A Fun Hobby Turned into a Full-Fledged Game: the Journey of Shukuchi Ninja’s Solo Developer

I first began making Shukuchi NinjaIt’s a little hobby that I do for fun and to pass the time. I had been working as an independent sports trader. However, COVID struck and there was no sport to trade. So I made a game. It was always something I wanted to do, but never had the time nor money to do it — add this to the fact I can’t draw, I can’t compose music, and I can’t code to save my life, I knew it would be a challenge.

Construct 2 was a game-making software I remembered looking at years back. It sounded perfect as a starting point, since it is more visual/drag and drops than a drag and drop engine. While C2 may have been obsolete many years before, C3 has replaced it. The engine was easy to use and I learned a lot from the templates. I then found the perfect template, a little physics-based throwing object that immediately called out “crazy ninja game”!

It took me three months to finish the project, add the capabilities that were in it now and make the graphics more appealing with game assets. Sports came back, so I stopped developing.

Again, there was another lockdown. Sports were no longer the same, so I opened C3 again. Decided to get some actual character design done (remember, I said I couldn’t draw, or use any graphics software at the time), so I paid a designer to make some simple mockups. This gave me the energy to get on with the job and complete the game. After I had the characters completed, I found an animator to help me animate them. After that, I bought some backgrounds, custom music and tile maps. I’d then made about 40 levels, but stopped development again due to family circumstances.

The development resumed after a few months. After adding more details, I was able to make the game livelier for a few more months. I mostly enjoyed the 18 months or so it took me to make the first deployable version: from some very mundane parts of making a game (like adding details manually, for example) to the discovery that there were far simpler ways to do things and having to redo them—it all contributed to the final product and part of an amazing learning process!

This is my main inspiration Shukuchi NinjaThe ancient Japanese culture in its entirety. The Ninja’s pop culture aspects (cool, fast and mysterious), was combined with what an honorable Samurai actually stood for. For instance, the little circle that appears around the ninja when you’re throwing him around is the symbol for the Seven Virtues of Bushido, the Samurai warrior code. By no means am I a game developer of any real talent, but I’m full of drive, determination and have the imagination of a child and I’m very pleased with what I’ve accomplished! If you’re looking at getting started with games development but don’t know where to start, pick up some game-making software and start learning. You’ll find you’ll pick up lots of other skills along the way including creating your own graphics (yes, I can make some myself now, but I still can’t draw!). Shikuchi Ninja Xbox!

Shukuchi Ninja

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The Shukuchi Ninja is an exile from his family who wanted to live a more noble life. Travel through vast areas defeating the Shukuchi Ninja’s newfound foe to bring peace and prosperity in a time of turmoil.

A full, action-packed adventure awaits with over 70 levels, 7 troublesome bosses, an inspiring storyline, and unique controls – there’s no other game like it!

Shukuchi, which literally means “shrink earth method”, refers to the ability to travel at great speeds. This skill has been mastered over many years. Take control of the Shukuchi Ninja and fly through the air at astonishing speed, attack enemies with your ninjatō, throw shuriken (ninja stars) at hard to reach enemies, and instantly teleport to quickly counter enemy attacks. With the power of healing, you must also aid the Shukuchi Ninja to ensure he doesn’t die!