SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, MARCH 20 – Team NINJA today revealed new details for NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE, the latest chapter in the famed action series, as the game’s eagerly anticipated launch for PlayStation®3 and Xbox 360® on April 11th draws near. The developer disclosed new information about weapons, Ninpo, feats and kunoichi, as well as the exciting revelation that the game will feature 100 Ninja Trials- by far the largest number of such challenges in the franchise’s history.
New weapons for Ryu Hayabusa, the game’s iconic ninja hero, include slow but powerful Dual Swords capable of blasting opponents with a shock wave. When Hayabusa’s Lunar Staff is fully upgraded, ball-and-chains are connected to each side to open up additional combos that gain Ki with every hit. Players can maximize the power of Ryu’s Kusari-Gama by jumping to bury the scythe’s blade into the head or body of an enemy before “pole vaulting” even higher to attack defenseless enemies from above. Repeat as often as desired!
Ryu will be able to enhance his powers with Ninpo such as Piercing Void, which creates an encircling vacuum to cut through surrounding enemies. He can also utilize new feats such as Cicada Surge to turn the tide of battle—it uses up Ki but has the advantage of being useable even while taking damage.
In NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE the three female ninjas, or kunoichi, are also well equipped with new skills. Ayane has revamped Ultimate Techniques and combos that are beautiful and deadly, including her Phantom Spear obliteration technique that’s effective even at distance. When Momiji is unlocked, players can unleash her long range naginata for devastating attacks—but watch out for counterattacks while it completes its great swings! For the first time in any NINJA GAIDEN game, Kasumi becomes available as a playable character. Once unlocked by clearing Story mode, players can then wield her deadly fast Mugen Tenshin attacks.
The game’s 100 Ninja Trials will pose a marathon challenge to even battle-hardened veterans. Grueling battles such as fighting two Regents of the Mask simultaneously will put even the most hardcore action gamer to the test. No other NINJA GAIDEN game has featured so many Ninja Trials, and beating all of them will stand as an accomplishment Hayabusa himself would applaud.
NINJA GAIDEN 3: RAZOR’S EDGE is the most action-packed and feature rich NINJA GAIDEN game ever created. Published by TECMO KOEI, the game was designed from the ground up to please core action fans with a brutally redesigned battle system, tough enemy AI, upgraded online features, and the return of dismemberment. The Ninja Skills systems lets players use Karma earned in combat to freely purchase weapon and Ninpo upgrades, feats, and costumes. Adding the variety of gameplay, Kasumi, Ayane, and Momiji all join Hayabusa as playable characters. Ayane will get her own chapters in story mode while all three female characters can be played in the new Chapter Challenge mode and Ninja Trials co-op play with multiple costume options. The game’s demo is available before launch with stages for Hayabusa and Ayane as well as the ability to transfer progress to the full version.