Nutjitsu sneaks onto Xbox One

A ninja squirrel is on a larcenous mission to reclaim magical acorns from evil samurai foxes in NinjaBee’s newest game, Nutjitsu, which releases this spring on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. The top-down, arcade-style acorn-snatcher will be one of the first independent games released as part of the ID@Xbox program for Xbox One.

 

Become the squirrel. The kitsune have taken the sacred relics of your clan. Vengeance will be yours! Sneak through beautifully hand-painted levels as you retrieve the stolen artifacts from the villainous samurai. Steal back precious acorns as you dodge an ever-increasing number of vigilant foxes. Snatch victory with your tiny paw!

• Complete ninja missions or grab as many mystical treasures as you can in endless mode before disappearing into the night.

• Fill your ninja arsenal with smoke bombs, speed potions, freeze bombs, shadow clones and flame shields to confuse and defeat your foes.

• Outwit dangerous enemies who can dash across the map at blinding speed or slow your pace to a crawl.

• Sneak through 15 unique environments on your quest to restore honor to your clan.

• Increase your rank to achieve greater honor and unlock new content.

“Being among the first indie games on Xbox One is a fantastic opportunity to be part of something revolutionary,” said Brent Fox, art director at NinjaBee. “We’re helping to pioneer a new program, watching it evolve and develop. We were in on the ground floor of Xbox Live Arcade, and we’re honored to be among the first ID@Xbox releases as well.”

NinjaBee was among the first announced ID@Xbox developers, and has a long history with Xbox; stretching back to the 2004 release of Outpost Kaloki X. NinjaBee’s acclaimed kingdom-builder, A World of Keflings, was featured as part of the Games with Gold promotion for Xbox 360 last November.

“We hope that this is only the first of many games NinjaBee releases for Xbox One,” Fox said. “We plan to push the boundaries of what Xbox One can do.”

NinjaBee 2014: Busy as Bees

We love making Kelfing games. We’ve been improving and expanding A World of Keflings since we released it in December, 2010. In that time, we’ve added three great DLC campaigns, brought AWOK to Windows 8 and even given the game away as part of Microsoft’s Games with Gold promotion. In the next couple of months, A World of Keflings will make the jump to Wii U. Even now, brave Kefling explorers are sailing toward the famed land of “Nintendo”, where the mighty and legendary Miis are said to rule.

After our diminutive settlers have finished colonizing the Wii U, it is time for NinjaBee to tackle new projects. Awesome things are on the horizon. This doesn’t mean we are giving up Keflings. It just means that our next title isn’t going to be A World of Keflings 2: Kefling Boogaloo. At about the same time A World of Keflings becomes available on the Wii U, our fast-paced acorn chaser, Nutjitsu, will be released on a new platform. To give you a hint, it will be our first time releasing on the target device. We are so close to being able to tell you which one. We will announce it to everyone as soon as the ink dries on those contracts.

As awesome as all that is, we have even more up our sleeves. You see, we haven’t been resting on our tiny Keflings laurels this whole time (they aren’t terribly comfortable, for one). NinjaBee is more than Keflings. We are constantly creating, critiquing, refining, reimagining, discarding and revisiting ideas. You have no idea how many wacky, wonderful concepts we toss around this studio. We have enough pitches and concept art to build a wobbly paper tower to the stars. There has never been a better time to try new things. So we went nuts.

All that relentless exploration led us to a few ideas we are interested in exploring further. We have a crop of fantastic concepts that represent the cream of our collective imaginations. Trust us; all of these concepts are super awesome! We’ve shown you a couple of teasers this week, little snippets to pique your interest. We’re going to pull the curtain back a little further, show just the hint of something more. These four images represent four new IPs, new frontiers for NinjaBee. We’ve lavished a lot of love on each of these. Some of them are more developed than others. Not all of them will become finished products, at least not in any recognizable form. But they all represent the beginnings of something wonderful: the genesis of NinjaBee’s next game.

You will be seeing a lot more of at least one of these games over the next year. Stay tuned to our blog, our Facebook and our Twitter for art, teasers, developer diaries and more. We will be bringing one of these IPs to PAX Prime later this year. Until then we plan on updating you on our progress as often as we can. Drop on by or bug your favorite game news site to see what we have at our booth at PAX East this April. We might even have some secret snippets to share. NinjaBee is going to fantastic new places in 2014, and you are invited to join us for every step along the way.

Is there something here that catches your eye? Do any of these images excite and inspire you? Salivating over the possibilities? Tell us about it. Drop us an email, connect with us on social media. We’re listening. You make the NinjaBee experience great. We do this for you, our players, our friends. So feel free to reach out to us as we blaze a trail toward the next NinjaBee release, we appreciate the company.

Nutjitsu Update Available: New Levels, New Ranks, More Added

Another two weeks have come and gone, and we have more Nutjitsu content for you. We added three new handcrafted levels to the game, which you can unlock by attaining additional ranks in your ninja mastery. Teikoku no Yousai, Ushinatta Marsh, and Yugure Cemetery offer new experiences, new paths, and new visuals for the discerning burgling squirrel. Each level is tied to a new rank. Seven new ranks have been added overall, giving players new options as they continue to play and master the art of Nutjitsu.

Additionally, the new update fundamentally alters the way that players experience the game and acquire power-ups. Gone are the days when smoke bombs spawned on the game map. We saw that play quickly became an effort to dash from one smoke bomb to the next in order to stay ahead of the guards. That didn't seem very sneaky at all! As of this update, power-ups must be acquired with the new acoin currency. Acoins are acquired through play as the squirrel collects nuts. Those hard-earned coins can be spent on smoke bombs that may be used manually during play. Up to three bombs may be used in a single session. You can buy as many as you like, but you can only carry three with you (those outfits only have so many pockets).

The change to limited smoke bombs helps to emphasize the stealth and planning aspects of Nutjitsu, as well as encouraging more "bite sized" play sessions more suitable to those spare moments in line or on the bus. If you are anything like us, you will probably still sink hours at a time into collecting ruby acorns. But we want to accommodate players with less time on their hands. If you haven't tried it already, head over to the game's page and download Nutjitsu for free! Those acorns won't liberate themselves!

Nutjitsu Update is Live! More Levels, More Features!

The first major content update for Nutjitsu is out! Everyone should rush to the Windows Store and check it out. This update is just the first of many designed to make Nutjitsu the most addictive and awesome game on Windows 8. This update brings five new levels and a rank system to give you more content. Tiptoe through mountaintop shrines and pine forests to continue your never-ending quest for more acorns. Rank up to become the ultimate ninja.

There will definitely be more features, more levels, and more news on the way. Stop by this blog to get the latest information on Nutjitsu's development. We will keep you up to date on our continuing plan to improve your favorite feudal squirrel stealth game. There is plenty more to come.

Enter the Squirrel!

Nutjitsu is out!

We have been awfully quiet about Nutjitsu since we revealed it at PAX East this year, but the wait is over. Nutjitsu is now available for free on Windows 8 through the Windows Store. Download it now and experience NinjaBee's mobile, touch-driven, acorn stealing squirrel-'em-up today!

This isn't the last you will hear of Nutjitsu either. The ninja squirrel will be sneaking onto iOS and Android in the near future, and more content is already in the works for all your nut-napping needs. But for now, steal acorns and share your high scores. Are you the ninja supreme?

Keflings Invade Animal Crossing! Make Your Own!

Hey NinjaBee buddies! If you're anything like me, you're a bit smitten with Animal Crossing: New Leaf. But just because you aren't playing a NinjaBee game doesn't mean you can't take some of that Kefling fun with you! Check out these Kefling designs you can use in your own game! Once you've opened up the option at the Able Sister's clothing store, you can scan in the codes and look just like a Kefling! Enjoy!

Now go, impress your villagers with sweet Kefling fashion!

The NinjaBee Bundle Lands on XBLA Today

Like a deadly swarm, five NinjaBee games descend on XBLA today in the NinjaBee Bundle. A World of Keflings, Band of Bugs, Ancients of Ooga, Cloning Clyde and Outpost Kaloki X will be available starting today for a mere 1600 MSP, slashing the 3600 MSP retail value of all five games by more than half.

In any other circumstance, five NinjaBees would be too dangerous for most humans to approach alone. But we are pleased to announce that the NinjaBee Bundle is safe not only for you, but for your wallet as well.

The NinjaBee bundle won't sting your finances, but will provide plenty of fun. Each of the bundled games will delight players with addictive mechanics and quirky visuals, providing dozens of hours of great indie gaming. NinjaBees are notoriously sneaky. They’ll steal all your free time if you aren't vigilant.

Help hapless Keflings as they attempt to build a (tiny) new kingdom in A World of Keflings. Wage war with your exoskeletal soldiers in the exciting insecticidal tactics game Band of Bugs. Eat, chant and puke your way to revolution in Ancients of Ooga. Engage in ethically questionable science in the zany platformer Cloning Clyde. Take capitalism to space in Outpost Kaloki X, an interstellar tycoon game.

This honey of a deal is available for the phenomenal price of 1600 MSP for a limited time. Don’t miss out. Download the NinjaBee Bundle today and see what all the buzz is about.

Very few bees were harmed in the making of this bundle.

Enchanter's Emporium

Need some new gear for your Avatar? Check out the new selection of fairy, witch and wizard outfits in our new Avatar Item store on the Xbox Live Avatar marketplace - Enchanter's Emporium! Available now!

Questions That Count: Introduction

Hello, fellow gamers!

The video game industry is a constantly changing landscape. In the past few years the way we play video games has transformed in many ways and the upcoming years are likely to bring even more variations to the way we think about games. As developers, we are also gamers, and many of these changes we are excited for, but others we're not so sure about. However, as developers, sometimes it can be hard to see the forest for the trees. With this in mind, NinjaBee would like to hear what you, the gamers, think about the various ways the environment of video games is changing.

Therefore, we have created a new forum, which will be used to collect those answers. We will be posting big questions, and want to hear your answers. We will try our best to read and respond regularly so that we can make sure to understand what types of changes the gaming community is welcoming with open arms, which could be done better, and which they would prefer to abandon all together.

If you have your own questions about the industry feel free to post them. If we like them, or if they get enough attention, we’ll merge them into an official topic. We appreciate your cooperation, and look forward to hearing what YOU think about the video game industry’s many emerging trends.

Join our team!

Want to join the NinjaBee team? If you're skilled in public relations and marketing, understand the business of video games and want to work with incredible people then this might be where you belong!

To apply, please submit both a resume and cover letter to jobs@wahoo.com.

PR/Marketing Specialist

Description

The PR/Marketing Specialist will lead all aspects of promoting, advertising, and marketing our games and the NinjaBee brand. Major responsibilities include developing and implementing strategic PR and marketing campaigns, writing press releases, building press kits, creating promotional materials and securing media coverage for all NinjaBee game products. The PR/Marketing Specialist will also be responsible for expanding the studio’s social media footprint and influence, managing NinjaBee’s presence at industry events and tradeshows, and growing the sales of NinjaBee’s PC games through NinjaBee.com and other game portals. Experience with video editing software is a plus.

Responsibilities

1. Writing press releases.
2. Organizing press tours.
3. Actively managing and growing company social media footprint through Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.
4. Maintaining and managing the company blog.
5. Developing and implementing strategic public relations and marketing campaigns.
6. Planning and executing company presence at industry events and tradeshows.
7. Preparing press kits and promotional materials.
8. Making changes to the NinjaBee website using content management tools.
9. Managing the creation of new merchandise.
10. Assisting with office management duties.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelors degree in Communications with emphasis in public relations, marketing or advertising.
2. Very strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable with writing press releases, blog posts and other public relations/marketing copy.
3. Experience in using social networks such as Facebook or Twitter.
4. Strong skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
5. Fun, enthusiastic, outgoing personality with a “Can Do” attitude.
6. Must love video games (or be willing to love video games).

Desired Qualifications

1. Proficiency in Adobe Premiere Pro or other video editing software.
2. Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Soundbooth.
3. Experience in website development and design.
4. Previous experience in the video games industry.

Unveiling new game at PAX East!

With PAX East just days away NinjaBee is excited to announce that it will be unveiling its next new game, Nutjitsu, at the show! An in-development build of the title will be on display at the indie developer’s booth (#599). 

In addition to Nutjistu, NinjaBee will also be showing an early build of the recently announced Wii U version of A World of Keflings, as well as the Windows 8 version of the same game, which released last Wednesday.

Check out the full list of goings-on at NinjaBee’s PAX East booth:

Playable demos

• Nutjitsu

• A World of Keflings (Wii U)

• A World of Keflings (Windows 8)

Win cool stuff

• Play any demo and get a free copy of A Kingdom for Keflings on PC (While supplies last)

• Nutjitsu High Score Contest: Win 1600 Microsoft Points (Winners picked twice daily)

• Indie Passport: A chance to win a bundle of amazing indie games from Tribute Games, NinjaBee, Run Jump Dev, Rain-slick Precipice of Darkness 4, Signal Studios, Devolver Digital, and Nine Dots.

Merchandise

• NinjaBee and Keflings Shirts

• Beanie-style Kefling Plushies

A World of Keflings Comes to Win 8 Today, Wii U Later This Year

OREM, Utah – March 13, 2013 – The Keflings are spreading like rabbits. A World of Keflings, the popular city-building game that first made a splash on Xbox Live Arcade, arrived on the Windows 8 Games Store today, becoming the latest of a handful of XBLA titles to release on Microsoft’s new operating system.

“With the current generation of consoles coming to an end, we saw opportunities to bring what is perhaps our studio’s most well-loved game to many, many more players,” said Brent Fox, Art Director at NinjaBee. “With that said, we’re proud to announce that in addition to today’s release on Windows 8, A World of Keflings will be coming to the Wii U later this year.”

“Both of these new platforms offered us huge advantages and were ideal marketplaces for a light-hearted city-builder,” Fox said. “Windows 8 gave us the chance to make the game mobile and add in very smooth, natural touch controls. The Wii U has allowed us to significantly enhance the game’s visuals and, with the Wii U GamePad, explore new ways to interact with the game and its characters.”

As an Xbox game on Windows 8, A World of Keflings makes use of the power of Xbox Live to enhance the gaming experience. By signing into Xbox Live, gamers can play as their individualized Xbox Avatar, compete for high scores on Xbox Live Leaderboards, and unlock 20 all-new Achievements. Even gamers who have already earned full Gamerscore from the Xbox 360 version of A World of Keflings will be able to earn an additional 200 Achievement Points when playing on Windows 8.

A World of Keflings on Windows 8 also provides intuitive touch controls and a new picture-in-picture feature allowing players to quickly explore the map while keeping an eye their avatar’s progress.

The game is now available for purchase in the Windows Games Store for 6.99 USD and supports both Windows 8 and Windows RT. The DLC offerings for A World of Keflings are not yet available on Windows 8. A World of Keflings on Windows 8 does not include multiplayer or Avatar FameStar functionality.

A World of Keflings for the Wii U will release later this year.

About A World of Keflings

The sequel to the hit XBLA title A Kingdom for Keflings, A World of Keflings is a city-building game featuring tiny, obnoxiously cute characters called Keflings who need help building their kingdoms. Players play as a giant and take a journey to three kingdoms (Ice, Forest and Desert) making friends with Kefling characters along the way, helping them complete tasks, and building and customizing elaborate kingdoms for the Keflings. Players teach Keflings to harvest resources like wood, stone, magic crystals and wool, and build up a booming economy of production, resource refining and building construction. The game contains no antagonist or conflict, resulting in a pleasant, play-at-your-own-pace city-building adventure.

A World of Keflings first released in December 2010 on XBLA. Since that time the game has added three new themed kingdoms (Alien, Candy and Graveyard) as DLC titled “It Came From Outer Space,” “Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice,” and “The Curse of the Zombiesaurus.” The XBLA version is also one of a select group of games to support Microsoft’s Avatar FameStar program.

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The Curse of the Zombiesaurus Trailer!

Keflings Zombiesaurus DLC Roars onto XBLA this Wednesday

DLC gets release date, price and new trailer

OREM, Utah – October  15, 2012 – A World of Keflings, the avatar-based Xbox Live Arcade city building sim, is set to get its second DLC pack in as many weeks when “The Curse of the Zombiesaurus” releases this Wednesday Oct. 17 for 320 Microsoft Points.

The Zombiesaurus DLC comes stalking on the heels of last week’s “Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice” DLC, which added a new, candy-themed kingdom wherein players can explore and build a sugary city for their Keflings. Conversly, Zombiesaurus delivers a new land to the Kefling world that sits in stark contrast to the brightly colored candy peak: an eerie yet amusing graveyard town chockfull of bizarre monster-Kefling residents and plagued by the rampaging Zombiesaurus.

Yet despite the ghoulish setting players will find themselves wrapped up in the familiar Keflings humor and light-hearted gameplay that have become the signatures of the Keflings games.

Earlier this year NinjaBee, the studio behind A World of Keflings, held a contest allowing fans to vote to choose between three themes (Candy, Graveyard and Pirate) for what would be the next DLC pack the studio created. “The Curse of the Zombiesaurus” came from the second-place theme and was only made because of a fortunate accident.

“Actually, the Zombiesaurus DLC only happened because we took a gamble and lost,” said Brent Fox, Art Director at NinjaBee. “Arranging the contest took a lot longer than we originally planned. We had a team ready to start working right away, so we surveyed our employees to see which they thought would win. Graveyard won in a landslide, so we bet that that’s how the fans would vote and just started working on it. When the contest finally happened Candy won instead of Graveyard so we had to stop all development and switch. Best mistake we made this year.”

Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice Now Available!

Good news everyone! Remember that contest we held oh so many months ago, where you voted which would be the next kingdom we added as DLC to A World of Keflings? Well, you chose, we made it and now, IT's HERE!

Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice, also known as the Candy Kingdom DLC for A World of Keflings released today on Xbox Live Arcade!

So what are you waiting for? There's a cotton candy forest to harvest, gingerbread Kefling houses to build, a bakery to run, an evil wizard to thwart, an amnesia-fied unicorn to un-amnesiate, a gaggle of gingerbread Keflings to build a city for and so, so much more!

You can download it now! Click on the link below to go to the Xbox Live marketplace and add Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice to your Xbox's download queue now!

Download Now - Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice

Trick AND Treat with the Keflings this October!

Graveyard DLC Announced, Candy DLC Gets Date and Price

Keflings fans will get the chance to Trick and Treat this month thanks to two new kingdoms, graveyard and candy, coming as DLC to A World of Keflings on Xbox Live Arcade. Both DLC packs will arrive in time for Halloween with ‘Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice’ (the candy DLC) releasing Wednesday Oct. 10 for 320 Microsoft Points.

A short zombie teaser appeared at the end of a trailer released last week for ‘Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice,’ hinting that something macabre was brewing for the Keflings, but no further clarification was offered. Today NinjaBee confirmed that a new, graveyard-themed kingdom will lurk its way onto the Xbox Live Marketplace as DLC titled ‘The Curse of the Zombiesaurus.’

In ‘The Curse of The Zombiesaurus’ gamers will play as their avatar and put a horde of zombie Keflings known as ‘Spooklings’ to work gathering bones out of graves, brimstone from volcanoes and ectoplasm off of ghosts. They’ll meet a new cast of ghoulish Keflings including Wilhelm the grave keeper and Count Kefula who need their help in rebuilding their eerily amusing graveyard town, which was recently decimated by the raging Zombiesaurus.

Both ‘Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice’ and ‘The Curse of the Zombiesaurus’ include new achievements for players and new unlockable in-game emotes for their avatars.

Those who don’t own A World of Keflings can pick up a copy next week at half price (400 MS Points) when it goes on sale as Xbox Live’s Deal of the Week beginning Tuesday Oct. 9.

Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice Trailer!

Take your first scrumptious look at Candy Peak, the newest kingdom in the Kefling world - coming oh so soon to A World of Keflings on Xbox Live Arcade! Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice... in a land where everything is made of candy, not everything will be sugary sweet!

Announcement to come shortly! What are you most excited about? Leave a comment!

Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice Trailer Coming Friday!

Feeling hungry for some A World of Keflings Candy Kingdom DLC? Then check back this Friday to get a first in-depth look at the new Kingdom, characters and gameplay in the new trailer for 'Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice'. There might be a few surprises. Trust us, it'll be worth your while... *hint, hint.*

Avatar FameStar Update Gives New Content to A World of Keflings for a Full Year

 Aug. 10, 2012 – The Kefling world just got a lot bigger thanks to a free update that released earlier today, adding support for Microsoft Studios’ Avatar FameStar program to A World of Keflings. The program, which offers players the chance to earn Fame and other rewards by completing in-game challenges, adds a substantial amount of new content to the game including a full year’s-worth of free weekly quests, a new kingdom to build in and more.

The new kingdom features sandbox-style gameplay reminiscent of the first Keflings game, A Kingdom for Keflings. Once in the new kingdom players will discover they can now build Kefling-sized ships that will sail the many seas and waterways scattered across the new map. They will also encounter the Rockstar Kefling, a new quest-giving Kefling who will set them to each weekly challenge. Completing these challenges gives players the chance to earn Fame that will help them level-up in the Avatar FameStar program and earn cool rewards like Avatar FameStar costumes. Each completed weekly quest also unlocks a blueprint for one of the more than 50 unique ships players can build for their Kefling fleet.

But completing weekly quests is just one way players can earn Fame in A World of Keflings. Today’s update adds a slew of challenges, similar to Achievements, that players can tackle to earn Fame. Some challenges must be completed while playing the main campaign, while many others are achievable while playing in any of the game’s kingdoms, including the new Rockstar Weekly Challenge kingdom, the alien kingdom from the It Came From Outer Space DLC and the candy kingdom from the soon-to-be-released Sugar, Spice and Not So Nice DLC.

Today's update also includes a fix that allows players to see their avatar props in-game! To see their prop appear in the Kefling world players must ensure there is sufficient empty space surrounding their avatar for the prop's animation to perform and then either select the newly added prop emote (found in the center of the emote menu) or wait until their avatar goes idle. Either action will trigger the prop animation to play.

Another fix includes unlocking a unique Twisted Pixel emote for players who own and have earned an achievement in Comic Jumper.

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Friday the 13th!? It's your lucky day!

This weekend we're giving away our iOS space station sim game, Kaloki Adventure, for FREE!

The sale starts today and ends late Sunday night, so get it while you can! Download your copy here: http://bit.ly/N6pCHE

Race against time to create thriving space station in Kaloki Adventure, a humorous space station tycoon game! See if you have what it takes to solve challenges, manage your station's resources, entertain visiting aliens, and keep your customers happy - all while trying to rake in some serious cash.

Kaloki Adventure is the iOS version of our XBLA sim/tycoon game, Outpost Kaloki X. The game was redesigned in 2009, integrating native touch controls for the iPhone.

Play A World of Keflings With Us Tonight!

Tonight at 5 p.m. PDT a bunch of us devs from NinjaBee are logging on to Xbox Live to play A World of Keflings for a special 'Game With The Devs' edition of PlayXBLA Monday!

We're going to be talking Candy for Keflings and answering any question you can think of about the new DLC. We'll also let you be the first to hear some teasers about what Keflings has going on AFTER a Candy for Keflings comes out. It's some good stuff, so don't miss it!

The event is only an hour long, so don't be late! We'll be hosting games as well as jumping into as many Live Multiplayer games as we can. So don't be late! To avoid confusing people, we'll be playing in the main game's campaign, not in the It Came from Outer Space add-on.

Here's a list of our gamertags to keep an eye out for:

Gamertag	Name	Job
WWTimeyWimey	Andrew	Marketing
T G Welfman	Eric	Programmer
OminousMike	Mike	Designer
TAR like FISHY	Tara	Designer
PlumPants05	Casey	Artist
NinjaBeeArt	Brent	Art Director
DreamBean	Steve	Designer
Smorgasbot	Jared	Designer
NinjaBee Wahoo	Matt	Office Manager

In the mean time, hopefully these screenshots can tide you over until tonight. See you then!