Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce coming to Xbox 360, PS3

KOEI announced that it plans to bring Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on February 16, 2010. Before the snobs start crying about yet another Dynasty Warriors game, let’s make with the details. The Strikeforce vein in the series takes place in a mystical version of ancient China where warriors possess the power of Fury. This power gives them superhuman strength, lightning fast speed and the ability to fly. Taking the role of one of the 40 playable characters, players can take on single-player scenarios or up to four friends can go online to launch raids as a team or battle it out competitively.

Using voice or text chat to coordinate assaults, players go on campaigns to infiltrate heavily-armed enemy strongholds, clash with armies comprised of thousands of soldiers, or slay mythical, massive beasts like dragons. In single-player mode, players have the option to choose and command up to three AI-controlled officers to join them.

Earlier this year at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show, producer Kenichi Ogasawara of Omega Force took to the stage with Team Ninja’s Yosuke Hayashi, producer of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 to reveal details about a crossover within Strikeforce. As part of their collaboration, characters from TECMO’s Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 will appear exclusively in Strikeforce for PS3, while characters from KOEI’s Warriors Orochi 2 will make guest appearances in Strikeforce for Xbox 360. By completing guest character challenges, players can win the right to use that guest character’s signature weapon in combat.

Look for the game in February 2010.

Playing dress-up in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

There will be some sassy new costumes for Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, according to Tecmo. The Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 costume pack will be available for download only on PlayStation Network beginning November 19th and it will retail for $3.99 in North America. The pack will also be released in Japan on the 19th, in addition to Europe at a later date.

The PlayStation Blog will have some details on this pack next week - provided by Team NINJA producer Yosuke Hayashi, but you can take a look at the art below to get an idea of what they look like. We can tell you that Ayane will get a Venice Festival costume, Momiji will get a Matsuri Festival costume, Rachel will get some spiffy New York Working Woman’s apparel, and Ryu will get a special white costume.

Tecmo reveals NBA UNRIVALED

TECMO announced a partnership this week with developer A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Games to release NBA UNRIVALED exclusively for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network. Combining arcade fun and retro styling, this sports title will be available in time to kick off the 2009-2010 NBA basketball season with all 30 NBA teams and players from the latest rosters. From expressive cut scenes to exaggerated slams, the game will be reminiscent of arcade basketball favorites. At this time, no such game exists via digital download.

Game features include all 30 NBA teams and the top players from the 2009-2010 season, full 5-on-5 team arcade-style gameplay, various multiplayer modes ( Player vs. Player, or 2 Players vs. CPU), arcade style (spiffy effects, crazy dunks, and fast paced action), lots of Unlockables, HD graphics, and more.

The game will be released on both PSN and XBLA today. Find out more at www.nbaunrivaledgame.com.

Tecmo, Cing team up for DS double shot in 2010

TECMO and Japanese developer Cing have partnered to produce two new Nintendo DS titles, AGAIN and Monster Rancher DS. Both titles are slated for a March 2010 release in North America. From the makers of Hotel Dusk, AGAIN is a murder mystery adventure game featuring a story full of suspense, unexpected surprises and unique visual presentation, that promises to take the text-adventure genre to a whole new level.

Monster Rancher focuses on the traditional gameplay of previous games, while providing support for the DS’ various functions. Players can battle friends locally, or via a wireless connection. Two players can also connect to combine monsters and uncover new breeds. As with previous games in the series, the object is to create, raise, breed and battle monsters.

You can learn more about both games by visiting www.tecmogames.com.

Undead Knights in stores

Tecmo’s hack-n-slash zombie action game Undead Knights is now available in North America and today, with a digital download release via PlayStation Network coming shortly. Undead Knights is the first title from Tecmo to be released on both a UMD and digital download for the PSP Go.

Playing as an anti-hero, gamers rage through a world filled with fearless enemies to build a true army of darkness using Zombies as your foot soldiers. You do this by defeating as many enemies as you can using ten different combo attacks to transform them into your own personal zombie soldiers. The game also supports versus Ad-Hoc Multiplayer and co-op and features a heavy metal soundtrack.

For more information, check out www.undeadknights.com. Undead Knights is rated “M” (Mature) by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of US $39.99.

Tecmo and Koei Agree to Merger Deal

Could Dynasty Warriors: Dead or Alive be looming around the corner? Probably not, but the remote possibility did actually get bumped up a little bit today, as shareholders in both Koei and Tecmo agreed to move forward with a proposed merger deal. It wasn’t a unanimous decision though, as Tecmo’s second largest shareholder, Effissimo Capital Management, opposed to the merger and stated that it may sell off its 18 percent stake in Tecmo as a result.

Barring any unusual surprises, the deal will have Tecmo investors getting 9/10ths of a share in the merged entity for every stock they currently hold, while stockholders on the Koei end will exchange their shares in a straight up one for one trade.

Oddly enough, the marriage between Tecmo and Koei could actually do a lot for both companies. Koei has had a lot of success with its Dynasty Warriors franchise, while Tecmo’s Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive series have always been fan favorites. With the potential for crossover alone, adding Ryu, Kasumi, and Ayane to a new Dynasty Warriors game for example, the combined strength could make a hefty impact on the Japanese game market. Plus, thanks to Tecmo’s success in the Western market, it’s possible that the merger could give Koei a bit of wider appeal to the audience outside of Japan.

Finally - Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff Unleashed

The wait is over as the classic Tecmo football game is reborn as a DS exclusive. Tecmo has released Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff for Nintendo DS. Based on the popular cult classic Tecmo Super Bowl , Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff adapts that game’s old-school style and revitalizes it for a newer generation of gamers. The classic, over-the-top, all-American football game enables players of all levels to engage in a fun filled, fast paced, arcade style of football - and it does it without the need for an NFL license. Take that, Madden.

Tecmo Bowl Kickoff lets players customize their team with team colors, emblems, player names, team cities and abilities; offers Wi-Fi and Wireless multiplayer a choice of 32 different teams, tactical use of the abilities, stylus control, a customizable playbook to fool around with, and a unique soundtrack to crack skulls to.

Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff is rated “E” by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of US $29.99.