Selling over two million additional copies since its last milestone in just three months is impressive, but it gets even better. Red Dead Redemption 2 is now officially the fourth best-selling game of all time, unseating Mario Kart 8. The latter has sold 8.46 million on the Wii U, and combined with the 69.56 million sold on Nintendo Switch with the Deluxe version, it totals a cool 78.02 million.

Not bad for a 2014 title that inexplicably beat out every other first-party Switch game in history, to the point where Nintendo released 48 new DLC tracks from 2022 onwards. But Rockstar’s magnum opus still beat it out. If the rumored Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2 versions ever materialize, could it soar even higher? Possibly, but we’ll need to wait until they’re a reality first.

In the meantime, as successful as Red Dead Redemption 2 has been, it’s interesting how much doubt was cast on it when development was behind schedule and over-budget, per former head writer Dan Houser.

But why has a franchise that stood right up there with the best action titles around been without a mainline instalment for so damn long? We think Ninja Gaiden 3 may have had something to do with it, despite the way in which Team Ninja tried to fix the problems that came with its initial release.

That’s a story that has us thinking that it was perhaps a good idea for the studio to wait until it was ready to bring in a new instalment to the franchise. But what made Ninja Gaiden 3 fall so flat in the eyes of its players and critics alike? How did Team Ninja attempt to turn things around for the game with Razor’s Edge? Did things work out for it eventually?

Read on and find out as we turn back the clock on Ryu’s adventures!

The Third Time Wasn’t The Charm

We’re going to preface this section by saying that it’s quite hard to bring in a third title that achieves the highs of its predecessors for any studio. And while Team Ninja’s talents are certainly there for all to see, Ninja Gaiden 3 faced a monumental task as it had to either measure up to or exceed the success of the franchise’s widely praised second title, which is no easy feat.

It’s worth mentioning that the ambitions the studio had for Ninja Gaiden 3 were quite evident. It aimed to bring fresh new touches to its formula, with the Steel on Bone technique, for instance, being a great way to counter enemy attacks, complete with a great camera angle. But it essentially replaced the dismemberment mechanic from the previous game, which didn’t make sense. It could have been great to have the new technique alongside one of the previous title’s best features.

The new Kunai Climbing mechanic was a similarly creative touch that was ultimately a let down thanks to how slowly Ryu actually climbed when using it. It was more of an annoyance rather than a nice touch, a symbol of a good idea marred by poor execution, which was something Ninja Gaiden 3 was notorious for.

While most people weren’t picking up a Ninja Gaiden game for its story, the plot in Ryu’s third adventure was so disparate and all over the place that it deserves to be mentioned among the reasons for the game’s failure. It actively limited the potential for more weapons, for instance, while taking away Ryu’s iconic Dragon Sword thanks to the curse that was placed on him by the Regent. It brought betrayals at every turn, making each one feel less impactful than the last until the end of the story.

It also brought some tedious moral considerations into the equation, having Ryu haunted by all the lives he had taken up until that point. While that might have been a great way to inject some life into the story in a game where it wasn’t really a priority, it was irksome that there was no weight assigned to the fact that it was either kill or be killed for our protagonist.

Considering that exposition often came at the cost of more action, it was a particularly egregious part of our complaints about the game back in the day. It added no emotional heft to the story, although that might have been what it was intended for, and failed to bring some much-needed nuance to the table, providing a narrative framework for the action like in past titles.

Furthermore, we would argue that it was a part of the reason why the game’s combat felt so lackluster, as it provided the narrative scope for Ryu to face hordes of enemies, but removed so many of the things that made facing those enemies worth it. Team Ninja’s efforts to make the game more appealing to a wider audience also contributed to this, since it took away a lot of the challenge that franchise veterans came to expect.

It was a middle ground between the franchise’s brutal difficulty and a more approachable combat system that the studio failed to find, and things did not end well for the final release build of the game. It was unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected, that the game was so poorly received by its players and panned by many critics alike. Perhaps the game’s new directors went too far with their ambitions, or simply failed to capitalize on the creative vision that put the franchise on the map in the first place.

When all of these factors were taken into consideration as a whole, Ninja Gaiden 3 was an experience that felt like a drastic departure from the franchise’s traditions and winning formula, one that went in entirely the wrong direction.

But then there was Razor’s Edge.

Turning Things Around

It’s a testament to Team Ninja’s tenacity and resilience that it refused to give up on its title and decided to try and make a better game out of it. Although Razor’s Edge initially made its way to the Wii U, a solid port of the game for other consoles soon made it a version of Ninja Gaiden 3 that brought it closer to the original vision its creators had for it.

For starters, Ryu had access to a bunch of cool new weapons over the course of the campaign. That was an immediate plus, since it brought back the Karma system and made it quite useful while also giving players a bit more incentive to play through the numerous battles they were faced with. Since each weapon had its own moveset and a bunch of additional moves to unlock, it was the perfect way to add depth to the original release’s one-dimensional combat, removing repetition in favor of a more dynamic loop.

There was also Akane, making her way over from Dead or Alive, and immediately brought more variety to the game. With her own missions, unique playstyle, her presence in Razor’s Edge was very welcome indeed. She was fast, stylish, efficient at dispatching enemies, and a decent alternative to Ryu. The Black Spider Clan’s return was also a nice touch!

Keeping in line with its title, another addition was the return of dismemberment and several other mechanics from previous titles that immediately made the game feel and play like a Ninja Gaiden title instead of a confused mess that didn’t really know what it was about.

Another significant improvement that it brought to the table was the improved enemy AI. They were more aggressive and willing to attempt attacks if they lost a limb, making combat feel more like a desperate struggle for survival on both sides, just as a Ninja Gaiden title should be. The hidden skulls and Tests of Valor built on that very well, making the combat feel as brutal and challenging as it was in the franchise’s past.

But did all of these additions manage to turn things around for Team Ninja? The answer is yes for the most part. They showed that the studio paid attention to the feedback it received and acted on it quite intelligently. There’s a reason that this was the version of Ninja Gaiden 3 that was on the Master Collection, after all. It’s also a potential reason for Ragebound being as good as it was, with it having all of the lessons Team Ninja had to learn the hard way at its disposal.

A New Chapter Begins

Those lessons are kind of evident in the approach that Team Ninja has taken in the new twists it has brought in Ninja Gaiden 4. Multiple protagonists, weapons, enemy types, and a seemingly better narrative this time around are all direct results of its past mistakes and indicate a more nuanced approach to an ambitious new title.

There’s a definite balance between the old and the new that has impressed early previewers of the new game, earning it a lot of goodwill ahead of its release. We’d say that Ninja Gaiden 3 crawled more than a decade ago just so that its successor could fly in our present.

Of course, we’re going to have to wait and see if the new entry to the long-standing franchise can live up to the hype that it’s generated. But given Team Ninja’s obvious penchant to learn from its past mistakes, things are looking very good for Ninja Gaiden right now, and we couldn’t be happier.

All that’s left is to dive into Ryu’s latest bout with the Dark Dragon next week and find out for ourselves!

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

This means that all online services, which includes functionality like friends lists and online multiplayer on the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U will stop working on April 8. Aside from the lack of online services, the platforms will still be usable, and games will remain playable.

It is worth noting that the ability to redownload purchased games and update data will still be available even after the online services have been shut down. Other features, however, like SpotPass, will cease functioning, since it makes use of online communication. The two online services that will still work on the Nintendo 3DS are Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter.

The Nintendo 3DS will still be able to make use of its StreetPass functionality, since it doesn’t really rely on an Internet connection to work. Interestingly, games that support local multiplayer on the 3DS, like Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, will still retain some semblance of multiplayer functionality. Online multiplayer for most titles, however, will be completely shut down.

As for the affected platforms, the Wii U Basic and Deluxe, and every 3DS model from the Nintendo 3DS to the New Nintendo 2DS XL are being affected. It’s worth noting that a specific date for the discontinuation of services will be announced later, but if “an event” makes it difficult to operate them, they could end earlier.

Players can still utilize features and modes that don’t require online services, and you can download updates and re-download any content, including DLC, for a period. StreetPass will also continue to function since it relies on local communication between Nintendo 3DS systems, though SpotPass, which uses online services, will not. Stay tuned for a specific date in the coming months.

Through a post on the Nintendo Support page, the company announced that they have decided to pull the plug on the ability to purchase games on the eShop for Wii U and 3DS by late March 2023.

Meanwhile, before that happens, by August 29, 2022, users won’t be able to use Nintendo eShop Cards to add funds to their account on the above-mentioned consoles. That said, download codes will be redeemable up until late March 2023.

Apart from that, users who have linked their Nintendo Network ID wallet with their Nintendo Account wallet (which is used for Nintendo Switch) can use the shared balance to purchase any content on any of these systems up until late March 2023.

Nintendo also mentions that post-March 2023, redownloading games and DLCs will still be possible, along with receiving software updates and enjoying online play on Wii U and 3DS- “for the foreseeable future”.

Along with improved visuals, the re-release sports some new features like Photo Mode. This lets players customize their own photographs using any characters or ghosts with different backgrounds, lens types and much more. New outfits and accessories are also being added for its three protagonists, Yuri, Miu and Ren.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water releases on October 28th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. The story sees the aforementioned protagonists becoming involved with Ose Kurasawa and the Black Water, fighting off malicious ghosts with the Camera Obscura.

https://twitter.com/koeitecmoeurope/status/1427978589668970496

The biggest new feature is Photo Mode which allows for positioning any character and ghost in a photo along with one’s background of choice. You can adjust the frame choice, lens type, focus and much more. Other additions include new outfits of protagonist Yuri, Miu and Ren along with accessories. Those who pre-purchase the title will also receive an outfit and hat from Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water offers improved visuals over its 2014 release on Wii but appears largely the same in terms of gameplay. Content like the post-game story featuring Ayane from Dead or Alive is still included as well. Stay tuned for more details on the title in the coming months.

Original Story:

Koei Tecmo’s Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is the latest Wii U title to be brought to the Nintendo Switch. Originally released in 2014, it sees the player traveling to Hikami Mountain and dealing with all kinds of notorious ghosts. Check out the reveal trailer below.

The title offers three different protagonists and the Camera Obscura which can be used to fend off ghosts with photographs. Solve the mystery of shrine maiden Ose Kurosawa and seal the Black Water away or die trying. Along with looking into a ghost’s past, players also have to deal with “wetness” which can increase the camera’s damage but also increases the damage that players can take.

Along with new costumes, there’s also a Photo Mode that players can experiment with to create their own shots. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is out later this year for the Switch. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.

FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water will be releasing on Switch/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S/PC Steam across North America in 2021.

Will players be able to repel the deadly ghosts and uncover the mysteries surrounding Mt. Hikami? #KTfamily #FatalFrameMOBW #FatalFrame pic.twitter.com/wq5wwwskmV

— KOEI TECMO AMERICA (@KoeiTecmoUS) June 15, 2021

Outer Wilds

The set-up of Outer Wilds, Mobius Digital’s stellar open world adventure game, is that you’re an intrepid explorer in a solar system that’s going to end. You have 20 minutes to explore nearby planets, solve mysteries and determine why the sun is going supernova and destroying everything. Spectacles like planets that are only explorable during certain time periods, shifting gravity and much more make the exploration a treat (and discoveries are tracked throughout all playthroughs).

Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons is just a few days away but the company’s online services have been hit with issues. Services for Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and so on are currently unavailable according to the Network Status page. This means that multiplayer and access to the eShop will be sporadic, if not entirely offline.

The interruption in services is likely due to an influx of traffic from more users staying at home from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. It’s worth noting that Xbox Live faced similar issues that were quickly fixed. How long Nintendo’s services will take to come back online remains to be seen keep checking back for updates.

Fortunately, there’s still some time before Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases. It’s out on March 20th for Nintendo Switch with its first major update going live on March 19th. Update 1.10 adds support for the free seasonal event Bunny Day. The event itself goes live in April and allows players of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp to earn special items.