Chrono Trigger writer brought in for Ninja Gaiden 3

Ninja Gaiden 3 game director Yosuke Hayashi talks about bringing back the writer for the original NES game, who also worked on Chrono Trigger.

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Ninja Gaiden 3 is going back to its roots -- way, way back. Game director Yosuke Hayashi says he brought back the writer for the original NES Ninja Gaiden title, Masato Kato, whose credits also include Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross.

"I came up with sort of the concept, and I had some ideas of what I wanted to do with the game, and the direction I wanted to take it in," Hayashi told Gamasutra "And we wanted to make sort of a new [main character] Ryu Hayabusa, and present him in a new way. And so we reached out to the writer for the original NES Ninja Gaiden -- Masato Kato -- and brought him back into the Ninja Gaiden world. And just going back and forth with him, brainstorming ideas, a lot of things like that -- that's how the story came together."

Those old enough to remember the classic Ninja Gaiden games will know that the writing was a stand-out feature by NES standards, with a noire-pulp feel to the ninjitsu proceedings. Hayashi says that Kato's contribution means we can expect "something similar" to his well-known plot twists. "We really think that the elements of the story will keep you playing, and in the play will keep you interested in the elements of the story; they merge together very well within the course of the game," he said.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    December 23, 2011 9:15 AM

    Steve Watts posted a new article, Chrono Trigger writer brought in for Ninja Gaiden 3.

    Ninja Gaiden 3 game director Yosuke Hayashi talks about bringing back the writer for the original NES game, who also worked on Chrono Trigger.

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      December 23, 2011 9:28 AM

      Chrono Trigger is a SNES game, not NES.

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      December 23, 2011 9:29 AM

      I wonder what the dude has done since then.

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        December 23, 2011 9:31 AM

        According to Wikipedia he worked on FFVII, Xenogears, Chrono Cross, and FFXI most recently (besides other freelance stuff). We shall see

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          December 23, 2011 10:30 AM

          Xenogears had a effing epicly awesome story!!

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            December 23, 2011 10:38 AM

            Yeah, quite the pedigree, though I would say Chrono Cross was a jumbled mess.

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              December 23, 2011 10:46 AM

              Shut your filthy mouth!

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                December 23, 2011 10:49 AM

                If you did anything out of the ordinary you don't know what the fuck is going on, and I'm one to do things out of the ordinary. NPCs would pop in and say stuff that sounds like they may be important or whatever and simply disappear without a trace for the rest of the game.

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                  December 24, 2011 8:38 AM

                  Time Travel and Alternate Timelines when ever one adds those into the equations things are going to trippy... that being said I did enjoy Chrono Cross

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      December 23, 2011 9:39 AM

      in other words, ninja gaiden writer brought in for ninja gaiden?

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      December 23, 2011 10:53 AM

      Dear Masato Kato,

      Fuck your pits + small platforms + random flying enemies combos.

      It was you that taught me how to hate as a child.

      On that note, please make the new Ninja Gaiden harder than dark souls/demon souls combined.
      With all my love,

      NEOtrick

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        December 23, 2011 2:53 PM

        He's not actually responsible for any of those things. He wrote the story, he didn't design the enemies or levels.

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      December 23, 2011 10:59 AM

      Why would I give a shit about the story of a Ninja Gaiden game?

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      December 23, 2011 8:15 PM

      Well that got my attention. Watching with interest now.

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