An Ippon is essentially a fancy KO that earns more points than the standard KO. There are various ways to achieve an Ippon, but all of them will earn extra points. Aside from scoring Ippon, after-match titles (i.e. “Drone Destroyer”) are the only other bonus point benefactor in Ninjala, so, an Ippon is probably worth the extra work.
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For those that are one of the many players eager to log in during Ninjala’s high-traffic launch, some may have missed key gameplay details in the midst of all the rush. Although the game doesn’t explain Ippon clearly at first, the concept is really quite simple; it’s like a KO+. One of the basic ways to score an Ippon is by KOing your opponent once they’re gum-bound.
Players can either bind opponents by landing a Gum Shoots attack when they’re weakened, or by performing a Gum Break attack while they’re gum-guarding. Once they’re bound by gum, players simply have to finish them off to score an Ippon. Do note: players must KO the opponent while they’re still bound by gum for the Ippon to register.
The other way to pull off Ippons is by KOing an opponent directly after successfully performing a parry. That is, if players win the rock-paper-scissors-style showdown after parrying, and it results in a KO, you will secure yet another Ippon!
Ninjala definitely stirred up some fan-feelings with its bumpy launch, and its controversial introduction of consumable cosmetic items, but nonetheless, players are drawn to the game’s cheeky style (a glaring homage to the much-loved Splatoon series). The fighting gameplay may seem basic at first glance, but there are clearly nuances to be explored if ninjas truly want to rank up!
Ninjala is available now on Switch.
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