'Flappy Birds' Creator Releases New Game, 'Ninja Spinki Challenges'

Fans of the mobile game Flappy Bird will find a lot to dig into with creator Dong Nguyen’s latest game. Nguyen released his new free game Ninja Spinki Challenges!! Friday on Google Android and Apple iOS.

The mobile title is built around the same simple reflex platforming elements found on Flappy Bird and is similar to games like WarioWare are built around. In the game, you play as a tiny ninja and must complete short challenges like avoiding enemies or throwing star practice within a time limit. Along with an endless time trial mode, the game’s single-player campaign features variations on several game modes that ramp up in difficulty.

These trials often feature controls designed to throw you for a loop. One trial requires you to jump over enemies by not touching the screen, while another has you throwing shurikens by dragging your finger behind your ninja.

As with Flappy Bird, the game is free to download and features no in-game purchases. But in order to continue when you fail a trial — instead of restarting — you can watch a short in-game ad.

Nguyen’s Flappy Bird was best known for its addictive mechanics and brief run of success before being pulled in February 2014. As VentureBeat notes, Nguyen partnered up with Japanese developer Obokaidem for the title. While the game was initially slated for a December release, the developer delayed the release by a month due to concerns over copycat apps.