Ninja Cards is a card-based dart game. Ken Hatton and Dustin Berk invented the concept in 2009 while killing time in a hotel suite by tossing their hotel key card at bottles. Because they were having so much fun, they decided to turn this into a game with a target board. In packs of 15, ninja cards may be bought separately or with the target board.
For certain occasions, Ninja Cards even offer custom-built cards and boards. The cards are valuable, and they are developing an app that will allow customers to scan their Ninja Cards and earn points for freebies. While traveling together for work-related reasons, close friends and coworkers Ken Haton and Dustin Berk often had hours to kill and little to do. To relax and unwind during their hotel stays, they started hurling their collection of room key cards at bottles in their hotel room.
After some time, Dustin came up with the concept of a unique board with various value objectives that they might shoot for, and that’s how the fundamental rules of the Ninja Cards game were developed.
Despite impressing the Sharks with the Ninja-Yoroi attire and excellent aiming, the co-founders faced a major challenge in convincing the shark to put in a bid.
The sharks were thrilled by the two entrepreneurs’ quick and practiced shooting, and they all made applauding remarks. Dustin expanded on the principles a little further, saying that the game’s idea was similar to darts, but they used cards here.
Customers may play several games devised by the duo, or they could create their own. He informed the sharks that the options were unlimited but that to understand the game properly, they had to explore it themselves. Kevin and Robert played a brief but fierce tournament, and after all the cheering and joy, the Sharks got down to business with Ken and Dustin.
The duo first requested $60,000 in trade for a 30% stake in the business. The Sharks were interested in the game. However, they generally believed that the founders could have done more to clinch the deal once the license agreement fell through.
Moreover, considering their industry relationships, the Sharks regarded the sales figure of 100 units as ludicrous. Therefore, the Ninja Cards squad was devoured and had to leave the shark tank empty-handed.
After their debut on “Shark Tank,” Ken and Dustin said that they hadn’t chased a new license agreement with the same enthusiasm as the sharks believed they should because they still had design goals for the product and thought it might be enhanced before production resumed.
Not all the Shark Tank fans agreed with Sharks; within 48 hours after the episode, the Ninja Cards webpage had had more than a million visits.
They had 400 units in stock and were immediately sold, and a further 200 were purchased. The exposure also offered the two more valuable links, with many enthusiastic investors reaching them.
Ninja Cards do not appear to have built a foothold in prominent merchants. Instead, they chose to sell their game through Amazon and their website. As of now, the product is no longer available on Amazon.
Our Review of Ninja Cards
Despite failing at the Shark Tank pitch, Ninja Cards is still popular, and people love this game. The rules are simple and great for events and parties to engage the crowd.
Consider it similar to darts, but the board is rectangular instead of spherical. And you shoot cards at it rather than darts.
It’s like self-expression practice for the workplace and home. It can help boost concentration and attentiveness and relieve tension like a fidget toy. It’s entertaining to play while on the cellphone or brainstorm ideas.
An awesome new feature is the rubber bands known as “Banzai Bands.” There are no defined rules. You can devise your own rules and have a friendly competition with peers. Some hints and tips inside the box help you get started.
This dart game has made quite a name in the art industry, and the co-founders even carry out a fun training session to teach the users how to aim with cards.
Pros of Ninja Cards
- It is a fun game for all age groups.
- It can help boost concentration and attentiveness and relieves tension.
- It is pretty straightforward and can be installed anywhere in the workplace or at home.
- The new feature with rubber bands is a fun twist.
Cons of Ninja Cards
- The dart board wears out quickly if not handled with care.
Who Is Ninja Cards For?
Playing Ninja Cards is quite simple, and anyone can play with them. It’s a fun aiming game for all age groups who want to take a break from an exhaustive day at work or have fun aiming the cards on the dart board. It does not come with pre-set rules; anyone who wants to practice their aiming skills can give it a shot. It can be played solo or with multiple players.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Ninja Cards are a fun alternative to the competitive dart game, yet no similar products are available in the market.
Our Final Thought
The Ninja Card Company, founded by Ken Haton and Dustin Berk, may not have struck the mark when it was offered to the sharks, but they may have lost out on a widely known and lucrative opportunity in this instance.
The enterprising duo’s passion for their self-created game, devised merely to kill time, appears to be reciprocated by many others. Even if they’re not actual ninjas, Ken and Dustin’s fascinating and ingenious card-throwing game has the potential to make them a fortune.
The company not only caters to individuals who want to develop their Ninja Card throwing ability, but they also promote their product to business events and parties. They provide bespoke designs to clients’ needs and are aiming to organize a national Ninja competition.
