Meet the cast of combat runner Ninja Must Die

With its kick-ass combat alongside a detailed ink-wash art style, Ninja Must Die is must-play mobile action game – and it’s out now! You’ll come up against a number of varied bosses, confront challenges as a team with other skilled Ninja, and collect stronger weapons and relics as you progress. As a young apprentice, you’ll grow and develop your skills, gradually teaching others and becoming a master.

Available as both a single and multiplayer game, Ninja Must Die allows you to run alongside friends and allies as you explore the Ninja Realm. Alongside all the snazzy pre-registration rewards up for grabs – including Coins, Keys, and Stones – there are a bundle of reasons to get Ninja Must Die on your mobile device.

Alongside all of that is a story that will hook you in from the start, and four main characters that you’ll get to know as you play the game. Read on for more on the narrative and the ninjas that you’ll meet in Ninja Must Die.

The story so far

When you’re not running, jumping, attacking, or generally ninja-ing your way around, you’ll pick up some of the backstory of Ninja Must Die. The story starts 300 years after a great war between the mystical creatures known as the Oni, and the fragile alliance of ninjas and samurai who came together to defeat them.

Centuries ago, the earth collapsed due to interference from the Oni, leaving two heroes to rebuild the Lands of Sunbreak. These two came together from an alliance between Samurai and Ninja. Humanity ultimately prevailed, and the two heroes took on their new roles. The Samurai became the Supreme Ruler, also known as the Samurai Daimyo, and the Ninja disappeared into obscurity, protecting the land from the shadows. The Oni King was sealed up in the Shinnin Mountain, and his minions appeared to vanish completely.

Sadly, after 300 years of peace the alliance between Samurai and Ninjas has broken down, and the Samurai rose to become a greedy and power-hungry ruling class. As the Samurai were weakened by their decadent lifestyles, the Ninja harboured a potential that scared them, and so a war was manufactured to keep them down. You come into this story as a young Ninja, burdened with centuries of conflict, trying to defend yourself and your people. Meanwhile, the Oni have started to stir from within their mountain prison.

Kuro

This young Ninja is Kuro, your starting character and the embodiment of the element of fire. Masked and sheathed in black and red, this mysterious hero carries a sharp blade, capable of slashing anything that gets in his way.

At just 16 years of age, Kuro grew up in the Ninja village during a time of great turmoil. The tensions between Ninja and Samurai have been reaching boiling point for years, and he knows that learning the ways of the masters is the only way to bring peace to his people. Despite the heavy burden on his head, Kuro is an optimist, always full of enthusiasm and ready for adventure.

Kuro uses his ninjutsu power to summon the power of the dragon, using skills including Dragon Gunfire, which unleashes enemy-seeking firebolts across the screen, and the Flame Scroll, which launches a screen-filling fire attack that will cause massive damage – and if that wasn’t enough, it’ll call in some more firebolts too. Kuro is a great all-rounder character and the perfect starter ninja for all players.

Rin

Rin is a 17 year old embodiment of the element of water, a focused and hardy young girl with a plethora of Ninja skills. She is dextrous, industrious, and knows how to wield a katana. Dressed in flowing orange robes and sporting long, black hair, she may appear fragile at first, but soon reveals herself to be a worthy opponent.

Rin’s sister was once the Miko of the Jade Fox Clan, a small settlement in the almost-uninhabitable Jade Fox Snow Mountain. The girls grew up here, developing a resistance to the harsh weather conditions of their home. When Rin’s sister mysteriously vanished, she was promoted to Miko, and took the Ninja Exam to ensure she could protect her people.

Rin uses the ice element to freeze her enemies in place, using ninjutsu such as Ice Burial, which summons an enormous snowstorm to deal continual damage to foes, and Ice Assistance, which causes huge Ice Pitons to fire out at the start of the game’s Endless Mode and crush any enemies in her path. Rin can also glide after performing a double jump, making some of the trickier platform sections a lot easier for newer players.

Riki

Riki is also just 17, but possesses a strength that could take down an enemy of any age. Tied to the element of lightning, he is a dark eyed young panda who is quick on his feet and always up for a fight.

A young master of the Bamboo Village, a relationship between his clan and that of Ninja Village allowed Riki to attend Ninja School alongside Kuro. He takes his training very seriously, and will become stronger as you progress, learning new skills and gaining Ninja power.

Riki uses the lightning element to defeat his enemies, using the ninjutsu power Lightning Blast to zap his foes into oblivion, and the Lightning Shield to protect him at the start of a run. He’s a great character to use if you’re looking to deal a lot of damage to a lot of enemies in a short space of time, especially as his Lightning Blast levels up to add Chain Lightning.

Souga

A super elite Ninja with a mysterious backstory, Souga is the last of the main characters to have been announced so far. His jet-black spiked hair and curved sword give him an advantage when he slips between the shadows, as he is able to use incredible stealth to take out his enemies. He is tied to the element of wind, moving gracefully and barely making a sound.

Perhaps the most noticeable thing about Souga is the white mask he wears. He keeps his face covered at all times as a mark of respect for his fallen teammates in a previous mission. He is incredibly powerful, and at age 19, he is the oldest of the main four heroes.

Souga primarily uses the wind element in combat, using skills including Demonic Shuriken, which places a fast-spinning shuriken directly in front of him to cut down enemies in his path, and the ability to Triple Jump, making crossing even the largest gaps a breeze. Some of Souga’s best skills only come into play when he’s at low health, so consider him a high risk, high reward character for players looking to push themselves in battle.

Download Ninja Must Die now and check out each of these heroes for yourself. The further you progress, the more you can learn about their skills, backstories, and personalities – training them up to be the ultimate Ninja team.

Ninja Must Die is available right now on iOS and Android. Make sure to use the code NINJA777 for a free reward, available from the Mailbox after clearing Level 3, Chapter 2!