Team Ninja has been developing games since the mid-90s, starting with the ongoing Dead or Alive fighting game series. In 2004, Team Ninja released the Ninja Gaiden reboot, bringing a classic 2D action game to 3D and rebooting a franchise that had been dormant for eight years.
The Ninja Gaiden reboot series was a big success at first, but things fell off the rails and there hasn’t been a new game in the series for quite some time. But even though Ninja Gaiden is once again on a lengthy hiatus and Team Ninja is not working on a new Ninja Gaiden game, now is really the perfect time to bring the franchise back from the dead (again).
Here is why it’s time for a new Ninja Gaiden game.
From 1988 to 1995, Ninja Gaiden games released on a fairly regular basis. During this era, the most popular Ninja Gaiden games were quite easily the original trilogy on the Nintendo Entertainment System, often hailed as some of the best 2D action games ever made for the platform. Unfortunately for Ninja Gaiden fans, the franchise then went dormant from 1996 to 2003, finally making a massive comeback in 2004.
In 2004, Team Ninja, led by famed developer Tomonobu Itagaki, released a Ninja Gaiden reboot, serving as a prequel to the original games. Released as an Xbox exclusive game, the Ninja Gaiden reboot was a huge success and succeeded in revitalizing the franchise. Its popularity ensured that new Ninja Gaiden games were once again released consistently from the 2004 to 2014, with new main series games, spin-offs, enhanced re-releases, and more.
Ninja Gaiden‘s momentum was going strong, with 2008’s Ninja Gaiden 2 also proving to be a hit with fans, and the spin-off game Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword on the Nintendo DS earning strong reviews as well. The Ninja Gaiden Sigma games were also relatively well-received by the community, and Ryu Hayabusa had his profile boosted by his appearances in other games, like the Dead or Alive fighting game series, for instance.
However, 2012 saw the release of Ninja Gaiden 3 without Itagaki at the helm, and the result was a game that was not well-received by critics or fans. The Ninja Gaiden 3 release was improved somewhat when it was re-released as Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, but the damage had basically been done at that point, hurting the franchise’s near-spotless reputation.
The final nail in the coffin for the Ninja Gaiden reboot series was Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, which released in 2014. A zombie spin-off of the Ninja Gaiden franchise, Yaiba was panned by critics and is considered by many to be the worst game in the series to date.
It’s been nine years since the launch of the last main series game and seven years since the launch of the last Ninja Gaiden spin-off game. Needless to say, fans are well overdue for a new game in the Ninja Gaiden series.
While some Ninja Gaiden fans are undoubtedly disappointed with how long it’s been between entries, this does represent a unique opportunity for the franchise. Similarly to how the Ninja Gaiden franchise was rebooted after its previous hiatus, it can be rebooted yet again. This way, the Ninja Gaiden series can divorce itself from the storyline of both the reboot series and the NES originals and try something completely different.
A reboot would also allow the Ninja Gaiden franchise to wipe the slate clean, putting the poorly-received Ninja Gaiden 3 and Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z games well behind it to focus on its future.
The last main series Ninja Gaiden game was Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, which released in 2012 for the PlayStation 3, Wii U, and Xbox 360. An entire console generation has come and gone since that game’s release, with no new main series Ninja Gaiden game released for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One during their lifespans. Video game technology has advanced significantly since then, with the next-generation consoles the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X now available.
A new Ninja Gaiden game would presumably be aiming for release on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, meaning that there could be a massive power leap between Ninja Gaiden 3 and the new game. This would allow the new Ninja Gaiden game to feel truly fresh, employing brand new gameplay mechanics that weren’t possible on previous consoles while also improving the graphics significantly.
The Ninja Gaiden reboot games fit in the “extreme combat action game” category innovated by Capcom’s Devil May Cry. These types of character-driven games may not be quite as prevalent as they once were, but they are still incredibly popular to this day. One just has to look at the success of Sony’s God of War franchise for proof, as well as Capcom’s Devil May Cry 5, which was one of 2019’s highest-rated and best-selling games.
With this genre of games still popular in the gaming community, a new Ninja Gaiden game could appeal to that audience, especially since there are far fewer games like it released when compared to a decade ago. Despite the strong sales these games enjoy, there are hardly any major new games in this genre currently announced, with one of the only ones that comes to mind being the Nintendo Switch exclusive game Bayonetta 3.
Rumors have persisted for some time that Ryu Hayabusa is joining the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster. When one considers the longevity of the Ninja Gaiden franchise, how it was popularized on the NES, and Nintendo’s long history working with Team Ninja, Hayabusa really seems like a perfect fit for the crossover fighting game. Nothing official has been announced to date, but if Ryu Hayabusa is coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as rumored, a new Ninja Gaiden game could really capitalize on that momentum.
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