GAMES
03/27/2024
Shinobi Striker Developers' Letter #4 Is Here!
What Is Shinobi Striker?
It's time to determine the world's greatest ninja in the Ninja World League!
Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker is an online multiplayer game where you go head-to-head with other ninja in fast-paced, acrobatic battles to vie for the honor of being crowned the strongest of them all!!
Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker is an online multiplayer game where you go head-to-head with other ninja in fast-paced, acrobatic battles to vie for the honor of being crowned the strongest of them all!!
Greetings to all you ninja out there!
This is the Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker Development Team.
We are so grateful to everyone who has been playing Shinobi Striker.
In this, our 4th Developers' Letter, we'll be sharing details about the final character set for release in season 7, Sasori, along with information about the upcoming update!
This is the Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker Development Team.
We are so grateful to everyone who has been playing Shinobi Striker.
In this, our 4th Developers' Letter, we'll be sharing details about the final character set for release in season 7, Sasori, along with information about the upcoming update!
The newest character joining the lineup is Sasori!
A rogue ninja from the Hidden Sand Village, he's also a member of the criminal organization, Akatsuki.
Also known as Sasori of the Red Sand, this genius puppeteer turns his enemies into Human Puppets and wields them in battle. Even the Third Kazekage, a Magnet Style user, fell before him and was repurposed into one of his puppets. He considers himself something of an artist, and believes that true art is beauty that is captured and preserved for eternity.
He makes his debut in Shinobi Striker wielding the puppet of the Third Kazekage as a ranged type character who can control the battlefield! Keep reading for an in-depth look at the genius puppeteer's jutsu!
A rogue ninja from the Hidden Sand Village, he's also a member of the criminal organization, Akatsuki.
Also known as Sasori of the Red Sand, this genius puppeteer turns his enemies into Human Puppets and wields them in battle. Even the Third Kazekage, a Magnet Style user, fell before him and was repurposed into one of his puppets. He considers himself something of an artist, and believes that true art is beauty that is captured and preserved for eternity.
He makes his debut in Shinobi Striker wielding the puppet of the Third Kazekage as a ranged type character who can control the battlefield! Keep reading for an in-depth look at the genius puppeteer's jutsu!
Sasori's Abilities
Sasori excels in both offense and defense, making use of the Third Kazekage Puppet's Magnet Style Ninjutsu along with poison laced in its iron sand and the puppet itself. The puppet has a diverse array of attacks that have a wide area of effect, and each one of Sasori's Ninjutsu is capable of poisoning enemies, allowing you to gain a huge advantage from even the smallest of openings.
For a long time, the development team has been talking about how much we've wanted to add Sasori to the game, despite how difficult it would be, so we really buckled down to make it a reality. In particular, we put a ton of work into his victory animation for the Survival Exercise!
For a long time, the development team has been talking about how much we've wanted to add Sasori to the game, despite how difficult it would be, so we really buckled down to make it a reality. In particular, we put a ton of work into his victory animation for the Survival Exercise!
Next up, we have a rundown of his Ninjutsu!
Ninjutsu 1 - Thousand Hands
Ninjutsu 1 - Thousand Hands
Manipulates the puppet to continually summon arms from within its arm to attack enemies.
Upon activation, allows for free control of the puppet and causes it to move forward automatically. When locked on to an enemy, the puppet will advance towards that enemy, and when preparing to lock on (when the lock on is green), it will advance in the direction that the camera is facing. Afterwards, additional input will cause the puppet to attack with its arms, inflicting enemies hit with damage and poison, and reducing the healing the target receives.
(Characters inflicted with the reduced healing effect will recover less HP from friendly Ninja Tools and Ninjutsu.)
Since the puppet can move on its own, it's especially effective when used in surprise attacks from above or against otherwise unsuspecting enemies. Slip into the heart of your opponent's formation and cause chaos in their ranks!
Ninjutsu 2 - Iron Sand: Unleash
Upon activation, allows for free control of the puppet and causes it to move forward automatically. When locked on to an enemy, the puppet will advance towards that enemy, and when preparing to lock on (when the lock on is green), it will advance in the direction that the camera is facing. Afterwards, additional input will cause the puppet to attack with its arms, inflicting enemies hit with damage and poison, and reducing the healing the target receives.
(Characters inflicted with the reduced healing effect will recover less HP from friendly Ninja Tools and Ninjutsu.)
Since the puppet can move on its own, it's especially effective when used in surprise attacks from above or against otherwise unsuspecting enemies. Slip into the heart of your opponent's formation and cause chaos in their ranks!
Ninjutsu 2 - Iron Sand: Unleash
Scatters iron sand, turning it into a myriad of thorns using a repelling magnetic field.
Upon activation, this Ninjutsu fires a cluster of iron sand and creates another cluster of sand above where the jutsu lands. Additional input causes thorns to extend downward from the clusters, attacking enemies over a wide area. Deals damage to enemies that are hit, inflicting them with poison, and reducing the healing they receive. Since this Ninjutsu can attack enemies over a wide area, it is especially effective in Base Battles, fights around obstacles, and during free-for-alls with lots of bunched up enemies.
Also, targets in the center of the thorns' radius receive greater damage, so try your best to center as many enemies as possible to unleash the full power of this Ninjutsu!
Secret Technique - Secret Red Move: Performance of a Hundred Puppets
Upon activation, this Ninjutsu fires a cluster of iron sand and creates another cluster of sand above where the jutsu lands. Additional input causes thorns to extend downward from the clusters, attacking enemies over a wide area. Deals damage to enemies that are hit, inflicting them with poison, and reducing the healing they receive. Since this Ninjutsu can attack enemies over a wide area, it is especially effective in Base Battles, fights around obstacles, and during free-for-alls with lots of bunched up enemies.
Also, targets in the center of the thorns' radius receive greater damage, so try your best to center as many enemies as possible to unleash the full power of this Ninjutsu!
Secret Technique - Secret Red Move: Performance of a Hundred Puppets
This Secret Technique connects puppets directly to his core, allowing for direct control over one hundred puppets.
Upon activation, the puppets are summoned and rush down the target while attacking repeatedly, inflicting damage and poison on enemies that are hit as well as reducing the healing they receive.
The puppets are summoned successively, allowing you to deal continuous damage to your enemies.
Make use of your poisonous Ninjutsu to whittle down your opponents' health and leave them with no room to escape!
Also, Sasori has special combo animations when using the Third Kazekage Puppet!
Upon activation, the puppets are summoned and rush down the target while attacking repeatedly, inflicting damage and poison on enemies that are hit as well as reducing the healing they receive.
The puppets are summoned successively, allowing you to deal continuous damage to your enemies.
Make use of your poisonous Ninjutsu to whittle down your opponents' health and leave them with no room to escape!
Also, Sasori has special combo animations when using the Third Kazekage Puppet!
This weapon can also be equipped to your avatar. Purchase Sasori's Special Ninjutsu Training to receive it as a reward.
Sasori will be available for use in the free update, so look forward to using him on the battlefield! By purchasing the Special Ninjutsu Training, your avatar will be able to use Sasori's Ninjutsu! Mix and match various Ninjutsu and Secret Techniques to create your own unique shinobi!
Sasori will be available for use in the free update, so look forward to using him on the battlefield! By purchasing the Special Ninjutsu Training, your avatar will be able to use Sasori's Ninjutsu! Mix and match various Ninjutsu and Secret Techniques to create your own unique shinobi!
In this section, we'll go over the balance adjustments implemented in this update, along with brief explanations of why we believe these changes are necessary. The rundown will focus on 3 topics: Dividing the healing reduction effects, increased Secret Technique gauge fill rate for defense types, and balance adjustments made to individual Ninjutsu. These explanations are a little lengthy, so we'll thank you in advance for sticking around to read them until the end.
Dividing the Healing Reduction Effects
Currently, when a character has the "Decreases healing power" debuff or "Boosts healing power" buff, the amount of HP they can "give" decreases or increases corresponding to the effect. When designing Sasori's Ninjutsu, we wanted to recreate his potent poison, which necessitated an effect that lowered the amount of HP "received" by those affected. In order to easily differentiate between these two effects, we've divided them into "Reduces healing power" and "Lowers received health recovery" respectively. The "Reduces healing power" effect will work as it has before, as a debuff to heal types, and the "Lowers received health recovery" effect will be applied to enemies as a debuff to prevent them from healing. The "Boosts healing power" effect will work as it has before, as a buff that increases the amount of healing received by those who possess it.
Sasori's poison isn't the only Ninjutsu that will benefit from the "Lowers received health recovery" effect. We've balanced some other Ninjutsu so that they can also benefit by applying the poison effect. For a full list of changes to Ninjutsu, make sure to check out the patch notes.
Sasori's poison isn't the only Ninjutsu that will benefit from the "Lowers received health recovery" effect. We've balanced some other Ninjutsu so that they can also benefit by applying the poison effect. For a full list of changes to Ninjutsu, make sure to check out the patch notes.
Increased Secret Technique Gauge Fill Rate for Defense Types
As mentioned in the second Developers' Letter, Shinobi Striker is built around a system where every shinobi type has something they excel at, and playing towards their strengths allows them to fill up their Secret Technique gauge.
In this system, defense types have a harder time filling up their Secret Technique gauge if their opponent avoids hitting them, and also receive a lower fill rate when they take damage compared to when they block damage with a shield Ninjutsu. This leads to an environment where a defense type will find it difficult to fill up their Secret Technique gauge if they aren't equipped with shield Ninjutsu.
In this balance adjustment, defense types will receive around a 30% increase to the rate at which their Secret Technique gauge is filled when taking damage, allowing them to fill up their Secret Technique gauge faster while duking it out in the front line. Because the numbers on the previous fill rate were a little low to begin with, this change should make it easier for defense types to turn the tide of battle with their Secret Techniques without drastically changing the rate at which they fill up their Secret Technique gauge.
In this system, defense types have a harder time filling up their Secret Technique gauge if their opponent avoids hitting them, and also receive a lower fill rate when they take damage compared to when they block damage with a shield Ninjutsu. This leads to an environment where a defense type will find it difficult to fill up their Secret Technique gauge if they aren't equipped with shield Ninjutsu.
In this balance adjustment, defense types will receive around a 30% increase to the rate at which their Secret Technique gauge is filled when taking damage, allowing them to fill up their Secret Technique gauge faster while duking it out in the front line. Because the numbers on the previous fill rate were a little low to begin with, this change should make it easier for defense types to turn the tide of battle with their Secret Techniques without drastically changing the rate at which they fill up their Secret Technique gauge.
Balance Adjustments to Individual Ninjutsu and Ninja Tools
In this balance adjustment, we've made big changes to the Byakugan Ninjutsu.
To improve the Byakugan, we've added the "Lock-On Range Extension" buff that is granted upon activating the Ninjutsu. Once the buff has been applied, the range at which you'll be able to lock on to an opponent gets extended, allowing you to lock on to distant enemies. Of course this effect will apply to allies as well, allowing your team to scope out your opponents' positions from a safe distance. Team up with ranged types to not only scout out your enemies, but punish them from afar as well.
Experience the all-seeing power of the newly improved Byakugan for yourself!
To improve the Byakugan, we've added the "Lock-On Range Extension" buff that is granted upon activating the Ninjutsu. Once the buff has been applied, the range at which you'll be able to lock on to an opponent gets extended, allowing you to lock on to distant enemies. Of course this effect will apply to allies as well, allowing your team to scope out your opponents' positions from a safe distance. Team up with ranged types to not only scout out your enemies, but punish them from afar as well.
Experience the all-seeing power of the newly improved Byakugan for yourself!
In this patch, we've also improved a wide variety of Ninja Tools.
The Sealing Tags, previously usable only by heal types, are now able to be used by ranged types as well. We've increased the stock amounts of the Scientific Ninja Tool "Fire Release Bullet" and Scientific Ninja Tool "Glimmering Flames" to give them more chances to have an effect on the battle. Of course, we've also made various balance adjustments to Ninjutsu as well! All the adjustments will be revealed soon in a notice and in the in-game patch notes, so make sure to check them out!
We plan to continue making additional changes to the types and Ninjutsu mentioned in this letter as we monitor the impact of these adjustments on the battle environment and user data.
We hope you continue to enjoy fighting in the Ninja World League!
The Sealing Tags, previously usable only by heal types, are now able to be used by ranged types as well. We've increased the stock amounts of the Scientific Ninja Tool "Fire Release Bullet" and Scientific Ninja Tool "Glimmering Flames" to give them more chances to have an effect on the battle. Of course, we've also made various balance adjustments to Ninjutsu as well! All the adjustments will be revealed soon in a notice and in the in-game patch notes, so make sure to check them out!
We plan to continue making additional changes to the types and Ninjutsu mentioned in this letter as we monitor the impact of these adjustments on the battle environment and user data.
We hope you continue to enjoy fighting in the Ninja World League!
Here we'll introduce some items that appear in the new Scroll Appraisal!
Scientific Ninja Tool "Sunbeam"
Scientific Ninja Tool "Sunbeam"
Introducing a new blade-shaped Scientific Ninja Tool!
This weapon can be equipped by attack types, and is much lighter in weight compared to previous Ninja Tools. While it does have a shorter reach than typical blades, it makes up for it by allowing for quick attacks. Try combining this Ninja Tool with your Taijutsu to unleash high-speed combos!
Scientific Ninja Tool "Spinning Arms"
This weapon can be equipped by attack types, and is much lighter in weight compared to previous Ninja Tools. While it does have a shorter reach than typical blades, it makes up for it by allowing for quick attacks. Try combining this Ninja Tool with your Taijutsu to unleash high-speed combos!
Scientific Ninja Tool "Spinning Arms"
Introducing a tonfa-shaped weapon that can break down your opponent's defenses with high-speed attacks!
This weapon can be equipped by heal types, allows for longer hit combos than previous Ninja Tools, and excels at follow-up attacks. The time it takes to finish a combo is increased, but you'll be able to inflict greater damage for doing so, making this weapon perfect for heal type shinobi who want to fight it out on the front lines!
Bashosen
This weapon can be equipped by heal types, allows for longer hit combos than previous Ninja Tools, and excels at follow-up attacks. The time it takes to finish a combo is increased, but you'll be able to inflict greater damage for doing so, making this weapon perfect for heal type shinobi who want to fight it out on the front lines!
Bashosen
The Bashosen is considered to be one of the strongest Ninja Tools, and its replica has made its way to the Ninja World League!
When used, it can launch powerful fireballs on par with those created by Ninjutsu. However, due to the large amount of chakra needed to use this Ninja Tool it will reset your Ninjutsu cooldown times, so make sure to use it wisely!
Other new items are also coming soon, so keep your eyes on the official X (formerly Twitter) account for more updates!
https://twitter.com/Narutovideogame
When used, it can launch powerful fireballs on par with those created by Ninjutsu. However, due to the large amount of chakra needed to use this Ninja Tool it will reset your Ninjutsu cooldown times, so make sure to use it wisely!
Other new items are also coming soon, so keep your eyes on the official X (formerly Twitter) account for more updates!
https://twitter.com/Narutovideogame
We'll be updating Shinobi Striker with some extra features not included in the patch list to improve the user experience. Here is a list of some of those improvements!
Skip Feature Added to the Tutorial
With the next update, players will be able to skip the tutorial that starts when a new shinobi enters the Ninja World League. Before they would have to go on missions as soon as they bought the game, but now those are skippable, and players can enter the Ninja World League from the start.
And of course, even if they skip the missions, players will still receive the rewards they would have gotten for completing them!
It's now easier than ever to get your friends into the game, so why not try asking if they're interested in becoming a shinobi?
It's now easier than ever to get your friends into the game, so why not try asking if they're interested in becoming a shinobi?
Expansion of the Shinobi Boost Feature
We've expanded the Shinobi Boost feature that allows you to freely swap the skills of your outfits in the following 2 ways:
1) In outfits where the top and bottom are combined, it will now be possible to only change one of the skills.
2) Skills that have been changed can be reset to their default setting prior to the change.
1) In outfits where the top and bottom are combined, it will now be possible to only change one of the skills.
2) Skills that have been changed can be reset to their default setting prior to the change.
The first improvement will allow for greater customization so that you can keep the skill of the top half of an outfit and swap out the skill of the bottom half for something else, or vice versa.
The second improvement allows you to reset your outfit skills to their default state after experimenting with different changes.
In concurrence with these improvements, we've also added to the lineup of changeable skills, allowing for even further customization!
We will be continuing to make improvements to the game to keep it fresh and interesting. We plan on including info regarding these improvements in the coming Developers' Letters, so look forward to them!
The second improvement allows you to reset your outfit skills to their default state after experimenting with different changes.
In concurrence with these improvements, we've also added to the lineup of changeable skills, allowing for even further customization!
We will be continuing to make improvements to the game to keep it fresh and interesting. We plan on including info regarding these improvements in the coming Developers' Letters, so look forward to them!
Thanks to all of your love and support, Shinobi Striker has been around for over 5 years already, and all the newly added characters and battle maps have led to an increase in load times and an increase in data usage.
The development team is well-aware of these issues, and is planning on regularly optimizing the game in the upcoming updates. Starting from this update, we'll be working on improvements geared towards optimizing the loading time when the game starts up and decreasing the loading time after entering a lobby.
In future updates, we'll be working on reducing the amount of time spent loading and how much data is used by the game.
The development team is well-aware of these issues, and is planning on regularly optimizing the game in the upcoming updates. Starting from this update, we'll be working on improvements geared towards optimizing the loading time when the game starts up and decreasing the loading time after entering a lobby.
In future updates, we'll be working on reducing the amount of time spent loading and how much data is used by the game.
Thank you for reading until the end!
Sasori, the puppeteer pulling the strings of the battlefield, released on 3/29 (JST)!
In the next Developers' Letter, we're hoping to include information on the next season, so please look forward to it!
With that, we bid you farewell. Let us meet again in the next Developers' Letter!
Sasori, the puppeteer pulling the strings of the battlefield, released on 3/29 (JST)!
In the next Developers' Letter, we're hoping to include information on the next season, so please look forward to it!
With that, we bid you farewell. Let us meet again in the next Developers' Letter!
