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How to play

The ninja runs by himself. Your only tool is a pen. Here is everything you need for your first runs.

Your tool

A pen: drag anywhere to draw

Ink

A few drops; each is one line, and they refill

A line lasts

About 4.5 seconds, longer with upgrades

Slow time

While your pen is down

Red means

Danger: an arrow, a rock or a drop

Your goal

Keep him running as far as you can

Try it here

That's the whole game in one move: an archer aims, you draw a line across his red dots, and the arrow flies back at him. Draw on the scene below with your finger or mouse.

Your first run, step by step

1. Tap Run, then Start running. The ninja sets off on his own.
2. The first archer aims a dotted red line at him. Drag a short line across the dots: the arrow stops.
3. Next comes a gap. Draw a flat line from edge to edge and he runs across it.
4. New dangers arrive one at a time, each with a short hint the first time. Every save builds your combo.
5. At 500 metres the first boss, the Giant Archer, appears. Tilt your lines toward him to send his arrows back.

Drawing

Press anywhere on the screen and drag to draw a line. Let go and the line is finished. On a computer you draw with the mouse; on a phone or tablet, with your finger.

While your pen is down, time slows. That is on purpose: it gives you a moment to place the line where you want it, even when things are flying at him. Lift the pen and everything speeds back up.

Ink drops

At the bottom of the screen you'll see a row of ink drops. Each drop is one line. When you draw a line, a drop empties, then slowly refills. You start with a few drops and can buy more in the Shop.

Each line also has a maximum length, shown next to the drops. Draw longer than that and the line simply stops growing.

Lines fade

A line lasts a few seconds, then starts to break up and disappears. You can't build a permanent wall, so the game is always about the next threat, not the last one.

What a line does

• Stops things. Arrows, spears, shuriken, rocks and bombs hit your lines instead of him.
• Sends things back. An arrow bounces off a line like light off a mirror. Angle the line toward the archer and the arrow flies home and knocks him off his plank.
• Holds him up. He runs on top of any line he reaches from above, so a line over thorns or a pit is a bridge.
• Launches him. Leave him running up a slanted line and he flies off the end in a somersault.

Red means danger

Red dots show where an arrow or spear is about to fly. A red ! shows where something is about to drop or dive. You get a short warning before every attack, so read the red and draw across it.

Perfect blocks and combos

Block something close to him and you get a Perfect: a moment of slow motion and extra points. Every save adds to your combo, and a bigger combo multiplies every point you earn, up to nine times. The combo only ends when its timer runs out, so drawing extra lines never costs you anything.

Power-ups

Glowing orbs float along the course. Run through one to pick it up: an extra ink drop, longer lines, a stretch of slow time, or a shield that saves him from one hit. Once you own an ink, it turns up as an ink orb too: it gives you three lines of that ink, and you tap its button at the bottom left to draw with it. A rare golden orb starts an ink storm, five seconds of free, longer lines. Every orb, explained.

Coins, missions and ranks

Coins are scattered along the way. Spend them in the Shop on upgrades that stay with you, such as longer lines or more ink drops, or on outfits under Build. Outfits never change how the game plays.

You always have three missions for Run, like "block 5 arrows in one run", and three for Fight, like "defeat 10 enemies in one fight". Finish one for coins and a star. Every three stars is a new ninja rank, from Initiate and Genin up to Kage and Legend, shown as a plate on your headband, and higher ranks open new ultimates for Fight.

Game modes

• Run. Run as far as you can. A boss appears every 500 metres, and the world changes after each boss.
• Duel. One on one against another player online, best of three. See the Duel guide.
• Fight. Put the pen down and fight: waves of enemies, your bare hands, and a lot of kicks. See the Fight page.

Keyboard shortcuts

Playing on a phone? Turn it sideways for Run to see further ahead, and hold it upright for Fight and Duel. Add the game to your home screen to play it full screen like an app.