New Ninja Gaiden?

It's been a long time since we've seen a new Ninja Gaiden game. Fond memories of playing the first three remain inside the hearts of hard-core gamers from back in the days of the NES. If you weren't able to experience it then, I suggest you find a copy and put in some playtime. For many, the game was pure side-scrolling action enjoyment, but Tecmo has since put the series away.

Of course, that hasn't stopped us from asking about it every time we get the chance. But now, Tecmo is holding a poll on its US-based web page to see if there's interest in a new Ninja Gaiden title. The question is, "Would you buy a new Ninja Gaiden title by Tecmo?" If you want it, now is the time to tell Tecmo, who is passing responses along to the powers that be in Japan who could make such a game happen.

For those not familiar with the Ninja Gaiden series, it began in the arcades as something of a Final Fight clone in the late 80s. A year after its arcade release, the game came to the NES, but as a totally different game rather than an arcade translation. Instead of a mediocre imitation of Final Fight, Ninja Gaiden for the NES was a fast paced side-scrolling platformer which aside from its tight control, impressive graphics and music, and considerable challenge, also introduced the concept of “cinema scenes” to depict the games deep and twisting plot. This tight integration of engaging story and solid great gameplay won the game many US fans and the series was elevated to become a classic. The three main games were later brought together in Ninja Gaiden Trilogy for the SNES in 1995.

While the main character Ryu Hayabusa appeared in Tecmo's recent fighter Dead or Alive, the last truly new Ninja Gaiden title was released in 1991. If you would like to see Ninja Gaiden reborn, mail Tecmo at tecmoinc@earthlink.net.