PlayStation.Blog: What has been your experience in terms of developing Dead or Alive 5 Plus for PS Vita? Have you had to make many concessions, or were you able to port the entire PS3 game over with minimal changes?

Yohei Shimbori, Director, Team Ninja: Certain elements of Dead or Alive 5 Plus (DOA5+) were relatively smooth in porting it to the PS Vita from the PS3. However, as you may notice from games already on the market today, a complete port in terms of graphics and physics remains a challenge which was also the case for DOA5+. Fluid fighting motion and stellar graphics are all staples of the Dead or Alive franchise, so delivering anything less would be unacceptable to us. Therefore our main objective was to create the most beautiful-looking PS Vita fighting game within a 60fps environment. This was one of the reasons we had to drop the Tag Mode, but we can confidently say that the goals we had for DOA5+ we have achieved!

PSB: In terms of the visuals, how close are the PS Vita version’s character models and environments to their PS3 counterparts?

YS: You shouldn’t notice any difference while playing the game. Obviously, the hardware specs are different between the two platforms, so if you were to compare identical screens from both, yes, there is a visual difference. But what would be the fun in doing such a thing? Rather than spending the time doing comparisons, it is our hope that instead players will enjoy the detailed visuals and animations our team has managed to accomplish in DOA5+.

PSB: Where did the inspiration for the two new first-person Touch Play modes come from? Has the gameplay changed significantly in terms of combos and move sets? Are these modes compatible with another player, or just the computer opponent?

YS: PS Vita’s features clearly played a big role in thinking of the Touch Play modes. Combining two of the hardware’s unique points with one of its challenges ultimately led us to the creation of this mode. Meaning, both the touchscreen and gyro sensors led us to the idea of holding the hardware vertically to start with. We worked on the gameplay for this new approach but couldn’t achieve what we were after…it did, however, lead us to the idea of taking out the player character from the screen and focusing directly on one player only, which meant that this mode would only work when the player battles computer opponents. This had never been achieved in the fighting game genre, so we were certainly worried at the beginning, but the risk paid off for us as we implemented a completely new feel.

PSB: Will we see any other new or exclusive content on PS Vita, or is this functionally a mirror image of the PS3 version of DOA5?

YS: In addition to the dedicated Touch Battle, we have some additional features as well. For players new to Dead or Alive, we’ve included a Tutorial mode. By learning everything from the basics of walking, to the new gameplay mechanics, anyone will be able to practice within a variety of battle environments. Also, considering the portable nature of the hardware, we have added Combo Challenge and Skill Info Plus. Combo Challenge allows you to start practicing with an easy combo eventually leading to the big combo moves for maximum damage. Skill Info Plus gives access to quick practice sessions at all times. Skill Info Plus allows detailed analysis of the moves in real time and is not limited to damage and basic frame data, but more detailed movement analysis with the experts and pro players in mind.

Also, we have broadened the in-game music experience and created new ninja costumes as well. So in addition to the individual DOA5+ stage music, brand new character-specific music is now available for Mira and Rig so please check them out.

PSB: DOA5+ features full Cross-Play support with the PS3 version, and promises to hold at a steady 60 frames per second. This seems technically challenging – how difficult was it to integrate this?

YS: Yes, this was a big challenge. Some 2D fighting games have already achieved this but not within a 3D environment. The key here was to make the best use of the available CPU power… the challenge in the development of the original DOA5 was to achieve the maximum technological capabilities of the PS3, but the PS Vita version presented new challenges. We can’t talk in detail of the exact approach but a lot of effort and thinking has gone into overcoming this. I hope to see everyone surprised at how the detailed 3D fighting has been recreated and simply lose track of time as they FIGHT!

PSB: There are reports that the PS3 version of DOA5 will see new updates and enhancements later this year. Will you be updating the PS Vita version accordingly?

YS: Sorry as there is nothing I can confirm at this time. We will of course reveal any information with you as soon as we can. :)

PSB: PS Vita has seen quite a few fighting games and all have been well received. Is there a particular reason why PS Vita works especially well for fighting games?

YS: The ease of play is definitely one of the key reasons. Fighting games generally have fairly quick rounds and battles. So whether it be a case of playing with friends or brushing up your skills, we anticipate shorter gameplay sessions than in the past.

The genre of fighting games is entering an era where evolving is required to survive the ever-expanding competitive market. One may even say this era is already here. I have always seen the intuitive touchscreen mechanism and the cross-platform functions of PS Vita as being key features for us to focus on from the start. Cross play has opened the door for PS Vita players who can practice and play anywhere they want to compete against players who have been perfecting their skills on PS3. It is difficult to predict who will be the stronger but it definitely is an interesting situation. We felt the excitement in the cross platform feature from the beginning of development so hopefully everyone will get a chance to experience the evolution and enjoy the game.

The Ninja Gaiden series, renowned for its surgically precise yet frenetic gameplay, has had a bit of a rebirth on PS Vita. With Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus helping to launch the system, and with the impending release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus, Ryu Hayabusa has never been more mobile.

With Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus launching today on game card and on PSN bundled with an exclusive costume pack and DLC, we asked Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi to shed light on the perks of the PS Vita version. Read on to learn more about the new Ninja Race and Tag Mission modes, PS Vita development details and more.

Dead or Alive 5+ is coming to PlayStation Vita on March 19th! Now you can enjoy the same powerful new moves and acclaimed in-depth fighting system with over 20 playable characters and blockbuster stages from the PlayStation 3 version. Today I would like to tell you about a few of the new features we’ve included in the PS Vita version.

Cross Play
Dead or Alive 5+ will have cross-platform compatibility with PS3, which means you fight not only against other players on PlayStation Vita, but also against players on PS3. All characters available on PS3 can be used on PS Vita as well. Battles run at 60fps for both systems, so there’s no lag or stress even when playing cross-platform. This will allow players to enjoy serious battles across the two platforms!

Cross Goods
Many have questioned us about the DLC content. Yes, the DLC content can be shared between PS3 and PS Vita, so players can play with their desired costumes wherever and whenever they want. We will have delivered over 100 costumes as DLC by the end of this month. Players who purchased them on PS3 can use the same costumes on their PS Vita, and vice versa.

Cross Save
Players can also share their save data between PS3 and PS Vita, so you can enjoy the battle even when on the move. This means the costumes that you unlocked in PS3′s different modes can be used straight away on the PS Vita, and vice versa.

New touch control fighting
In Dead or Alive 5+, you can attack your opponents with a simple tap of the touch screen. Characters react based on where they are touched or attacked during a fight. This allows you to enjoy the fight from the traditional third person view, or hold your PS Vita vertically to interact with characters from a close-up first person perspective. I like this!

More:

For more information, please visit the official site. Get ready. Fight!

PlayStation.Blog sat down for a quick chat with Team Ninja boss Yosuke Hayashi to find out what it has in store with its new Vita game, as well as mysterious new project Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and recent release Dead or Alive 5.

PlayStation.Blog: It’s not been long since the release of Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus. Why are we seeing a sequel so soon?
Yosuke Hayashi, Team Ninja: We released Sigma Plus earlier this year and it actually did better than we expected, and there was a lot of fan demand for releasing a sequel. We were really happy with the results we got with the original, so that’s why we’re announcing Sigma 2 Plus.

PSB: What new features are you adding over and above the PlayStation 3 original?
YH: PlayStation Vita is definitely an easy console to play games on. It’s very friendly for a Ninja Gaiden kind of game. We really learned that making the first Sigma Plus. With the sequel we’re looking to add in some really good additional hardcore elements – things that people who really know the game and loved Sigma 2 will get into and enjoy.

PSB: What makes PS Vita a good fit for a high velocity action series like Ninja Gaiden?
YH: I don’t know if it’s a perfect fit, but it has the power and everything you need to play these kinds of games. You’re not always in an environment where you can play a full console game, but if you have a Vita you can have the same experience right there in the palm of your hand. It has the power to deliver an equivalent experience.

PSB: You recently showed off a brief teaser trailer for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z – your new collaboration with Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune. Is that something Sony customers can get excited about?
YH: You’ll have to wait a little bit longer for more information but I’m sure everybody will be able to have some fun with it!

PSB: There are so many zombie games out there right now? Is there still room for new ideas and innovation in the genre?
YH: Absolutely, there are definitely new elements we can add to the zombie genre. It got to play like a Ninja Gaiden game – it’s got to be a good, solid action game. It’s not just an amateur zombie game. In addition, we’ll bring our own take on the genre – people will find that it’s something really new, but also something that sits comfortably inside the Ninja Gaiden world.

PSB: During your Yaiba announcement you pledged that Team Ninja is striving to help Japanese developers catch up with the West. Do you think your fellow countrymen can reclaim their ‘90s glory days?
YH: Honestly I don’t think we can reclaim the glory days of the past. Team Ninja is still strong and has found ways to remain relevant and keep making games that play on the world stage. We can’t say for sure that Japan as a whole will be there with us, but we’ll be around for years to come.

PSB: You just released Dead or Alive 5. It’s been a busy few years for the fighting genre. Why do you think DOA is still relevant?
YH: We don’t want to be put in the same space as other fighting games. The concept for Dead or Alive 5 has been ‘fighting entertainment’. We’re looking at a wider audience – offering a more accessible, more appealing fighting experience. Don’t just put us in with the rest of the fighters. You get a sense of fun and a sense of spectacle from Dead or Alive 5 that you’re not going to get from some of the other games that are out of there. That sets us apart and is something we want to push. Hopefully it will push the audience towards supporting the game.

PSB: How are you going to support Dead or Alive 5 in the coming months?
YH: We’re definitely going to be supporting the title after launch. We have a lot of DLC lined up and the artists are still working hard creating costumes that we know the fans are going to love and want to get their hands on.