Ninja Gaiden Z targeting current generation consoles
Inafune talks to Eurogamer at Tokyo Game Show reveal as teaser trailer is released.
Ninja Gaiden Z is set for release on current generation consoles, mastermind Keiji Inafune has told Eurogamer.
Team Ninja unveiled the project earlier today at a press conference in Shibuya, Tokyo, confirming players will assume the role of Yaiba, who is hunting Ninja Gaiden star Ryu Hayabusa.
Inafune was careful not to announce a release window - or even release platforms - for the new title during his press conference speech. But when we cornered Inafune afterward he confirmed the development teams are "currently targeting current generation consoles", suggesting a release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and possibly Wii U.
The project began after Inafune, boss of his own developer Comcept after a legendary stint at Capcom during which he pushed zombie slash 'em up series Dead Rising, approached Team Ninja chief Yosuke Hayashi with an idea for a collaboration. US developer Spark Unlimited (maker of Lost Planet 3) was then drafted in to help.
"Of course I like zombie games, but I'm also a fan of Ninja Gaiden," he said. "And so I went to talk to Mr. Hayashi and said, hey, how about mixing zombies and Ninja Gaiden? That's how things got started.
"From early on, even when I was a middle school student, I saw Dawn of the Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That was the start of my love of zombies. It was a natural evolution from that."
The game has a curious title: Yaiba Ninja Gaiden Z. Inafune confirmed the obvious: that the Z stands for zombies. But he added that Ninja Gaiden fans should find the gameplay familiar, with a few new twists.
"The title is both Yaiba and Ninja Gaiden Z," Inafune said. "We're pushing Yaiba as a new character and a new franchise, but it's in the world of Ninja Gaiden. So we're sure Ninja Gaiden fans will enjoy it as a game. But we are looking to make something new and something challenging.
The debut teaser trailer is below.
