Ninja Must Die is a 2D side scrolling mobile game packed with speed and action. The graphics feature a ink wash painting style that is vibrant and appealing to the eyes. The core gameplay is great because it's easy at the start but becomes more challenging as you play. The main object is for you to avoid the obstacles and monsters that get in your way, as your character runs non-stop typically from left to right. The real fun begins when you have boss battles and get to use weapons along with trying to doge incoming attacks. The game features many different weapons for you to use and collect. The way to obtain these weapons however is through their gacha system. The weapons can play a pretty big role depending on the boss or monsters you face.
These weapons have different special abilities that focus on different elements. For instance, there is a bow that is electric type or a sword that is frost. These weapons can be leveled up by feeding either duplicate weapons to them or using another material. Matching the material elements with the elemental weapon can increase your weapons XP gain. Aside from the weapons you can also acquire different ninjas to use. Initially you start off with the basic ninja but after progressing through the story quests you will unlock new ninjas. Each ninja is not only visually unique but also has their own special talent tree for you to build out.
This feature makes the game more than just a 2D side scroller. These RPG features bring more depth and life to the game. The game also features a chat system, friend system, and a guild feature as well. The Monetization in the game is pretty typical for most mobile games but a bit more relaxed than most. The premium currency jade can be bought with real money but still earned through just playing the game. This is great for free to play players because it lets them still get access to spend the jade they earn. You can use your jade for a few different things like coins, gacha summons, or buying costume tickets to unlock new cosmetic looks for you ninjas.
Overall, this game thoroughly surprised me and was much more fun than I anticipated after the first 5 minutes of play. Once you get through the tutorial and start unlocking new features the game becomes very entertaining. I defiantly recommend anyone try this game out. It can be played very casually or competitively as well.