Needle Loop

The two needle projectile users of the Clash of Ninja! series, Haku (GNT1-4 and SCON4) and Komachi (Rev2 and Rev3) are capable of a grounded or on-the-ground (OTG) hit infinite using their attack, known to the playerbase as "Needle Loops". When performed consistently, Needle Loops can bleed out the victim's entire life bar, potentially forcing a substitution. They may also be inescapable or nearly inescapable when Haku/Komachi have their back to a corner, forcing a front substitution and resulting in continued Needle Loop hits. In GNT4 , Needle Loops are associated with Haku's unsubbable touch-of-death (TOD) after .

Executing Needle Loops

Needle Loops are made possible due to Haku and Komachi's ability to "split" their attack into two parts. Normally, holding will hold the needles in the air at the cost of chakra. While held, needles will track the opponent, once released, fire towards their current location. Needles launch two at a time (or one at a time in Super) over the course of several frames. By releasing and then immediately re-holding , Haku/Komachi can launch some but not all of their needles. When properly timed and repeated, this results in a continuous combo.

The general input pattern of a Needle Loop is:

1. Jump
2. In quick succession:

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   Demonstration of Haku needle loops in GNT4 with inputs shown

   • Tap (beginning the release of needles)
   • Press and hold again (before all needles have been released)
3. After landing, run forward () and simultaneously...
4. Release (firing the remaining needles)
5. Repeat steps 1-4

Additional notes:

• If Haku/Komachi has their back to a corner, the victim will be forced to substitute in front, potentially being recaptured into the loop.
• Neutral jump () is typically more reliable than forward jump or running jump . Needles may go over the head of the target, ending the loop prematurely, after a forward jump depending on distance and the height of the opposing character.
• It is generally advisable to hold fewer needles during the hold portion of the loop, as the chakra cost of holding needles is tied to the amount of needles held. Depleting one's own chakra with needle loops puts the user in danger of an ensuing punish.
• Needles are released over the span of 6 frames in groups of two (the number of needles are cut in half in SCON4). No needles are released during the second frame of the launch.

  

  Example showing the timing of presses in GNT4.

Differences between games

Clash of Ninja! 1

• Run cannot be cancelled with a neutral jump in CON1.
• OTG needles are unsubbable, though there is no reliable way to make your opponent miss a tech roll.

Clash of Ninja! 2

• Neutral jump can now be performed during run.

Gekitou Ninja Taisen! 3

• OTG combos are now subbable.
• GNT3 universally has additional landing lag frames, changing the timing of Needle Loops.

Gekitou Ninja Taisen! 4

• Landing lag frames are reverted to that of CON1 and CON2.
• Haku can now perform an unsubbable TOD. can combo into or depending on positioning. A short string (usually ) rebuilds chakra and the -cancel gives Haku enough time to set up OTG Needle Loops. Because the victim has been hit with a super, tech-roll and KNJ are disabled making the TOD inescapable as long as Haku performs the combo correctly.
• Hippo's demonstration (Youtube) of Haku's OTG unsubbable needle loop following in GNT4

Super Clash of Ninja! 4

• Haku now has half the number of needles and the chakra cost of holding needles has been doubled, making needle loops more costly for Haku and increasing the importance of holding fewer numbers of needles.
• needles now knock the victim down (changed from normal hitstun), removing the possibility of rebuilding chakra to perform needle loops. Haku can still score a single OTG .

The number of needles in SCON4 was cut in half compared to the GameCube GNT games.

Clash of Ninja! Revolution 2 and 3

• While Haku does not appear in the Revolution games, some of his assets have been recycled for a new character, Komachi.
• Komachi's needle loops are generally easier to execute as compared to Haku's
  • Komachi throws a larger number of needles
  • Komachi's needles cause a stagger state, increasing the time window to continue the combo
  • Hitting the opponent with needles builds chakra for Komachi
• Komachi has a variant of Needle Loops which can be done without holding needles: to to