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0:29 Rather than simply having a different game
title 0:33
we knew real originality was required. 0:50
We weren’t going to create a ninja that was barely any different.
0:54 We had never thought of combining a mechanical
element and ninja before 0:58
and it seemed very innovative and full of potential.
1:05 I was able to make the game incorporate everything
I like in games 1:14
such as ninja action, samurai ninja, zombies, 1:21
comics and also machines. 1:25
I wanted to create something new by mixing all these elements together
1:29 and thoroughly incorporating them into the
world of Ninja Gaiden. 1:43
In the first place, “what is a ninja?” 1:47
Starting with this question, we debated about what ninjas are as Americans think of them
1:53 and ninjas as Japanese think of them; where
are the differences, and how are they different? 1:57
There are the ninjas that Japanese think of as awesome, and the ninjas that Americans
think of as cool. 2:03
Our first task was to explore where these points of contact were.
2:09 I think it might be fair to say it was
2:12 from those sorts of points of contact, that
this game began. 2:16
I think it’s interesting because culturally, obviously, you come at things from your own
standpoint and it’s interesting when you’re challenged by other people to say like, “why
do you do it that way?” 2:25
I think, hopefully, people will see there’s a bit of a fusion going on here and that we’re
bringing new ideas to the Japanese kind of games and they’re bring new ideas to what
we would traditionally do. 2:38
This game is created by overseas developers, 2:43
but it also utilizes the action game expertise we at Team Ninja specialize in.
2:48 As a game, it doesn’t have a super hardcore
difficulty level. 2:53
But as an action game, it has very interesting moments
2:56 and is a game people can enjoy.
2:59 Even with zombies and ninjas and that crazy
messed up world, 3:04
you can have a well-done action game so you can enjoy both sides of the coin.
3:08 Yaiba is a collaboration between three distinct
teams that have all come together with a sort of a different background and it’s a really
interesting collaboration. 3:17
Having the opportunity to work with Mr. Inafune, with all the experience that he’s brought
to the table, and his, really, drive and passion for innovation to try and do something new
in this space as well as a lot of the experience that’s come from all the combat design that
Team Ninja has done in the past with the Ninja Gaiden games.
3:36 And then Spark’s bring a lot of the action
and Western side of the design philosophy to the table as well.
3:42 And so it really makes for a very well-rounded
experience and also we’re all working together. 3:47
So we’re not trying to divide ourselves as far as our backgrounds go and things like
that.