Tomonobu Itagaki, head honcho of Team Ninja and Director of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, recently gave an interview with CVG, discussing the reasons for holding the DS sideways, a la Brain Age, working with the DS technology, and a whole lot more.

Taking place six months after the 2004 game, Dragon Sword will explain what happened after its predecessor's conclusion, as well as shedding light on what the former's enemies were, why they were created, and how they came to be.

For those of you worried about scratching up your screen trying to replicate the action of the Xbox title, rest easy, as Itagaki doesn't play on making the game as difficult as previous offerings. He explains that his first priority is giving everyone the chance to make use of the game's innovative control style.

If you've played Brain Age or Hotel Dusk, you'll be instantly familiar with holding the DS on its side - Dragon Sword will also employ this method, as it enabled a firmer grip on the unit for more fast-paced moves, as well as preventing your right (or left, if that's your preference) hand from getting in the way.

One of the biggest worries concerning Ninja Gaiden coming to handhelds was that the available technology wouldn't be able to replicate the home console experience. Itagaki says that this couldn't be further from the truth, and that the DS's touch screen actually allows them to expand the possibilities of design, and that their experienced programmers aren't having any difficulty with keeping up a solid graphical style.

Dragon Sword is currently scheduled to release in Autumn in Japan, so stay tuned to NWR as more on the game's details break.