游云CMO迷你忍者深度测评

As a developer, I always look into various of review videos and articles when new and popular games came out, some of them were fun and fine made. However, there is one feeling in my mind after I watch those every time--they are not helpful. What I am trying to say is as developer, those reviews doesn't give any sights on game making and stuff behind the scene.

I want to start to do something that clip this missing puzzle.

Our team is working on a runner game now, so I reviewed some runner games recently and this Mini Ninjas come into my sight as it was editor's choice and app of the week earlier this year, I mean, it should look good to achieve those.

I want to set up this review as four parts: game making, which talks about the build of the game, how it works and some elements that is notable; market stats, where I analyze market performance and trend of downloads and purchases, some possible marketing schemes; developer background, see who and possibly what it takes to bring such thing to bring the game alive; indy friendly, which say some about indies can refer something or utilize some of the elements of the game.

Hope my analysis could bring out something helpful for developers, especially indies.

Let's get started.

Game Making:

Style: Endless runner

Control scheme: tap to move and auto-scrolling

Graphics:3d model and 2d horizontal view

developer: Square-Enix and magic pocket

Game engine: Interestingly, magic pocket has their own engine, the magic pockets engine, wow.

Elements: It has a all good elements a runner should have, one tap control, avoid obstruct, collect money and props. Buy outfits and craft potions in the store; no actual leveling though, upgrade title instead by complete various of missions, map change, even character shift.

All of this reminds me about Jetpack Joyride, the game play of them are so similar except Mini Ninjas is a paid game. It is 0.99, that's what makes it different, why you want to pay 0.99 to a complete free and in app purchase build game? And there are way more free games that's comparable to Mini Ninjas, like jetpack or subway surfer or temple run. The paid decision is the only thing I don't like about this game.

Market

I go on Annie(@Appannie), Annie told me that they published at about Feb 09, 2013.

I personally download the game because they went on editor's choice once February, so I dig in to see the possible reason, upon publish they frequently change their pricing schemes from free to0.99, and they succeed on this strategy.

You can see from the graph plot by Annie, their rank goes to the ceiling when they offer it for free and hit the ground when price was raised to 0.99.And I got into them at the last peak which is February 2014, they got on Appstore home page in 153 markets, Gj team!

They have more than 1mm downloads right now, hitting 1.5mm soon.

To us indies, it is a dream come true number, but to them as one of the lead developers in the game world, I wouldn't say it's a big success. I don't want to pull out too much stats here, one number is enough, Jetpack's download is hitting 45mm,that's all. You could blame me of not realizing their marketing strategy, but I would still insist the big difference between download covers all. Jetpack wins big time if compare this two.

In other words, I would totally not have in game purchase if it is a paid game; vice versa.

Developer:

Square-Enix Europe, lead by Antony Douglas and a bunch of other guys, if you want to know, check out the credits. The interesting thing is that the whole game is outsourcing to a company called Magic Pockets. 

According to their web page(http://www.magicpockets.com), obviously, they made the game. I wouldn't be surprised this company(SE) brought out a high quality game like this, but what they do here with magic pocket seem wired.If anyone know what about magic pocket, give me a hint.

Indy friendly?

Not really as the whole game, don't even need to mention it is based on a console franchise.

However, if you are interest in runner/parkour game, elements in this game is worth studying. I mean, the set-up of the game, the game play is not surprising but decent.

some interesting review videos you could check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE_nQNRN02U

lonniedos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b5CmMjZpZ8

WikiGameGuides

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB5PTwfQwMk