While publishers like Activision prefer to spend as much money as possible wowing the press with DJs and open bars, some other companies prefer a more reserved, down-to-earth approach. Hence Team Ninja's subdued dinner in a "ninja house in the woods of Tokyo," where they officially announced three new(ish) games. Hit the jump for the details on each.
As Team Ninja leaped from the Dreamcast to the PlayStation 2, and ultimately to the Xbox last generation, producing games exclusively for Microsoft's machine, I had been under the impression that the Tecmo developers were power-hungry, insofar as what machines they worked on. However, that changed this generation, as they not only supported the powerful PlayStation 3 with Ninja Gaiden Σ, but continued to support Microsoft with Dead or Alive 4, DOAX 2, and Ninja Gaiden II. Furthermore, moving to handhelds, they seemingly opted for the Nintendo DS with Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, rather than the more powerful PlayStation Portable. And now, they are working on Metroid: Other M for the Wii. Over the course of the following interview, Team Ninja Producer Yosuke Hayashi explains the shift in dynamic (beginning at 4:20): Video Games - E3 2009 - PlayStation 3 In addition, Hayashi confirms that everything is on-schedule for a 2010 release, and that consumers will be able to play the game "fairly soon." He also offers high praise for Miyamoto, even though his involvement in Metroid: Other M has been little, if any. And for those interested, the first half of the video talks about Ninja Gaiden Σ 2, though I don't think any of the information there is really new.
Ninja Gaiden has always been about an over-the-top experience, whether that be in the action, the gore, or the female characters.... PS3 owners received some surprising news a few weeks ago when Team Ninja announced that they were scaling back the amount of gore in PS3's port of Ninja Gaiden 2. It looks like the team is trying to make it up to PS3 gamers by throwing in a little waggle function with the SIXAXIS. I'll let the picture do the explaining. You can get your "waggle on" with this ridiculous added functionality when Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 hits store shelves on September 29.
At last week's E3 in Los Angeles, GameSpot managed to catch up with Nintendo of America President Rggie Fils-Amie-- er, Reggie Fils-Aime, and talked to him about Metroid: Other M, as well as a few other things from Nintendo's part of the show. Here's the video: Some highlights of the interview are after the cut.
Once people picked up their jaws from the floor following Nintendo's big reveal of their collaboration with Team Ninja, Metroid: Other M, concern soon set in. After all, Team Ninja, while great developers, are rather well know for their-- to put it nicely-- exhibitive admiration of the female body. Is it really wise to put one of gaming's most beloved and strongest perceived female protagonists into their open hands? Fortunately, Yosuke Hayashi, the new boss of Team Ninja following the departure of Tomonobu Itagaki, offers his assurance that there is no cause for alarm; they're going to make sure Samus stays a classy lady. "Every female character in our games is as attractive as possible, both inside and out," Hayashi told Kotaku. "There has to be something attractive." "But as long as we provide that in the one place - the inside - that's what's important with this game." Well said. [Image Credit (via Kotaku)]
Though they've already revealed several big-name games during their press conference today, Nintendo isn't done: They've just concluded by announcing that Tecmo's Team Ninja is developing a Metroid game. Entitled Metroid: Other M, the game seems to be a third-person action game similar to Ninja Gaiden. It's slated for a 2010 release and seems to be the edgier, more hardcore Nintendo game that fans have waited for. We'll keep you updated as we obtain more information.
After an eventful 2008, several of the former Team Ninja developers involved with the Itagaki vs. Tecmo debacle have managed to find themselves a new ninja-related project. If Nintendo Power is to believed, several of the former Ninja Gaiden team is hard at work with the developers behind Super Smash Brothers, to create the next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game!
Much has been said about Tomonobu Itagaki's sudden departure from Team Ninja, but one semi-important piece of the puzzle has neglected to pipe up -- until today, that is. Tecmo, Itagaki's former employer and current target for a lawsuit, has finally answered questions concerning Team Ninja's status now that its sunglasses-clad leader has left the clan. "Team Ninja... is intact and, as a matter of fact, have several new projects already underway. Team Ninja is, more than ever, committed to producing compelling and cutting edge games in order to maintain its reputation as a high quality developer and to continue to receive the support of its loyal fans," read a statement mailed to Wired. But will Team Ninja still maintain their standard of excellence without their whip-cracking katana-wielding head in place? And tumultuous events like these typically signal the departure of multiple employees, so Team Ninja may still lose some of their best and brightest in the midst of the wreckage. With any luck, however, my doom-saying will turn out to be just that, and Team Ninja will continue to be the premier ninja-based development studio in gaming.
Following on the stealthy heels of a very successful launch of Team Ninja's first DS game, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, Producer Yosuke Hayashi had some glowing words for Nintendo's latest consoles. In fact, his praise turned into a declaration of plans for more innovative DS games, as well as hopes for making games for the Wii that play off of the console's strengths. Hit the jump to see exactly what Hayashi had to say:
Upcoming PS3 remake of Xbox original to push new hardware to the limits; title projected to attain new level of graphical success.
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John Doe