressions from E3 made it seem that the combat was lacking impact and was a bit janky, were you able to use other weapons besides the bat?
 
Nacho

Nacho

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,144
NYC
honestly very confused as to the splatoon references that everyone's seeing... just looks uh, cartoony? am I missing something else?
 
Theswweet

Theswweet

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Oct 25, 2017
6,464
California
I think literally everyone that had business in the west hall at E3 at least saw gameplay, because their E3 booth was right near the hall's entrance and stuck out like a sore thumb.
 
Shedinja

Shedinja

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Nov 30, 2017
1,815
Checked out a gameplay video on YouTube and it looks slower than I expected it to be. Still, it's got my attention.
 

Deleted member 8593

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you're a kid now, you're still a kid

I wonder how they're going to monetize it and whether it's MP only.
 
trugs26

trugs26

Member
Jan 6, 2018
2,025
Might be awesome but the bubblegum is straight up gross to me, so that's a hard no.
 

Aroll

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
133
Played it extensively at E3. Was one of my most impressive games I played there, especially considering I didn't even know what it was. Starlink batlle for atlas is the game that impressed me the most, but this one here is a hidden gem.

The gameplay does feel janky at first because it's a game unlike any other MP game you have played. It takes some adjusting to get use too it. Once adjusted there is this moment where it just clicks.

The demo only lets you use a bat, but there are other weapons in the game. And there is a lot of strategy and quirks to the gameplay. Sure the bigger the bubble the bigger the bat, but also the bat is much slower too. Smaller bubbles give you weaker but faster bats. This matters because there is a sick dodge mechanic in the game that is easy to pull off against the big bats.

Even if you get stuck in gum, it is NOT a guarantee you get KO'd. They cannot KO you until the second the gum goes away as it grants a bit of immunity and you can just dodge before you get Nippa'd (their term for a KO). There is also an interesting start for point stacking too, because the matches they let you play are based on point totals with extra bonus points for most bots killed and then the most coins collected and then most Nippa kills. Using the environment is key and on the map they let us play it had a bridge that let you go up and down walls and upside down, and you could blow a bubble and jump off the bridge and float down too.

The gum itself can also do some damage when shot at people, and there are also special power up moves (the only thing that reminded me of Splatoon). The one we could use was a tornado affect that is an instant nippa if it touched you but, again, easily avoidable too.

Getting sue to the free roam camera is a big learning curve. It doesn't feel as smooth as other games, but it's for good reason once the game clicks.
 
Panda Attack

Panda Attack

Member
Nov 2, 2017
101
So this kids are not squids?

Looks interesting and I might get it since I really like the Splatoon influence in its art style.
 
foxuzamaki

foxuzamaki

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Oct 25, 2017
21,609
It always looked interesting, like they set out to copy splatoon but then ended up taking it seriously in the end
 
samred

samred

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Nov 4, 2017
2,600
Seattle, WA
Everyone from Ars really liked it at E3. But I still can't tell what kind of longevity its battling formula might offer as an online versus game...
 
trugs26

trugs26

Member
Jan 6, 2018
2,025
Blues1990 said:
giphy.gif


Wait, are you serious with what you've said? Bubblegum being gross?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah lol. I'm pretty weird with some food related things. One of them is bubblegum. The thought of it is gross, and it's even grosser when people expose it (e.g. open mouth eating, blowing bubbles, taking it out their mouth to throw it out, etc.). Since even the thought of it is gross to me, I definitely can't play a game themed around it.

Edit: this conversation is starting to gross me out actually, so I think I'll see myself out of this thread now.
 
Ximonz

Ximonz

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Oct 30, 2017
1,468
Taiwan
the character animation looks janky...and OOO twin tail girl!

I'll keep an open mind about this game.
 

Deleted member 2793

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Aroll said:
The demo only lets you use a bat, but there are other weapons in the game. And there is a lot of strategy and quirks to the gameplay. Sure the bigger the bubble the bigger the bat, but also the bat is much slower too. Smaller bubbles give you weaker but faster bats. This matters because there is a sick dodge mechanic in the game that is easy to pull off against the big bats.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Good impressions, I had no idea about this. Just made the game much more interesting knowing there's some sort of strategy in the bat creation part of the game.
 
Ailyo

Ailyo

Member
Oct 27, 2017
98
I'll be honest, I played this game at E3 just because they gave you the bats.
Also, it's pretty weird to hear Babymetal in the trailers for the game.
 
RecRoulette

RecRoulette

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,044
Ninjala was one of the few trailers at E3 that made me go "Holy shit I want to play that"

Art style aside, the gameplay looked really neat.
 
Łazy

Łazy

Member
Nov 1, 2017
5,249
Blues1990 said:
Wait, are you serious with what you've said? Bubblegum being gross?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
If I had to think what's gross would be more about the composition of it (chemicals and stuff).

Personaly I don't eat gum anymore for that reason and thinking about it hurts my teeth lol.
But I would have no problem playing a game like that if it was good.
 

Imitatio

Member
Feb 19, 2018
14,560
I hope that we get a demo for this before it releases. I'm very curious about it but don't wanna take the risk of just buying it to try once released.
A mp beta would be great!
 
Caspel

Caspel

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Oct 27, 2017
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SoCal
hibikase

hibikase

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User Banned (2 Weeks): Racism, long history of infractions.
Let me guess: it's made by a Chinese studio, isn't it
 

Deleted member 3700

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Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,359
Ailyo said:
I'll be honest, I played this game at E3 just because they gave you the bats.
Also, it's pretty weird to hear Babymetal in the trailers for the game.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I am a big fan of Babymetal (went to two overseas concerts last year) and was confused when I saw that trailer back in E3. Why did Amuse license a Babymetal song to an extremely niche title? I know they are in financial trouble, but Babymetal song should not be used like that.
 
Medalion

Medalion

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
12,203
It's my first time seeing this or having heard about it

I think I like it... and I am not a huge Splatoon fan
 
OP
OP
Don Fluffles

Don Fluffles

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,090
Aroll said:
Played it extensively at E3. Was one of my most impressive games I played there, especially considering I didn't even know what it was. Starlink batlle for atlas is the game that impressed me the most, but this one here is a hidden gem.

The gameplay does feel janky at first because it's a game unlike any other MP game you have played. It takes some adjusting to get use too it. Once adjusted there is this moment where it just clicks.

The demo only lets you use a bat, but there are other weapons in the game. And there is a lot of strategy and quirks to the gameplay. Sure the bigger the bubble the bigger the bat, but also the bat is much slower too. Smaller bubbles give you weaker but faster bats. This matters because there is a sick dodge mechanic in the game that is easy to pull off against the big bats.

Even if you get stuck in gum, it is NOT a guarantee you get KO'd. They cannot KO you until the second the gum goes away as it grants a bit of immunity and you can just dodge before you get Nippa'd (their term for a KO). There is also an interesting start for point stacking too, because the matches they let you play are based on point totals with extra bonus points for most bots killed and then the most coins collected and then most Nippa kills. Using the environment is key and on the map they let us play it had a bridge that let you go up and down walls and upside down, and you could blow a bubble and jump off the bridge and float down too.

The gum itself can also do some damage when shot at people, and there are also special power up moves (the only thing that reminded me of Splatoon). The one we could use was a tornado affect that is an instant nippa if it touched you but, again, easily avoidable too.

Getting sue to the free roam camera is a big learning curve. It doesn't feel as smooth as other games, but it's for good reason once the game clicks.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
In surprised to hear that the game goes deeper..
 
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