If you are a big fan of Ninja Gaiden and was disappointed to see Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge become a Wii U exclusive, we have some great news for you. In a surprising turn of events, Tecmo has announced that Razor’s Edge is now on the way to the Xbox 360 and PS3, meaning that the Wii U game was actually on a timed-exclusive and not solely for Nintendo’s console.

It also means that the same thing may happen for Bayonetta 2 down the line, so there’s no reason to get bogged down if you are unhappy about that Wii U exclusive either. As for Razor’s Edge, the game is on the way to Xbox 360 and PS3, with Tecmo confirming a solid release date of April 2 in the US and April 5 in Europe.

The same game that features on Wii U is being ported over to consoles, which means that you’ll get the enhanced version of Ninja Gaiden 3 complete with new playable characters such as Ayane, Momiji and Kasumi. On top of that, the game also brings dismemberment back into game which should please a lot of you and there’s also a redesigned battle system with improved enemy AI as well.

With the re-release of the game on home consoles, we have a feeling that this will be the last we’ll see of Mr Hayabusa until he shows up again on next-generation hardware. The prospect of playing Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox 720 and PS4 is pretty exciting if you like your gory games and the series is starting to go from strength to strength now we feel.

You’ll also be pleased to hear that all previous DLC that released for Ninja Gaiden 3 and on Razor’s Edge for the Wii U will be carried over to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions – at no extra cost. If you are looking for one last adventure with Ryu before next-gen arrives, this is a pretty good deal coming in April.

Have you been a Ninja Gaiden fan since the start? How do you feel the franchise is progressing so far?

The game will officially be known as Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge and is due out sometime after the Wii U releases before the end of the year. As expected, Razor’s Edge is going to be significantly different from the original console versions, as the player will now have an extended set of functionality available via the Wii U’s touchscreen controller.

For example, you can use the screen to view maps of areas and use it to access Ryu’s Ninpo powers if you prefer. We’re also hearing that the Wii U is getting exclusive weapons not found in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, on top of all the DLC that has released so far for the game.

Team Ninja’s Yosuke Hayashi recently spoke with Eurogamer and revealed that Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is going to be the ‘hardcore package’ between the three versions. He also made a somewhat surprise revelation by admitting that they let down fans by leaving out certain features in the Xbox 360 and PS3 version.

He added that these features have now made their way into the Wii U version and that they are now working on updated Wii U hardware to make the game look better than before. It sounds pretty tempting if you haven’t played Ninja Gaiden 3 yet, otherwise you may decide to give this a miss.

Are you happy that developers are starting to embrace the Wii U now as a hardcore console? The Wii U version of Assassin’s Creed 3 could also end up with the most enhancements over Xbox 360 and PS3, so it’s great news for those planning to support the new console at launch.

Yes you heard that correctly, the new difficulty mode comes in the form of a piece of DLC that is available from the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live marketplace. Once installing the DLC, the single player campaign will then update itself and you’ll be able to re-do your story path with Team Ninja’s hardest setting for the game.

While we’re glad to see this is a free download since it should have been available on the disc at launch, we’re very surprised to hear that it won’t be free forever. From May 24 onwards, Tecmo Koei has decided to charge a fee for the extra difficulty mode. With that in mind, you shouldn’t delay getting the update if you have the game, as you definitely won’t want to pay for it after this date.

Along with the Ultimate Ninja difficulty, Team Ninja has also brought a few more goodies to the game. You’ll be able to purchase new Ninja Trials and customization items as well for a price of 800 MS Points or $9.99. Finally, we’re pleased to see that a single-player demo will also be available on the respective marketplaces, giving you a sample of the first level in single-player mode which will offer three weapons for you to try out.

Ninja Gaiden 3 offers an online multiplayer mode for the first time and we’re interested to know what you think of it. We were not too impressed when we first saw it, but do you like it after having spent some time with it? How does Ninja Gaiden 3 compare to the last two games in your opinion?

The return of Ryu Hayabusa in Ninja Gaiden 3 is scheduled for mid March, but you’ll be able to get your hands on Capcom’s Street Fighter X Tekken crossover brawler much sooner starting from March 6 in the EU and March 8 over in Europe.

They are obviously two contrasting games, but since they are both handled by Japanese developers it’s no surprise to see that popular Japanese publication Famitsu have received first dibs on reviews for both games before we see any reviews pop up over here. The outcome of review scores may be a surprise to some of you, as we can tell you that Famitsu has actually given Ninja Gaiden 3 a higher score than Street Fighter X Tekken.

The game from Team Ninja managed a 36/40 score from the magazine, while Street Fighter X Tekken could only manage a 34/40 review score, as noted by TheSilentChief. For those of you who are wondering, Famitsu actually awarded Street Fighter IV with the exact same 34/40 score, so it’s quite interesting to see that it appears that not much has changed from Street Fighter IV to SFXT in order for them to increase the score from a 34/40. We’ve also done a little digging and found out that Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 got a 35/40 score from Famitsu back in 2009, so they have given the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 3 a slightly higher review, just.

Is this a case of mixed emotions for you right now? Some of you may have felt that Ninja Gaiden 3 wasn’t going to be as good as Ninja Gaiden 2, while you would have presumed that Street Fighter X Tekken would be a big hit with Famitsu since this is the first time that we have seen the two huge Japanese franchises merge together in one game. In reality though, a 34/40 isn’t bad at all so we doubt that it isn’t going to discourage gamers too much as they decide on whether to pick the game up or not.

Will you now pay a little more interest to Ninja Gaiden 3 after seeing this impressive review score?

It has become apparent these days that the majority of notable game releases come with a Collector’s Edition. The most obvious one to release recently was the Collector’s Edition of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in which players could get their hands on a limited edition Alduin dragon statue.

Now, it teams that Koei Tecmo are following a similar pattern to Bethesda, as the Collector’s Edition of Ninja Gaiden 3 will give the opportunity for die hard fans to take home a collectable figurine of hero Ryu Hayabusa in battle.

The figurine will be given a proper title of ‘Duel of the Mask’ and it is easily the best goodie to come included in the Collector’s Edition. Other contents include a Ninja Gaiden artbook, an official soundtrack featuring music from the game, and last but certainly not least a demo copy of Team Ninja’s fighting game, Dead or Alive 5 which will hit consoles later this year.

While the contents of the Collector’s Edition are certainly generous, the most important aspect is price. We can tell you that in the US, the whole package, including a copy of Ninja Gaiden 3 will come in at $99. Just for comparison purposes, the Collector’s Edition of Skyrim was priced at $150 and didn’t include a game soundtrack CD.

We’re a big fan of video game music so paying $99 for all of this content is a great deal in our opinion. The demo for Dead or Alive 5 is a great bonus as well, so we have a feeling that most Ninja Gaiden fanatics will opt for the Collector’s Edition, as it should only mean that US games pay around $40 extra for all the other goodies and a lovely CE box.

What are your thoughts on the Collector’s Edition for Ninja Gaiden 3? Will you be picking this up in March, or do you think the actual gameplay showings of Ninja Gaiden 3 haven’t done enough to secure your purchase yet?

That’s right, as for the very first time in a Ninja Gaiden game, Ninja Gaiden 3 will feature online multiplayer. You may feel this is a slightly odd decision by Team Ninja since previous games have obviously focused on the single-player aspects of Ryu Hayabusa, but after watching the following video you may just be tempted to give it a try.

There are two online modes in Ninja Gaiden 3, either multiplayer against other players, or teaming up with a friend in co-op modes. Both of these modes will have support for up to 8 players at a time and you can see that it can become a free for all when playing with 8 players online, although things may get a bit frustrating when players hang around on roofs launching arrows to players below – as seen in the video.

There will be another interesting aspect of online multiplayer, as players will also have the option of killing themselves in brutal fashion. We’re not sure if this harms the enemy in some way, or if it is just out of pride in true Ninja Gaiden style, but we will try to find out more details on this aspect, it certainly looks crazy though.

Just like the single player mode, players will also be able to perform combos online like Ryu’s Izuna Drop and also make use of special Ninpo attacks by shaking the controller. We’re not sure about you, but the general feel of this online mode instantly sends us back to the great Tenchu games on PS1 and PS2 – we would love to see a brand new Tenchu game in the future. As for Ninja Gaiden 3, the game is coming out on Xbox 360 and PS3, but a version for Nintendo’s Wii U has already been confirmed before the end of the year as well.

Check out the new multiplayer gameplay below and let us know your thoughts on it. Does online multiplayer belong in Ninja Gaiden 3 or not?

The gameplay is taken from a demo version of the game and shows hero Ryu Hayabusa in the unfamiliar territory of London, England as the new game will see Ryu travel to different parts of the world unlike previous games in the franchise where the focus was very much on Japanese culture.

The aspect of this gameplay that we wanted to focus on though is dismemberment, as if you haven’t already heard, Ninja Gaiden 3 will not allow you to chop the arms and limbs off opponents any more. If you played previous games, you’ll know that this was a core feature which many fans loved and it is going to be a brutal blow to see this feature lacking in Ninja Gaiden 3.

The game does feature a frequent amount of blood, with Team Ninja even designing the game so that blood spatters across the screen briefly as you cut through enemies with your trusty blade. However, there’s still no dismemberment whatsoever in the game and we have a feeling that some of you may miss this as essentially it is what separates Ninja Gaiden from any other standard hack and slash type of game.

Is this a sign that future Ninja Gaiden games will also feature no dismemberment? Could Team Ninja possibly be in danger of gearing Ninja Gaiden towards a much more mainstream audience rather than staying true to their roots and making the game as brutal as possible? Personally speaking, the lack of arms and legs flying about is a big blow and if you have played Ninja Gaiden 2 you will probably agree.

Check out the full gameplay below courtesy of OXM and let us know your thoughts on the decision to remove dismemberment – is it a correct one in your eyes?

Yeah that’s right, Ninja Gaiden 3 is hitting Japan first if you didn’t realize. We told you in a previous article this week that the game would be released in March, but there has been no official release date in the west as of yet.

However, information over at AndriaSang which cites Japanese publication Famitsu has revealed that the game will be released on March 22 in Japan. Further information that you may be not aware of is there will be two versions of the game available – a standard edition and a collector’s edition. Sadly though, there’s no info on what goodies will be included in the premium version but we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

As for a US and Europe release date, there is no solid date other than March. If the game is hitting Japan on March 22nd, then possible scenario could see the game released in the west on Tuesday December 27 in the US and Friday December 30 in Europe and the UK – obviously this is just mere speculation though until Team Ninja state otherwise.

The game will also be coming to the Nintendo Wii aside from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, but there’s no sign of it whatsoever since the console itself has remained in exile since its unveiling at E3 2011. One of the big talking points of the game prior to release though, has been about the fact that Ninja Gaiden 3 will feature online multiplayer for up to eight players. There’s already a collection of gameplay videos available online previewing multiplayer, the latest of which we have added below for you to check out. Feelings appear to be rather mixed should we say.

Are you looking forward to picking up the third game in the franchise, or are you worried that it lacks quality compared to the other two? We’ll update this when a solid US and EU release date is set.

Let’s start by saying that an exact date has not been confirmed, but we can tell you that Ninja Gaiden 3 will be available sometime in March, 2012. This news came via JoyStiq, apparently Team Ninja’s Yosuke Hayashi revealed this news to a crowd of journalists at an event in San Francisco a few days ago, no details were given regarding the release of the Wii U version of the game, perhaps it will be a launch title.

We don’t have much else to say at the moment, however if you are looking forward to the game’s release as much as us you should check out a few of other previous posts. Firstly check out these beautiful screenshots, secondly find out all about the multiplayer game modes and the support for up to 8 online players, finally be sure to read about the game’s lack of gore and watch the game’s trailer which was revealed at the Tokyo Game Show.

While we are here we will quickly mention what we spotted when researching information for this article. A recent tweet from the Team NINJA Twitter feed revealed the front cover of an upcoming Official Xbox 360 Magazine (see it here), in this issue we will get to see an exclusive unmasking of Hayabusa and the tagline reads “Get ready for the most brutal game on Xbox” – therefore it looks like we will soon find out a lot more about this game and Ryu Hayabusa pretty soon.

Will you buy Ninja Gaiden 3 on its release date?

Now the developers have released 12 new screenshots from Ninja Gaiden 3 that will satisfy even the most sadistic carnage cravings. The series has earned itself a reputation of being extremely gory with the first two games being so full of blood and the new screenshots suggest the third game won’t be any different. If the rest of the game delivers as much as the bloody content does then the game won’t be a disappointment.

These new screenshots also seem to contradict previous news that Ninja Gaiden 3 would not be as gory as it predecessors. They show just as many decapitations, just as much dismemberment and the flesh and bone slashing swordplay that the series has become known for. You can check out all 12 of the new screenshots by heading over to CVG.

There is no specific date for the game as of yet, we only know that it will be appearing in Q1 2012. Team Ninja boss Yosuke Hayashi revealed the company is also making plan to bring Ninja Gaiden 3 to Sony’s new portable gaming device the PlayStation Vita saying the team is keen to expand the series. What do you think of what you have seen from the third game so far? Are you looking forward to its release next year?