Whenever a new free-to-play game hits the scene, there’s one question that plagues every player’s mind: Is it really free to play? Or will you eventually need to pay to unlock characters, weapons, competitive advantages, or ways to be able to progress through the story? Fortunately, Infinity Nikki is not a pay-to-win game. However, the pace at which players progress through the main quests can vary significantly depending on their approach to the gameplay and the time they dedicate—and yes, spending money, especially on clothes, can speed things up. Be sure to also redeem these codes in Infinity Nikki for extra currency!
Once you spend three or four hours going through the main quests, you’ll discover that dressing the protagonist, Nikki, in stylish and adorable outfits isn’t just about aesthetics. Boss battles—called Styling Challenges here—require players to assemble the perfect outfit to meet specific criteria and achieve a target score in order to win and go on with the story. Winning at these challenges is easier said than done, however, especially for players who haven’t been consistently exploring or gathering resources or simply don’t have an eye for fashion.
For example, one styling challenge might call for a look that’s cool and serene, while another might demand something fiery and bold, or maybe someone from a certain faction (there are multiple fashion factions at war in this game) will ask for a very ambiguous and hard criteria like imaginative but with a touch of ingenuity. In any case, players must carefully select every item—tops, bottoms, shoes, socks, accessories, backpacks, and even the tiny fairies that accompany Nikki—all of which contribute to the overall score and overcome these styling contests. The challenge? You may not always have the right piece for the job, and even when you do, it might need upgrading using in-game currencies like blings and other materials.
There are two ways to tackle these challenges. The easy route? Purchase premium currency like diamonds or revelation crystals and buy the clothes that perfectly match the criteria. The hard route? Explore the vast world of Miraland, uncover hidden clothing pieces from treasure chests, gather materials through fishing, bug-catching, and animal grooming, and craft outfits through the Sketches menu. But it’s not just about quality—it’s also about quantity. The game sometimes locks progression based on the size of your wardrobe (e.g., requiring 80 or 120 unique clothing items). Moreover, acquiring a piece of clothing doesn’t always mean it’s ready to wear—you often need additional materials to craft it from its sketch, which takes extra time.
In short, Infinity Nikki isn’t pay-to-win, but your experience will vary depending on the time and effort you’re willing to invest. Spending money can significantly reduce the time needed to progress through the main story, while playing the long game involves exploring, crafting, and gathering resources. That said, the game isn’t overly punishing when it comes to resource availability—you might only need an hour or two of side activities to meet the requirements for the next story progression point. However, this is based on the current game build, and future updates or quests could potentially raise the stakes and be more demanding.
Be sure to check out our review of Infinity Nikki or codes to redeem!
