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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.

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 earn more in the Dojo.

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.

Coins, missions and belts

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

You always have three missions, like "block 5 arrows in one run". Finish them for coins and stars. Stars raise your belt, from white up to black and beyond.

Game modes

• Endless. Run as far as you can. A boss appears every 500 metres, and the world changes after each boss.
• Daily run. The same course for every player, all day. See the daily challenge guide.
• Levels. 30 short, hand-built courses with three stars each. See the levels guide.

Keyboard shortcuts

Playing on a phone? Turn it sideways to see further ahead, and add the game to your home screen to play it full screen like an app.