A brand new trailer for Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is a celebration of the series' iconic characters and brutal violence. The upcoming collection will compile 2007's Ninja Gaiden Sigma, 2009's Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma and 2012's Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge. The trilogy is a modern reimagining of the classic Nintendo franchise that began with the original 1989 title.
The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is set to bring the classic "hack and slash" trilogy into the modern era of gaming with modern graphics and performance. The listing for the game on the Xbox Store revealed that the collection will run at 4k resolution and at 60 frames per second, fantastic news for fans of fast-paced fighting. While that listing was subsequently removed from the store, fans are holding out hope that the title will meet that benchmark. Unfortunately, it appears that Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge's multiplayer components will not be carried into the Master Collection. This means that the trilogy will not be completely restored on modern hardware, but the core experience of each game should still remain intact.
A new Character Showcase trailer has been released on Team Ninja's YouTube channel, and it appears that the games are still over-the-top and brutal. The trailer foregoes any voice-over narration, instead letting the trilogy's intense and fast-paced combat speak for itself. Acrobatic feats and eruptions of blood appear in equal numbers, putting the spotlight on Ninja Gaiden's combat above all else. Protagonist Ryu Hayabusa, along with various female allies such as Momoji and Ayane, are the stars of the show in the trailer.
Ninja Gaiden is a long-running and iconic action series, dating back to the days of the original Nintendo Entertainment System. However, despite his legendary status, protagonist Ryu Hayabusa has still yet to appear in the industry's ultimate crossover fighting game, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Team Ninja recently claimed that Ryu has not yet been invited to join Smash Bros., despite his storied history and fans' enthusiasm for his involvement.
Among hack and slash action games, Ninja Gaiden is considered one of the greatest and most challenging series in the genre. These fast-paced titles are sure to take full advantage of modern hardware, with increased console speed allowing for even smoother combat. The trilogy's brutality and intensity seems to have been fully preserved for Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, so this compilation looks to be staying true to its original roots.
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is set to release on June 10 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Source: Team Ninja