AT LAST TECMO ANNOUNCES SHIP DATE FOR NINJA GAIDEN The highly anticipated title, shipping in early March, is expected to set a new standard in the action genre. TORRANCE, Calif., February 24, 2004 - Tecmo® officially announced today that the ship date for its eagerly anticipated new action title, Ninja Gaiden®, for the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft will be Tuesday, March 2, 2004. Gaining an incredible amount of buzz since it was first shown on the E3 floor in 2002, the powerhouse title will ship out to retailers across the country in mass quantities, arriving on store shelves throughout the first week of March. "Tecmo's focus while developing Ninja Gaiden was to create the best action game ever and with the game only a week away from launch I am proud to say that we have succeeded in this goal," John Inada, Tecmo's General Marketing Manager, said. "Ninja Gaiden will set a new standard in the action genre and we guarantee it was well worth the wait." Boasting 100% action, Ninja Gaiden will allow the player to unleash their inner ninja with smooth game play, speedy battle sequences, and a variety of advanced acrobatic ninja moves from running and flipping off walls to hanging and swinging on rails. The player will also have a variety of primary and secondary weapons at their disposal that when used in a combination, create advanced weapon attacks such as damaging wall-based assaults and all-powerful ultimate attacks. XboxTM Live Compatibility, a host of challenging levels and visually exquisite environments are just a few more reasons why Ninja Gaiden plans to raise the bar in the action gaming genre. About Ninja Gaiden One of Tecmo's most treasured franchises will be given new life this March when a whole new action-packed Ninja Gaiden hits store shelves...with a vengeance. The player takes on the role of the powerful and mysterious ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, who seeks revenge after his clan is massacred by the Vigoor Empire. Realistically violent battle sequences and acrobatic ninja moves restore Ninja Gaiden to its rightful place in the action/adventure hall of fame. Tecmo's revered development team, Team Ninja, has created a unique new XboxTM Live Compatible feature within Ninja Gaiden. The Master Ninja Tournament, a new feature developed specifically for the game, will allow players to participate in a nationwide competition. Here, they will test their honed ninja skills and find out who is the top Ninja Gaiden player in the country. Participants in the tournament will compete in downloadable trial missions only made available through Xbox Live. Top ranked players will win special prizes and also be included in the Ninja Gaiden Hall of Fame. Tecmo will continue to reveal more details regarding the rules and prizes in weeks to come. Ninja Gaiden is scheduled to launch onto store shelves early March with a suggested retail price of $49.99 and an ESRB rating of Mature. Gamers can pre-order Ninja Gaiden at Tecmo's website (http://www.tecmoinc.com). For additional information on the game, visit the official Ninja Gaiden website (www.ninjagaidengame.com)