Ninjala is celebrating its first anniversary with a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba crossover event.
The free-to-play “Ninja-Gum action game”, exclusive to Nintendo Switch, made the announcement this week as part of its anniversary celebrations. For a sneak peek at what’s in store, check out this new teaser:
According to the video description, the event will go live on July 19 and run until the end of August. It will “not only feature Tanjiro and Nezuko, but other members of the Demon Slayer Corps including Zenitsu and Rengoku, and their nemesis Muzan Kibutsuji himself”.
If you’re unfamiliar with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the official Ninjala website (opens in new tab) describes it as “a TV anime series based on Koyoharu Gotoge’s best-selling manga, serialized with its 23 volumes [and] selling a cumulative total of over 150 million printed copies in Japan”.
“First aired in Japan in April 2019, the story begins with young Tanjiro Kamado joining the Demon Slayer Corps in search of a way to revert his demon-turned sister Nezuko – his only surviving family after their massacre by the hands of another demon – back into human form,” the description adds (thanks, Nintendo Life (opens in new tab)). “Its heart-wrenching tales of both people and demons alike, along with breathtaking displays of swordsmanship and occasional comedic scenes, garnered immense popularity worldwide.”
Ninjala describes itself as a “free-to-play online Ninja-Gum action game featuring a colorful cast of young ninjas who engage in dynamic battles while free-running across vast environments”. Players can “create a custom avatar and wield a variety of special items and abilities, highlighted by the use of wacky, distinctive “Ninja-Gum” weapons and ninjutsu techniques “via modes that include 4v4 team deathmatches and a “free-for-all Battle Royale mode”.
With a whole host of playable characters and customization options to play around with – including changing up the clothes and accessories of your cutesy avatar – the style and some of its features do give off Splatoon-like vibes. It was one of many games that was pushed back last year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic (opens in new tab).
Curious but still not sure about Ninjala? Here’s how the first Ninjala beta turned one skeptical Splatoon fan into a ninja-gum hopeful (opens in new tab).