This is the first Team Ninja developed games where Tomonobu Itagaki is not involved in prior to his resignation from the company.
This is the part-upgraded and part-downgraded version of Ninja Gaiden II originally on Xbox 360 with new playable characters, new missions, new scenarios, improved shop system featuring free weapon upgrade for one weapon at a time, new cut-scenes, extended chapter, new weapons and the new co-op mode. This version of Ninja Gaiden has the violence toned down where the cut-scenes had the decapitated enemies and blood removed, replacing it with enemies falling to the floor, dead without the bleeding or decapitation. However, during the game play, the severed body parts to the enemies has now been reduced to a body part magically burned off and blood is partially reduced.