This is one of the many games the kids have tried on the iPad and the Android phone, and months later they still play it.
What is it
The free ‘action-adventure’ game shows a 3d character dressed as a ninja who reacts to the user’s actions in the same way used in the ‘ragdoll physics’ games from a few years ago.
The player can pick him up, give him high-fives, throw objects at him, tie balloons to him to make him float. Each action has the potential to help ‘train’ the ninja, earning points, leveling up, etc. There is a narrative in the game, about getting the ninja to find a missing friend, but that is not overt.
Most of the actual gameplay is flicking balls and other stuff at the character to make him dodge them.
Who is it for
The game is rated ‘family’/’everyone’ and is very G-rated. There is the violence of throwing objects at a virtual character, or dropping him from heights, but it’s very cartoony and not violent like many other games are.
What Kids Like
The kids seem to like the toy aspect of the game rather than the narrative. They like playing with a virtual doll. And they like earning points they can use to ‘buy’ new objects. They also like competing against each other to see who can get to a certain level first.
What Parents Like
It’s not a game that I have any interest in playing, but it seems like harmless fun for the kids.
What the Critics Think
MacWorld rates the game 3.5/5. They have a lengthy review.
That rating seems unfair given that the game gets 4.8/5 on iTunes and 4.4 on the Play Store. And the game was an iTunes ‘editor’s pick’
Concerns/Flaws
The game used to have ads, including those awful ‘watch to earn’ ads. The latest version of the game is supposed to have removed those.
There are also in-app purchases, which is presumably how the developers make money, so you have to be careful to restrict that action on your devices.
Who Made it
Clumsy Ninja is made by NaturalMotion, who also makes games such as “Dawn of Titans” and “My Horse”
History
The game was first released in 2013 and is the first mobile game to use the Euphoria game engine
Where Can I Get it