Two very differentNinja Gaidentitles are in development. Despite this duality, they celebrate important eras in the franchise’s history.Ninja Gaiden: Rageboundis a side-scrolling platformer that captures the action of a ’90s Nintendo Entertainment System craze.Ninja Gaiden 4, on the other hand, is the next chapter in an ultra violent action game that helped establish Microsoft’s Xbox consoles as a serious contender. It is a smart move of Koei Tecmo to cater to both sets of fans that are after conflicting styles.
After such a long hiatus, it truly seems like this is the fullreturn to glory for Ryu Hayabusa— or at least to the glory of his new secondary protagonists.Ninja Gaiden 3was originally released in 2012, and while there have been updates and spin-offs, many fans were worried that the series was dead. This was even more plausible whenNinja Gaidenhad no representation inSuper Bros Ultimate, despite being a NES staple franchise. With two new games on the horizon, however, it seems that Team Ninja is ready to revitalize the brand.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Captures The Precision Of The NES Originals
The Game Kitchen Is Making Sure Verticality Plays A Role
The trailer footage forNinja Gaiden: Rageboundhas been brief so far, but it isclear that it is following in the footsteps of the three NES games. It even includes an intro mirroring the climactic dual between Jo Hayabusa and Bloody Malth fromNG1. Gameplay involves constantly moving upwards, either to traverse the level or dodge various enemy attacks.
Ninja Gaiden 4: Release Window, New Protagonist, Story, & Gameplay Details
Ninja Gaiden 4, the first Ninja Gaiden sequel in over a decade, is releasing in 2025, bringing with it a new protagonist and revamped combat.
The new protagonist, Kenji Mozu, does seem a bit fasterand melee-focused compared to his sensei, Ryu. The latter could fight up close but also relied on shurikens and ninjitsu magic like fire wheels and shadow clones. It could be that Kenji can use some of these moves, but in a different way than the classicNGsystem of collecting Ninpo dropped by foes. As more gameplay is released, this could be a game NES players gravitate to.
Ninja Gaiden 4 Is The Next Evolution That Began On Xbox
Brutalizing Groups Of Foes Is The Focus
Ninja Gaiden 4takes a very different approach than the 2DNG:R. This is clearly the true follow-up to the Xbox-first franchise, asgameplay features combos strings and a mix of weapons that dismember and mutilate foes. Once the series left Nintendo, it became one of the most gory action games of the early 2000s. It is possible to experience this firsthand by trying theremaster ofNinja Gaiden 2 Black.
The Xbox revival was somewhat accidental. Originally, Hayabusa was just meant to be a cameo character in the firstDead or Alive. But, as that fighting game has become one of Microsoft and Tecmo’s cash cows, it made perfect sense to also bringNinja Gaidento Xbox systems for a more mature audience than those that once owned Nintendo games.
It is interesting to see that bothNinja Gaidentitles are putting new protagonists center stage. InNinja Gaiden 4, the first character showcased was rival ninja Yakumo of the Raven Clan, who seems to be very technologically advanced. Hayabusa is still playable, and faces off with this new character in a duel. With the gap between both titles, it would also be interesting if an older Kenji winds up having a run-in with Yakumo as well.
