Kotaku

Itagaki Is Focused on "Movement" and "Animation"

As Crecente previously reported, Tecmo's Tomonobu Itagaki is ready to move on after Ninja Gaiden 2. He's said its the last entry in the series. What's next for the sunglassed one? According to Itagaki:

I love the action game genre, in particular I am very focused on movement and the animation. One of the precepts I always have for my games is making sure that the animation of all the characters is as fluid and as cool looking as they can be... I think that I'm going to continue to explore the action genre and do something that allows me to go in directions that I haven't been able to go with the Ninja Gaiden series, with an entirely new franchise.

Itagaki told Crecente that he was thinking about either a World War II game with an American developer or on a space game. Whatever Itagaki settles on, you can be damn sure of one thing: It will have great boob physics.
What's Next [Videogamer]

You Can Buy Ninja Gaiden II Skins

No Bo in New Tecmo Bowl

Hear that? That's the sound of hearts breaking.

Yesterday I posted more of a plea than a story, asking Tecmo not to F-up their return to the beloved football franchise Tecmo Bowl and it seems that most of you were with me. Heck, I even received a private email with assurances that things would remain F-up free. And for the most part, it seems that that is the case.

But Stephen Totilo IMed me this morning to point out what he's found out about the upcoming game, most of which sounds great, some of which... OK one of which, is not so much.

First of all, I’m told that this game isn’t a new 3D re-invention. It’s a classic 2D game.

I’ve also learned that the game won’t include any NFL teams or players, due to EA having the licenses locked up. It won’t include retired players either, and that includes “Tecmo Super Bowl” icon Bo Jackson.

No Bo? Say it ain't so!

Hit up the link to read Tecmo's take on what you should think of Tecmo Bowl Kickoff.

Tecmo: No Bo Jackson, No NFL For New ‘Tecmo Bowl’ — But Still Faithfully Old-School [MTV Multiplayer]

Tecmo Bowl Returns, Lands on DS

Stephen Totilo sat down with Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword producer Yosuke Hayashi last week during the devs tour of NY and managed to squeeze some pretty interesting and different information out of him.

Take for instance the fact that Dragon Sword is the first Gaiden game that Hayashi's mom has endorsed, or that the game was designed to be played at the speed of penmanship:

It wasn't until Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi stepped off the plane in the States this week that he heard about the connection some in the Japanese media were trying to draw between his recently released Ninja Gaiden game and the rampage of a disenfranchised gamer at a shopping center near Tokyo.

"We were just talking about it. We didn't fly in until last night and I didn't know about it until I got off the plane," Hayashi said through a translator Wednesday afternoon. "They told me there is stuff going on in the media in Japan, there is a game that was involved and it just so happens it was Ninja Gaiden DS."

Masahiro Kanagawa, 24, told police that on March 19 he decided he wanted to attack his sister and a local elementary school, but changed his mind and instead randomly picked a home and went inside and killed a 72-year-old man. Four days later, police say Kanagawa went to a shopping center and stabbed eight people, one of which later died.

The day after the stabbings, at least one television station pointed out that Kanagawa had a copy of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword in his bag when he was arrested. The game went on sale in Japan on March 20 and police told at least one outlet they are looking into a possible connection.

It's Official, The Japanese News Media Is Dumb

Found in the suspect's bag was this katakana hack and slash game software—

Team Ninja, The iPod

Tecmo Bowl Wii-Bound?

When Tecmo announced last year that its classic footballer Tecmo Bowl was returning to unlicensed glory in 2008, it failed to mention just about anything beyond that. No platform, no details, nothing but the sting of nostalgia. However, if the most recent rumors from EGM are to be believed, Tecmo Bowl is coming to the Nintendo DS and Wii, albeit in too very different forms.

The monthly rumor column from Quarterman says that a "classic version" of Tecmo Bowl is coming to the DS, with a "modern remake" Wii-bound. Considering that 1UP's account says that we can expect info in an upcoming issue "very soon" I suspect they know what they're talking about.

Quartermann: Downloadable Ratchet & Clank Sequel Coming [1UP]

Itagaki Recommends? Gambling!

I think people should gamble more. Or [they should] play something like backgammon, a game that's not a video game but more of an analog traditional game... It really teaches you the core of game design... I think playing those types of games gives you the foundation... when you're gambling, you can't afford to have a chip on your shoulder. You have to make the right decision based on what the cards are in front of you. So you're constantly changing up your attitude and your position.

Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword Boss Gameplay

For whatever reason, I've had very little interest in Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword for DS. (Maybe it was because Itagaki laughed at me.) But this new gameplay footage, while not necessarily the most epic battle in history, looks both fun and technically impressive. Not to be a graphics whore, but man, look at those graphics! Not too shabby for a DS title!

To be honest that was a totally different division that made that announcement, so I have no idea what's going on with that... I'm in a tough position because when I am making Dead or Alive, for instance, all the Ninja Gaiden fans say quit messing around with Dead or Alive and make a sequel to Ninja Gaiden. When I'm making a new Ninja Gaiden, all the Dead or Alive fans are like, "You have to quit that and start making Dead or Alive. And that's tough enough as it is, but I also get letters all the time for the past 10 years from Tecmo Bowl fans saying, "When are you going to resurrect that franchise?" So it's tough being in my position.

Itagaki Laughs At Your So-Called "Violence"

"Violence is not about cutting an enemy into pieces or seeing a lot of blood," he [Itagaki] says. "That's not what real violence is." To emphasise his point, Itagaki reaches for a sheathed samurai sword mounted in his office, and holds it out in front of me.

Itagaki Will Like GDC Better When He "Matures"

I don't make games for other game developers nor am I trying to transmit any sort of information or philosophy to other game developers. I mean, I do this for the fans and the people out there who want to play my games. So, when you're talking about an event like GDC, which is really an event by game developers for game developers, then I don't really have a whole lotta interest in that event in and of itself... I won't say there's no point to it. GDC is a very important event, and I certainly respect and realize what they're trying to do here. It's just a personal choice... Some day maybe when I've matured maybe, and when I become a little more well-rounded like Peter Molyneux, I may decide to come and give advice and give lectures on how to make games. But right now, I'm more focused on my own endeavors.