Dead or Alive 5 Plus, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus coming to PS Vita Q1 2013

A big thank you goes out to Team Ninja and Tecmo Koei for still throwing some support behind the PS Vita. Sony’s powerful portable is a great platform for such fighting and action titles, and Dead or Alive 5 Plus and Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus, both of which are due out early next year, should fit in perfectly.

Today, Tecmo Koei UK and Team Ninja sent over the official announcement of both titles along with some new media.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Plus screens:

Read on for the announcement with additional details.

Team NINJA today revealed that the new generation of DEAD OR ALIVE combat, DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS, is coming to the PlayStation Vita handheld system alongside NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 PLUS, the highly anticipated sequel to the hit PS Vita launch title.

DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS brings the signature fighting style of the popular DOA series to PS Vita with all-new system-specific features, complementing the stunning graphics and new martial arts techniques of the recent console release.

Faster, bloodier and more beautiful than ever, NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 PLUS takes the legendary action game on a versatile new battleground.

Developed by Team NINJA, both games will be published by TECMO KOEI America and are scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 2013.

?DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS and NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 PLUS both bring the art of combat alive with graphics that rival any console game, alongside tight controls designed to fully harness the power of the PS Vita,? said Yosuke Hayashi, Team NINJA leader. ?Whether unleashing martial arts moves or striking down enemies as a deadly ninja, players will discover that handheld gaming has never looked?or played?better.?

Building on the popular DOA series? signature fighting style, DEAD OR ALIVE 5 PLUS brings the spectacular graphics and new martial arts techniques of the recent console release to the PS Vita with all-new system-specific features. Players will take on the roles of the cast of DEAD OR ALIVE fighters in an intense, action-packed brawler set in visually striking locations from around the world, with each stage featuring backdrops that change and interact with players. With a sensual yet realistic style, characters are rendered in incredibly lifelike detail. New touch controls bring a completely new experience to fighting games. Simple taps, swipes, and pinches on your opponent trigger a variety of devastating moves. Using the Vita?s motion sensor, you can even play vertically for a first-person, full-screen view of your opponent. Both novice and expert players will also find even more ways to up their game with new training-focused modes and a new display of advanced frame data that reveals twice the amount of information for each move compared to previous versions. Tournament players will spend hours analyzing the best moves for their fights.

NINJA GAIDEN SIGMA 2 PLUS brings the most intense, action-packed ninja adventure to PS Vita with stunning graphics, new modes, and plenty of blood. In the game, Ryu Hayabusa, the iconic super ninja of the Ninja Gaiden franchise, returns to the Sigma series to prevent the resurrection of the evil Archfiend by hunting down the Demon Statue stolen by the wicked Black Spider Ninja Clan. Players will battle from Tokyo to New York as Ryu encounters vicious enemies and acquires an extensive assortment of ninja weaponry along the way. The action lights up the Vita?s impressive OLED screen with graphical quality exceeding the original Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus. An intuitive control system uses the front and rear touch screens and motion controls of the PS Vita, and new players will appreciate the inclusion of Hero Mode, which automatically boosts their attacks when their health is low. New modes include ?Ninja Race,? where players compete with enemies at breakneck speed to reach the end goal, and ?Tag Mission,? in which players can switch between two ninjas in real-time while defending the AI-controlled partner.

Team NINJA will release more information on both titles in the coming weeks/months.