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Tecmo Bowl Throwback dives over the pile onto iOS
Tecmo Bowl Throwback, last year's retro-revival for PSN and XBLA, has been ported to iOS and was released today. iTunes lists the features of the $7.99 port as largely similar to the console game: 30 teams in all, two of which are All-Star squads with customizable rosters, plus Preseason, Season and All-Star game modes. The first two are standard football fare; All-Star mode allows players to pit the game's two All-Star teams against each other. Early iTunes reviews suggest issues with older hardware, so it's probably something to keep in mind if you're looking to tap your way into the end zone. Also, it seems that the iOS port has no online multiplayer -- that's a fumble.
Rumor: Ninja Gaiden 3 loses the store, may add Move support
Reports are coming in that the latest issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine is full of new info about Ninja Gaiden 3. NeoGAFfer RatedRSuperstar summarized the article, noting a few salient points about the Team Ninja sequel. Reportedly, the difficulty level "won't be toned down for casual gamers," which means Team Ninja is making the game "more accessible" in a different way. In addition, it packs competitive and cooperative multiplayer, with at least one mode supporting up to eight players. There's also a possibility of Move support. The weapons store is gone, in favor of weapons that "upgrade over time." According to RatedRSuperstar, "Blood is back" as well. Having seen the purported scans, that's an understatement. Imagine a ninja covered in melted Twizzlers. [Thanks, Andreas!]
Ninja Gaiden 3 has complex multiplayer mode, will be more accessible
Ninja Gaiden 3 will feature some form of multiplayer gameplay, according to an interview in the April issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine. Project lead Yosuke Hayashi characterized the mode as "complex," but didn't offer a comparison to Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2's online co-op missions. He noted that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions would launch at the same time, unlike past iterations in the series. Additionally, NG3 will supposedly be more accessible to new players, while retaining the challenge that fans have come to expect from the franchise. "We know that many fans feel good about the difficulty level, but we are taking a slightly different approach," Hayashi said. "It's not that the game is going to be easier -- nothing like that. It's just that we are trying to make a whole game, a more exciting game that can be enjoyed by anyone, but at the same time, hardcore gamers will be able to feel and appreciate what the series is about." Hayashi said that the franchise's main character, Ryu Hayabusa, will be the only playable character this time around, and that the game's story "will focus more deeply on Ryu Hayabusa's life and lifestyle and feelings and thoughts." Our first question -- how does Ryu feel about ninja dogs? And, say, giant flaming armadillos? This stuff's important!
Dead or Alive Dimensions box art deemed too leggy by ESRB [update]
The artwork adorning the cover of Dead of Alive Dimensions for 3DS when it hits the US this May will look more or less like it did on the Japanese release, with one change: no inner-thigh. Tecmo tells Joystiq that the ESRB found the original art (left) too racy because it showed too much of Kasumi's right leg. In response, the company's art department whipped up an alternate cover (right) with more, well ... coverage of the highly offensive area. Whatever -- we'll still like this vetoed cover much better. Plus, it's completely leg-fee. Update, March 24: In what seems like some backpedaling in order to make nice with the ESRB, Tecmo has told 1UP the following: "[T]his whole thing is getting blown way out of proportion. The truth is that when we submitted the box art as-is from Japan, there were a few parties both internal and external who thought there might be some issue with the image. Nobody 'demanded' anything be changed, it was just pointed out. You have to pick your battles, and covering up that small bit of the image seemed to be harmless. Honestly, if you look at the comparisons between the Japanese and US box shots, it's not like the image loses anything after the edit. "The ESRB has been very helpful working with us on recent projects. If the box art was something we felt really strongly about, we would have kept it as-is. But we just didn't really see the harm in editing it to make it appropriate for everyone involved." [Image: aussie-nintendo]
GDC: Tecmo teases Ninja Gaiden 3 reveal for E3 2011
Tecmo has released a new video to kick off this week's GDC festivities, and who better to deliver a kick than Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa? Yes, it's the first trailer for Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden 3, the first game in the series to be developed since the departure of former Gaiden guru, Tomonobu Itagaki. Alas, the trailer doesn't offer up any gameplay, though fans will be happy to know that it's still replete with the sword-driven gore the series is known for. The video shows a bloody Ryu -- something we saw in the first Ninja Gaiden 3 teaser image -- stabbing ... well, stabbing the viewer from a first-person perspective. We'd like to think of it as a subtle metaphor for the series. Specifically, Ninja Gaiden 3 is going to kill you. A lot. The video concludes with a note that the game will make an appearance at E3. Rest assured, we will be there.
Tecmo and Koei development groups reabsorbed into Tecmo Koei
The amalgamated Tecmo Koei game development and publishing entity continues to evolve. A few months back, there was a CEO changeover. Today, the company announced that the parent company, Tecmo Koei Games, will absorb the two game development subsidiaries, known as Koei and Tecmo. This might sound a little confusing, so we'll explain. Following the merger, according to Andriasang, Tecmo Koei spun off the game development arms of its two companies into two separate subsidiaries. Now it's bringing them back into the main company, under the management of Tecmo Koei Games -- which is itself under the umbrella of Tecmo Koei Holdings. The newly united-then-divided-then-reunited group will continue to develop games under both the Tecmo and Koei brand names.
Dead or Alive Dimensions preview: touch here to win
What would you rather have: a faster framerate or 3D graphics? It's an interesting question that Dead or Alive Dimensions raises. After a few minutes playing with the 3D slider on and off, I found myself preferring the faster framerate. In a room crowded with 3D graphics, seeing a crisp, fast, smooth image was a refreshing change of pace. Running at 60 frames per second, Dimensions certainly looked like a fighter's fighter. Although Tecmo is promising series veterans will find the fighting engine fully intact in Dimensions, it's interesting to see the drastic consolations made for casual gamers, specifically the interactive Move List. The bottom screen features a comprehensive list of character-specific combos, and simply touching the combo will perform it. Can you play an entire match this way? The answer, as I found out repeatedly, is yes. In many ways, it felt like cheating, being able to instantly access some of the character's most demanding moves with a simple touch. There is some semblance of a handicap, as scrolling through the list to find a specific move is cumbersome. Thankfully, you can just tap a different move in the interim.%Gallery-114696%
Dead or Alive Dimensions lets players double framerate by turning 3D effect off
Team Ninja boss Yosuke Hayashi has revealed in a chat with Famitsu (translated by the folks at Siliconera) that his crew's upcoming 3DS fighter, Dead or Alive Dimensions, will switch between 30 and 60 frames-per-second rendering based on whether players are using the handheld's 3D mode or not. It's a nice, if not entirely unexpected option, considering the 3DS hardware is always rendering the game at 60fps -- it's just 30fps per eye when in "3D mode." There will undoubtedly be some who prefer the smoothness of 60fps gameplay over what should be a pretty nifty 3D effect. We think it would be a smooth move for more developers to offer this option in their 3D -- as in polygons, not the effect -- games on Nintendo's new system.
Dead or Alive Dimensions' touchscreen use, 'Chronicle Mode' revealed
We've been curious about how Team Ninja would adapt Dead or Alive for the 3DS's touchscreen. One implementation of the touch controls in Dimensions has been detailed, and it's a little weird. According to a Famitsu.com feature about the game, you'll be able to display a list of moves on the bottom screen -- much like the "command lists" available in other fighters. The controller combinations required to pull off each move will be listed, but you'll also be able to just tap that move's name to launch it. While we're sure fighting game fans are reeling from this blasphemy, keep in mind it's a handheld fighting game and thus pretty much immune to concerns about tournament-level play. Famitsu also introduced Dimensions' "Chronicle Mode," which serves as a tutorial while retelling the stories of previous DOA games -- presumably leaving out all those times every female character mysteriously got stranded on Zack Island for two weeks, during which they played volleyball, lounged on the beach, and received gifts of jewelry and bikinis.
Tecmo Koei CEO quits, Koei founder steps up
If there's anyone who knows about manipulating the balance of power, it's Kou Shibusawa, who created Koei's classic war games Nobunaga's Ambition and Romance of the Three Kingdoms -- and, in fact, created Koei in 1978, in partnership with his wife. It turns out Shibusawa (real name Yoichi Erikawa) didn't need that tactical expertise to achieve the CEO position at Tecmo Koei Holdings, because he just inherited it when current CEO Kenji Matsubara left the company. According to Andriasang, Matsubara cited "personal reasons" for his departure, announced during a board meeting. Matsubara's exit coincides with the release of Tecmo Koei's earnings for the period from April 1 through September 30. The company made 11.069 billion yen in sales ($136.48 million), 27.5% lower than last year. The report noted successful releases for Metroid: Other M and Quantum Theory, and that losses were due in part to the delay of Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll, and to investments for titles coming out in the next quarter -- which includes last week's Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage.
Dead or Alive Dimensions' first trailer is in hot pursuit
No matter how many exploding bundles of wood Ayane rolls through, she just can't seem to escape Dead or Alive 1's Raidou. This first Dead or Alive Dimensions (3DS) gameplay trailer reminds us it's damn hard to shake a pursuer who's glowing red and clearly on PCP.
Sega, Konami, Level-5 and Tecmo-Koei share TGS lineups
Heading to Tokyo for the annual game show later this month, but your handmade convention center itinerary is sadly lacking ideas for how to divvy up time? No worries -- Sega, Konami, Level-5, and Tecmo-Koei have announced their showings for TGS 2010! The highlight of, well, all of the listings is Level-5's news of a playable Ni no Kuni for both Nintendo DS and PlayStation 3. Sure, Konami bringing Metal Gear Solid: Rising is kind of exciting -- we guess -- but we've got a mighty large soft spot for Studio Ghibli animation. Perhaps yours was cut out by Raiden's urge to slice, slice, slice? Head past the break for the complete list of games, broken down by publisher.
Metroid: Other M ads focus on nostalgia, overacting
A recent Metroid: Other M trailer promoted the game by taking us through the series' history. A Japanese TV commercial ties the game to the past even more directly, showing the original NES game morphing into Other M gameplay footage. The ad even goes so far as to declare this "a Famicom game with the latest technology," a tagline that also came up several times in the last Iwata Asks interview. Meanwhile, the American commercial focuses on the "other M," as in: melodrama -- total melodrama. See the beautiful slow-motion, live-action TV spot unfold just below the Japanese ad after the break.
Turvys Strike Back in an inverse DSiWare shmup on May 31
The second game in Tecmo's odd "A Topsy Turvy Life" DSiWare series will be released on DSiWare on May 31, according to Tecmo's official Twitter account for the series. While the first game, Turvy Drops, was a falling block puzzle game, this one is a vertical shooter based on Star Force. Like Turvy Drops, Turvys Strike Back is meant to be played with the DS upside down, such that the touch screen is on top. The player then uses the stylus to place enemies to try to defeat the shooter's protagonist. Maybe you should just watch the video after the break to make sense of it.
NintendoWare Weekly: Bit.Trip Runner, Looksley's Line Up, Kirby Super Star
It's quite the week for the DSi and Wii as far as downloadables go -- Bit.Trip Runner arrives on WiiWare today and EA, Tecmo Koei and Konami all offer solid titles for DSiWare. Oh, and you can finally get your hands on Looksley's Line Up, the interesting 3D DSiWare game from Nintendo. There's even a new Virtual Console game starring a certain hungry pink blob to check out!
X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Tecmo Bowl Throwback
There's a decent chance many gamers out there have passed judgment on Tecmo Bowl Throwback. If you've played any of the original titles, the decision has likely been made. For the rest of us, allow us to present the latest XBLA in Brief, where we take a look at the revamped classic. In short, Tecmo Bowl Throwback takes video game football and boils it down to the absolute basics. Pick a play, run it and hope for the best. Check out the video above and see if it deserves your 800 ($10). [iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes. [Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly. [RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [M4V] Download the M4V directly. Xbox.com: Add Tecmo Bowl Throwback trial version to your Xbox 360 download queue
This Wednesday: Tecmo Bowl Throwback touches down on XBLA
Our burning desire for a renovated version of timeless basketball classic NBA Jam won't be sated until the remake drops on Wii later this year. However, our similar jones for a new old football title will be catered to this Wednesday with the Xbox Live Arcade release: Tecmo Bowl Throwback. For 800 ($10), you'll get all the birds-eye pigskin action previewed in the trailer above. Sorry, PS3 players -- Tecmo still hasn't set a firm date for the PSN version of Throwback. We'll let you know as soon as we find out! %Gallery-87016%
Tecmo Bowl Throwback blitzing XBLA on April 28 [update: PSN 'TBD']
Update 2: Now with a trailer! That's right, everyone's favorite retro football experience Tecmo Bowl Throwback, finally has a solid release date. According to Microsoft's most recent Xbox Live schedule, Tecmo's revamped classic will tackle Xbox Live Arcade on April 28 for 800 ($10). We've contacted Tecmo to find out if the PSN version will be released during the same week as well. Update: Tecmo has informed Joystiq (and Twitter) that the release date for the PSN version has not been set. %Gallery-87016%
Quantum Theory set for 'summer' release
What are you doing this summer? Oh, you're going to Six Flags? Screw that, you're going to want to blow stuff up ... and punch junk ... and play Gears of War 3 instead, right? Okay, we can't help you with that last one, but VG247 reports that a very similar experience will be available this summer: Quantum Theory. A Tecmo Koei spokesperson confirmed to us that the game is set for "a TBA Summer 2010" release. Previously, the game was set to release sometime in March, but was pushed back due to quality concerns. We're sure you can't wait to see Tecmo's, uh, softer side.
Metareview: Dead or Alive Paradise
Tecmo has been calling Dead or Alive Paradise a piece of "paradise in the palm of your hand." It's a pretty hilarious phrase, but it would seem that the game is anything but -- according to the reviews that have rolled in, anyway. Turns out the majority of gaming press that have braved the buxom beauts and horde of mini-games in the PSP title have found it mediocre at best. And if you're still on the fence after checking out these reviews, remember there's a demo available on the Japanese PSN right now. IGN (50/100): "Dead or Alive Paradise is a poorly conceived, undersized grouping of mini-games that aren't aided by the visuals' ability to sell the characters' sex appeal." Game Informer (4/10): "Not only is Dead Or Alive: Paradise a bad game, it also drags down whatever reputation its namesake carried." Eurogamer (30/10): "If it's erotic imagery you're after, just get some porn. The visuals will be more realistic, the acting will be better and the plot will make more sense." G4 (1/5): "The greatest problem facing Paradise is that, in the end, once you cut through the photography and tedious friendship process, the gameplay and entertainment value are as skimpy as the most risqué bikinis on display. Had the games been better and more bountiful, and the socializing/photography nonsense been left out, maybe this might've been okay." %Gallery-83709%
