With Ninja Gaiden® about to hit store shelves, three members of Tecmo’s Team Ninja recently spent some time at Xbox headquarters putting this highly anticipated game through the final phase of testing and certification. Taro Yamauchi, character/object animator, has been a part of Tecmo for seven years working on Dead or Alive® 3, Dead or Alive® Ultimate, Dead or Alive® Xtreme Beach Volleyball, and Ninja Gaiden. He spent a week testing Ninja Gaiden and can beat the game in only eight hours. Masato Onishi and Yoshifuru Okamoto visited Xbox to provide Tecmo’s final sign-off on the finished game. Masato directed the cut scenes for Ninja Gaiden, and Yoshifuru is the testing manager.
Having these three Ninja Gaiden masters at Xbox, we took the opportunity to hit them up for insider information and tips.
TriXie: Tecmo first showed Ninja Gaidenat E3 two years ago, so gamers are really excited to get their hands on this game. What do you think will surprise them most aboutNinja Gaiden?
Taro Yamauchi: The biggest part is that no compromises were made. Like any Tecmo game, we strive for perfection in graphics, backgrounds, animation—everything. It’s hard to compare it to other games, but it’s harder to beat thanRygar [for the PS2]. It’s hard, but very rewarding.
TriXie: It sounds pretty difficult. Do you have any tips for gamers?
Taro Yamauchi: Use the walls. You can run on the walls and jump off of them, which is very effective against bosses. The character is a ninja, so act like a ninja.
Masato Onishi: Use the super moves. When you inhale the essence after defeating an enemy, you get to use the super moves, and you’ll need them to survive the later levels. Also, you get more cash points when you use the super moves.
Yoshifuru Okamoto: It is a difficult game. Use the guard button by holding down the left trigger. As long as you hold it down, you’ll block most of the moves.
TriXie: We hear that you need to collect Golden Scarabs to get cooler stuff in the store. Can you give us a hint about where to find some?
Taro Yamauchi: In the third mission, Aircraft, there are three Golden Scarabs. Look carefully because when you finish the level, you can’t go back to them.
TriXie: Good to know, thanks. Anything else you want gamers to know about Ninja Gaiden?
Masato Onishi: Give the game a lot of time. It’s well worth it. We put a lot of time and effort into it.
Yoshifuru Okamoto: The game is hard, but once you get used to the controls and get used to Ryu’s basic moves, the game becomes exponentially more fun.
Taro Yamauchi: There isn’t just one way to win. It’s not linear. You’ll have your favorite weapons and your favorite moves. There are many different ways to beat the game.
TriXie: Thanks, guys. Can’t wait to play Ninja Gaiden and put your advice to work!
