Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection Producer on Changes, Difficulty, and More

In case you missed the initial announcement, a collected version of various Ninja Gaiden video games called Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is set to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on June 10th. It includes three different games: Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. And ComicBook.com recently had the opportunity to ask a couple of questions of Fumihiko Yasuda, Producer on the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection for Koei Tecmo‘s Team Ninja, all about it via email.

Most notably, Yasuda confirmed as part of our interview, as had been previously reported, that the reason Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2 aren’t included in the collection is the simple fact that the developer could not salvage the data for them. Yasuda also answered questions about cut content, the notorious difficulty of the Ninja Gaiden titles, and more.

As noted above, Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection includes Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. It is set to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on June 10th. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the Ninja Gaiden franchise right here.

What do you think about what we have seen of Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection so far? Are you excited for it to release in June? Let us know in the comments, or feel free to reach out and hit me up directly over on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk about all things gaming! And keep reading to check out our full interview with Yasuda all about the upcoming collection.

On Cut Content

ComicBook.com: The announcement for the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection said it’d include “most of the previously released game modes and DLC costumes.” Can you clarify what content, exactly, is not included in this Master Collection and why that content was cut?

Fumihiko Yasuda: Online multiplayer is not included. Specifically, the online co-op portion of the Tag Missions in NINJA GAIDEN Sigma 2, and all of the Clan Battles in Shadows of the World in NINJA GAIDEN 3: Razor’s Edge. Also, online multiplayer in Ninja Trials is not included.

In order to perfectly replicate the online system used from the past, not only would it require a great deal of time and money, it would also place limitations on the platforms we could release it on. And given that dilemma we decided to increase the number of platforms we would release the collection on in order to reach as many players as possible rather than pursue the multiplayer feature. Nevertheless, a ranking system for competitive scoring has been implemented, and of course our signature Ninja Gaiden action can still be enjoyed to the fullest in classic single player mode.

On the Versions Included in the Collection

There’s been a lot of talk about the original Ninja Gaiden games vs. the Sigma editions following the announcement. Can you elaborate on the decision to use the Sigma and Razor’s Edge versions of the games as opposed to other versions?

The reason we chose these 3 titles for the collection is because they represent the latest installments of the numbered series and they are also the most polished versions featuring many additional modes and costumes. Furthermore, when we worked on Sigma and Sigma 2, we went and collected as much of that data as possible and organized it. And since we could fully utilize this data, Sigma and Sigma 2 became clear choices for this collection. However, we were unable to salvage the varying assortment of data we had left from Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2. And for that very reason, we currently don’t have any plans of remastering Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2 on non-Xbox platforms.

On Difficulty

Ninja Gaiden games are considered to be quite difficult – how do you anticipate this difficulty being received by people who are playing the games for the first time now?

I do agree that the NG games are quite difficult, but I think that people who enjoy pure action genres, as well fans of the “Souls-like” games such as Sekiro and the Nioh series will really enjoy this series. The current masocore genre gives players various options aside from full-on combat to redeem themselves after dying. But players are clearly required to improve their playing skills in the NINJA GAIDEN series in order to advance. For many new audiences, this stoic approach might feel fresh in comparison and for that reason, I think Ninja Gaiden can certainly satisfy the expectations of players who are new to the series.

On Post-Launch Plans

Are there any plans to support the Master Collection with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S enhancements post-launch?

There are currently no plans for a next-gen edition. For a proper next-gen version, it would actually require a complete remake. We did consider it, but we also wanted to get the games into the hands of players sooner than later. Also, if we had the time and resources for a remake we felt it would be a better served opportunity to create a new game, so that’s why we decided to go with this remastered version at this time.

On the Future of the Series

Should the Master Collection attract enough interest, where do you see the future of the Ninja Gaiden games heading? Is there a chance of a new release?

This Master Collection was truly made possible by the encouragement and voices of our fans. Team NINJA will dedicate ourselves to working on new projects, so we hope you will continue to voice your support.