Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound—Classic NES Carnage Returns July 2025

Dotemu and The Game Kitchen are teaming up to deliver Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound—a direct sequel to the original NES classic. Launching July 31, 2025, on PC, Switch, PS4, PS5 and Xbox, Ragebound promises old-school brutality wrapped in modern polish, complete with a demo at Steam Next Fest (June 9–16).

Key Highlights

• Direct NES Sequel—Ragebound picks up right after the first game, retaining its relentless 2D hack-and-slash spirit.
• Dual Protagonists—Switch between Kenji of the Hayabusa clan and Kumori of the Black Spider clan for tag-team moves and branching paths.
• Legendary Soundtrack—Original NES composers Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Niita and Kaori Nakabai return alongside Sergio de Prado (Blasphemous) for a nostalgic yet sinister score.
• Demo Available—Jump into a playable slice during Steam Next Fest from June 9 to 16 and test your reflexes before launch.

If you still remember the sting of bottomless pits and relentless crows from the NES trilogy, Ragebound should have your pulse racing—the right kind of nostalgia can be thrilling. Dotemu’s track record with TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge and Streets of Rage 4 shows they know how to revive a retro franchise without smoothing out the edge. Teaming up with The Game Kitchen—renowned for Blasphemous—cements the expectation of punishing, atmospheric action.

Instead of recycling Ryu Hayabusa, Ragebound introduces Kenji, a new Hayabusa ninja, and Kumori, a kunoichi from the Black Spider clan—forced into an uneasy alliance. This dual-ninja setup hints at tag-team combos, branching missions and genuine clan rivalry rather than instant camaraderie. It’s a narrative twist that could breathe fresh blood into the series’ revenge-driven lore.

On the gameplay front, Dotemu promises razor-sharp precision and eagle-eyed evasiveness—survive a second on screen and you’d better move. Quality-of-life upgrades like upgradable abilities, secret missions and optional challenges suggest you’ll get fair checkpoints without losing that signature hardship. The big question is whether the balance will satisfy veterans and newcomers alike.

Audio devotees will be watching closely: with original composers on board and Sergio de Prado bringing dark textures, the music could deliver both iconic chiptune callbacks and fresh, ominous themes. Couple that with Dotemu’s pixel-perfect art style, and Ragebound may feel like the missing link between past and present.

Whether you’re a platforming purist craving hardcore boss fights or a newcomer curious about NES-era intensity without unforgiving roadblocks, Ragebound aims to bridge generations. Check out the Steam Next Fest demo June 9–16 to see if Dotemu and The Game Kitchen can land a true legacy sequel—one that honors its roots and carves out new territory.