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Real Ultimate Buying Power today on Amazon [update]
"One skilled in the art of stealth -- Nintendo DS". That's the hint Amazon is offering for a Gold Box deal that will go up today at 6PM PST. We don't know the exact identity of the offer, but we can speculate! Our guess is Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, which just happens to be one of the best games of 2008. What a delight it would be to get it at one of the best prices of 2008! Other ninja-related games we can think of offhand include N+ (another honoree!), Ninjatown (wow, a lot of ninja games in our top 10), Tenchu: Dark Secret (not so great), various Naruto releases, the Izunas, Ninja Reflex, and Taito's Legend of Kage 2 -- which you can get for cheap right now. [Update: it's Ninjatown for $20!]
DS Download Service aims to improve your vocabulary
Another week means another dose of demos available on the Nintendo Channel. If you've got a Wii, you're in luck. If not, then we suggest you cruise past the break to see one of the many reasons why you should own one.
Get your own Dragon Sword on the cheap
Those who've been sitting on the fence, not content with a favorable review to force them to partake in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword in all its sword-slicing glory, now might be the time to come down from there and see what Ryu Hayabusa's latest adventure is all about. Popular retail website Newegg.com is offering the Tecmo title for $22.99 (+ $2.99 for 3 business day shipping).The regular price for the game, as many of you might know, is $34.99, so this is a pretty good deal. Add on top of it the fact that the game is great and we can see little reason why you shouldn't have stopped reading this and instead be in the checkout section at Newegg right now, entering in your credit card information. For those of you without credit cards, just tie some money to a pigeon and send it their way. Regardless of how you pay, you really should own this game.%Gallery-4937%[Via CAG]
Pirate Gaiden: Dragon Sword
It can be dangerous to buy DS or Game Boy Advance games online, because you might end up with something like the above. And while it might be worth a few dollars' worth of lulz, generally when you pay for a game, you want the actual game. And, ideally, the actual box.NeoGAFfer Darunia bought a copy of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword online from a Dutch retailer, and got ... not quite Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. What he received is clearly a pirate copy, which, in addition to having unintentionally hilarious boxart (it's a quote from a 1p Start post pasted over the back of the Super Mario 64 DS box) and a buggy cartridge that can't save. Oh, and a decent NeoGAF thread.
Ninja Gaiden's Yosuke Hayashi 'very interested' in Wii
Nintendo World Store held a special launch event for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword for the DS. (Check out what the critics thought here.) Development director Yosuke Hayashi was available to sign copies of the game, and a formidable pack of fans lined up to meet and greet the man. Afterwards, we had a one-on-one chat about the game, and what he's looking forward to next. It's no secret that Team Ninja has a reputation for being outspoken and confident in their products. Hayashi is no different. At TGS, we grilled Tomonobou Itagaki about DS action games, and he admitted he played none. However, Hayashi's statement is far more bold: "Itagaki may have said that he's never played any action DS games. But I've played a lot, and none of them were good enough to remember. There's no comparison [to Ninja Gaiden], right?" "There's a very good possibility," Hayashi said when asked about the possibility of DS follow-up to Dragon Sword. "We want to offer a completely different side of the Ninja Gaiden series in a handheld title. There are so many things I can see we can work around if we work on another project." However, a DS sequel may not be the first thing on Hayashi's mind. He talked about how so many fans at the Nintendo World Store wanted a Ninja Gaiden game for the Wii. Without going into details, he simply noted that it was something he was "very interested" in working on. %Gallery-19440%
Metareview -- Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (DS)
During last year's Tokyo Game Show, outspoken game designer Tomonobu Itagaki issued us a bit of a challenge. "If there's a game out there that is more beautiful, more interactive, faster and has better action than this game," he said, "please let me know." Well, it looks like such a title may still be absent from the DS catalog, as reviewers have had some awfully nice things to say about the short-but-sweet Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. Honestly, we should have seen this coming, what with a fairly obvious clue buried in the game's title. Cross some things out, tilt your head to the left and ... voila! Ninja Gaiden :D ragon Sword Gametrailers (88/100): "Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword proves to have a sharp edge with good tech and smooth pacing. It also manages to turn the stylus into an effective ninja weapon, making it play like no other game on Nintendo's little dual screen." IGN (86/100): "Very few developers outside of Nintendo are truly willing to take the risk of experimenting a brand new way of playing an established franchise, but Tecmo's Team Ninja did just that with its DS-exclusive design. The risk worked: Ninja Gaiden on the Nintendo DS is a really great game that offers a fresh, unique take on action games, and gives the touch-screen handheld gamers something that they'll never see on any other platform." Game Informer Online (78/100): "Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is a commendable attempt at making a straight-up action game on the DS. I like the combat and the mechanics, and even though the battles get repetitive, it's frantic and fun enough to occasionally make you forget that fact."
Team Ninja to award high-scoring ninjas with branded iPod
Ninja dogs need not apply. This sweet 8gb iPod Nano you're feasting your eyes on will only be attainable by the most skilled assassins in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. Of course, this is all based on machine translation, so you'll have to forgive us some misinterpretation. It appears that there will be three different ways that folks can enter for their chance at the Nano. For one, there looks to be a specific difficulty setting that will apply to this giveaway, meaning that players who partake in the game while in this difficulty setting can upload their high score for entry. Second, players can collect certain in-game prizes (or tokens, we're assuming). Third, there's an online survey that can be filled out. Seems fairly easy to us, and there will be a total of 15 Nanos up for grabs. The contest period began on March 21st and ends on April 16th. Again, we're not certain this applies to folks outside of Japan, so keep that in mind. %Gallery-4937%
DS Daily: Hopes regarding a certain ninja
Personally, we can't wait for next week, as it sees the release of Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, the stylus-driven entry in Itagaki's ninjatastic franchise. We're really hoping that the game will help validate other entries in more established franchises on the handheld.Are you all as excited for this game as we are? Did you read some of the reviews and decide for or against the game? Are you as hopeful as we are that the handheld might start seeing some solid 3D action titles now?%Gallery-4937%
More Ninja Gaiden scan action
Click image to enlarge For those of you who're as excited for Team Ninja's upcoming DS entry in the Ninja Gaiden series, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, as we are, feast your eyes on some fresh scans from Famitsu. It looks like the focus here is on stylus controls and how players will execute everything through the touch screen, from the mundane regular attack to the destructive special attack. Head past the break for the second scan.%Gallery-4937%
Itagaki talks up Ninja Gaiden
It's no secret that we totally love Tomonobu Itagaki. It's a kind of love that few can experience in their life, as it drives you to do things you otherwise wouldn't do. Like, get a restraining order filed against you. It's okay, though. In Itagaki we trust. It's also no secret that Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is going to be one of the year's most highly-anticipated games on the console. In fact, Itagaki commented that he's been approached with many offers to use his game engine. This could mean more DS games utilizing his innovative stylus-driven control scheme down the line. And, if you needed another reason to pick the game up, listen to Itagaki. He says if you "consider yourself a true gamer, you owe it to yourself to play this game. If you don't, you'll be missing one of the breakthrough experiences in video gaming. This is an incredibly innovative piece of software." We're sold. If you're not, maybe you should download the demo? %Gallery-4937%
2008's Biggest Blips: Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Developer: Team Ninja Publisher: Tecmo Release: March There is a certain DS title on the horizon: Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. As a person who enjoys the finer things in life, like the silent "fwip" of a poisoned dart hitting your enemy's throat or the grace of emerging from the shadows to slice your enemy's stomach, spilling his intestines onto the bamboo floor beneath you, this game is likely the focal point of your life right now. Your only reason for accessing DS Fanboy on any kind of regular basis is only in the hopes that there will be new Ninja Gaiden news. If none of this rings true to you, then perhaps some personal reflection is in order. Have you perhaps considered you are not a ninja, nor are you fascinated with the world's most efficient killer? Should this be the case, we have a surefire way to make sure you let in the unimaginable power to dispatch the living and accept the Ninja as the world's most awesome thing ever, all in a matter of days. First of all, we have to list the givens: You must quit your job Leave your loved ones, making sure only to take one internet-accessing device (so you can read the rest of this, unless you want to use a pen and paper like some jerk), one bowl of rice and your DS Make your way to the mountains of Tibet Okay, now you're in Tibet. First thing you need to do is throw out the bowl of rice. Ninja don't get hungry; hunger fears the power of the ninja. The ninja sustains its life through the destruction of its enemies. It feeds on the perfection of silently killing its target and making its way off into the night. Next, you need to hook it up with Google maps and search for your local video rental store. Actually, there aren't that many in Tibet, so head back to your residence (maybe you should have just written this all down or printed it out?). Look up a Hollywood Video or a Blockbuster and go in. Find the nearest employee and ask them to point you toward the Ninja section. If they don't have a Ninja section, pull out your DS and use it to smack that unhelpful person in the face. Then, ask them to point you toward American Ninja. Once face-to-case with the film, you'll have little time before the cops show up. You won't be able to take them on now at this point in your training, so grab everything that says American Ninja on it and duck out of the door. Once out of the store, put your heels to the pavement and run as fast as you can back to your family. As you arrive at your former home, take care to enter as silently as possible. Your former spouse may have found someone new in the period since your departure and your training may need to be accelerated. Your primary goal is to find your VCR or DVD player, extract it and abscond to somewhere safe so that you may view these films. Now is the time to absorb this material and carefully study each and every film in the American Ninja franchise you were able to make off with. You must watch them and emulate every single one of Dudikoff's moves, with your DS's stylus firmly gripped in hand. And only after learning from the master may you attempt your next task: securing your copy of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. By this time in your ninja career, it is now March and the release of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is quickly approaching. It would have to be before you could realistically master the skills of Michael Dudikoff. And now is your true test, as you must leave your dojo in the hunt for Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. Now is the time for real-world practice, as seen in the video above. It is here that your true skills will be put to the test. You have trained hard and you have been faced with many trials. You will have to make your way into a convenient retail location, procure the DS title, pay off the cashier and return to your sanctuary. It is a difficult task. We wish you luck. %Gallery-4937% Professor Layton Back Duck!
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword unsheathed on March 25
Nintendo's latest release schedule has cut through the fog of ambiguity and pinned the arrival of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword to the pleasingly specific date of March 25th. We only had "March 2008" to go on before and have thus avoided wasting 24 days of the month scouring shelves and phoning overly smug store clerks. Though Tecmo has told us that the shipping date may change if the final code isn't approved in time, it's the one they're currently targeting like... whatever ham-fisted Ninja metaphor we could work into this sentence. For more information on Ryu Hayabusa's DS debut, check out our hands-on with the game and interview with Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki.
Ninja Gaiden screens assassinate our patience
We recently came across some fresh screens for our most anticipated Ninja game of the year (and no, we're not talking about Ninja Reflex, silly). We're really impressed with some of the cutscene artwork in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, and we're salivating as we wait for the game's March release date. If you're looking forward to this game like we are, be sure to stealthily make your way past the break for more screens.
Ninja Gaiden scan steathily emerges
Click image to enlarge The latest issue of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu has a nice two-page spread on Team Ninja's upcoming DS entry in the kill-em-all-bloodfest of a franchise, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. We're not only excited to give this game a whirl because of the already-mentioned amount of killing Ryu will undoubtedly do, but also because the control scheme seems like it could pave the way for more games of this type. At this point, we're fairly convinced that Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword can cure every single problem we have in our life. Any of you feel the same way? %Gallery-4937%
Ninja Gaiden boxart flips into view, falls flat on backside
As if the news of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword being delayed until next March wasn't disappointing enough (news that was super-officially confirmed by a Tecmo press release today, by the way), the boxart for the game is ... well, not necessarily bad, but certainly underwhelming. Not ninjatastic. It might just be us, but the whole thing comes across as a bit half-assed, the kind of design a Tecmo work experience lackey might churn out on Photoshop during his lunch break. We really hope that didn't happen, Tecmo. Here's hoping the game, which we're immensely looking forward to, makes more of an impact than its packaging.
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword slashes up your DS in March
You'll be flipping out and killing people on the go this March when Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword –Team Ninja's portable ninja simulator – slashes its way onto the DS. Tecmo announced the March release window today, but failed to give a specific date. So, uh, yeah ... For more on Dragon Swords, take a peek at our interview with Team Ninja's charming Tomonobu Itagaki.
New Ninja Gaiden scan shows off cute characters
Click image to enlarge We're fairly certain these smiling people are allies of Ryu's, as we're sure any enemy of a ninja has no ability to smile, often cowering in dark corners and crying themselves to sleep as they think of nothing but their impending doom. That's just life. The life of a ninja's target. This fresh scan for what is sure to be the definitive ninja experience on the DS, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, hits the net from the latest issue of Japanese gaming mag Famitsu. Team Ninja's handheld entry into the Ninja Gaiden franchise is something that you can imagine we're incredibly excited about, as its ambitious control scheme and truckloads of combat are things we can easily get behind. %Gallery-4937%
Go hit up a download station, get Ninja Gaiden
Getting out to a download station is hard work. First we have to apply for an exit permit from our cruel overlords at Joystiq, then we have to put on gobs and gobs of sun block (SPF 8,273, because of our incredibly pale skin). As if that weren't enough, there are also dangers to navigate in the wild, such as screaming children and the chupacabra. So, as you can see, it's tough work. But, you can bet we'll be going through it now that word hits of a new demo on the download station block: Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword. Rumored to be included in a download station near you some time ago, it is now confirmed as reality. As Itagaki fans (and Ninja Gaiden junkies), we're compelled to give the game a download. And we aren't doing it because we want to test it out or anything (we know it'll be great) so that we may come to a decision regarding purchasing the game (we know we'll be buying it). We just need it. [Via Joystiq]
Ninja Gaiden demo at DS Download Stations, but not in our homes
Itching to see how well Ninja Gaiden holds up on the Nintendo DS? Anxious fans of the series can take the portable title for a spin by heading to a local retailer. Gay Gamer reports that DS Download Stations are now beaming demos of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. Bringing your DS to a participating retail location should allow you to capture the demo, which controls like a more "extreme" version of Phantom Hourglass. We're happy that Nintendo continues to make use of retail-based DS Download Stations, but we're still anxiously awaiting the release of the Wii's "Everybody's Nintendo" channel, which will allow Wii owners to beam demos to their DS via their Wii, from the comfort of their own homes. Here's hoping that following the release of the "Check Mii Out" channel, DS downloads are just around the corner. Some shaky cam footage of the Dragon Sword demo in action after the break.
Blurry, shaky cam footage of Dragon Sword still gets us excited
It should come as no surprise to all of you out there in Reader Land that we're already sold on Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. We're going to pick it up the second it hits retail shelves, no doubt about it. That's why we can appreciate this video, as poorly filmed as it is. Because it is nothing but a large chunk of gameplay, we find ourselves drooling over the exhibited crispness of the game's controls and promise of massive amounts of combat.[Via Go Nintendo]
