A recent datamine unearthed evidence that Sonic will somehow make an appearance in Ninjala.

Now, you’d be forgiven for feeling more than a little wary about Ninjala just now. It’s clear that Nintendo is throwing a fair amount of weight behind this curious competitive title from GungHo Online Entertainment, but is it going to make a substantial and lasting splash? We’ll have to wait and see if the gameplay’s up to snuff, and whether the game can overcome the stigma surrounding free-to-play titles.

Let’s not be negative, though, because this is certainly an interesting prospect. The game revolves around multiplayer contests between two teams of four, each armed with a variety of colorful weapons (from traditional katanas to yo-yos) and Ninja Gum, which allows the chewer to perform feats of ninja prowess.

Essentially, it’s all very Splatoon-esque, with less paint and more Naruto running. Initial concerns that it would be online multiplayer only seem to have been unfounded, as a datamine has revealed a new story mode. Not to mention a curious Sonic collaboration.

Details of microtransactions, a spectator mode, and more has been unearthed, as per Nintendo Everything’s handy list:

  • A few references to the Sonic series within cosmetic item descriptions For example, “A sticker of the mad scientist Dr. Robotnik striking a victory pose. Let the whole world know your ambitions.” There is a solo story mode where you “Fend off the attacks of the invading space ninja!” Play as Van, who has a mentor called Master Gramps Each “volume” is purchased from the eShop Each one appears to be four episodes long In-game currency purchasable via microtransactions called “Jala” and a “Ninjala Pass” There is a Gumball Machine (basically gacha) that gives you “special items” “Jala is valid for 150 days from the day of purchase” “Purchase Jala, exchange Jala for items, or purchase a Ninjala Pass” “Before buying Jala, be sure to get permission from your parents or buy it together!” Jala expiration after 150 days appears to be Japan only Gumball Machine: “10 items will be drawn, but special items will be included in the lineup of the 1st drawing only. You can only obtain one special item. Once you’ve obtained a special item, no special items will appear in subsequent drawings.” Get a sticker for reaching level 200 Ninjala seems to have a spectator mode, a PB mode with passwords, and a friend only mode

So, there you have it. How substantial will this Sonic collaboration prove to be? We don’t yet know, but the blue blur’s fans will want to keep a close eye on Ninjala!

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