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Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is a Four-Hour Game
Anarpis \| 7:46 AM on 10.08.2007	15 comments

Straight from Team NINJA boss, Tomonobu Itagaki:

"Right now we're looking at an overall playtime of about four hours or so for a single play through. This is something I've put a lot of thought into. At first I wanted to make it 15 hours long or something like that. But then I realized it'd be better to approach it as the kind of game you'd want to go through multiple times."

Why?

"One method to motivate people to continue to play will be the leaderboards; [playing] to try and get a higher score and ranking. Another thing is that we think we have something that's really fun to play. We want to take the way the game feels and take it to a narcotic level. You know how DOA is fun to play even if you lose? Because it's just fun to control the characters -- we want to take Dragon Sword to that level, so you feel like you just don't want to put it down."

I can't say I agree with this idea... playing through the same levels over and over again just improve your rank on a leaderboard? Even if the game is the funnest thing ever, playing through the same levels repeatedly sounds very unappealing. I don't know about you, but that 15 hour game he mentioned sounds pretty sweet right now.

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15 comments | showing # 1 to 15

BlindsideDork

If the game is fun, I will play it.

Fun game is fun.

Buster

i agree, fun game is fun(also i will kick all of your asses in the leaderboards

Kryptinite

I still want it. The only reason I agree with the idea is because it's a mobile game, I rarely put 8-15 hours into a mobile game. I think that's where developers of mobile games go wrong when they try to make a mobile game the equivalent time and length of a regular console game.

linuxguy

4 hours?! WTF seriously don't waste a cartridge

BlindsideDork

My DS is like a portable console. I can play it on the go, on the pot, in bed or on the couch. It is sweet.

Good game is good.

Cowzilla3

I have no problem with the length as long as its awesome. To tell you the truth I haven't played a game in a while that made me really want to go back adn charge through it again, so hopefully this will be like that. Especially nice for a portable system where you might just be like "oh ill just bring Ninja Gaiden, thats fun to do a level in."

Mxyzptlk

I don't really have a problem with this. Every game doesn't need to be 10-15 hours. If it's four hours of fun I want to play repeatedly, I'm down for that.

JACK of No Trades

I wouldn't mind if the game is only 4 hours as long as they put all of the old Ninja Gaiden titles for a bonus.

BlindsideDork

no.

Tempus

Ninjas on DS ftw regardless of length or girth.

blehman

lol @ tempus.

Also, if it's fun f it. I can already get my FF fix if I want to play a long game. Short fun game is short fun.

Variable Gear

Dragon Sword is the casual-focused teen-rated little brother of the hardcore-focused and mature-Rated Ninja Gaiden 2, so why were you surprised by this?

Every arcade game worth its salt has taken advantage of the leaderboard/scoring mechanic to inspire multiple playthroughs and I will wait until the game comes out to judge it on its length and/or girth.

And as BlindsideDork says: "Good game is good," not "Long game is good." Long does not equal good. Especially in action games.

ShawnKelfonne

If you were good enough with the original Ninja Gaiden on the NES, you could finish that in less than 4 hours. Key point being if you were good enough.

king3vbo

fun game or not, 4 hours is waaaay to short

LostCrichton

4 hours of a good, fun game is decent for a handheld title I think.

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