TOKYO - Today we had the opportunity over lunch to speak with Tecmo members about the next installment in the Ninja Gaiden series for the PlayStation2. Team Ninja, the famed Tecmo team that crafted the Dead or Alive series, is on the project. The team was very excited about bringing the classic series back on the PlayStation2, and it gave us an opportunity to ask about the game's creation.

　　The first thing we wanted to learn about Ninja Gaiden was how it would look and play on the PlayStation2. According to Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki, the game will feature a Tomb Raider-esque perspective. Mr. Itagaki and most of the staff, for that matter, are big fans of the Tomb Raider games. Itagaki spoke of his fondness for the series, but he stressed that he didn't find the control scheme and some of the mechanics to be all that great - something we had to agree with. Itagaki stated that Ninja Gaiden would sport a very simple control scheme; expect it to make use of only two or so buttons: jump and attack. He wants to bring the simplicity of original games into the complex worlds made possible by the today's current technology.

　　Mr. Itagaki also mentioned that he wants the PlayStation2 incarnation of Ninja Gaiden to follow the same storyline as that of the original series, and he says several of the series' characters will return. Speaking of characters, he hinted that one or two of the Dead or Alive characters could make cameo appearances in the new game. As for the levels in Ninja Gaiden, Itagaki told of how he wants to offer a wide variety of areas to battle. He said he would love to create a setting on the cliff of the Grand Canyon or a battle through the streets of New York City. Or better yet, how about right in front the Statue of Liberty? Itagaki kept on throwing out different ideas he had.

　　We also asked what Team Ninja thought of the PlayStation2 hardware, and the response was enthusiastic. The team members love the hardware and its many possibilities. In fact, they claim that it's easier to develop for than the Dreamcast. As for Ninja Gaiden, Team Ninja is planning to include several real-time cinema sequences making use of the hardware that Sony has dubbed the "emotion engine." Mr. Itagaki also commented that Team Ninja wants to use the PlayStation2 hardware to create some great interactive environments.

　　As for the gameplay offered by the new Ninja Gaiden, Itagaki stated that he wants it to include simplistic platform elements similar to games like Crash Bandicoot. In fact, he mentioned that Ninja Gaiden would likely be somewhat of an amalgam of titles like Crash Bandicoot, Super Mario Brothers, Tomb Raider, and Tenchu - but with a mood and spirit of its own. There will be parts where you'll have to perform death-defying jumps, and there will be parts where you'll have to hang on a ledge or a rope while fending off enemies. Itagaki also mentioned that he wants to include stealth elements in the title. For example, there will be stages where you'll have to sneak around Metal Gear Solid or Tenchu style, staying virtually invisible.

　　Mr. Itagaki commented that he feels that, especially in the US, where Ninja Gaiden was once very popular, future purchasers of the PlayStation2 system are likely to be the type of gamers who had played the original Ninja Gaiden titles. He hopes that fans of Ninja Gaiden on the Nintendo Entertainment System will recognize the name today.

　　Currently, Team Ninja plans to have the game ready for the launch of the US PlayStation2. It sounds as though it has some great ideas in mind for the title, and you can be assured we'll be following it closely throughout the rest of this year and into next.