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DS is the best handheld for the ninja in training
This new game could be hitting North Amercian shores sometime soon. How, you ask? Well, an ESRB listing for the game recently surfaced, calling it Naruto: Ninja Destiny. Sounds appropriate enough.But, it isn't exactly fact. The game name could pertain to another in the long-running series, but there's a good chance it could be a new Naruto game on the DS. Fighting game? RPG? Only time will tell ...
Ninja Reflex screenshots stealthily sneak up behind you (and kill you)
Did you know that today is the Annual Day of the Ninja? So if you've been waiting for an excuse to flip out, hit on ninja babes, and assassinate pirates, consider today your excuse.Electronic Arts is celebrating this sacred holiday by revealing new screenshots and details for its newest party game, Ninja Reflex. Developed by newcomer studio Sanzaru Games (former Activision developers), Ninja Reflex will feature "a series of martial arts challenges to test gamers' reflexes and measure their reaction times with millisecond precision." Up to four players will be able to participate, sharpening their skills and speed in this mashup of Brain Age and ninjitsu action.The minigames shown so far are predictable, ranging from catch-a-fly-with-chopsticks contests to shuriken-throwing competitions. Hopefully, the final product will have more interesting activities -- and online support, too! Creep into our gallery under the cover of night and check out some of the screenshots EA has made available. Go ninja, go ninja, go!%Gallery-11356%[Thanks, Troy]
Ninja Reflex details revealed, hopes shattered
While we're still holding out hope that the game can be one of 2008's gems, the revelation today that EA is making yet another minigame compilation title for the Wii has us down in the dumps. We understand that they're trying to tap into the same audience that the Wii has appealed to (see: every living person on the planet), by making games that can be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible, but can we cool our jets on the minigame compilations already? Please?Hopefully, EA will understand that a ninja party isn't just a bunch of peeps dressed in black hanging around, playing with some hula hoops. No, a ninja party is something different, where a clan of ninja sneak onto a pirate ship in the dead of night, proceeding to murder every single drunken, disgusting excuse of life that is found within the confines of the creaky, wooden vessel. But, we're sure EA will replace the killing with cookies and milk, or some such other bit of nonsense.
Ninja Reflex is best DS game name ever
We have no idea what this game will be about, but we still felt the need to inform you that Ninja Reflex is coming to the DS. Gamefly recently put this title on its website, leaving us to wonder what exactly it is. It's (oddly) being published by EA, and is supposedly coming out next year in March. There's also this extremely vague website, which may or may not be for the game. Ninja Reflex probably won't live up to its title, but we'll let you know as we get more details.Suicide-inducing ninja related video included after the break!
The president has been kidnapped by Ghost Squad's unlockable mode
We apologize in advance for dropping more Ghost Squad media onto your lap, but this newest video features ninjas, and our love for ninjas is outstripped only by our zeal for zombies ... and Batman.While this unlockable mode for Sega's rail shooter doesn't have any bikini-clad women or porpoise pistols, it does have plenty of ninjas, ninjas, and more frickin' ninjas. Specifically, ninjas with submachine guns. What sort of stealth assassins need firearms? And what ever happened to Michael Dudikoff? We may never know ...
When guild banks go wrong
Hortus has answered some important questions about what happens to the guild bank when something happens to the guildleader or the guild, and the answers will be of interest to anyone planning to put deposits in a guild bank after they get released with 2.3.First of all, guildleaders apparently can't transfer or delete their characters (news to me), so there's no way they can exit the game that way without giving up the bank. A guildleader that transfers leadership of the guild also transfers leadership of the bank (makes sense). If a guildleader gets banned from the game, a GM will have to be contacted to get the bank back (so you GLs out there, don't get banned). But here's the kicker: if the guild gets disbanded, the GL will receive all the banked items in their mailbox.I guess that's not too surprising-- if a GL had access to the bank in the first place, they can still ninja it anyway. So the lesson here is: don't put anything in the bank that you're not willing to lose to your guildleader on a bad day. It's a little strange that they put the /gdisband power in the same hands that they mail all the items to when the guild shuts down (maybe they should require a guild banker position, just to keep the GL away from the money?), but then again, if you trust your GL with your life during a raid, shouldn't you trust him or her with your hard-earned cash?
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: ninja, pirate scenario edition
Four controllers, eight batteries, five gamers. How a pirate would deal with it:"Yar, matey, I think we ortin' ta figure this ou' o'er a game o' cards or rock paper scissors. Best ou' o' three an' nay cheatin'. Monkey Kombat optional."Conversely, how a Ninja would deal with it:"...*fwip*.." [Translation: "I am dreadfully sorry, James, but it seems my katana has slipped and cut your head off and now I've gotten your nice shirt all dirty with leaking blood. Please accept my humblest apologies and know that I will be fighting this next round in your honor. Cheers!]Can you think of any other situations? Let us know and check out our picks for the week's best webcomics. Be sure to vote for your favorite! Muttering Moblins It's quiet ... too quiet Splitsville A legend is born Meanwhile in the Forge Back to reality Price of fame The joys of injection An unknown enemy End of the Rainbow Road
VC Friday: Nintendo chooses their horse
Hmm. In the age-old debate regarding pirates v. ninja, it seems Nintendo clearly prefers the latter. What possible other reason could they have for following up International Talk Like a Pirate Day with ninja games? The two must be linked! Now that we've had our daily conspiracy theory moment, let's get to the subject of what European gamers have a shot at this week, as the Hanabi Festival continues. Ninja Gaiden -- NES -- 600 Wii points Ninja JaJaMaru-kun -- NES -- 600 Wii points World Class Baseball -- Turbografx -- 600 Wii points
Flip what ya mama gave ya: Ninja Gaiden TGS trailer
This new Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword video from Tecmo is packed with over four-and-a-half minutes of boss fights, special attacks, and lots and lots of flipping. Flip over attacks! Flip up a flight of steps! Flip out of wells! Flip into wells! Sky's the limit! Or maybe not? Work that stylus as fast as you can and flip right into outer space!
Ninja inviting is a no-no
I can't really say I'm surprised to the response to the question Calipsa asked. But what I am surprised by is why she asked it: she wanted to know if sending group or even guild invites without whispering first was rude, and players responded overwhelmingly that it was. Why did she think it wasn't? There's almost nothing more confusing than receiving a random group or guild invite, and considering that even spammers are using group invites to spam, it's just not something you want to do.Now maybe she meant just whether a whisper was necessary or not. If a player is marked LFG, or they're a guildie you know is available for a group, or they've just shouted out "LFG for group quests" in a chat channel, then I'd say they're fair game for a ninja invite. You don't need to actually whisper them and confirm everything you do (well, it's still nice to do, but in those cases, I'd say you don't need to).But yes, invites out of the blue are a no-no. Rude, maybe, annoying, yes, and usually a waste of time for both parties.
Guildwatch: The drama trifecta
I never, ever thought this would happen, but apparently people are actually trying to be the biggest Guildwatch drama story now. Someone emailed a tip in hoping that his drama would be highlighted here on the front page, and unfortunately, while his tip was good (a massive PvP battle after a forum flame war), it just didn't match up to this mega ninja/ gquit/ game quit from Barthilas. But better luck next week, drama queens!This week's GW starts right after you click the link below. And don't forget: the place to send all your info about drama, downings, or recruiting notices is wowguildwatch@gmail.com. Onward!
Legend of the Shirtless Ninja
Kage, star of The Legend of Kage 2, seems to be carefully avoiding wearing a shirt. He's wearing shoulder armor, and even a scarf-- but we suspect that a shirt would do much more to protect him from the cold than that scarf. What is it with ninja and scarves, anyway? We suppose that if they're vain enough to swordfight without upper-body covering, they're vain enough to want all their jumping to be trailed by a pretty red ribbon. The new Kage game also stars a kunoichi named Chihiro, who carries a sickle with a long chain attached. Their game has them running and jumping (really, really high) in a very lushly colorful, detailed 2D environment. There's some kind of level indicator in the lifebar, which portends either RPG elements or multiple levels of upgradeable weapons. In any case, it's more depth than the arcade-style first game had. Just don't look directly at the guy with the head (you'll see which one) and you'll be every bit as enthused about the game as we are.
The VC Advantage: Totally sweet
The Internet has made it easy to find cheats for games, but we miss the tips pages from game magazines, when the discovery of a new code could inspire you to go back to an old game. These codes aren't exactly new, but oldness is the essence of the Virtual Console! We're bringing back the classic codes every week on The VC Advantage.Everyone loves ninja, except for 1980's Europe. It's hard not to be taken with their style of dress, their pre-Bond gadgetry and, most of all, their silent ruthlessness. But gamers have grown up with a different kind of ninja: the kind who walks around a (usually futuristic) city in broad daylight wearing a dark mask and uniform, displaying blatant disregard for stealth in his battle against giant robots or ghosts or freaking birds. Much like real-life ninja used anonymity and darkness to flout bushido, we enjoy using codes to violate the established laws of our favorite ninja games. This week's VCA features a selection of codes from the Virtual Console's already ninja-rich library. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES):Share Boomerangs between turtles: It takes some serious Turtles devotion or NES nostalgia to convince yourself to play this game for more than five minutes, so we think it's a good idea to give you a little help. Short of a Make the Game Stop code that involves turning off your system, there's not too much that can be done, but there is at least a glitch that allows you to use the same set of boomerangs with multiple turtles. It's easy, too: just throw the boomerangs, switch turtles, and catch them.Ninja Spirit (TG16): Level Select: This is only appropriate for appreciating each level of the sumptuous Ninja Spirit as an individual work of art. We'll know if you use the level select code to fast-track through the game. We'll know and we'll tell IREM. And they'll cry. Press II, I, II, II, I, II, hold Select and press Run to access the level select menu.Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (GEN): Unlimited Shurikens: This code, also seen in Revenge of Shinobi, is one of the most iconic and satisfying cheats in any game, because it's so simple to input and remember, and it is immediately visually recognizable. In the options menu, if you set the number of shuriken to 00 and leave the cursor there, after a few seconds the "00" will morph into the symbol for infinity. Neat! [Codes via GameFAQs]
Ninjatown: Real ultimate cuteness
Publisher SouthPeak Games announced today that it will be showing off Ninjatown, a previously unannounced DS title, at Germany's Leipzig Games Convention. The awesomely-named project transforms the shinobi Shawnimals license into a "quirky but intensely addictive strategy title."We're not sure what sort of hijinks the plushie assassins will be getting into, but they're bound to be adorable! What else would you expect from a clan of ninjas whose primary attacks consist of "stealth hugs, sneak snuggles, and fists of tickle fury?" Check past the post break for a trailer introducing Ninjatown and the black-pajama-clad characters.
Harry Plotter and the Ninja of the Phoenix
Long, long ago, when dinosaurs roamed Azeroth and barely anyone I knew had their epic mount, we used to argue about what would happen if the tiger mount dropped in ZG. This was back when the epic mounts themselves were the expensive part, not the training. There were two different schools of thought on the subject. There were some who thought that people without an epic mount should get first dibs, as it would essentially be only a cosmetic upgrade for people who had their epics. The other people thought that epic mount-holders shouldn't be prevented from rolling on a rare, awesome thing just because they had taken the time to farm for their epic. This argument largely died when the cost of mount training became the expensive thing. Or did it? Recently, a guild on my server killed Kael'thas and received the Ashes of Al'ar, also known as the phoenix mount. The guild leader/master looter linked all the loot, said that they would discuss the phoenix mount later ... and after the rest of the loot was handed out, proceeded to masterloot it to himself. A few officers of the guild defended his actions by saying that some officers had encouraged him to take it, which somewhat neglects the fact that this guild runs on DKP instead of officer loot, and that running a guild is a tough job that deserves some extra recognition. This has prompted a spirited discussion about what to do when ultra-rare mounts drop. There seems to be five options here: masterlooting it to yourself, having everyone roll, having everyone with 300 skill roll, bidding DKP, or having everyone with 300 skill bid DKP. Most people I've talked to seem to think that masterlooting it to yourself is a cheap option, but are undecided as to whether you should have to have 300 riding skill to roll. Personally, I think that this would be an excellent opportunity to use a bidding DKP system, even if you have fixed DKP values (like my guild does) because it's hard to assign worth to a cosmetic upgrade. That way, people who really, really want a phoenix mount can blow all their DKP to get it. What do you think guilds should do about rare mount drops? Is it really a ninja if the masterlooter takes something? Should guild/raid leaders get some sort of bonus when it comes to loot distribution? Edited to add: Uxorious and Chad are not the same person.The GM of this guild is a good person, and I personally do not believe he's a "ninja" in the classic definition, of maliciously taking an item. Officers from the guild in question have said in the comments that they were unprepared for the mount to drop and, in the confusion, they encouraged the leader to take it.
Age old Pirates vs. Ninjas question to be settled with dodgeball
Blazing Lizard has decided to table all other discussions for the moment, and answer one burning question. Gone are the questions like "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" and "If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?" and "Do you want fries with that?" Instead they're heading back to the basics of stealthiness vs. swarthiness ... "Ninjas or pirates?" According to studio director Chris Stockton, "This is the ultimate in rivalries, and we aim to have them settle it with all out balls to the wall action." Nice! Although where will you be able to play this? No man, whether pirate or ninja, can say. The game "is poised to redefine consumer expectations of console downloadable games when it's released for a TBD platform in the first quarter of 2008." Very mysterious.In the meantime, check out the screenshots and concept art in the gallery below, and sharpen your peg legs and shurikens.%Gallery-5856%
New Naruto video is ninja-fortified
So have you guys heard about this Naruto thing? Apparently there's this show about a bunch of ninjas, and they like hang out together but also totally fight and there's headbands and stuff. The absolute coolest thing about Naruto is that it's the basis for a series of side-scrolling brawlers, known as the Ninja Council series in the US.This officially makes the Naruto license awesome, because all side-scrolling brawlers are at least slightly awesome by default. Of course, it is already well-established that ninjas are cool (and by cool we mean totally sweet.) Jeux-France has a substantial gameplay video of the latest Ninja Council game, Naruto Shippuden Saikyo Ninja Daikesshu 5, as well as some magazine scans. We suggest checking them out even if you're not a fan of the series, because it is always life-affirming, in our opinion, to see a good old-fashioned beat-em-up.
When you stare at this DS case, the DS case stares back at you
Gametech seems to have a taste for the gaudy when it comes to DS Lite covers, but they totally got it right at least once. This DS Lite case features a kunoichi (female ninja) design in simple white on black fabric. It's cute and striking at the same time.The design looks quite similar to R Stevens' I am Ten Ninjas t-shirt, although much more feminine and much less blocky. We'd love to clothe our DS in such mystery, but at 3,980 yen ($32.26) it's a little pricey for our tastes. But, then, so are most sandwiches.
Team Ninja's Hayashi 'not averse to developing a title for Wii'
This is potentially interesting future news: Team Ninja's Yusuke Hayashi, who is directing the re-remake of Ninja Gaiden, would maybe be okay with making a Wii game or whatever. If he had a good idea for one."There are several groups within Team Ninja. The PS3 group, the Xbox 360 group, and there are Wii fans in Team Ninja." At this point, any new Team Ninja game is, statistically speaking, most likely to be a port of either Ninja Gaiden or Dead or Alive 2. If you like either of those games (and why not?) then you can probably look forward to one of them on the Wii![Via Joystiq]
Taki's back in Soul Calibur Legends
We knew that in addition to Siegfried and Ivy, Soul Calibur Legends would feature other playable characters from the series. Everyone's favorite underdressed ninja, Taki, is joining the roster, to help the other two battle wave after wave of wimpy-looking mummies and three-foot-tall ninjas. Astaroth is also visible, though it's not clear if he's a player character or an enemy.Of course, now that we think about it, putting a female assassin in the game hews even closer to Death By Degrees territory. Well, Soul Calibur was always better than Tekken, so maybe the spinoff action games will follow the same pattern!
