Tecmo plans monster Ninja Gaiden update

By Tom Bramwell Published 25 June, 2004

Free content for all, which makes the game, er, harder. New monsters, weapons, etc, all geared towards the second round of the Master Ninja Tournament.

Tecmo is planning to update Ninja Gaiden via Xbox Live this August ahead of the second round of the Master Ninja Tournament. Interestingly though, there's no restriction on who downloads the freely available update, and as well as toughening the game up in some areas and adding new equipment, it also serves as something of a patch - giving players full 360-degree control of the camera, for instance, in light of critical response from reviewers and fans.

Amongst the other changes, budding Ninjas can expect to find new, larger enemies repopulating old levels, three new weapons dotted around (details of which are still on hold), new bosses, at least one new costume for Ryu, smarter enemies and even a faster pace. In other words, if you thought Ninja Gaiden was difficult in the first place, you're going to find it impossible this time.

Sadly, we have a feeling that will put a number of you off, but creator Tomonobu Itagaki remains uncompromising. This is, after all, supposed to be a rock hard game. That was his vision. And those in the second round of the Master Ninja Tournament are meant to be the hardest of the rocks.

"The second round of the Master Ninja Tournament is formatted for participants to download the new content, play through the game from beginning to end and then post their scores online to see how they ranked against other players worldwide," Itagaki explained this week. "If they are confident in their Ninja Gaiden skills, players must take on this challenge."

It won't help people who had difficulty with the original game then, but for anybody left wanting more, this is definitely for you, and the good news is that with a third round of the Master Ninja Tournament still to come, we could be in for another update sometime in the future. And, given the reaction to the camera criticisms, it's just possible that if you complain loudly enough Tecmo might throw in some easier options. Although we wouldn't put money on it.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (19) Latest comment 8 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • kalel #1 8 years ago

    This is a really positive sign, but I do hope they make the update available on a disc for non live users.

    And maybe an "easy" option would have been nice too.

  • markypants #2 8 years ago

    For F*%!*'s sake, add an easy mode you patronising wanker (itgaki), it can still be 'Rock' hard whilst not alienating people who have a job for a living, and want to enjoy this game but can't invest the time to actually not get so frustrated with it!

    Has this game sold well? Many returns to stores because it is so frustrating?

    M

  • HarryB #3 8 years ago

    this is why Microsoft cant be bothered with the japanese :)
    who wants hardcore difficulty when we all arent geeks

  • mingster #4 8 years ago

    Umm i'm normally the first to be put off by 'overly' hard games but i completed this within a week and i know quite a few regulars at EG also have.
    It really isn't that difficult once you get past the first couple of levels it gets easier all the way as you gain more health, better moves, powered up weapons etc... in the end it is actually 'to easy' by the time you get to the last level you have a life bar the length of the screen loadsa spare helth potions , x2 resurrection scrolls etc.. you do actully want more taxing monsters.
    It is one of the few games that get easier rather than harder.

  • Tweakmonkey #5 8 years ago

    Free stuff is good.

  • markypants #6 8 years ago

    Mingster - I'll have to take your word for it, I'm still struggling, and have had to go back to re-playing project Zero... But I really really want to like Ninja Gaiden (not so much like, I already do, but enjoy).

  • Mace #7 8 years ago

    Well, this is only free for Live subscribers... I hope this isn't a sign of things to come. Will Live soon be a requirement if you want to enjoy the games you paid for?

  • Tiitiz #8 8 years ago

    Will Live soon be a requirement if you want to enjoy the games you paid for?

    It's a bonus for paying subscribers you plonker ;p

  • IronGiant #9 8 years ago

    Once you become skilled with blocking then counter attacking the game becomes a whole lot easier..

  • Scuzz #10 8 years ago

    My friends all gave up on this because it was too hard, myself, I struggled through the first 2 levels then it clicked and I was flipping out and killing people like all ninjas should.

  • StixxUK #11 8 years ago

    The only bad guys that *really* gave me a run for my money, excluding bosses were those big zombie crab monsters with the eye lasers. Luckily you only come across them a few times during the game, but they made the 60 fiend challenge near the bridge area a bit of a nightmare for me...

  • Spanky #12 8 years ago

    So as someone mentioned in the forums will this put the decapitations back in as to be on live you have to be over 18?!

  • Royal Fool #13 8 years ago

    It's a game meant for hardcore players. If you persist with it you will be rewarded. Guaranteed.

  • freedumb #14 8 years ago

    So there's no chance this "free" update will be availible on the OXM cover disc then?

  • freedumb #15 8 years ago

    So there's no chance of this "free" update appearing on the OXM cover disc then?

  • beep #16 8 years ago

    The default camera in NG is AWFUL. Yes, you can get proficient at it, but it is so counter intuitive from the start any camera fixes offered by this "patch" would be welcomed by crapheads like me.

  • MBar #17 8 years ago

    as soon as you get good, normal difficulty is a walk in the park. admittedl, it may take about two runs through the game before becoming a super ninja....

    i've tried doing very hard twice now. its ungodly. as i said before, congrats to anyone who has completed it on very hard - you are obviously ninjas reborn or somethin' ....

    can't wait for this update. i wonder how upgradable the staff weapon is?

  • Reaper2K3 #18 8 years ago

    I don't think the game was that hard it relied more on a sharp difficulty curve though, but for heavens sake the decapitating should be in there, after all what about the decapitation when using the sniper rifle in GTA.

    But anyway isn't this what live was SUPPOSED to do origonlaity but not many developers really used or else why the harddrive (apart from the theory that piratable machines also sell loads and do all sorts to advertise the console, cue anti-sony zeolet section)

  • Homer Simpson #19 8 years ago

    if u think uve sworn alot on there u should try the new mission impossible game. it is apparently so hard that u just cant stop swearing at the tv screen, how true it is i dont know but it wouldnt really suprize me lol.