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RESPAWN UNVEILS OFFICIAL TITANFALL MERCHANDISE

RESPAWN UNVEILS OFFICIAL TITANFALL MERCHANDISE

Fans Can Get Their Hands on Premium Gaming Peripherals, Apparel, Accessories, Strategy Guides and More

Sydney, Australia – Jan. 31, 2014 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) and acclaimed independent videogame developer Respawn Entertainment today announced a full line of licensed products celebrating the upcoming release of Titanfall™.  Winner of more than 80 coveted awards from critics around the world, Titanfall is the first original shooter on next-gen and is winning over fans with its thrilling, dynamic first-person action gameplay featuring elite assault pilots and agile, heavily-armored, 24-foot titans. Titanfall delivers a unique world that combines pure adrenaline, wall-running, double-jumping action with powerful, fast-paced titan warfare to set the new bar for online multiplayer gameplay.

Providing players new ways to engage and connect with the Titanfall brand, a wide range of licensed merchandise will be available including the Titanfall standard and collector’s edition strategy guides from Prima Games, premium gaming peripherals from Turtle Beach and MadCatz, apparel from Jinx! and Level Up Wear and Titan constructions sets from K’NEX. The full line of Titanfall licensed products consists of:

  1. Turtle Beach Xbox One Headset
  2. MadCatz PC gaming peripherals including Keyboard, Xbox 360 headset, PC/MAC/Smart Device Headset, Mouse and Mouse Pad
  3. Prima Standard and Collector’s Edition Strategy Guides
  4. Titan Publishing Art Book
  5. JINX! Apparel & Accessories
  6. Level Up Wear Apparel and Accessories
  7. Posters by Trends and GB Eye
  8. EP Memory USB Drives and Cases
  9. K’NEX Construction Sets

Crafted by key developers behind the CALL OF DUTY franchise, Titanfall delivers heart-pounding multiplayer action combined with dramatic, cinematic moments that lets players enjoy the fiction and characters of the universe without having to leave their favorite online multiplayer mode. Set in the near future on a distant frontier torn apart by war, Titanfall drops players in the middle of a conflict between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation and the Militia. The freedom to shift back and forth between pilot and titan allows players to change tactics on the fly, attacking or escaping depending on the situation and extending the action vertically to new heights.

Titanfall  will be available for Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC on March 13, 2014 in Australia, and March 14, 2014 in New Zealand. For more information on the game and how to pre-order, please visit  www.titanfall.com/au. Join the conversation on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/titanfallgame and #Titanfall, or on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/titanfallgame. Press assets are available at  www.ea-anz-press.com.

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES TENKAI KNIGHTS: BRAVE BATTLE TO ARRIVE IN THE AMERICAS ON THE NINTENDO 3DS

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES TENKAI KNIGHTS: BRAVE BATTLE TO ARRIVE IN THE AMERICAS ON THE NINTENDO 3DS 

Master the Tenkai Energy Within and Champion the Fate of Two Worlds 

SAN JOSE, Calif.(January 30, 2014) – NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that TENKAI KNIGHTS: Brave Battle for the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system will be arriving in the Americas in summer 2014. Based on the animated action TV series currently broadcasting on Cartoon Network and the innovative line of shapeshifting construction bricks by Spin Master Ltd., TENKAI KNIGHTS: Brave Battle offers robot action gameplay that immerses players into the world of Quarton as the legendary and powerful Tenkai Knights fight tirelessly to stop the evil Vilius and his army of shapeshifting robots.

Eons ago, Quarton was a peaceful planet protected by The Corekai, valiant fighters who were sworn to protect the planet’s most valuable resource—Tenkai Energy. However, The Corekai were overrun by The Corrupted, an evil army led by the ruthless warlord Vilius, leaving Quarton ravaged by centuries of war and destruction. Before Vilius delivered his final crushing blow, four valiant heroes known as the Tenkai Knights emerged to save the planet from Vilius’ grasp. With peace restored, the Corekai regrouped but the four Tenkai Knights were never to be seen again. Thousands of years later, Vilius has returned more powerful than ever with an even more malicious plot to not only seize control over Quarton but take over the planet Earth as well; will the Tenkai Knights prevail once again?

Players will step into the role of one of the four Tenkai Knight heroes and engage in 2D robot combat in either the mission-based Story mode to live the Tenkai Knight experience or compete against up to three friends in the Versus mode to determine who is the strongest. In order to become the most powerful hero, players will be able to customize their robot’s parts, enter various unit modes to support allies in battle, and modify their battle styles to exploit their enemy’s weaknesses. With the fate of two worlds in their hands, players must master their Tenkai powers, dive into the thick of battle and defeat Vilius and The Corrupted once and for all!

TENKAI KNIGHTS: Brave Battle for the Nintendo 3DS is slated for release in the Americas in summer 2014. For more information on NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. or its other products, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com or join the conversation on our official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NamcoBandai.

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES RETAILER EXCLUSIVE PHYSICAL VERSION AND NEW ARCADE MODE FOR JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: ALL-STAR BATTLE

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES RETAILER EXCLUSIVE PHYSICAL VERSION AND NEW ARCADE MODE FOR JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: ALL-STAR BATTLE

Over-the-top Manga-Based 1-on-1 2D Fighting Game Lands at Amazon.com and ClubNamco.com as Online Retail Exclusive Edition

SAN JOSE, Calif., (January 30, 2014) – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that it will be manufacturing a limited run of physical copies for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle to be sold exclusively at Amazon.com and ClubNamco.com within the United States this spring exclusively on the PlayStation®3 system.  In addition to the online retail edition, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle will be available digitally on the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation 3 system.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle is developed by famed Japanese developer CyberConnect2, best known for their hit NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™: Ultimate Ninja® series of games and has been widely praised for delivering an authentic and high quality anime experience to video games.  The studio now sets its sights on one of the most prolific and influential manga series ever with JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, bringing the beloved manga straight from the page to the TV screen in an action-packed fighting game.  Players will be able to choose from an impressive cast of characters spanning the entire series.  Each character comes with their signature moves punctuated by dynamic camera angles to capture every highlight of the fight against computer AI or human adversaries.

The Western release of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle will feature a brand new mode not seen in the original Japanese release as well as balance changes applied to the game post-launch in Japan.  The new Arcade Mode lets players fight through eight AI controlled opponents through a series of battles.  On rare occasions, the Arcade Mode icon will switch to Harvest when connected online allowing players to earn more gold when they complete matches.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle will be released throughout the Americas in 2014.  The Japanese version launched on August 29, 2013 with a perfect 40/40 score in Famitsu, Japan’s most popular weekly video game magazine.  For more information about JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle and the rest of NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.’s lineup please visit: http://www.namcobandaigmes.com or http://www.facebook.com/namcobandai.

 

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Take to the Skies for Intense Aerial Combat in the ACE COMBAT INFINITY PSN Beta Beginning on February 4th

Take to the Skies for Intense Aerial Combat in the ACE COMBAT INFINITY PSN Beta Beginning on February 4th

Your attack coordinates have been delivered, jet armed and fueled, all you have to do is climb in the cockpit on February 4th to participate in the ACE COMBAT INFINITY beta on the PlayStation Network. Returning to its classic ACE COMBAT gameplay roots, ACE COMBAT INFINITY will take combat aces and jet jockeys on numerous missions to take out enemy bogies, cities, and more. The ACE COMBAT INFINITY Beta will feature the following:

–          Beta begins on February 4th and runs through February 11th

–          Experience a variety of Campaign and Co-op missions

–          Choose your “Contracts” (Power-ups to augment missions)

–          Select from a variety of Skins and Emblems to customize your war plane

–          A special bonus “Test Pilot” Emblem will be awarded to all fighter pilots that participate in the February 4th beta

Head over to the NAMCO BANDAI Press FTP site to grab today’s ACE COMBAT INFINITY trailer and a new batch of Beta screens. You’ll find today’s trailer in the ACE COMBAT INFINITY/Trailer folder and the Beta screens in the screenshot folder

For more information on ACE COMBAT INFINITY fly on over to the ACE COMBAT Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AceCombat

SHORT PEACE AND RANKO TSUKIGIME’S LONGEST DAY ANNOUNCED FOR THE AMERICAS

SHORT PEACE AND RANKO TSUKIGIME’S LONGEST DAY ANNOUNCED FOR THE AMERICAS 

Experience the Fifth and Final Part of the Highly Acclaimed Japanese Animation SHORT PEACE Project 

SAN JOSE, Calif., (January 30, 2014) – NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that SHORT PEACE and Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day will be coming to the Americas in spring 2014 exclusively for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. SHORT PEACE is the highly acclaimed anime movie compilation featuring works by legendary anime artist Katsuhiro Otomo and features POSSESSIONS, which was recently nominated for an Academy Award® for best Animated Short Film, along with three other short films titled COMBUSTIBLE, GAMBO, and A Farewell to Weapons. The fifth and final part of the SHORT PEACE project, Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day, is a 2D side-scrolling action game directed by Goichi Suda (Suda51) of Grasshopper Manufacture and developed by Crispy’s Inc. who also developed the well praised action game Tokyo Jungle. Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day introduces a whole new storyline featuring stunning animation, thrilling gameplay, and psychedelic visuals that will draw players into Ranko Tsukigime’s story.

By day, Ranko Tsukigime is an average high school girl who lives alone, but at night she is a deadly hitman who deftly assassinates her targets.  One fateful night as Ranko heads out to eliminate her next target, a demonic enemy organization creeps up and threatens the lives of Ranko and her friends. Players will put their reflexes and quick judgment to the test in the fast-paced platforming gameplay that will have them blazing through dangerous, obstacle-ridden environments to flee from an ominous enemy looming close behind.

With Suda51 and Crispy’s Inc. at the development helm, fans can look forward to a fantastical conclusion to the SHORT PEACE collection on par with Katsuhiro Otomo’s previous animation masterpieces. Katsuhiro Otomo is widely celebrated as an animation visionary who is most known for his popular cult film Akira, along with hit Japanese anime movies such as Steamboy and Memories. The SHORT PEACE movie and game project boasts unique visual artistry and masterful storylines that have touched audiences around the world.

POSSESSIONS is a piece in which I realized that I was completely satisfied with myself since the staff and I honestly poured our souls into the project,” said Shuhei Morita, Director of POSSESSIONS. “We are so glad that POSSESSIONS has drawn enough international attention to earn an Oscar® nomination and we are looking forward to the final awards ceremony.”

SHORT PEACE and Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day are scheduled to launch in the Americas in spring 2014 for the PlayStation®3 system. For more information on NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. game titles and products, please visit http://namcobandaigames.com/home.

MULTIPLAYER ARENA SPORTS GAME EPIGENESIS NOW IN FREE TRIAL ON STEAM THROUGH SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

MULTIPLAYER ARENA SPORTS GAME EPIGENESIS NOW IN FREE TRIAL ON STEAM THROUGH SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Developer Dead Shark Triplepunch Announces Next Tournament for Feb. 21 – 23

KARLSHAMN, Sweden—Jan 30, 2014—Independent studio Dead Shark Triplepunch today announced Epigenesis, now in Beta and Early Access on Steam, is now available for free trial on Steam today until Sunday, February 2: http://store.steampowered.com/app/244590. After the trial, players can purchase the game to keep in their Steam library for $2.50—75% off the original price of $9.99—until Sunday. Epigenesis is an online multiplayer arena sports game in which two sides are locked in a never-ending fight for world-domination by playing ball.

Developer Dead Shark Triplepunch also announced the next Epigenesis tournament is scheduled for Friday, February 21 through Sunday, February. 23. More information about sign-ups will be available soon at: http://www.epigenesisthegame.com.

Tournament prizing includes:

  • Three QPAD QH-90 PC gaming headsets engraved with the Epigenesis logo for the winning Team
  • Three QPAD mouse pads for the 2nd place team
  • Dead Shark Triplepunch T-shirts for the top three teams

Epigenesis won Make Something Unreal Live (2013) hosted by Epic Games and won Game of the Year from the. For more information about Epigenesis, please visit the website: http://www.epigenesisthegame.com.

Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/deadsharktriplepunch
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadsharktriplepunch
Twitter: @DS3P

About Epigenesis
Epigenesis is an online multiplayer sports/FPS game in which two sides are locked in a never-ending fight for world domination by playing ball. In this non-lethal ballgame of the future, players leap across platforms suspended high up in the air trying to get a ball located in the middle of the arena and score goals against their opponents. Each player carries a gravity cannon capable of pushing enemies (and friends) down from the heights of the arena.

When a player scores, he receives a genetically modified super-seed and gets the opportunity to plant it onto a platform to capture it. To win the game you must capture towers and construct a node system from your goal post all the way to your opponents’ goal post. If this hasn’t happened by the time that the clock reaches zero, the team with the most scores win!

Teamwork, tactics and precision is key to win eternal glory in a game of Epigenesis!

About Dead Shark Triplepunch

Dead Shark Triplepunch is an indie developer team consisting of 10 crew members based in the city of Karlshamn, which lies in the southern parts of Sweden. They are currently working on the Non-lethal FPS Domination/Ball game Epigenesis.

About Unreal Engine

Developed by Epic Games, the award-winning Unreal Engine is known for its cutting-edge graphics technology, world-class toolset and scalability across PC, console and mobile platforms. Unreal Engine 3 (UE3) is designed to accelerate developers’ productivity for creating high-quality games, applications, training simulations, visualizations, digital films and animated entertainment. Powering hundreds of games and integrated with two dozen leading middleware technologies, UE3 holds more than 20 technology awards, including eight Game Developer Front Line Awards and six Develop Industry Excellence Awards. The Unreal Engine also owns a seat in the Front Line Awards Hall of Fame. Unreal Engine 4 (UE4), winner of multiple Best of E3 2012 awards, offers unprecedented graphical capabilities and workflow improvements that provide unparalleled accessibility for developers building the next generation of games and applications. For more information, visit http://www.unrealengine.com/” http://www.unrealengine.com and follow @UnrealEngine.

Make Contact With Echo Prime™ Today on Steam

Make Contact With Echo Prime™ Today on Steam

Download Robot Entertainment’s epic sci-fi RPG before February 9th to get 20% off and a free copy of acclaimed action strategy game Orcs Must Die! 2.

Plano, TX – January 30, 2014 – Robot Entertainment released an expanded edition of their sci-fi action RPG Echo Prime on Steam today. The Steam release includes new content, improvements to visual fidelity, and reworked PC controls. Players can now journey across the stars through an expanded array of exciting locations to battle against three races of alien enemies and huge bosses.

To celebrate the PC release, the Steam version of Echo Prime will be on sale for 20% off from now until February 9th, 2014 (£5.59 instead of the regular £6.99). Additionally, players who download the game during the sale will get a free copy of Robot Entertainment’s Orcs Must Die! 2 on Steam.

Watch the Echo Prime Steam trailer here: http://youtu.be/2Q4peDhvyHs

Battle hordes of dangerous alien creatures, space pirates, and killer mercenaries with blaster and blade as you travel from star to star, uncovering the secrets of the multiverse. Make contact with the Echoes, mysterious beings from alternate universes who will lend you their abilities and aid you in your quest to save humanity from an alien menace. Acquire a myriad of powerful weapons and armor, watch your abilities grow to unmatched levels, and prepare to take on the most fearsome opponents in the galaxy!

Features
•        Optimized for PC – Echo Prime’s real-time action gameplay has been redesigned for PCs, including improvements to visual effects, a retuned economy, and new PC controls with mappable hotkeys.
•        Even More Enemies and Environments – Echo Prime for Steam includes new locations in which to do battle and a new enemy race, the alien “Tide”.
•        New Hardcore Mode – Test your mastery. How far can you get without dying?
•        Upgrade Your Arsenal – Over 100 pieces of gear with a diverse mix of deadly effects, from fire to toxic, all unlockable at no additional cost.
•        Echoes of the Multiverse – As you play you will discover and unlock dozens of “Echoes”, alien life forms from alternate universes. Build connections with them, and Echoes will offer you powers and abilities to help you on your missions. Experiment and find the best combinations to customize your ability loadout.
•        Share Echoes – Use your friends’ Echoes in combat to help them level-up, and level up your Echoes when your friends use them!
•        Random Campaign Generation – Echo Prime features an action-driven story campaign with randomly generated missions. Every experience is different!
·         Includes the Full Soundtrack – All 14 tracks of the Echo Prime soundtrack are included when you buy the game!
For more information, check out http://www.robotentertainment.com/games/echo-prime/

About Robot Entertainment
Based in Plano, Texas, Robot Entertainment is a world-class independent game development studio founded in 2009 by veterans of Ensemble Studios. With a team that has proven experience and expertise in creating games that appeal to massive audiences, Robot Entertainment is focused on developing titles that set new standards for their respective genres as well as groundbreaking original intellectual properties. The studio most recently launched the critically acclaimed Hero Academy and Orcs Must Die! 2. Robot can be found online at http://www.RobotEntertainment.com. To stay up to date with Robot Entertainment, please like them on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Comedy Point & Click, Randal’s Monday, Given Release Date

randals-monday-screenshot-03

Imagine the situation. You wake up after a wild engagement party and find in your possession the very ring that your friend was going to wow his bride with on his big day. Sure, it’s important to him, but what is it worth to you? You could sell it and he’d never know. One fateful Monday, Randal took his friend Matt’s ring and did exactly that, but it didn’t take long for a curse to befall him. All of a sudden, Matt took his own life and Randal was plunged into a never-ending cycle where he must repeat the same Monday over and over until he has righted the wrong that he so selfishly caused. Will Randal be able to put everything back to how it was, or will his time run out?

randals-monday-screenshot-01

Randal’s Monday is a geeky point & click adventure being developed by Nexus Game Studios and the developers of the recent, quirky point & click, Gomo, Daedalic Entertainment. Scheduled for release in Q3 of 2014, this cynical romp through the most painful day of the week promises to be packed with, “Jillions of references,” to some of the best games, movies, and consoles of the 80’s 90’s and 2000’s. How many of hours of gameplay you get out of Randal’s Monday is said to depend on how much time you spent in front of the TV as a kid, so I’m sure a lot of our readers will get a lot of hours out of this 7 chapter title.

randals-monday-screenshot-02

Coming in Q3 of 2014, Randal’s Monday will be available on PC for a, thus far, undisclosed price. Check out the first wacky teaser trailer below!

‘European Warfare’ Update Coming Soon to Stronghold Kingdoms

‘European Warfare’ Update Coming Soon to Stronghold Kingdoms

London, UK 30th January 2014 – A new European Warfare update has been announced for Stronghold Kingdoms, setting 32 medieval countries at war with each other in one of the top ten most popular free to play games on Steam. Firefly Studios made the announcement today in a news post on the game’s official website at www.strongholdkingdoms.com:

“Since Stronghold Kingdoms was released as an open beta back in 2010, it hasn’t stopped growing in size or scope and we owe all that to the players. Last year we worked closely with the community, delivering monthly updates filled with suggested features from the game’s forum and social media channels. The new European Warfare update adds something players have been asking for a very long time, ever since we began adding game worlds with maps based on Germany, France and other European countries. ‘Europe’ is a single game world on a grand scale, with 32 countries and all out warfare!”

The new update, which is free for all players, introduces the largest game world yet for Firefly’s popular MMORTS, with more player villages, countries and Kings than any before it. From 3pm GMT on February 13th 2014 players will be able to access the new world and send wave after wave of attacks across land, sea and new borders dividing a total of 32 countries:

Norway, UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, West Balkan States, East Balkan States, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden

While each of the countries included will have its own political structure and player King it will still be possible to rule over large parts of Europe, or indeed the entire continent, as part of a single large House. To do so players will need to band together and defend against attacks from all directions, with Firefly offering advice to new players hoping to take part. “Spread yourself too thin and the land you do control may well be taken away from you. This new game world is one of the most hotly requested features for StrongholdKingdoms and something we are thrilled to be able to make live next month. So get ready to fight for your country and rewrite history!”

Almost two years after launch Kingdoms remains one of the most popular free to play games on Steam, with nearly 3 million registered players from over 100 different countries.

About Stronghold Kingdoms
Stronghold Kingdoms is the medieval online castle game. Join hundreds of thousands of players in a rich world of Lords, Ladies, Bumpkins and Barons as you build your village, research new technology and strive to be the greatest in the land. Construct mighty castles to defend your lands against insolent intruders, develop your economy and trade your way to victory, lead your fellow noblemen to war and control of the Kingdom. Build, besiege, pillage, farm, explore, research, vote, trade and banquet your way to the throne! For more information please visit www.strongholdkingdoms.com or follow @SHKingdoms on Twitter.

About Firefly Studios

Firefly Studios is an independent PC game developer specialising in real-time strategy and MMO titles. Formed in 1999 by Simon Bradbury and Eric Ouellette, the company has brought to market a number of high profile and commercially successful strategy games, including the Stronghold series with lifetime sales of over six million. Firefly has offices in the UK and US. For more information please visit their website at www.fireflyworlds.com or follow @fireflyworlds on Twitter.

SPECIAL EDITION DETAILS SURFACE AND NINJAS CLASH IN ALL NEW IMAGES FOR YAIBA: NINJA GAIDEN Z

SPECIAL EDITION DETAILS SURFACE AND NINJAS CLASH IN ALL NEW IMAGES FOR YAIBA: NINJA GAIDEN Z

Tecmo Koei Europe today announced details for the Special Edition of YAIBA: NINJA GAIDEN Z. The Special Edition, containing exciting extras, will be available at launch in limited supply for fans that purchase the retail game for either the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft or PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system when it launches on 21st March. Additionally, Team NINJA today released new screenshots of the bloodthirsty cyber ninja Yaiba Kamikaze going toe-to-toe with the legendary leader of the Hayabusa Clan, Ryu Hayabusa.

The Special Edition of YAIBA: NINJA GAIDEN Z will include an exclusive full colour comic book by Dark Horse Comics, exclusive Yaiba themed DLC costumes for both Ryu Hayabusa and Momiji for use in Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate and an original soundtrack in both the PS3 (via download voucher) and Xbox360 (included on physical disc) versions. The limited run can be picked up wherever copies are sold while supplies last. In celebration of this news, Team NINJA has released new assets giving fans a sneak peak at the chaos that will ensue when these two shadow warriors collide.

The sparks from katana fly in all new in-game screenshots as Yaiba comes face to face with the steely gaze of the ultimate ninja, Ryu Hayabusa. Spoiler alert: Yaiba doesn’t care. His lust for revenge burns deep within every aching cyber implant. Even with Momiji in the background supporting Ryu, Yaiba plans to use his cyber fists and bloody fail to make Ryu feel his pain. But, Ryu is no chump. A master of elemental ninpo, skilled combatant of both sword and bow, the dragon ninja has no plans of being bested by this cyber freak. Can Yaiba withstand Ryu’s barrage of ninpo magic and avoid falling victim of the Izuna Drop or is he doomed for the same cold fate yet again?