In 1995, Shinobi would make its way to Sega's new 32-bit system, the Sega Saturn. Released in the West as Shinobi Legions, Shin Shinobi Den was an attempt to resurrect the series after relative obscurity in the mid-1990s. The game was met with mixed reviews upon release.
Like many other mid-1990s games, Shin Shinobi Den used a combination of digitized graphics and sprites.Gameplay is adequate, but lacks the polish and refinement of the 16-bit Super Shinobi games. Not as bad as many have said, the game in nonetheless somewhat mediocre in relation to other stellar entries in the series. Largely forgotten today, the game can be had for fairly cheap in Japan. Shin Shinobi Den failed to make any significant impact upon release. Besides a very sub-par GBA released only in the West, the series laid dormant until the early 2000s.
In 2002, Shinobi would make a triumphant return for the PS2. Developed by Sega's Overworks division, this 3D action game was the boost that the dormant series needed. In the game, you play as Hotsuma.As a new character, the new game separates itself from the saga of the Musashi family in previous games. Combat relied on a combination of sword combos and ninja magic. Praised by many in the video game press, the game was criticized by some for being too repetitive. Shinobi was also somewhat overshadowed by the Ninja Gaiden remake for Microsoft's new Xbox, which was released very close to the Shinobi remake.
In the game, you spend a great deal of time fighting an endless horde of similar-looking ninja cyborgs. Despite this, the great level design, awesome music, and challenging boss battles certainly satisfied this author. The game has been building in legacy, and is now considered a PS2 classic.
The following year, Shinobi received a sequel in the form of Kunoichi. Released at Nightshade in Western markets, the game was seen as more of the same as Shinobi. The game is very similar to Shinobi and uses the same graphics engine, nearly identical game-play, and even the same music composers. If you like the 2002 Shinobi game, you cannot really go wrong with this one. Kunoichi received a lukewarm critical reception and failed to make a significant dent in the video game sales' charts.
Of mention is the portable Shinobi games. Two Game Gear games were released in the early 1990s. The GG Shinobi 1 and 2 were side-story games that tried to bring the action to Sega's portable. Short games, they nevertheless are challenging and feature some great tunes. In the GG games, you can switch between different coloured ninjas, each with their own unique abilities. The games can be found today for rock-bottom prices. Despite the limited graphics, series fans might enjoy give the games a whirl.
As of 2016, the once-mighty Shinobi series has laid dormant again. Released in 2011, a 3DS game known only as "Shinobi" was the last attempt to keep the series alive. A 2D platformer with 3D polygons, the game was considered unfairly challenging and was largely ignored by the press and public. It can be had for less than $10 on today's market.
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