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Tips and trick shots

Ten tips to go further

  1. Draw across the red dots, not at the archer. The dots are the arrow's exact path. A short line across the middle of them always works.
  2. Tilt your blocks. A line tilted toward the shooter sends the arrow home, which removes the archer and all his later shots.
  3. Block close to him. Blocks near the ninja count as Perfect: slow motion and double points.
  4. Don't hoard ink. Drops refill on their own. An extra line never breaks your combo.
  5. Bridges beat ramps for small gaps. A ramp sends him flying, and you then have to deal with where he lands.
  6. Use slow time. While your pen is down, the whole world slows. Press, think, then drag.
  7. Turn your phone sideways. You see further ahead in landscape, and more warning means calmer lines.
  8. Watch the left edge. From 350 metres, some archers shoot at his back. A red arrow on the left edge warns you.
  9. Pick the right ink. Fire removes archers for good; steel handles rock storms; rubber jumps long hazards. See the inks guide.
  10. Watch the replay. The score card replays your best moment and your last seconds. Switch to Last seconds to see exactly what got you.

Trick shots

Some moves earn a name, bonus points and a badge:

TrickHow
Return to senderKill an archer with his own arrow.
Bank shotAn arrow bounces off two of your lines before hitting an enemy.
Double kill / Triple killDown two or three enemies in quick succession.
Air guardBlock an arrow while he's in the air.
Close callAn arrow skims just over his head.

When a sent-back arrow closes in on its target, the game drops into a short slow-motion kill cam.

The Dojo

Coins buy upgrades that stay with you for every run:

The Dojo is also where you unlock the rubber, steel, fire and ice inks, and where the Wardrobe lives: headbands, outfits, pen colours, trails and knockout effects. Some outfits can't be bought and are only earned through badges.

Keep going

Once per run, after a fall, you can spend 150 coins to keep going from where you fell. Anything already in the air is cleared and he gets a moment of protection.

Badges

There are 18 badges, from blocking your first arrow to running 3,000 metres or beating every boss. Each pays coins, and a few unlock special outfits. You'll find them all on the Stats screen, along with your lifetime distance, arrows blocked and what gets you most often.

Highlight clips

During a run, the game keeps your best moment: a trick shot, a boss kill, or failing that, your last seconds. On the score card, tap Make clip and it turns that moment into a short upright video with your score, ready to share.