| | Free Ninja Upgrades
Ninja Gaiden® has already made its mark in the gaming community, raising the bar with its gorgeous graphics, fluid combat system, and truly challenging level of difficulty. Now, Tecmo and Team Ninja are upping the ante with new monsters and bosses, faster action, and better camera controls. While the new features were introduced as part of the online Master Ninja Tournament, anyone can obtain the goodies for free just by downloading them from XboxLive™.
Better, stronger, faster.
New Action
Perhaps the most important new feature in the download is the increase in game speed. Ninja Gaiden has always been about fast action, but now the combat is even faster, smoother, and more fluid. Tecmo is describing the upgraded game as an “evolved version” of the original, one that will test even hardcore gamers to their limit. For all of you who beat the original version on “Very Hard,” prepare to be challenged anew. For those who couldn’t handle even the easiest difficulty, here’s a chance to redeem yourself. Game creator Itagaki is on the record as saying he wanted to make this game as challenging as possible, and the upgrade delivers on that intent. Be afraid. Be very afraid. 
Brand-new ugly.
New Enemies
If you thought that hordes of sewer fiends and an ocean full of ghost fish were tough, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. While there is no mention of new levels in the upgrade, Ninja Gaidenveterans who download it will find a few unfamiliar faces in the existing levels. There are new bosses (including giant, horned ogre-things with plates on their heads, who appear to replace the bony pterodactyl boss from Level 13) and new grunts (in the form of burly, many-eyed hulks and disturbingly sexy catwomen), all sporting the smooth graphical presentation and insane character design that made Alma and the Fire Dragon such popular topics of conversation.
New and old foes alike also benefit from the upgraded A.I., which makes them craftier, sneakier, and deadlier than ever before in combat. Expect groups of enemies to use better teamwork and single foes to be more aggressive on offense and tighter on defense.
New Camera
If there’s one complaint that people level against the excellent camera in Ninja Gaiden, it’s the fact that you can’t take complete control of it. Tecmo and Team Ninja have answered this concern with the upgrade’s spiffy new camera system, which allows gamers to choose their own view of the faster action and new monsters. Instead of merely snapping the camera behind Ryu as you play, the new camera allows you to follow our hero, pan left or right to scope out upcoming challengers, and go into a full 360-degree spin to see it in panoramic splendor! 
Do the Bo Staff Boogie.
New Gear
What’s a content download without new duds and toys for our hero? Ryu will receive at least one more costume choice, one that looks more like the ninja outfit he wears in Dead or Alive® 3. He also has access to a new weapon that adds extra layers of combat strategy and bumps up the replay value. Called Lunar, this weapon is a long pole that Ryu can twirl to send enemies flying as well as smack them around with long, sweeping blows. Of course, the new weapon comes with new “Ultimate” techniques, so if you’ve got time to charge the attack, you’re in for a visual treat as Ryu puts the super-smackdown on the Greater Fiends and their numerous henchmen.
The free upgrade for Ninja Gaiden will be available in August 2004 to coincide with the second round of the Master Ninja Tournament. By Luke Judge |
