Joystiq

Rumor: Ninja Gaiden II receiving Mission Mode July 25

Alexander Sliwinski — 2008-07-03T10:27:00+00:00

Ninja Gaiden 2 will receive Mission Mode as DLC on July 25, according to a post on NeoGAF. Mission Mode, if similar to the original iteration introduced in Ninja Gaiden Black, drops Ryu into an arena setting and lets him go on a flippin' awesome ninja killin' spree. There is currently no price attached to the new Mission Mode DLC.

The possibility of a Mission Mode should come as good news to NG II players who don't find dressing up Ryu like a Ken doll a worthwhile activity. But, let's be honest, if it's anything like the original Mission Mode, shouldn't it have been shipped with the game or, and we're hoping this is the case, at least be free?

[Via X3F]

Gallery: Ninja Gaiden II

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Tomonobu Itagaki: A Blood Splattered History

Ross Miller — 2008-06-05T16:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Business, Galleries

Now that Ninja Gaiden 2 developer Tomonobu Itagaki has departed from Tecmo and Team Ninja (and left a lawsuit in his stead), our friends at X3F have compiled a retrospective on Itagaki's career with the company. From his beginnings as a programmer for Tecmo Bowl, through Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden and all the way to his departure, everything is covered.

Join us as we take a stroll through memory lane and examine the games, the controversies and the impending future of Tomonobu Itagaki. Click here, get educated.

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A History of Violence: A Ninja Gaiden Retrospective

Ross Miller — 2008-06-03T15:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Sony PlayStation 3, Retro, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

A little bird told us Ninja Gaiden II was coming out today. Actually, that bird was more like a note attached to a shuriken with a flower on it, but the message was all the same. In honor of the series milestone and in memory of the now-former Ninja Gaiden designer Tomonobu Itagaki, we present you with a series retrospective we're affectionately dubbing A History of Violence (hey, we thought it was clever). Click here and be educated.

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Breaking: Ninja Gaiden's Itagaki says 'Sayonara Tecmo, see you in court'

Randy Nelson — 2008-06-03T03:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

Team Ninja head and creator of the landmark Dead or Alive fighting game series, Tomonobu Itagaki, has issued a statement announcing his resignation from long-time employer Tecmo. This news, first reported by 1UP, comes just as his latest creation, the Xbox 360 exclusive Ninja Gaiden 2, is due to hit US shelves.

In addition to resigning his position at the company - where he had a seat on the board of directors - Itagaki has announced his intention to sue Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda for 148 million yen (US$1.5m) in damages. Among the grievances listed in the statement are Yasuda's unwillingness to pay him bonuses promised for work on titles including Dead or Alive 4, and allegations that Yasuda "made demeaning remarks" about him to other Tecmo employees, which resulted in "significant emotional distress" and "worsening [of his] personal relationships and work environment."

Itagaki began his career at Tecmo as a graphics programmer. One of his earliest titles for the company was 1993's Tecmo Super Bowl for SNES. He later gained notoriety for his original fighting game creation, Dead or Alive, and was lauded with superstar-level recognition by Microsoft after they secured the exclusive rights to Dead or Alive 3 for the original Xbox's US launch.

In his statement, Itagaki confirmed that he will not be involved with any future Ninja Gaiden or Dead or Alive titles, as the rights to both franchises are retained by Tecmo. How Itagaki's departure will affect the future of either series will surely be at the forefront of gamers' minds, as well as those of Tecmo brass. We'll have more on this breaking story, including Tecmo's reaction, as it develops.

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New games this week: Ninja Gaiden II edition

Justin McElroy — 2008-06-02T08:20:00+00:00

Filed under: Nintendo DS, PC, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

See, now this is what a video game release week is supposed to be like. Not a lesser of several evils rising to the top like some sort of wicked curd separating from more sinister whey, but rather one glistening title beating out other worthy competitors. This week, where we feature Ninja Gaiden II, is just such a week.

But if totally flipping out and killing people isn't your style, fear not! There are several other decent choices this week, like Lego Indiana Jones, The Bourne Conspiracy or GRID. Check out the full list after the break.

Gallery: Ninja Gaiden II

Xbox 360:

Ninja Gaiden II
GRID
LEGO Indiana Jones
Robert Ludlum's: The Bourne Conspiracy
Kung Fu Panda
Incredible Hulk

PS3:

LEGO Indiana Jones
Robert Ludlum's: The Bourne Conspiracy
GRID
Kung Fu Panda
Incredible Hulk

Nintendo Wii:

LEGO Indiana Jones
Cabelas Trophy Bucks
Kung Fu Panda
Incredible Hulk

PS2:

Kung Fu Panda
LEGO Indiana Jones
Incredible Hulk

PSP:

LEGO Indiana Jones
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2
Nintendo DS:
Summon Night: Twin Age
Kung Fu Panda
LEGO Indiana Jones
Incredible Hulk
Paws & Claws Pet Vet 2

PC Games:

LEGO Indiana Jones
Stronghold Crusader Extreme
Kung Fu Panda
GRID

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360 Fanboy shows us real ultimate power with Ninja Gaiden II demo impressions

Griffin McElroy — 2008-05-31T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

We can think of a lot of great things to sell our souls for, such as telekinesis, a swimming pool full of hundred dollar bills, or a seventh season of Mr. Belvedere. However, Xbox 360 Fanboy's Richard Mitchell (or as we like to call him around the office, Rich Mitch) recently showed his undying love for scarved ninjas by dealing with Beelzebub to get his hands on an early copy of the Ninja Gaiden II demo. Judging by the tone of his impressions as he plays the first seven minutes of the preview, it was totally worth it.

We strongly advise watching the above video -- not only will it get you totally pumped for the quickly approaching June 3 release date for the title, but you can also witness Rich Mitch's incredible proclivity for ninja flipping and henchman dismemberment.

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Ninja Gaiden II demo out today in Japan, rest of the world 'soon'

Ross Miller — 2008-05-30T11:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

A demo for the ultra-violent Ninja Gaiden II is due out today for the approximately 14 people in Japan who own an Xbox 360. Chris Paladino of Micorosft's Gamercore blog confirmed the news via NeoGAF earlier this morning, adding, "Looking for details on rest of world, haven't found anything other than 'soon,'" followed by a colon and a capital P.

Since March, the NGII page on Xbox.com had a message that said, "Get your hands on the free demo coming to Xbox LIVE Marketplace in May," but that was quietly removed sometime this week. Ninja Gaiden II will paint the wall with blood in North America and Europe next week.

[Via X3F]

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Microsoft Game Studios' 2008 in Gaming: A Yearbook

Ross Miller — 2008-05-23T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

Interested in seeing what you'll be playing on your Xbox 360 in the coming months? X3F has compiled the 2008 Microsoft Game Studios Yearbook for you, a list of this year's exclusive graduating class with a detailed account of each title's current status and the stories surrounding them.

The 2008 Microsoft Game Studios Yearbook chronicles the graduates, like the soon-to-be released Ninja Gaiden II, and the titles that didn't make it to grad, like Alan Wake. Yep, he had to be held back for a semester or two. Or maybe three, we just don't know yet.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow us to introduce the 2008 Microsoft Game Studios graduating class ...

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Xbox 360 Spring Showcase impressions roundup

Ross Miller — 2008-05-14T19:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360

Our friends at Xbox 360 Fanboy are having a ball at the Xbox 360 Spring Showcase, sending word of their hands-on experiences with the console's upcoming lineup. (Update: Now with more Human.) Check out their impressions below:

	Impressions: Ninja Gaiden II It's unapologetically hardcore, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
	Impressions: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts There is good reason that Rare did not decide to title the game Banjo Threeie. It's something new.
	Impressions: Penny Arcade Adventures On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness. Turns out the game is a meld of Japanese RPG and old-school adventure.

	Impressions: Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise With so much added to the formula, it's hard to see downsides to Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise, and that's because they're mostly endemic.
	Impressions: Too Human If you're in the market for a slower paced action experience and enjoy (or don't mind) the leveling up and tweaking of your character then Too Human could be for you.

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Itagaki on Ninja Gaiden II dismemberment, difficulty and DLC

Christopher Grant — 2008-05-14T15:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Interviews

After spending about 30 minutes with a final build (awaiting certification) of Ninja Gaiden II at the Xbox 360 Spring Showcase, we had a chance to sit down with designer Tomonobu Itakagi, along with a handful of other game journalists. Staring out at us through dark shades, as an assistant translated his responses, the Team Ninja front man spoke on the "Deadly Ds," as we like to call them: dismemberment, difficulty (as in, tweaking the design philosophy to make us feel less like wusses for playing on easy) and Down-Loadable Costumes. Actually, there was another "D" addressed here too -- the one that ends with "-rinking on the job," or rather, the lack thereof. Yes, this was a new, sobered Itagaki, folks. Hard to believe given the swirl of emotions surrounding the realization that this could be his last *gasp* Ninja Gaiden.

Joystiq: We noticed the name of the casual mode in Ninja Gaiden II is "Path of the Acolyte" and not "Ninja Dog." Are you trying to remove the stigma of playing on the easy setting?

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New Ninja Gaiden II screens are bloody, marvelous

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-05-13T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

click to enlarge

Marking the return of one of gaming's most agile assassins, Ninja Gaiden II seems poised to satisfy our increasingly alarming desire for a good, old-fashioned lopping of limbs. It's true that series protagonist and demon antagonist, Ryu Hayabusa, isn't the most subtle of ninjas -- his technique is about as stealthy as a piano rolling down a flight of stairs -- but he gets the job done.

On a related note, Microsoft has announced that the game will be receiving its first batch of gamerpics (100 MS points per pack) and themes (150 MS points per pack) today. Perhaps we'll be able to collect all the severed in-game arms and legs and use them as payment?

Ninja Gaiden II is out in the US on June 3rd.

Gallery: Ninja Gaiden II

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Tecmo returning to E3 this year

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-05-09T19:00:00+00:00

Filed under: E3

Last year's smaller and considerably more inconvenient E3 marked quite a dramatic change from the glitz and glare we had grown accustomed to. Gone was the inescapable nexus of pulsating lights and the deafening roar of booths competing to be the loudest, instead replaced by warmly lit hotel rooms and, of course, tastefully dressed women. No wonder Tecmo didn't bother to show up.

Jokes aside, the publisher has confirmed to Joystiq that it will be attending the E3 Media & Business Summit in Los Angeles this July, though it's unclear which games will be shown off. With Microsoft-published Ninja Gaiden II out of the way in June, we'll likely see more of Tecmo Bowl Kickoff, Rygar: The Battle of Argus and possibly some game about ninja babes slapping each other on the beach.

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Ninja Gaiden 2 'demo' hits Xbox Live, just a video

Ross Miller — 2008-02-22T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, GDC

Remember that blip on the Xbox Live this week that said a Ninja Gaiden 2 Demo was coming soon? The "demo" has now gone live, and we hate to break it to you, folks, but it turns out that demo really means "video of someone playing the demo." Yep, we're disappointed, too, and a bit angry at the misleading title -- by convention, demo in the gaming world tends to be interactive. (Unless, of course, the game really is just us watching someone else play the game.) Creator Tomonobu Itagaki did assure that a demo is coming "at some point." Ninja Gaiden 2 is out for blood June 3.

Gallery: GDC08: Ninja Gaiden II

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Ninja Gaiden II demo coming soon

Richard Mitchell — 2008-02-21T01:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, GDC

While we're out gallivanting about in San Francisco during GDC, our 360s languish at home, alone. Thankfully, the dutiful fanboys at X3F are keeping tabs on the happenings on Xbox Live Marketplace. Their diligence has been rewarded too, as the GDC section of Xbox Live Marketplace has revealed that a Ninja Gaiden II demo should be hitting Live sometime in the near future. Given the very polished nature of what Tomonobu Itagaki had on display during Microsoft's keynote, we wouldn't be surprised if the GDC demo and the Xbox Live demo are one and the same. Good news if true, though it threatens to halt all productivity at Joystiq if it comes to pass before GDC is over.

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GDC08: Ninja Gaiden II demon-stration

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2008-02-20T18:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, GDC, Video

We nearly missed the Gears of War 2 announcement at the end of Microsoft's GDC keynote because of this surprise Ninja Gaiden II demonstration. By the time it finished, we had completely lost consciousness due to an increasingly violent series of glee seizures -- or gleezures. If you plan on watching the direct-feed footage of Team Ninja's forthcoming kill-em-up, we'd advise you to sit well away from coworkers and small children should your delight suddenly begin manifesting in wild arm flailing and uncontrollable pelvic thrusts.

Protip: We find that thinking about the awful June 2008 release date has an immediate calming effect.

Gallery: GDC08: Ninja Gaiden II

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