When players inserted the game cartridge or downloaded the game from the PlayStation Store, the game would load, and the patch would be applied automatically. This allowed players to play the game without any online requirements.

Originally released as Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox and later refined as Ninja Gaiden Sigma for the PS3, the "Plus" version was a launch title for the PlayStation Vita. It brought the lightning-fast, punishingly difficult combat of Ryu Hayabusa to a portable screen without sacrificing the depth the series is known for.

This method preserves the integrity of the game data (the app and patch folders) exactly as the developers intended, making it superior for archiving.

| Criterion | Physical Cartridge | Official Digital (PSN) | NoNpDrm Backup | |-----------|--------------------|------------------------|----------------| | Requires official firmware | Yes, latest OFW | Yes, logged into PSN | No (needs Henkaku jailbreak) | | Can run after PSN shutdown | Yes (if cart intact) | No (license check fails) | Yes | | Transferrable between Vitas | No (cart only) | No (locked to account) | Yes (copy folder) | | Loss of data due to memory failure | Re‑dump cart | Re‑download (if servers up) | Keep backup on PC | | Legal status (USA) | Legal | Legal | Grey area (DMCA anticircumvention) |