Go Ninja developer bringing new Shaquille O'Neal game to mobile devices this winter

Go Ninja developer Hiptic Games is bringing a new game headlined by basketball player Shaquille O'Neal to mobile devices: ShaqDown, due on iOS and Android before the end of the year, reports VentureBeat.

Side-scroller ShaqDown's developers are adamant that the game is not a sequel to 1994's Shaq Fu, which was received poorly. The game was highly criticized for its poor controls, which Hiptic have fixed for ShaqDown, applying what they learned making Go Ninja.

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where Shaq must save humanity from zombies. Creative director Long Vo says the game's influences include Fist of the North Star, Resident Evil and Mad Max, along with the works of George Romero. In the game, players will face off against hordes of these zombies and three massive boss battles, sometimes with the help of celebrity allies.

"Our game is easy to play, easy to learn, and lets you kick a lot of ass," said Vo. "We wanted to create a pick up and play actioner, something you can turn your brain off and let your instincts kick in and take over."

One Spear Entertainment, the developer that owns the digital rights to Shaq, gave Hiptic its blessing after seeing Go Ninja.

"Shaq told us to have fun with it," Vo said, adding that the star gave his blessing as well.