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Sega tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with Shinobi, an action-packed title that launched one of its longest-running and beloved franchises. Joe Mushashi’s initial adventure set arcades on fire and gave players all the ninja action they could ask for, and it still holds up damn well. With varied stages, huge bosses, and great sword-slashing action, the game remains as tough to conquer today as it was in 1987. It’s still as much fun, too, and a game every action fan needs to play.
Sega’s Shinobi series is recognized for its greatness on the Genesis, but the Game Gear is home to two excellent entries in the series. The first game features solid gameplay and great presentation, and it captures the essence of what makes the series so popular with fans. This is definitely one to have in your Game Gear library.
Sega’s early mascot returns for his final Master System outing, released a year after his Genesis debut (and finale). A funny spoof on another Sega franchise, Shinobi World is still a fun game to play. It’s a bit on the easy side, but it’s worth checking out… if you’re willing to pay the prices it goes for nowadays.
Virtually every Genesis owner owns or has at least played The Revenge of Shinobi. Hailed as a 16-bit classic, it was one of the early titles that showed off what the console was capable of, and it cemented the Shinobi series as a major Sega franchise. Sega-16 takes a comprehensive look at how it was made, with insight from several members of the development team.
You can’t keep a good Musashi down! Cyber Shinobi sees the return of Sega’s favorite ninja to the Master System, and while it may not compare to its classic Genesis siblings, it stands as a solid entry in the series. Some level design and presentation issues keep it from the head of the ninja pack, but it’s definitely worth checking out.