Tecmo announced today its plan to expand the Ninja Gaiden playing experience with additional downloadable content which will be available in the beginning of August via Xbox Live.

The updated version will contain a wide array of additions including new camera and action engines that will improve upon the already superior game engine, new challenging enemies, new costumes, an arsenal of new weapons, and more.

The new download was created to go side-by-side with the second round of the online Ninja Gaiden Tournament, named The Master Ninja Tournament, and will also be openly available to anyone with an Xbox Live account and a copy of Ninja Gaiden. Feedback from Ninja Gaiden fans was taken into account when designing the added features. The new camera system enhances playability by changing the player's perspective relative to the enemies' position, while the new action engine will make the combat system more extreme and faster than ever before. New weapons and smarter enemies are just a few more of the features that complete the downloadable package.

"Keep in mind that Ninja Gaiden's main concept is its strength as an action game. The new downloadable content will only expand the envelope of this concept," said Tomonobu Itagaki, Tecmo's head creator of Ninja Gaiden. "The second round of The Master Ninja Tournament is formatted for participants to download the new content, play through the game from beginning to end and then post their scores online to see how they ranked against other players worldwide. If they are confident in their Ninja Gaiden skills, players must take on this challenge."

Fans who have mastered the original game, which was heralded as "tough to beat," are in for even more of a challenge in the new download. The enemy characters will be programmed to have even more advanced A.I., making the game wickedly exciting the second time around.

The three top ranked winners from the first round of The Master Ninja Tournament will be announced this week, followed by an announcement next week about the details on the second round of The Master Ninja Tournament.

Source: TeamXBOX.com