Taito Corporation, the legendary Japanese developer, best known for its classic arcade games such as Space Invaders, has announced its return to North American and European market for console games. The first title of its new foray into Western markets will be a new Ninja Warriors game, more specifically a reboot. Although the original 1987 Ninja Warriors title was mostly an arcade title that was ported to several other home computers in the 1980s, it was probably the 1994 SNES remake, The Ninja Warriors Again, that popularized the title worldwide, which would justify the reboot for Western markets.
Taito will announce more details on the Ninja Warriors reboot at a later date, but it has already confirmed that the game will be published by United Games, a German publisher, both digitally and physically. It will also be marketed through Strictly Limited Games as limited editions, and through the newly founded publishing label ININ for the traditional retail and digital versions. Helmut Schmitz, CEO of United Games, commented on the partnership with Taito: "We are proud to work together with TAITO Corporation, which has been a legend in the Japanese game industry for many years. We look forward to and are convinced that this cooperation will be a great success."
Taito's return to Western markets comes in the wake of its 65th anniversary, a long history in which the corporation has definitely shaped video game history. Its biggest arcade classics, Puzzle Bobble, Rainbow Islands, Arkanoid, and particularly the seminal Space Invaders have become part of popular culture, even outside the realm of video games, in ways that few other developers have. The corporation's return to Western markets is sure to have a few other surprises on the way, and fans of classic arcade titles should be on the lookout for other possible reboots or remakes.
Are you hyped for Taito's return to Western markets? What do you think of the Ninja Warriors reboot? Let us know in the comments below!
