As one of Sega's longest running series, the Shinobi games are some of the most classic games from the 80s and 90s. JGC will take a look at this underrated series and the games that made Shinobi a household name.
Released to arcades in 1987, the original Shinobi was the game that spawned its various ports to home consoles. Groundbreaking for the time, you play as Joe Musashi, a ninja who is tasked with rescuing students from the hands of a terrorist group. You rescue the students and progress to the next level. Boss battles are frequent and tough. The arcade game features bonus levels between levels, where Joe throws shurikens at ninja enemies.
Shinobi would find its way to several home consoles. Perhaps the most famous version was the version for the Sega Master System/Mark III. Featuring much less detailed graphics, the port was still enjoyable and kept the spirit of the arcade original. The music is great, and the little SMS soundchip pumps out some great ninja tunes. The SMS/M3 port is not nearly as difficult as the arcade original, but remains a challenging game. Noticeable changes from the original include more weapons, different music that repeats often, a lack of an ending, and a life-bar. Some have stated that these changes make the game too easy and slow-paced, which is a point that could certainly be considered true.
In 1989, the game would arrive on NEC's PC Engine. Done by Asmik, the port is considered a more faithful port of the Arcade original. Despite missing a level, most of the arcade game is kept intact here. One hit and you're dead. The game will test your patience and have you pulling out your hair. With much better visuals, closer music, and the difficulty of the original, purists will certainly prefer this port. The game would find its way home to several home computers, but most of them outside of Japan.
Shinobi would get its only true arcade sequel in the form of Shadow Dancer in 1989. Vastly different from the Megadrive/Genesis version, the arcade original has different levels, music, and sprites. You take control of Hayate, Joe Musashi's son. Hayate's dog Yamato was seen by many as a distraction in terms of gameplay. Yamato assists Hayate by helping take down enemies. Gameplay is fairly similar to the arcade original. Still tough as nails, the game is a major challenge. Stages are typical for the time, an airport, a train level, and a mountain base. The game is rather short, and can be finished rather quickly. The arcade original is mostly forgotten these days and has not found new life on various retro compilations, unlike its successor.
For many, the true sequel to Shinobi was the Megadrive/Genesis The Super Shinobi (aka "Revenge of Shinobi". Released in 1989, the game was a early hit for Sega's new 16-bit console. A very challenging game, it is famous for several reasons. The first is the awesome soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro of Streets of Rage/Bare Knuckle fame. The soundtrack is awesome, and you will be humming the tunes for days and weeks after playing the game.
Another reason the game is so famous is its boss battles. Not only do you battle Spiderman, you also will face off against bosses resembling Batman, Godzilla, and the Terminator. The game had to be released several different times to get around some of the copyright wrangles Sega faced for this one. New gameplay elements include a double-jump, more use of ninja-magic as an essential gameplay mechanic, and limited shurikens (yes, they can run out). Today, the game is considered a true Megadrive/Genesis classic.
In 1990, a Megadrive port of Shadow Dancer would be released to home consoles. A reworked version of the arcade original, the game is not quite up to par with The Super Shinobi or The Super Shinobi II. Shadow Dancer looks great, with colourful backgrounds and detailed sprites. Your dog Yamato is back, but this time has a charge meter for his attacks. The game has mostly different levels and music from the arcade game. While the soundtrack is good, don't expect the greatness from The Super/Revenge of Shinobi. A very short entry in the series, the game can be beaten in under an hour by experienced players and only has 5 levels. Not a bad game, but the weakest of the Megadrive entries, in my opinion.
Shinobi's finest hour would come in 1993. Known as Shinobi III in the West, The Super Shinobi II would push the Megadrive/Genesis to its absolute limit. A true classic, the game is easily among the best looking Megadrive titles. Incredible boss battles, killer music, and solid gameplay make for the quintessential Shinobi experience. While the game is not quite as challenging as The Super Shinobi, it is still quite hard. The Super Shinobi II would mark the end of the original Shinobi games and the first era for the series. Darker times would be ahead.
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