Team Ninja Kicks Off Anniversary Celebrations With Ninja Gaiden 4

Thrilled about Ragebound coming soon but what else could possibly be announced that would be anything to get excited about?

The NG master collection already came out a while back. I suppose the Nioh collection releasing on Switch might be cool. I'm sure people would be foaming at the mouth for Metroid other M switch edition LOL 😉.

Still hoping we haven't seen the last of modern Ninja gaiden. Been a long time since there was a new game released.

Would love a new Dead or Alive(fighting) game. But I feel it won’t be what it used to be if they made a new one. Not to mention DOA6 was a huge letdown for me.

@Truegamer79 Why would Nioh come to Switch? Doesn't PlayStation have the publishing rights?

Also there is the matter of getting it to run on Switch. Which it probably can't run well.

Still mad and confused Ragebound needs to involve Focus at all, but right now the only game Team Ninja has on the docket this year is Venus Vacation Prism: Titty All Day Every Day Once Again - wherein all pretext of Volleyball or any pretext of non-explict action is dropped in favor of returning to Koei's roots (no, seriously https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Life_(video_game) ) and being just straight up the most high budget whoppee fun time game ever.

Truly, I can think of no better way to celebrate an anniversary than that.

@anoyonmus
Wasn't sure if Nioh was exclusive but yeah switch needs to be let go. It had a good run. Nintendo really better step up their game next gen. Tired of always worrying that the next big title might not be possible on Nintendos hardware. I miss playing with power.

I may be alone, but I'd LOVE for them to do a follow-up to Metroid: Other M.
Despite its flaws, I absolutely love that game and have replayed it so many times, including this past year.

With a little tweaking, I think that sort of 3rd person Metroid could be the ideal scenario for the series. The dodge mechanic is incredibly satisfying, and the shine spark/speed booster is the best in the series.

Team Ninja has always kinda been the "kid who falls asleep standing up at baseball games while occasionally waking up and catching a ball" of these action game devs. When they make something good, they make something REALLY good, but most of the time they kinda just flounder their releases and pump out games that aren't GOD-AWFUL, but are moreso just really dissapointing and mediocre. Hopefully this time around they actually have something cool up their sleeves and not another ninja gaiden master collection lol, I sure do love psp versions that remove everything that made the game fun and put in weird creepy tit physic manipulation segments in that are so out of pocket the head behind the series has to be like "are the guys working on this ok?" instead:D!!1

I'd love either a new DoA (hopefully going back to what made DoA5LR so good, and NOT being afraid of infusing fanservice into it) or a new mainline Ninja Gaiden so we can finally pretend we're getting Ninja Gaiden 4 and that Yaiba never happened.

@ottoecamn What's Yaiba? Never heard of it.

@KociolekDoSyta Good.

Give me an 8-bit / 16-bit Ninja Gaiden collection, and I'll be very happy.

I don't think Team Ninja still has that spark, unfortunately. Still, I love the series and I can't wait for Ragebound.

I would love a new dead or alive for the switch 2 or a new Ninja gaiden or just a remake.

Have Team Ninja done anything great since Itagaki left?

@Jack_Goetz

The 2 Nioh games and Dead or Alive 5 are well regarded and Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound looks to be a very good game as well. They also did Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty which was a lot of fun and Rise of the Ronin was pretty good too.
It was rough for a bit, but they've gotten back on their feet and are doing very well imo.

The only time I felt they really dropped the ball was with Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection.
A lot of issues (performance in Razor's Edge can get rather iffy with some parts having VERY bad resolution), missing features, lack of easy QoL things they could've added, etc. I feel like that was just an easy cash grab with almost zero effort put into these ports.
Ninja Gaiden deserved better than that v.v

A better question is: has Itagaki made anything great since he left?
And sadly for his fans the answer is a big fat NO! Only 2 games in 17 years and one was a gigantic failure and the other is just okay at best...

Probably has nothing to do with team ninja, but the original arcade side scroller ninja gaiden would be cool

@timp29 That's been on the Switch eShop for ages now.

I'd love a Classic Ninja Gaiden collection for sure - and not just the NES games and the SNES port - the Master System game (which is pretty great), the GameGear one... everything!

But I think it's actually much more likely for us to either get yet ANOTHER remaster/remake of the 2004 title or a brand-new Ninja Gaiden 4 (that Ragebound might potentially tie-in to).

I'd be damn happy if we do. The Master Collection on Switch was an absolute dream come true for me!

@NinjaSyao Thanks for that, it was very informative. Totally forgot about Dead or Alive 5.

I didn't bother with the Master Collection based on the reviews at the time. I've got all the originals anyway if I feel the need to boot them up again. Razor's Edge left me feeling hollow though after NG2.

Haha! Yeah, I know he's done nothing worthwhile since leaving, but him and Team Ninja seemed like a good match for a short while. Devil's Third is still in its cellophane on my shelf. 😅

Fingers crossed Ragebound turns out well.

İ was a huge Team Ninja fan boy in the time from the original Xbox when Tomonobu İtagaki was in the team and was working on the Xbox console only.
İ was big fan from Tomonobu İtagaki too.
The games was better with Tomonobu İtagaki but İ think it is still incredible.
İ have played Ninja Gaiden Razor's edge and it was incredible that game was without Tomonobu İtagaki.

@Jack_Goetz Yess, İ think Ninja Gaiden Razor's edge was incredible game without Tomonobu İtagaki. İt was not better than Ninja Gaiden 1 and Ninja Gaiden 2 but it was still incredible fun game. Well done game.

I'm lucky enough to have the Physical version of the Master Collection. A lot of fun.

@sketchturner I'm just gonna let you know, but a lot of the mechanics of Other M were lifted straight out of Ninja Gaiden. So you might as well just play that if you want more. Razor's Edge is a good game.

@Jack_Goetz They made Nioh

@KociolekDoSyta The full title was "Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z". It was a spin-off helmed by Keiji Inafune, as far as I remember, where you play as a revived ninja who was once killed by Ryu and is now out for revenge. It tried to be "cool" and "edgy", so it had lots of cursing and poor attempts at humour. Rather poor game, in all honesty.

@Mach_Rider While I wouldn't say Yaiba was a great game, I do recall having some fun with it. The combat is fast and frantic, and it has some fun platforming sections. It also looks great, love the colourful cell shaded style. But yeah, it's definitely not up to the standard of the previous games, and the effort to be overly edgy can be a bit grating.

I still play Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2 on my xbox360 from time to time. Still some of the best action games around.

Would love a collection of the nes trilogy on the Switch. It would be extra sweet if they included the og versions, as well as remasters with pixel art done by the folks working on Ragebound. But this admittedly seems doubtful.

@Samalik Yeah I've been seriously considering buying the Ninja Gaiden collection on Switch. Here is my only question: can you turn off the gore?
Based on early reviews, the collection launched without gore (which disappointed a lot of people), but then it was patched in. Personally, I don't like blood in my games, so I'm hoping there is a way to turn it off.

@Jack_Goetz Came here to ask that exact question. Besides Itagaki, who from the original Team Ninja is still there?

Tecmo also seems to have a "scorched earth" policy towards mentioning Itagaki or his contributions.

@sketchturner I can't speak about the collection, but Ninja Gaiden is a pretty brutal game series in all accounts. That includes difficulty.

besides that, based on my experience with Ninja Gaiden Razor's Edge, seeing which enemies have lost limbs is an indicator that they can be taken down easily for some health or that they are a kamikaze risk, so it's very much tied to strategic gameplay feedback.

In other words you're just gonna have to get use to it. I speak as someone who doesn't typically play gory games. If it makes ya feel better, there are a lot of demon enemies in this series with their own weird colored blood, and the games are very "old samurai movie" about dismemberments, so they are quick and to the point unlike certain other action games like God of War which really make things excessive.

Either way, you might wanna play these games because they seem pretty good.

They never fixed the trilogy to begin with...

@sketchturner You're not alone. I really liked Other M. It wasn't perfect by any means and had its share of flaws. I also agree that the story went a little left field at times but overall, I had a great time with the game.

I think what really stood out to me at the time was they wanted to try something different, had a vision and just straight went balls to the wall with it held nothing back. In a lot of ways that's the best way to know for sure if something works or not. I loved it but understand those that didn't. It's all good because there's plenty of games out there that the majority went ape sh#t for and I was like "meh".

@Mach_Rider I know, I know, we're just joking here. Unfortunately, I played it and we're all just forgetting that this has anything to do with Ninja Gaiden series.

@sketchturner I would like other m a lot more without the weird first person missile mode idea and the bland elevator hub (been a while since i played it). The wii controller just hinders so much, I don't think it is nearly as bad as people say but it is definitely my least favorite metroid game. I think a remake would help a ton with this game

Just read the Other M review from this site, 9/10 and most comments are positive. I don't praise it that much, more like a 7 but it is nowhere near as bad as a 2 or something similar

Nioh dilogy on Switch at long last? Surely my recent investment on Deck must have set something in motion.😜😄

@anoyonmus Sony only published the games in the west on their own consoles; they're a worldwide Koeimo gig on PC. And they're also separate stage games, so there's only so much to task Switch hardware with besides some typical VFX excesses. Both games and Code Vein would be very welcome in portable format, especially since Bamco isn't advancing Dark Souls series releases despite the subgenre having carved out quite a niche Switchside.

@rvcolem1 I agree, the first person perspective for missiles and grappling was dumb and unnecessarily awkward. As well as the forced slow-walk sections with the camera over the shoulder.

I actually like the way you moved through a 3D environment with just the D-pad on the Wiimote. It feels really good to me for some reason.

I wouldn't mind a remake of the original trilogy with WayForward-esque 2D visuals. Of course, Ragebound looks like a good substitute for that wish.

@KociolekDoSyta Ah, sorry about that... sometimes sarcasm doesn't come off great in writing

Platinum officially learned NOTHING from Scalebound

SNES NSO update. Might wanna get that checked.

While I'm sure Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and Ninja Gaiden 4 may come to Switch 1 & 2 in the future, it's likely Ninja Gaiden II Black (the remastered of Ninja Gaiden II, not to be confused with the garbage that was Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 on Xbox 360) will remain an Xbox exclusive.

Oohwee! NGII was my favourite, so I hope we get this version on S2.

@Serpenterror Apart from PlayStation and PC?

@Jack_Goetz Ninja Gaiden 4 will come to PS5 and PC but it likely could come to Switch 2 as well knowing Team Ninja and Platinum Games also had good relationship with Nintendo. Still Ninja Gaiden II Black which is stealth release today probably won't be coming to anything other platform except Xbox.

@Serpenterror Ninja Gaiden II Black is already out on PlayStation and PC though.

I did not see this coming. I thought that series was dead. And they've pulled Platinum into a tandem? They do know how to make this type of game so I'm intrigued to see how well it does. Now I for sure got to play two and three.

Switch 2 launch game confirmed? 😅

big jelly right now....I want a platinum game

Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's Edge was a WiiU launch title, I'd love to see 4 on NS2.

@sketchturner a follow-up to Other M already exists. We call it Metroid Fusion.

@Liam_Doolan Hmmm... maybe it just didn't show up earlier, I see it on the shop now. Well guess I don't have to get an Xbox then.

The best thing that ever happened to Other M is the awful story distracting from the awful controls. There's a decent game in there somewhere but you have to put up with a lot for it.

@anoyonmus the Nioh series is not a playstation exclusive. Would run perfectly fine on the Switch 2 leaked specs.

I almost sh*t myself. Over a decade of waiting and finally! 100% it will be on Switch 2, just like probably Ninja Gaiden 2 Black... OMFG Team Ninja <3

Was sooo hyped about this reveal.
I hope it also arrives on the switch 2.
2025 is a great year for gamers.

@Pigeon
Looks like all their design tropes are here. 3D Ninja Gaiden has a very specific feel that sets it apart from typical character action games and Platinum Dodge™ ain’t it.

Good news. I hope it comes to the Switch 2.

Sure looks like a Platinum game. Not sure it looks like a Ninja Gaiden game though. I really liked the first 3D entry back on xbox. That really felt like i Ninja game. This is surely fun and all. But it might as well have been a new IP.

@Ladasta Funny, I thought the same after watching the trailer. I get big Bayonetta 3 and Astral Chain vibes from the art direction/colors used.

Certainly something I'll keep an eye on, should it come to Switch 2.
Happy P* has been busy with what looks like a cool project. Just not one of their IPs, which is too bad.
Still waiting to hear about what the 15 years of Bayonetta celebrations will bring to the table.

Well I'll be a Ninjas uncle! Never thought I'd see the day. This better come to switch 2! I wonder if all three of these Ninja gaiden games will get black version remakes?

@NeonPizza Might've not been your cup of tea, but saying that it was a snooze fest, you probably mistook the game. lol

I'm surprised we're actually getting a 4th game!

@NeonPizza I mean, the NES trilogy is saint and we all know that. No one can touch it, you can play it over and over again and you'll never get bored. Like many, many other retro games.

Ok I gotcha now, you're just more retro focused. I was like that for my entire life and the first 3D NG on Xbox changed this and the 3D trilogy is my favourite of all time now. Before every new game bored me and I was always coming back to NES, SNES, Arcade etc. I just found them much more enjoyable. I get you, I thought you were trolling or something. I'm sure that you'll find something for yourself, there's plethora of games out there.

Ninja Gaiden 4's looking very exciting, it's like PlatinumGames's first game tailored to the current generation!
I hope it has a chance of coming to Switch 2, even if it runs at 30fps

What does this have to do with Nintendo?

@shonenjump86

I would so love that, a new dead or alive.

That game, next to Virtua fighter and tekken where my favorite.

So, we're getting 2 new Ninja Gaidens?

@Serpenterror That's a lotta twos