GAMING DIARIES
I've been gaming since the 1980's when my dad bought our family our very first NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM a.k.a. the original NES. I was just a little kid back then and I had no real talent for gaming. Either that or the games were really hard! To spare my ego I'll say it was probably a combination of the two. Anyway, we had only a few games and I maybe beat one or two legit and the rest I used my GAME GENIE on to cheat and destroy.
Years passed and I got a hand-me-down SUPER NINTENDO (when the NINTENDO 64 and PLAYSTATION were popular). If the games on the NES were my foundation and the genesis (SEGA?) of my love of gaming, the SNES cemented that love of gaming for life. Games like SUPER METROID, SUPER CASTLEVANIA IV, and SUPER STREET FIGHTER II were directly responsible for making me the life long gamer that I am. The big difference with these games was that I was older (with slightly more talent though not much) and I could beat these games!
While falling in love with the SNES I came to know the greatness of the SEGA GENESIS! Then came the Playstation followed shortly by the PS2 (the first console system I ever bought on the very launch day) and so on and so forth. During my college years was probably the height of my gaming career, discovering and playing many of my all-time favorites and acquiring my greatest gaming achievements.
Now much older, and having acquired a somewhat decent collection of systems and games, I am trekking back through the stacks and knocking out some of those harder games from my childhood that kicked my ass. Not to mention the extensive backlog of games I purchased but never had the time to get to.
Here are the diaries of my gaming adventures!
THE SHINOBI CHRONICLES
I first became obsessed with the Shinobi franchise in college a few years after SHINOBI for the PS2 came out. The Playstation 2 was still the current console system at the time and me and my buddies, Ross, Red, Chad, Brett, and Chris were all gaming together in the dorms. Ross is to blame for introducing me to Shinobi, a love affair that has lasted ever since.
Coming into the series at the PS2 Shinobi is pretty late in the franchise, I'll admit. But whether you jump into the story at issue #397 or issue #1, all that matters is that you find the story. From there I went both backwards and forwards with the franchise, getting the new games as they would come out and going back and getting the previous games.
In the early to mid 2000's, buying up old games was easy. There were great places like FUNCOLAND and GAMERS that made retro gaming easy and affordable (which was great because I was a poor college student surviving on cafeteria food and Keystone Light). Today, buying original NES and SNES games in large quantities is impossible (the prices are ludicrous!). I sound like an old man when I say that those were the "good ol' days" of collecting. We bought a TON of NES games, SNES, Sega Genesis, Playstation, PS2, Dreamcast, and even TURBO GRAFX 16!
As you can imagine we spent more time gaming than studying. And for every game we played there was an equally large pile of backlog games that we said we'd eventually get to. Some of those games in the backlog were the classic Shinobi games for NES, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and Sega Saturn. It's a sin, I know, that I bought all these games and never really played them. But destiny had another time in store with which these games would again enter my life!
SHINOBI REDISCOVERED
As you can imagine we spent more time gaming than studying. And for every game we played there was an equally large pile of backlog games that we said we'd eventually get to. Some of those games in the backlog were the classic Shinobi games for NES, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and Sega Saturn. It's a sin, I know, that I bought all these games and never really played them. But destiny had another time in store with which these games would again enter my life!
SHINOBI REDISCOVERED
I. Love. Shinobi.
Like, really love Shinobi. I say that, and I mean it. But I'm a bit of a poser. There are a few Shinobi games I've never beat and some, 'gasp,' that I've never even played! That is just plain unacceptable.
"I will not be a Shinobi poser! I will not!"
Like, really love Shinobi. I say that, and I mean it. But I'm a bit of a poser. There are a few Shinobi games I've never beat and some, 'gasp,' that I've never even played! That is just plain unacceptable.
"I will not be a Shinobi poser! I will not!"
There is only one way to change this. I must play ALL the Shinobi games and beat them without cheating, legit. And that is what I am going to do!
Below lies the chronicle of my Shinobi conquest!
First up:
SHINOBI (1987)
The original Shinobi was released in arcades in 1987, the first console port of it came in 1988 for the SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, and then finally on the NES and virtually every other system at the time in 1989.
Shinobi is a 2D side scrolling platformer. You play as Joe Musashi (the preeminent protagonist for most of the series), modern day ninja master of the Oboro Clan. You wield the fabled shinobi saber, Oborozuki ~ Hazy Moon, the blade of the true ninja master. The evil organization Zeed has kidnapped ninjas from the Oboro Clan and is holding them hostage. It is up to Joe to storm the gates of Zeed, rescue the hostages, and destroy the masters of Zeed. Notably, this is the only time Joe Musashi is featured wearing black and completely unmasked (his iconic image would be solidified in the next game).
You primary weapons are shurikens (unlimited), yours fists, and your feet. You can upgrade to a pistol as well as acquire secret ninja magics (Ninjitsu). You progress through 5 levels, 4 stages per level (save the first level which only has 3 stages). The last stage of every level is a straight up boss fight.
The first level displayed enemies with smart A.I., they'd only attack when you entered their sights. For a Nintendo game of the era, the smart A.I. was quite remarkable. The design of the first stage of level 1, plus the final boss of level 1, were almost lifted completely for the first stage of Ninja Gaiden for the NES (my absolute favorite NES game). The first level was a breeze, just a matter of getting use to the controls.
Next up is a Bonus Stage! Aww, the era of arcade style bonus stages... After every level (save the last level) you get to play a bonus stage to earn more ninja magic (as well as different kinds of ninja magics). The bonus stages are kind of a Ninja First Person Shooter of sorts. Hordes of green ninjas come running in from off screen and jump at you (the screen). You move Joe back and forth throwing as many shurikens as you can. If you kill all of the evil ninjas you get a new ninja magic!
Level 2 upped the difficultly considerably. Specifically the boss of Level 2 stage 4 was a PAIN. The Black Turtle (the boss of this level) eschewed a now classic troupe of ninja games: that of the evil helicopter. The helicopter fires a barrage of bullets at you and then dumps loads of evil ninjas on top of you after that. I tossed a few shurikens at the helicopter and it made that "ting" sound of metal on metal, which is usually indicative of your attack having no effect. From there I searched for the helicopter's hidden weak point. I found none. My next thought was, "perhaps I have to kill a certain number of ninjas and time it out?" So I tried this. I was on a hot streak there and must've killed a hundred ninjas and yet they still kept coming. I had died and tried again many many times by this point and was pissed off to no end.
I said, "F*** this! I'm going to GameFAQS!"
There are two walkthroughs on GameFAQS. The first guide's strategy for the Black Turtle said to ignore the helicopter and kill all the enemies that drop out. This is FALSE! I tried that and it didn't work. I gave it a helluva try and nothing happened. So I went to the second walkthrough and it said to shoot the helicopter nose/engine (that thing that I did shoot and it went "ting!"). I tried that and the Black Turtle crashed and burned!
"WHOSE LAUGHING NOW, WHIRLYBIRD?!"
On to Level 3. More of those damn bouncing ninjas from the last boss fight assail you from here on out and they're a pain in the ass. Overall this level isn't too bad. I made it through the stages and to the boss. First off is a tower of statues stacked atop each other from the bottom of the screen to the top. And they inch towards you slowly. You have to hammer rapidly on the attack button, throwing more shurikens than you've ever thrown before. You can only decimate one statue at a time, the next one dropping down where the previous statue stood. My back was to the wall and the final statue was in my face by the time I killed them all. Then came the actual boss, Mandara! Mandara is a giant head on the wall that spits lightning at you. A few shots to his head and he's done. A few tries and I had him beat.
Level 4 again wasn't too bad to get through. The boss at the end, however, was a fickle jerk! Lobster, as he's denoted, is a gigantic evil samurai with a sword bigger than my whole body. The whole time he's charging towards you and there's no way you can jump over him. Once he corners you, you're in for huge damage. His weak spot is his head. A shot to the head knocks him back. He's fickle in that he sometimes decides to just turn off his weakness. In one attempt I was nailing him perfectly in the head (which is a very small spot on an otherwise massive person) again and again. I had his back against the far wall! Then he decides no more. Suddenly I either can't hit him anymore or my hits stopped registering. When Lobster wasn't cooperating this level was a pain. Most of the time my attempts would be a mix of his weak spot being there and not being there. Anyway, I got him.
On to the final level!
Level 5 was a little harder than the previous levels. There's evil ninjas, riflemen, and pitfalls. Then there's a few new enemies: kamakazi ninjas and killer monks, both of which are tenacious and harder than all others to kill. Then there's the final boss:
The Masked Ninja. This dude is worthy of being a final boss... what a dick.
He starts off using one pattern against you. You hit him enough and he suddenly he changes his pattern, a first for the bosses of this game (and not a trait I have run into too often in the NES era. So, bravo Sega... and simultaneously, I hate you). This boss shifts through three more phases, each one more tenacious than the last. Countless attempts later, frustrated as hell, I finally beat him and with that, the game!
The original Shinobi, arguably the most important and influential ninja video game of all time, was defeated! And without cheating! Overall I thought it was a very fun and challenging game. Definitely worthy of classic status. I will definitely be revisiting this game again and again throughout the years. But, as with any continuing franchise, the subsequent games would push the series even further, into new and greater realms. I'd liken this first Shinobi to the first Castlevania, the first Metal Gear, Metroid, Mario Bros., and so on in that it is a great game and a solid foundation, but the franchise's greatest triumphs were yet to come.
2nd:
THE REVENGE OF SHINOBI (1989)
A true Sega Genesis and video game classic, The Revenge of Shinobi solidified Joe Musashi as the original video game ninja hero and turned him into one of Sega's most popular heroes. TROS came out the same year as rival and arguable holder for greatest ninja game franchise ever (I personally love them both), NINJA GAIDEN.
What's interesting is that Sega made two direct sequels to the original Shinobi at the same time. SHADOW DANCER and The Revenge of Shinobi both came out in 1989. Both retain similar platforming elements to their predecessor. Shadow Dancer however feels more akin to the original Shinobi in terms of layout and mechanics while TROS feels like a real leap forward for the series (more on Shadow Dancer later).
The Revenge of Shinobi is 2D platformer composed of 8 levels and three stages per level, the final stage of each level being a straight up boss fight. The evil organization Zeed has reformed, now christening themselves Neo Zeed. Out for blood against the Oboro Clan, Neo Zeed kills Joe Musashi's master and kidnaps Joe's bride to be. Once again Joe Musashi takes up the sword to save those he loves and stop villainy.
Like the original Shinobi, there are many versions of this game. Unlike the original game though, the multiple versions of TROS are due to numerous instances of copyright infringement. Rambo, the Terminator, Spider-Man, Batman, Godzilla, and actor Sonny Chiba all make unlicensed appearances in the original version. There are at least five versions of this game on Sega Genesis, each revision editing out one or more of the various copyright infringements until all that remained was The Terminator (apparently James Cameron doesn't play video games... or is a big Shinobi fan!). Well, they did change his color though (after a few shot he takes on a green skin hue. Hulk, anyone?).
I have the third version of the game which actually obtained the copyright to use Spider-Man from Marvel, but gone are Rambo and Batman. Godzilla is still there and so is Sonny Chiba's likeness. But Terminator's skin is green. The game itself, however, is unchanged. Of course I discovered there were different versions of this game after I bought it (otherwise I would've tried to track down an original Version 1.0 copy... I still may do that... cause I'm a collector and I want to fight Batman and Rambo!)
The game is shuriken based combat like the original Shinobi, but your shurikens are limited (there's a counter keeping track of your inventory). Once you run out of shurikens you have only close range kicks, knife stabs, and sword slashes (the sword only works if you have the Power Up though). You also have the signature Ninjitsu magic (three different types which are all selectable) which you can only do once per level (unless you acquire more). You are given a completely new ability in this game: the double jump shuriken burst! The double jump is an essential technique for the completion of this game (and not as easy to master as you'd think).
Mastering the double jump was annoying as hell. You can only execute the double jump at the height of your jump or slightly before the height of your jump. If you don't time it just right the double jump won't occur and you'll fall just like you would a regular jump. There were countless times I hammered on the jump button and no double jump happened... grrrr. There are numerous instances where a double jump is needed to survive and a nigh perfect run was ruined when the double jump failed to execute. I roared and cursed the television many times at instances such as this.
Also, when you're double jumping and hit the attack button you perform a shuriken burst. Eight (I think it's eight) shurikens fly out from your hands, each in a different direction covering most of the screen. It's a great "attack all" move that can save your ninja ass big time. And it can drain your shuriken stock quickly if you're abusing it too. The double jump shuriken burst would go on to be a trademark technique of the Shinobi series going forward.
Below lies the chronicle of my Shinobi conquest!
First up:
SHINOBI (1987)
The original Shinobi was released in arcades in 1987, the first console port of it came in 1988 for the SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, and then finally on the NES and virtually every other system at the time in 1989.
Shinobi is a 2D side scrolling platformer. You play as Joe Musashi (the preeminent protagonist for most of the series), modern day ninja master of the Oboro Clan. You wield the fabled shinobi saber, Oborozuki ~ Hazy Moon, the blade of the true ninja master. The evil organization Zeed has kidnapped ninjas from the Oboro Clan and is holding them hostage. It is up to Joe to storm the gates of Zeed, rescue the hostages, and destroy the masters of Zeed. Notably, this is the only time Joe Musashi is featured wearing black and completely unmasked (his iconic image would be solidified in the next game).
You primary weapons are shurikens (unlimited), yours fists, and your feet. You can upgrade to a pistol as well as acquire secret ninja magics (Ninjitsu). You progress through 5 levels, 4 stages per level (save the first level which only has 3 stages). The last stage of every level is a straight up boss fight.
The first level displayed enemies with smart A.I., they'd only attack when you entered their sights. For a Nintendo game of the era, the smart A.I. was quite remarkable. The design of the first stage of level 1, plus the final boss of level 1, were almost lifted completely for the first stage of Ninja Gaiden for the NES (my absolute favorite NES game). The first level was a breeze, just a matter of getting use to the controls.
Next up is a Bonus Stage! Aww, the era of arcade style bonus stages... After every level (save the last level) you get to play a bonus stage to earn more ninja magic (as well as different kinds of ninja magics). The bonus stages are kind of a Ninja First Person Shooter of sorts. Hordes of green ninjas come running in from off screen and jump at you (the screen). You move Joe back and forth throwing as many shurikens as you can. If you kill all of the evil ninjas you get a new ninja magic!
Level 2 upped the difficultly considerably. Specifically the boss of Level 2 stage 4 was a PAIN. The Black Turtle (the boss of this level) eschewed a now classic troupe of ninja games: that of the evil helicopter. The helicopter fires a barrage of bullets at you and then dumps loads of evil ninjas on top of you after that. I tossed a few shurikens at the helicopter and it made that "ting" sound of metal on metal, which is usually indicative of your attack having no effect. From there I searched for the helicopter's hidden weak point. I found none. My next thought was, "perhaps I have to kill a certain number of ninjas and time it out?" So I tried this. I was on a hot streak there and must've killed a hundred ninjas and yet they still kept coming. I had died and tried again many many times by this point and was pissed off to no end.
 |
| Ninjas battling helicopters... And this has become a staple of most ninja games. Why? Why? Why?!?!? |
I said, "F*** this! I'm going to GameFAQS!"
There are two walkthroughs on GameFAQS. The first guide's strategy for the Black Turtle said to ignore the helicopter and kill all the enemies that drop out. This is FALSE! I tried that and it didn't work. I gave it a helluva try and nothing happened. So I went to the second walkthrough and it said to shoot the helicopter nose/engine (that thing that I did shoot and it went "ting!"). I tried that and the Black Turtle crashed and burned!
"WHOSE LAUGHING NOW, WHIRLYBIRD?!"
On to Level 3. More of those damn bouncing ninjas from the last boss fight assail you from here on out and they're a pain in the ass. Overall this level isn't too bad. I made it through the stages and to the boss. First off is a tower of statues stacked atop each other from the bottom of the screen to the top. And they inch towards you slowly. You have to hammer rapidly on the attack button, throwing more shurikens than you've ever thrown before. You can only decimate one statue at a time, the next one dropping down where the previous statue stood. My back was to the wall and the final statue was in my face by the time I killed them all. Then came the actual boss, Mandara! Mandara is a giant head on the wall that spits lightning at you. A few shots to his head and he's done. A few tries and I had him beat.
Level 4 again wasn't too bad to get through. The boss at the end, however, was a fickle jerk! Lobster, as he's denoted, is a gigantic evil samurai with a sword bigger than my whole body. The whole time he's charging towards you and there's no way you can jump over him. Once he corners you, you're in for huge damage. His weak spot is his head. A shot to the head knocks him back. He's fickle in that he sometimes decides to just turn off his weakness. In one attempt I was nailing him perfectly in the head (which is a very small spot on an otherwise massive person) again and again. I had his back against the far wall! Then he decides no more. Suddenly I either can't hit him anymore or my hits stopped registering. When Lobster wasn't cooperating this level was a pain. Most of the time my attempts would be a mix of his weak spot being there and not being there. Anyway, I got him.
On to the final level!
Level 5 was a little harder than the previous levels. There's evil ninjas, riflemen, and pitfalls. Then there's a few new enemies: kamakazi ninjas and killer monks, both of which are tenacious and harder than all others to kill. Then there's the final boss:
The Masked Ninja. This dude is worthy of being a final boss... what a dick.
He starts off using one pattern against you. You hit him enough and he suddenly he changes his pattern, a first for the bosses of this game (and not a trait I have run into too often in the NES era. So, bravo Sega... and simultaneously, I hate you). This boss shifts through three more phases, each one more tenacious than the last. Countless attempts later, frustrated as hell, I finally beat him and with that, the game!
The original Shinobi, arguably the most important and influential ninja video game of all time, was defeated! And without cheating! Overall I thought it was a very fun and challenging game. Definitely worthy of classic status. I will definitely be revisiting this game again and again throughout the years. But, as with any continuing franchise, the subsequent games would push the series even further, into new and greater realms. I'd liken this first Shinobi to the first Castlevania, the first Metal Gear, Metroid, Mario Bros., and so on in that it is a great game and a solid foundation, but the franchise's greatest triumphs were yet to come.
2nd:
THE REVENGE OF SHINOBI (1989)
A true Sega Genesis and video game classic, The Revenge of Shinobi solidified Joe Musashi as the original video game ninja hero and turned him into one of Sega's most popular heroes. TROS came out the same year as rival and arguable holder for greatest ninja game franchise ever (I personally love them both), NINJA GAIDEN.
What's interesting is that Sega made two direct sequels to the original Shinobi at the same time. SHADOW DANCER and The Revenge of Shinobi both came out in 1989. Both retain similar platforming elements to their predecessor. Shadow Dancer however feels more akin to the original Shinobi in terms of layout and mechanics while TROS feels like a real leap forward for the series (more on Shadow Dancer later).
The Revenge of Shinobi is 2D platformer composed of 8 levels and three stages per level, the final stage of each level being a straight up boss fight. The evil organization Zeed has reformed, now christening themselves Neo Zeed. Out for blood against the Oboro Clan, Neo Zeed kills Joe Musashi's master and kidnaps Joe's bride to be. Once again Joe Musashi takes up the sword to save those he loves and stop villainy.
Like the original Shinobi, there are many versions of this game. Unlike the original game though, the multiple versions of TROS are due to numerous instances of copyright infringement. Rambo, the Terminator, Spider-Man, Batman, Godzilla, and actor Sonny Chiba all make unlicensed appearances in the original version. There are at least five versions of this game on Sega Genesis, each revision editing out one or more of the various copyright infringements until all that remained was The Terminator (apparently James Cameron doesn't play video games... or is a big Shinobi fan!). Well, they did change his color though (after a few shot he takes on a green skin hue. Hulk, anyone?).
I have the third version of the game which actually obtained the copyright to use Spider-Man from Marvel, but gone are Rambo and Batman. Godzilla is still there and so is Sonny Chiba's likeness. But Terminator's skin is green. The game itself, however, is unchanged. Of course I discovered there were different versions of this game after I bought it (otherwise I would've tried to track down an original Version 1.0 copy... I still may do that... cause I'm a collector and I want to fight Batman and Rambo!)
The game is shuriken based combat like the original Shinobi, but your shurikens are limited (there's a counter keeping track of your inventory). Once you run out of shurikens you have only close range kicks, knife stabs, and sword slashes (the sword only works if you have the Power Up though). You also have the signature Ninjitsu magic (three different types which are all selectable) which you can only do once per level (unless you acquire more). You are given a completely new ability in this game: the double jump shuriken burst! The double jump is an essential technique for the completion of this game (and not as easy to master as you'd think).
Mastering the double jump was annoying as hell. You can only execute the double jump at the height of your jump or slightly before the height of your jump. If you don't time it just right the double jump won't occur and you'll fall just like you would a regular jump. There were countless times I hammered on the jump button and no double jump happened... grrrr. There are numerous instances where a double jump is needed to survive and a nigh perfect run was ruined when the double jump failed to execute. I roared and cursed the television many times at instances such as this.
Also, when you're double jumping and hit the attack button you perform a shuriken burst. Eight (I think it's eight) shurikens fly out from your hands, each in a different direction covering most of the screen. It's a great "attack all" move that can save your ninja ass big time. And it can drain your shuriken stock quickly if you're abusing it too. The double jump shuriken burst would go on to be a trademark technique of the Shinobi series going forward.
LEVEL 1
You begin the game in the Oboro Ninja Village and the level is beautifully rendered. Feudal Japan design esthetics abound in this level giving the game an authentic Japanese presence from the start. You fight evil ninjas, evil samurai, ninja dogs, and finally a giant evil uber-samurai as the boss. This is a great level to find your bearings and get used to the game. It's not too hard but it's not too easy either. As you may have guessed it is by far my favorite level based solely on the Feudal Japan architecture. Graphically it looks amazing. The end boss (the uber-samurai) was more challenging than I thought he'd be, but once you figure him out he's not too bad.
Level 2 is notable for the pitfalls... ARGGG!!! THE PITFALLS!!! I hate the pitfalls. Here's where the double jump timing either saves you or eff's you hard. I've lost countless lives here (Level 2 Stage 1 to be precise). It's a pretty waterfall level that I ended up hating because of the damn pitfalls which are one-hit kills. Your life bar doesn't amount to $#!+ when it comes to pitfalls. Level 2 Stage 2 still has pitfalls but they aren't nearly as bad. The scene changes from a wilderness waterfall to the dark back alleys of the city and rooftops. Bruce Lee lookalikes appear here (with Bruce Lee's signature flying kick attack). A nun also crosses paths with you, then they rip off their habit to reveal their true identity as a deadly kunoichi. I like these Nun/Kunoichi enemies. The final boss is a ninja who fights a lot like the final boss of the original Shinobi. He's not nearly as bad as the final boss of the original Shinobi (thank god! That would be just plain mean. It's only the second level for god's sake!).
Level 3 is a military base/airport of sorts. Level 3 Stage 1 introduces the dual plane element. There is a tall chain-link fence that runs the entire stage. When you double jump you hop over the fence. If badguys are on one side of the fence and you are on the other, you can't hit them and they can't hit you. This is good as this level introduces soldier enemies with rifles and machine guns (oh how I hate the enemies with guns!). There are no pitfalls here, thank god, but again if you don't get the double jump right, you don't flip over the fence as intended and instead land in front of a barrage of bullets. Very frustrating indeed. You definitely need a healthy stock of shurikens as close range attacks are far too dangerous most of the time. This level brought the hurt big time! The second stage isn't nearly as bad (you're in the belly of a big plane) and thank god the boss of the level, a brain in a jar, is a chump. Still, you'll spend a lot of your time mastering that godforsaken first stage!
Level 4 is a junkyard with soldiers and flamethrower baddies. The flamethrower enemies were introduced in Level 3 Stage 1 (another reason why that place sucks!) and if you have version 1.0 of TROS they look exactly like Rambo. My copy, version 1.3, has them looking bald and wearing shades. Anyway, not a tough level, you just need to take it slow. There are lots of layers to the stage design, both foreground and background plates, which sometimes hide the enemies, letting you walk into a barrage of bullets sometimes. Stage 2 is a bunch of pitfalls and evil conveyor belts in a smelting factory. Once you jump to the top you end up in another junkyard where you fight The Terminator! He can be annoying but once you get his timing down (he throws junked out engines and car-frames at you) he's not too bad. The car-frames are kinda big and can be tough to dodge at times.
Level 5 SUCKS HARD! This is a top contender for my most hated level of the game (maybe even any game! I fricken hate this level!). You could be having a good run at the game and this level is the deciding factor whether you succeed or fail altogether. You start off in the lobby of a building and have to jump your way up to the roof. Waiting to f$#K you hard are soldiers, grenade throwers, strafing laser beams, "surprise! ninjas," and bombs. ARGHH!! Your only saving grace is one of your ninja magics. I don't really need them up to this point (or at least I could get by without them until here). One of your three Ninjitsu is an Invincibility field. I travel as far as I can up the stage without it, then, when my life bar is nearly gone, I activate the Invincibility field. The Invincibility field remains until it has been hit a certain number of times. It's basically an emergency life bar. With any luck I have ascended 3/4ths of the stage before I have to use it. I jump like crazy as fast as I can up the rest of the level. And if the double jump fails me at crucial moments, you fall all the way down to the bottom/beginning of the level. Oh God, how I hate this level! And that's only Level 5 Stage 1.
Level 5 Stage 2 is a serious pain in the ass too! You're on the freeway overpass now. This stage once again utilizes the dual plane feature. The forward plane consists of the overpass uprights (platforms which you can stand on and have to jump from one to the other) and pitfalls... loads of pitfalls. The background plane is the freeway itself in which you have to avoid being hit by speeding cars and hordes of kunoichi. Also peppered throughout are soldiers with machine guns and grenade throwers. The speeding cars do a TON of damage if you get hit, like nearly a third of your life bar. The soldiers and grenade throwers are experts at knocking you off the uprights and into the pitfalls too. Of course, the speeding cars fly right passed the enemies with hurting them. You HAVE to bounce back and forth between the planes to make it through the stage and I have failed hard over and over here. If you time your double jump wrong you can land in front of a speeding car. Conversely, if you accidentally double jump into the forward plane at the wrong time, you're jumping directly into a pit. There a ton of kunoichi here and a good shuriken burst would be handy to take them all out, but the damn double jump needed to do it shifts you into the opposite plane! ARG!! I HATE THIS LEVEL!
Thank the lord that the final boss is a chump! You're riding what looks like a high tech weaponized train. There are three weak spots you have to destroy while avoiding being blasted in the face by fireballs. And you have to avoid being electrified by an electric pulse beam. No double jumping needed. Just get on the other side of the fireball cannons and jump every time the electric pulse occurs and you're good.
Level 6 is a cake walk compared to the last level. You start off in a cool looking China Town district fighting off various kung fu warriors, including more Bruce Lee lookalikes. There is one part here where you have to double jump to a platform to continue. The distance is just far enough that you can't quite make it. You have to either use one of your ninja magics (the super jump) or perform the even trickier double jump timing. Magic makes it easy but it can be done without, but finding the right timing and spacing can be frustratingly difficult. Anyway, me being a hoarder when it comes to video game items, I try to do the harder option. Stage 2 you're riding atop a train. At first you're in a tunnel and have to jump over or duck beneath overhead girders. There are a few ninjas and flamethrower guys too but other than that the level is a breeze.
JOE MUSASHI VERSUS SPIDER-MAN & BATMAN & DEVILMAN
The final boss of level 6 is a double header. First you fight Spider-Man. He tries to web you up, but once you beat on him a little he goes away. Then Devilman swoops down and you have to fight him and his little devil bats. Neither are too hard. Spider-Man you have to keep moving back and forth to avoid his webs. Devilman is easier in that all you have to do is avoid his bats and duck or jump over him as he swoops. SPECIAL NOTE: Devilman wasn't the original second boss of level 6. Originally it was one boss, a shapeshifter. First it looks like a bargain bin Spider-Man (without the fine details). Then it morphs into a Batman lookalike. DC, understandably, didn't like the unlicensed use of Batman's likeness so Batman was removed in the second version. Interestingly Marvel was cool with Spider-Man and gave Sega the license with slight caveats: Spider-Man would be better detailed and be the actual Spider-Man as opposed to a shapeshifter. And the player wouldn't defeat Spider-Man but rather drive Spidey away. This would be known as TROS version 1.3 (the version I own). But after the license expired Sega had to remove Spidey and replaced him with a pink pajama wearing guy who fights exactly like Spidey.
Level 7 increases the difficultly a bit. The first stage occurs on the docks meaning lots of pitfalls. You have to jump from platform to platform over open water (the pitfalls). Annoyingly placed ninjas try to knock you into the water at every turn. Take your time and you're okay. There are a few spots where baiting the ninjas out of their hiding places saves your ass big time (jumping forward far enough to trigger the ninjas but then pulling back and landing on the previous platform. Kill those evil ninjas and move on free and clear!). Then you come to the biggest jump in the game. You NEED to use the super jump ninja magic here. There is no other way. And even then if you don't time the double jump just right you can still fail. This spot nearly broke my spirit. Even using the super jump I kept failing. It seemed impossible for a long while. Then one day (yes, it took me several days) I finally did it! Literally two platforms later and the stage is over! Level 7 Stage 2 is a descent into the belly of a huge freighter vessel. Other than a bunch of soldiers with machine guns (who blend in with the backgrounds pretty well) the level isn't too bad.
JOE MUSASHI VERSUS GODZILLA
The boss of Level 7 is none other than the king of the monsters himself: GODZILLA! Well, it's basically Godzilla. It's a miniature Godzilla (about 20 feet tall) without his signature dorsal plates. But other than that it is the spitting image of Gojira. He breathes fire (orange not blue fire) and whips his tail (a strike from his tail is devastating to your life bar!). There is a platform on the far left wall and far right wall. Standing on those platforms puts you at eye level with Godzilla and thereby his weaken point (his head). Unload shurikens as fast as you can without getting burnt to a crisp. Leap over the top when he steps super close, avoid his tail, and jump up to the opposite wall platform and repeat. Godzilla takes a long time to kill. One way to really speed up the process is by using your final Ninjitsu: Self-Destruction. Using this ninja magic costs you an entire life but it inflicts huge damage to your opponent. I usually use this magic to help defeat Godzilla.
Level 8, the final level! You start off at the docks outside of Neo Zeed's headquarters. More platforms to jump between. More pitfalls. And a ton of soldiers and grenade throwers to tear down your life bar and knock you into the water. The fireball cannons make a return appearance too. This is one tough level. Truthfully I have to use my Invincibility field to make it through every time. Stage 2 is a massive labyrinth. There are warp doors all over the place that transport you to another area of the labyrinth. I'd still be lost in there right now. If I was younger and had more time maybe I'd have discovered the path myself. But I'm too old and I don't have the time. I looked up a map of the labyrinth on GameFAQS. I'm not gonna lie, I tried the labyrinth on my own and went as far as I could. But my window for gaming nowadays is short (unlike my bachelor days where I could and would devote entire days on end to gaming). Anyway, the correct path is pretty well hidden so good luck to anyone who tackles this labyrinth by themselves.
The final boss is the leader of Neo Zeed, a mask wearing, head banging, kabuki costumed villain. He has huge swinging hair that acts as an impenetrable shield. When you're close he'll strike with his hair. Only then is he vulnerable. You duck beneath his attack and strike. Once you hit him you need to get back because he'll retaliate by throwing his hair at you (and it is very difficult to avoid and does big time damage). Meanwhile, in the background, Joe's bride-to-be is shown in the background in a cage, the ceiling slowly lowering upon her. In essence it's a timer. You have to beat the boss before she gets crushed. Needless to say I didn't beat him in time nor at all. It took me many attempts. Dodging his flying hair is very hard.
When I finally beat the boss, Joe's bride was long dead. I received the "Bad Ending" with Joe standing on the cliffside alone in the twilight. It took me so long to kill the boss that I couldn't fathom how anyone could kill the boss in the required time to save Joe's ladyfriend (still, I give myself kudos for surviving as long as I did against the boss, dodging his attacks pretty well, and defeating him without any power ups or magic. Not an easy task! Strangely this is similar to how I defeated the final boss of the PS2 Shinobi for the first time). Again I went to GameFAQS for a strategy guide this time. Basically they told me what I already knew: You need to have the power up and use Invincibility magic (because you lose the power up when get hit). One guide recommended two magic uses of Invincibility because avoiding the flying hair was next to impossible. Well, what they didn't tell me was that getting to the boss with a power up and a magic was a beast in itself. So the guides didn't really help this time. I went back, played the game all over again, implemented a strategy of my own design, and reattempted the finale boss. I discovered a way of dodging the flying hair with relative efficiency (you have to time your jump at the last second!). I only had one magic to use but it turns out I didn't need any more as my dodging skills served me well. With the power-up, getting close to slash the boss with the sword, he went down pretty fast. I saved Joe's wife-to-be and attained the "Good Ending" at last!
The Revenge of Shinobi was defeated to my satisfaction. It took lots of practice and many attempts. Overall I think this is a great game! The graphics are incredible for a game from 1989 and the gameplay, despite some small issues, is tight and fun. The gameplay is challenging, downright frustrating at times, but not impossible. You have a feeling of a accomplishment once you beat it. The design of the game is fresh and interesting and highly detailed. And it has a really good soundtrack too! Of all the ninja games I've played, TROS is one of the best.
Next up...
3rd:
SHADOW DANCER: THE SECRET OF SHINOBI (1990)
In 1989 two sequels to the original Shinobi were made, and released only two months apart. The first was an arcade and Sega Master System release titled SHADOW DANCER. The game proved popular enough to warrant an updated port to the Sega Genesis a year later. SHADOW DANCER: THE SECRET OF SHINOBI is the title of the Sega Genesis version, exclusive to that console system.
The gameplay is relatively similar to the original Shinobi, identical in some respects. To me, Shadow Dancer feels like a true gameplay and game design sequel to the original Shinobi while The Revenge of Shinobi feels more like a spiritual/thematic sequel as well as a continuation of the original game's plot. Shadow Dancer is a side-scrolling platformer in which you play as Joe Musashi (if you're playing the North American version. In the Japanese version the protagonist is identified as Hayate, Joe's son) once again. Accompanying you for this adventure is your faithful dog, Yamato. Joe fights with his trusty shurikens and sword once more and can sic his dog on enemies. The dog can stun lock enemies allowing you time to walk up to them and finish them off.
Just like the other Shinobi games prior, there are multiple levels and three stages within each level. The object of each stage is to rescue all of the hostages (much like the original Shinobi) and, of course, travel from one end to the other. Unlike Shinobi or TROS, you have no life bar this time around and taking a single hit is a one-hit kill. Yep, all it take to stop you dead in your tracks is one measly little hit. The enemies have to actually hit you though. By that I mean you can bump into enemies endlessly and be fine as long as the enemies don't land an attack on you. The bosses are exceptions as touching them is instant death!
Your dog, Yamato, is invincible however (even to pit falls!). Holding down the attack button will charge Yamato's meter. As long as there's an enemy in his sights he will sic them on command. His only weakness is if an enemy is shielding themselves, in which case Yamato will run head first into their shields, hurting himself, and will be unplayable for a brief period. Enemies range from only needing one hit to kill to needing three hits at worst. With a power-up though you can take out any regular enemy in one hit. You also have your trademark ninja magic but this time all the magics basically do the same thing: clear the area of enemies. There are different magic animations but they all do the same thing. No super jumps and no Invincibility shield. And you can't stock up on magic uses either. You get one magic use per life and or one magic use per level (if you're good enough to make it through entire levels without needing to use more than one magic).
So with that... let's begin!
There are three difficulties and an option for non-shuriken play. I left everything on default or "standard" settings. Letting the title screen run for a few seconds eventually reveals a prologue story, scrolling text setting up the narrative. This time Joe isn't fighting Zeed or Neo Zeed, but a new evil organization called Union Lizard, a cult who worships a reptilian demon named Sauros. Union Lizard has taken over New York City! Only Joe Musashi and his canine friend, Yamato, can save the city and its citizens from total annihilation!
Level 1 Stage 1 is a city in flames! There are two planes of gameplay... sort of. You start off on the ground with enemies running toward you. Above you is a ledge with a hostage and another enemy. You can't interact with the characters on the above ledge unless you press "up" on the d-pad and "jump" at the same time. By doing so Joe performs a backflip super jump that places him on the above plane. This mechanic of play is present in the first three levels and can be advantageous in avoiding enemy attacks. Anyway, the first level is pretty straight-forward. The level is very impressive in design, showcasing the awesome graphical capabilities of the Genesis, specifically with the city in flames in the background.
The next stage is less impressive but still highly detailed. Again, Stage 2 is pretty straight-forward. In addition to enemies, you have to avoid falling debris from buildings and there are two points where the ground opens up revealing a pitfall! The final boss is a giant demonic samurai. He leaps and lands causing debris to fall from above (which avoiding can sometimes be nigh impossible) while breathing fire at you. His weak spot is his head. I died more by falling debris than his fire. Overall though, this boss is impressive to look at but easily taken out.
After each boss stage there is a bonus stage! Another carry-over from the original Shinobi, the presence of these bonus stages lends further synchronicity between Shadow Dancer and the original game. These bonus stages have Joe falling from the top of a skyscraper with enemy ninjas leaping up the side of the building to confront him. It's basically a shooter game here, like Gradius or R-Type. Killing all the ninjas gains you extra lives.
Level 2 Stage 1 has Joe along the Brooklyn Bridge (I think). This is an impressively laid out level with many planes to jump between, but be careful not to jump too far down as the very bottom contains pitfalls galore! Compared to the last time I was playing Joe Musashi on a bridge, this bridge stage is a cakewalk! This stage introduces your first enemies that take 2 hits to kill: Blue Ninjas! The next stage is a train depot or warehouse/shipping yard exterior. A helicopter passes overhead at the beginning, portending death from above later. The fence that divides planes makes a return appearance from TROS. Hopping back and forth over this plane is kinda weird as you press up and jump to get over to one side but then have to press down and jump to return to the original side. Other than more Blue Ninjas, this stage isn't too bad.
The boss is a demonic face and hands that animate bricks along the wall. A monstrous face will appear from out of the brick wall spanning the entire background. Then HUGE hands appear and reach out for you. You have to shoot the boss in the face, between the eyes to be precise. You have a window to shoot him as he appears (at a random spot on the wall) and then another immediately following the huge hands (provided you avoided the hands, of course) before he disappears into the wall again. His hands can be very difficult to dodge, especially if the jerk appears directly above you. This guy earned my verbal ire and cussing out during a playthrough. He can be hit or miss, but overall not too bad.
Level 3 Stage 1 has you begin at the base of the Statue of Liberty. You need to climb your way to the top. This stage isn't all that impressive to look at. It introduces Pink Ninjas (which also take two hits to vanquish)... oh how I hate Pink Ninjas! These bastards jump in the air and then dive attack the exact spot you're standing. This wouldn't be so bad as all you have to do is move out of the way. But here you're wedged between two Blue Ninjas which do a good job of keeping you in place. Having a power-up really helps here. It's when you don't have a power-up that you get killed quite easily. Stage 2 is unique in that you ride an elevator to the top of the Statue of Liberty (a forerunner to stages that would later become staples of two-player "beat um' up" games like the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game). The helicopter that passed by in Level 2 returns here, swooping across the screen firing bullets. In addition to that, the stage drops ninjas on you sporadically (anywhere from 2 ninjas to 4 ninjas at a time). There comes a point where all the enemies align in a worst case scenario. I have used a magic attack (clear all) every time I go through this level.
The boss of Level 3 is a ten foot tall woman who throws giant buzz saw blades at you. She is one of the more frustrating bosses in the game in that it is difficult to hit her weak point. Her face is the only place she takes damage and she keeps it well covered. The opening occurs when she throws her blades. I still have difficultly timing the shuriken throw to hit her, but I got pretty good at avoiding her blades. When I get her low enough on life I usually just say "screw it" and hit her with a magic attack to finish her off.
Level 4 Stage 1 sports one of the best looking stages in the entire game. From the Statue of Liberty to... a cave system? Whatever, I don't understand it, but the stage looks really cool. This level throws more ninjas at you, more gunmen, and the toughest challenges thus far. The level is pretty straight forward, no jumping between planes, no lift-elevators, no helicopters. Just loads of badguys as you move from one end of the level to the other. And it is tough. This level still takes lives from me every time. Stage 2 is basically the same with added difficulty of "shadow spots." Streaks of black obscure many areas of this stage. Enemies hide in these spots. Only Yamato can spot these hidden enemies and he barks to let you know. It's not terribly difficult but you need to take your time.
The boss is a giant spinning wheel of fire. The wheel itself spins while also encircling the screen, either coming to a stop on the left or right of you. When it stops you have to toss shurikens at it's center. This boss is pretty easy once you realize you need to stay close. At first I was keeping my distance and couldn't hurt the boss to save my life. It was very frustrating as I kept dying and losing my stock of lives. Eventually I discovered that by staying close you can hit it every time. But being that close to it means your life depends on you hitting it. If you fail to hit it and you're close there is no way to avoid its attack, unless you use a magic to clear the screen. But you can only do that once.
Level 5 is the lair of Sauros and the headquarters of Union Lizard i.e. the LAST LEVEL (five levels again, just like the original Shinobi)! It is structured differently however. Instead of stages there are 5 Rooms, each featuring a different enemy. Room 1 is loaded with gunmen exclusively. Yamato comes in handy here more than ever. Use Yamato to stun lock the gunmen so you don't get shot. Room 2 is full of armored enemies who roll at you. They're not too tough but they're fast. The armor means that Yamato has a harder time stun locking them too. Room 3 is filled with green "Frog Men" and is a total joke. Too easy. Room 4 is where it gets bad. Up till now all the rooms have featured enemies who go down in one hit. Room 4 is full of Blue, Pink, and Gold Ninjas, all of which take two hits to kill. There are no power-ups so you HAVE to hit them twice. This room has reduced me to my knees, screaming and cursing. The freakin' Pink Ninjas are the bane of my existence! A well placed desperate magic use and a lot of luck are the only things that get me through this.
But it's not over yet...
Level 5 Room 5 introduces a new enemy: Black Ninjas. Pink, Blue, and Gold Ninjas all have unique abilities that the others don't. The Black Ninjas can do everything the other ninjas can! And they take THREE hits to kill! Room 5 is littered with Black Ninjas and it is nearly as hard as the last room. Strangely I have a better success rate with this room than the previous room, due to an easier stage layout I'm thinking. Still, when four Black Ninjas surround you, you're dead. At the end of the room they drop five or six Black Ninjas on you! And if you keep walking forward you can activate even more of them (I had over ten on screen at once!). I've died at least once already by this point (every time you die your magic attack is refilled). With my magic restocked I hack my way as close to the end of the room as I can, then I take a big gamble. When the Black Ninjas overwhelm me I run for the exit, trying to activate all the remaining enemies of the room. Surrounded by 10 more Black Ninjas (hopefully all that remain in the room) is when I hit the magic! The magic kills them all and I am free and clear for the exit. There's a secret item right above the exit which gives you TWO 1-Ups! Grab it and go!
The Final Boss...
Joe enters a pitch black room. Fire slowly rises in the background illuminating the final stage. Sauros, the reptilian demon lord himself, sits in the center of the room on his throne, clad in devilish black samurai armor. He is completely invincible to start off. There are statues of ninjas on either side of him. He raises his left hand and animates the statue to his left. A Black Ninja drops down. Then he animates a Black Ninja to his right. Then he animates two more simultaneously. Finally his helmet raises revealing his weak point, a rain of fire falling down, covering the whole screen. He has six bars of life meaning you have to hit him six times to kill him. His weak spot stays open long enough for you to hit him two times, if you're fast enough. Basically, if you're hitting him twice each opportunity, you have to go through the cycle I just described three times. And each subsequent cycle Sauros animates more Black Ninjas than before.
My god... this was, by far, the hardest, the most deeply angering, the greatest rage inducing boss fight of the three games I've played here thus far. This one boss battle brought out a side of me I'm not proud of, a side I hope very few people ever see. Once again, I was reduced to my knees, yelling and screaming at the television. Thank god my family wasn't in the house. Not only was it difficult to get here, but F#$& me running this was hard! And it was all because of those gawddamn Black Ninjas! ARGG!! Just surviving long enough to get Sauros to open his weak point was arduous and maddening. The rain of fire didn't help matters either. The fire rain covers the whole screen, but in between each fire drop is a blank space just big enough to stand in and survive. But if there are still Black Ninjas running around you can't stand still! The pedestals holding up the ninja statues to Sauros' left and right actually block the fire rain and provide a bigger space to stand in and move a little. At that point, as the fire rain comes down, his weak spot is exposed. Priority one: Kill any Black Ninjas remaining as fast as possible (preferably you've cleared the screen of them already). Priority Two: Position yourself between the fire rain drops (which hang around a bit after they land), jump, and throw a shuriken. Jump again immediately and throw another shuriken to hit him twice. Then the cycle begins anew. Only now he throws at least two more Black Ninjas into the mix in addition to the others and on the third cycle, you guessed it, two more Black Ninjas on top of that.
You begin the game in the Oboro Ninja Village and the level is beautifully rendered. Feudal Japan design esthetics abound in this level giving the game an authentic Japanese presence from the start. You fight evil ninjas, evil samurai, ninja dogs, and finally a giant evil uber-samurai as the boss. This is a great level to find your bearings and get used to the game. It's not too hard but it's not too easy either. As you may have guessed it is by far my favorite level based solely on the Feudal Japan architecture. Graphically it looks amazing. The end boss (the uber-samurai) was more challenging than I thought he'd be, but once you figure him out he's not too bad.
Level 2 is notable for the pitfalls... ARGGG!!! THE PITFALLS!!! I hate the pitfalls. Here's where the double jump timing either saves you or eff's you hard. I've lost countless lives here (Level 2 Stage 1 to be precise). It's a pretty waterfall level that I ended up hating because of the damn pitfalls which are one-hit kills. Your life bar doesn't amount to $#!+ when it comes to pitfalls. Level 2 Stage 2 still has pitfalls but they aren't nearly as bad. The scene changes from a wilderness waterfall to the dark back alleys of the city and rooftops. Bruce Lee lookalikes appear here (with Bruce Lee's signature flying kick attack). A nun also crosses paths with you, then they rip off their habit to reveal their true identity as a deadly kunoichi. I like these Nun/Kunoichi enemies. The final boss is a ninja who fights a lot like the final boss of the original Shinobi. He's not nearly as bad as the final boss of the original Shinobi (thank god! That would be just plain mean. It's only the second level for god's sake!).
Level 3 is a military base/airport of sorts. Level 3 Stage 1 introduces the dual plane element. There is a tall chain-link fence that runs the entire stage. When you double jump you hop over the fence. If badguys are on one side of the fence and you are on the other, you can't hit them and they can't hit you. This is good as this level introduces soldier enemies with rifles and machine guns (oh how I hate the enemies with guns!). There are no pitfalls here, thank god, but again if you don't get the double jump right, you don't flip over the fence as intended and instead land in front of a barrage of bullets. Very frustrating indeed. You definitely need a healthy stock of shurikens as close range attacks are far too dangerous most of the time. This level brought the hurt big time! The second stage isn't nearly as bad (you're in the belly of a big plane) and thank god the boss of the level, a brain in a jar, is a chump. Still, you'll spend a lot of your time mastering that godforsaken first stage!
Level 4 is a junkyard with soldiers and flamethrower baddies. The flamethrower enemies were introduced in Level 3 Stage 1 (another reason why that place sucks!) and if you have version 1.0 of TROS they look exactly like Rambo. My copy, version 1.3, has them looking bald and wearing shades. Anyway, not a tough level, you just need to take it slow. There are lots of layers to the stage design, both foreground and background plates, which sometimes hide the enemies, letting you walk into a barrage of bullets sometimes. Stage 2 is a bunch of pitfalls and evil conveyor belts in a smelting factory. Once you jump to the top you end up in another junkyard where you fight The Terminator! He can be annoying but once you get his timing down (he throws junked out engines and car-frames at you) he's not too bad. The car-frames are kinda big and can be tough to dodge at times.
Level 5 SUCKS HARD! This is a top contender for my most hated level of the game (maybe even any game! I fricken hate this level!). You could be having a good run at the game and this level is the deciding factor whether you succeed or fail altogether. You start off in the lobby of a building and have to jump your way up to the roof. Waiting to f$#K you hard are soldiers, grenade throwers, strafing laser beams, "surprise! ninjas," and bombs. ARGHH!! Your only saving grace is one of your ninja magics. I don't really need them up to this point (or at least I could get by without them until here). One of your three Ninjitsu is an Invincibility field. I travel as far as I can up the stage without it, then, when my life bar is nearly gone, I activate the Invincibility field. The Invincibility field remains until it has been hit a certain number of times. It's basically an emergency life bar. With any luck I have ascended 3/4ths of the stage before I have to use it. I jump like crazy as fast as I can up the rest of the level. And if the double jump fails me at crucial moments, you fall all the way down to the bottom/beginning of the level. Oh God, how I hate this level! And that's only Level 5 Stage 1.
Level 5 Stage 2 is a serious pain in the ass too! You're on the freeway overpass now. This stage once again utilizes the dual plane feature. The forward plane consists of the overpass uprights (platforms which you can stand on and have to jump from one to the other) and pitfalls... loads of pitfalls. The background plane is the freeway itself in which you have to avoid being hit by speeding cars and hordes of kunoichi. Also peppered throughout are soldiers with machine guns and grenade throwers. The speeding cars do a TON of damage if you get hit, like nearly a third of your life bar. The soldiers and grenade throwers are experts at knocking you off the uprights and into the pitfalls too. Of course, the speeding cars fly right passed the enemies with hurting them. You HAVE to bounce back and forth between the planes to make it through the stage and I have failed hard over and over here. If you time your double jump wrong you can land in front of a speeding car. Conversely, if you accidentally double jump into the forward plane at the wrong time, you're jumping directly into a pit. There a ton of kunoichi here and a good shuriken burst would be handy to take them all out, but the damn double jump needed to do it shifts you into the opposite plane! ARG!! I HATE THIS LEVEL!
Thank the lord that the final boss is a chump! You're riding what looks like a high tech weaponized train. There are three weak spots you have to destroy while avoiding being blasted in the face by fireballs. And you have to avoid being electrified by an electric pulse beam. No double jumping needed. Just get on the other side of the fireball cannons and jump every time the electric pulse occurs and you're good.
Level 6 is a cake walk compared to the last level. You start off in a cool looking China Town district fighting off various kung fu warriors, including more Bruce Lee lookalikes. There is one part here where you have to double jump to a platform to continue. The distance is just far enough that you can't quite make it. You have to either use one of your ninja magics (the super jump) or perform the even trickier double jump timing. Magic makes it easy but it can be done without, but finding the right timing and spacing can be frustratingly difficult. Anyway, me being a hoarder when it comes to video game items, I try to do the harder option. Stage 2 you're riding atop a train. At first you're in a tunnel and have to jump over or duck beneath overhead girders. There are a few ninjas and flamethrower guys too but other than that the level is a breeze.
JOE MUSASHI VERSUS SPIDER-MAN & BATMAN & DEVILMAN
The final boss of level 6 is a double header. First you fight Spider-Man. He tries to web you up, but once you beat on him a little he goes away. Then Devilman swoops down and you have to fight him and his little devil bats. Neither are too hard. Spider-Man you have to keep moving back and forth to avoid his webs. Devilman is easier in that all you have to do is avoid his bats and duck or jump over him as he swoops. SPECIAL NOTE: Devilman wasn't the original second boss of level 6. Originally it was one boss, a shapeshifter. First it looks like a bargain bin Spider-Man (without the fine details). Then it morphs into a Batman lookalike. DC, understandably, didn't like the unlicensed use of Batman's likeness so Batman was removed in the second version. Interestingly Marvel was cool with Spider-Man and gave Sega the license with slight caveats: Spider-Man would be better detailed and be the actual Spider-Man as opposed to a shapeshifter. And the player wouldn't defeat Spider-Man but rather drive Spidey away. This would be known as TROS version 1.3 (the version I own). But after the license expired Sega had to remove Spidey and replaced him with a pink pajama wearing guy who fights exactly like Spidey.
Level 7 increases the difficultly a bit. The first stage occurs on the docks meaning lots of pitfalls. You have to jump from platform to platform over open water (the pitfalls). Annoyingly placed ninjas try to knock you into the water at every turn. Take your time and you're okay. There are a few spots where baiting the ninjas out of their hiding places saves your ass big time (jumping forward far enough to trigger the ninjas but then pulling back and landing on the previous platform. Kill those evil ninjas and move on free and clear!). Then you come to the biggest jump in the game. You NEED to use the super jump ninja magic here. There is no other way. And even then if you don't time the double jump just right you can still fail. This spot nearly broke my spirit. Even using the super jump I kept failing. It seemed impossible for a long while. Then one day (yes, it took me several days) I finally did it! Literally two platforms later and the stage is over! Level 7 Stage 2 is a descent into the belly of a huge freighter vessel. Other than a bunch of soldiers with machine guns (who blend in with the backgrounds pretty well) the level isn't too bad.
JOE MUSASHI VERSUS GODZILLA
The boss of Level 7 is none other than the king of the monsters himself: GODZILLA! Well, it's basically Godzilla. It's a miniature Godzilla (about 20 feet tall) without his signature dorsal plates. But other than that it is the spitting image of Gojira. He breathes fire (orange not blue fire) and whips his tail (a strike from his tail is devastating to your life bar!). There is a platform on the far left wall and far right wall. Standing on those platforms puts you at eye level with Godzilla and thereby his weaken point (his head). Unload shurikens as fast as you can without getting burnt to a crisp. Leap over the top when he steps super close, avoid his tail, and jump up to the opposite wall platform and repeat. Godzilla takes a long time to kill. One way to really speed up the process is by using your final Ninjitsu: Self-Destruction. Using this ninja magic costs you an entire life but it inflicts huge damage to your opponent. I usually use this magic to help defeat Godzilla.
Level 8, the final level! You start off at the docks outside of Neo Zeed's headquarters. More platforms to jump between. More pitfalls. And a ton of soldiers and grenade throwers to tear down your life bar and knock you into the water. The fireball cannons make a return appearance too. This is one tough level. Truthfully I have to use my Invincibility field to make it through every time. Stage 2 is a massive labyrinth. There are warp doors all over the place that transport you to another area of the labyrinth. I'd still be lost in there right now. If I was younger and had more time maybe I'd have discovered the path myself. But I'm too old and I don't have the time. I looked up a map of the labyrinth on GameFAQS. I'm not gonna lie, I tried the labyrinth on my own and went as far as I could. But my window for gaming nowadays is short (unlike my bachelor days where I could and would devote entire days on end to gaming). Anyway, the correct path is pretty well hidden so good luck to anyone who tackles this labyrinth by themselves.
The final boss is the leader of Neo Zeed, a mask wearing, head banging, kabuki costumed villain. He has huge swinging hair that acts as an impenetrable shield. When you're close he'll strike with his hair. Only then is he vulnerable. You duck beneath his attack and strike. Once you hit him you need to get back because he'll retaliate by throwing his hair at you (and it is very difficult to avoid and does big time damage). Meanwhile, in the background, Joe's bride-to-be is shown in the background in a cage, the ceiling slowly lowering upon her. In essence it's a timer. You have to beat the boss before she gets crushed. Needless to say I didn't beat him in time nor at all. It took me many attempts. Dodging his flying hair is very hard.
When I finally beat the boss, Joe's bride was long dead. I received the "Bad Ending" with Joe standing on the cliffside alone in the twilight. It took me so long to kill the boss that I couldn't fathom how anyone could kill the boss in the required time to save Joe's ladyfriend (still, I give myself kudos for surviving as long as I did against the boss, dodging his attacks pretty well, and defeating him without any power ups or magic. Not an easy task! Strangely this is similar to how I defeated the final boss of the PS2 Shinobi for the first time). Again I went to GameFAQS for a strategy guide this time. Basically they told me what I already knew: You need to have the power up and use Invincibility magic (because you lose the power up when get hit). One guide recommended two magic uses of Invincibility because avoiding the flying hair was next to impossible. Well, what they didn't tell me was that getting to the boss with a power up and a magic was a beast in itself. So the guides didn't really help this time. I went back, played the game all over again, implemented a strategy of my own design, and reattempted the finale boss. I discovered a way of dodging the flying hair with relative efficiency (you have to time your jump at the last second!). I only had one magic to use but it turns out I didn't need any more as my dodging skills served me well. With the power-up, getting close to slash the boss with the sword, he went down pretty fast. I saved Joe's wife-to-be and attained the "Good Ending" at last!
The Revenge of Shinobi was defeated to my satisfaction. It took lots of practice and many attempts. Overall I think this is a great game! The graphics are incredible for a game from 1989 and the gameplay, despite some small issues, is tight and fun. The gameplay is challenging, downright frustrating at times, but not impossible. You have a feeling of a accomplishment once you beat it. The design of the game is fresh and interesting and highly detailed. And it has a really good soundtrack too! Of all the ninja games I've played, TROS is one of the best.
Next up...
3rd:
SHADOW DANCER: THE SECRET OF SHINOBI (1990)
In 1989 two sequels to the original Shinobi were made, and released only two months apart. The first was an arcade and Sega Master System release titled SHADOW DANCER. The game proved popular enough to warrant an updated port to the Sega Genesis a year later. SHADOW DANCER: THE SECRET OF SHINOBI is the title of the Sega Genesis version, exclusive to that console system.
The gameplay is relatively similar to the original Shinobi, identical in some respects. To me, Shadow Dancer feels like a true gameplay and game design sequel to the original Shinobi while The Revenge of Shinobi feels more like a spiritual/thematic sequel as well as a continuation of the original game's plot. Shadow Dancer is a side-scrolling platformer in which you play as Joe Musashi (if you're playing the North American version. In the Japanese version the protagonist is identified as Hayate, Joe's son) once again. Accompanying you for this adventure is your faithful dog, Yamato. Joe fights with his trusty shurikens and sword once more and can sic his dog on enemies. The dog can stun lock enemies allowing you time to walk up to them and finish them off.
Just like the other Shinobi games prior, there are multiple levels and three stages within each level. The object of each stage is to rescue all of the hostages (much like the original Shinobi) and, of course, travel from one end to the other. Unlike Shinobi or TROS, you have no life bar this time around and taking a single hit is a one-hit kill. Yep, all it take to stop you dead in your tracks is one measly little hit. The enemies have to actually hit you though. By that I mean you can bump into enemies endlessly and be fine as long as the enemies don't land an attack on you. The bosses are exceptions as touching them is instant death!
Your dog, Yamato, is invincible however (even to pit falls!). Holding down the attack button will charge Yamato's meter. As long as there's an enemy in his sights he will sic them on command. His only weakness is if an enemy is shielding themselves, in which case Yamato will run head first into their shields, hurting himself, and will be unplayable for a brief period. Enemies range from only needing one hit to kill to needing three hits at worst. With a power-up though you can take out any regular enemy in one hit. You also have your trademark ninja magic but this time all the magics basically do the same thing: clear the area of enemies. There are different magic animations but they all do the same thing. No super jumps and no Invincibility shield. And you can't stock up on magic uses either. You get one magic use per life and or one magic use per level (if you're good enough to make it through entire levels without needing to use more than one magic).
So with that... let's begin!
There are three difficulties and an option for non-shuriken play. I left everything on default or "standard" settings. Letting the title screen run for a few seconds eventually reveals a prologue story, scrolling text setting up the narrative. This time Joe isn't fighting Zeed or Neo Zeed, but a new evil organization called Union Lizard, a cult who worships a reptilian demon named Sauros. Union Lizard has taken over New York City! Only Joe Musashi and his canine friend, Yamato, can save the city and its citizens from total annihilation!
Level 1 Stage 1 is a city in flames! There are two planes of gameplay... sort of. You start off on the ground with enemies running toward you. Above you is a ledge with a hostage and another enemy. You can't interact with the characters on the above ledge unless you press "up" on the d-pad and "jump" at the same time. By doing so Joe performs a backflip super jump that places him on the above plane. This mechanic of play is present in the first three levels and can be advantageous in avoiding enemy attacks. Anyway, the first level is pretty straight-forward. The level is very impressive in design, showcasing the awesome graphical capabilities of the Genesis, specifically with the city in flames in the background.
The next stage is less impressive but still highly detailed. Again, Stage 2 is pretty straight-forward. In addition to enemies, you have to avoid falling debris from buildings and there are two points where the ground opens up revealing a pitfall! The final boss is a giant demonic samurai. He leaps and lands causing debris to fall from above (which avoiding can sometimes be nigh impossible) while breathing fire at you. His weak spot is his head. I died more by falling debris than his fire. Overall though, this boss is impressive to look at but easily taken out.
After each boss stage there is a bonus stage! Another carry-over from the original Shinobi, the presence of these bonus stages lends further synchronicity between Shadow Dancer and the original game. These bonus stages have Joe falling from the top of a skyscraper with enemy ninjas leaping up the side of the building to confront him. It's basically a shooter game here, like Gradius or R-Type. Killing all the ninjas gains you extra lives.
Level 2 Stage 1 has Joe along the Brooklyn Bridge (I think). This is an impressively laid out level with many planes to jump between, but be careful not to jump too far down as the very bottom contains pitfalls galore! Compared to the last time I was playing Joe Musashi on a bridge, this bridge stage is a cakewalk! This stage introduces your first enemies that take 2 hits to kill: Blue Ninjas! The next stage is a train depot or warehouse/shipping yard exterior. A helicopter passes overhead at the beginning, portending death from above later. The fence that divides planes makes a return appearance from TROS. Hopping back and forth over this plane is kinda weird as you press up and jump to get over to one side but then have to press down and jump to return to the original side. Other than more Blue Ninjas, this stage isn't too bad.
The boss is a demonic face and hands that animate bricks along the wall. A monstrous face will appear from out of the brick wall spanning the entire background. Then HUGE hands appear and reach out for you. You have to shoot the boss in the face, between the eyes to be precise. You have a window to shoot him as he appears (at a random spot on the wall) and then another immediately following the huge hands (provided you avoided the hands, of course) before he disappears into the wall again. His hands can be very difficult to dodge, especially if the jerk appears directly above you. This guy earned my verbal ire and cussing out during a playthrough. He can be hit or miss, but overall not too bad.
Level 3 Stage 1 has you begin at the base of the Statue of Liberty. You need to climb your way to the top. This stage isn't all that impressive to look at. It introduces Pink Ninjas (which also take two hits to vanquish)... oh how I hate Pink Ninjas! These bastards jump in the air and then dive attack the exact spot you're standing. This wouldn't be so bad as all you have to do is move out of the way. But here you're wedged between two Blue Ninjas which do a good job of keeping you in place. Having a power-up really helps here. It's when you don't have a power-up that you get killed quite easily. Stage 2 is unique in that you ride an elevator to the top of the Statue of Liberty (a forerunner to stages that would later become staples of two-player "beat um' up" games like the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game). The helicopter that passed by in Level 2 returns here, swooping across the screen firing bullets. In addition to that, the stage drops ninjas on you sporadically (anywhere from 2 ninjas to 4 ninjas at a time). There comes a point where all the enemies align in a worst case scenario. I have used a magic attack (clear all) every time I go through this level.
The boss of Level 3 is a ten foot tall woman who throws giant buzz saw blades at you. She is one of the more frustrating bosses in the game in that it is difficult to hit her weak point. Her face is the only place she takes damage and she keeps it well covered. The opening occurs when she throws her blades. I still have difficultly timing the shuriken throw to hit her, but I got pretty good at avoiding her blades. When I get her low enough on life I usually just say "screw it" and hit her with a magic attack to finish her off.
Level 4 Stage 1 sports one of the best looking stages in the entire game. From the Statue of Liberty to... a cave system? Whatever, I don't understand it, but the stage looks really cool. This level throws more ninjas at you, more gunmen, and the toughest challenges thus far. The level is pretty straight forward, no jumping between planes, no lift-elevators, no helicopters. Just loads of badguys as you move from one end of the level to the other. And it is tough. This level still takes lives from me every time. Stage 2 is basically the same with added difficulty of "shadow spots." Streaks of black obscure many areas of this stage. Enemies hide in these spots. Only Yamato can spot these hidden enemies and he barks to let you know. It's not terribly difficult but you need to take your time.
The boss is a giant spinning wheel of fire. The wheel itself spins while also encircling the screen, either coming to a stop on the left or right of you. When it stops you have to toss shurikens at it's center. This boss is pretty easy once you realize you need to stay close. At first I was keeping my distance and couldn't hurt the boss to save my life. It was very frustrating as I kept dying and losing my stock of lives. Eventually I discovered that by staying close you can hit it every time. But being that close to it means your life depends on you hitting it. If you fail to hit it and you're close there is no way to avoid its attack, unless you use a magic to clear the screen. But you can only do that once.
Level 5 is the lair of Sauros and the headquarters of Union Lizard i.e. the LAST LEVEL (five levels again, just like the original Shinobi)! It is structured differently however. Instead of stages there are 5 Rooms, each featuring a different enemy. Room 1 is loaded with gunmen exclusively. Yamato comes in handy here more than ever. Use Yamato to stun lock the gunmen so you don't get shot. Room 2 is full of armored enemies who roll at you. They're not too tough but they're fast. The armor means that Yamato has a harder time stun locking them too. Room 3 is filled with green "Frog Men" and is a total joke. Too easy. Room 4 is where it gets bad. Up till now all the rooms have featured enemies who go down in one hit. Room 4 is full of Blue, Pink, and Gold Ninjas, all of which take two hits to kill. There are no power-ups so you HAVE to hit them twice. This room has reduced me to my knees, screaming and cursing. The freakin' Pink Ninjas are the bane of my existence! A well placed desperate magic use and a lot of luck are the only things that get me through this.
But it's not over yet...
Level 5 Room 5 introduces a new enemy: Black Ninjas. Pink, Blue, and Gold Ninjas all have unique abilities that the others don't. The Black Ninjas can do everything the other ninjas can! And they take THREE hits to kill! Room 5 is littered with Black Ninjas and it is nearly as hard as the last room. Strangely I have a better success rate with this room than the previous room, due to an easier stage layout I'm thinking. Still, when four Black Ninjas surround you, you're dead. At the end of the room they drop five or six Black Ninjas on you! And if you keep walking forward you can activate even more of them (I had over ten on screen at once!). I've died at least once already by this point (every time you die your magic attack is refilled). With my magic restocked I hack my way as close to the end of the room as I can, then I take a big gamble. When the Black Ninjas overwhelm me I run for the exit, trying to activate all the remaining enemies of the room. Surrounded by 10 more Black Ninjas (hopefully all that remain in the room) is when I hit the magic! The magic kills them all and I am free and clear for the exit. There's a secret item right above the exit which gives you TWO 1-Ups! Grab it and go!
The Final Boss...
Joe enters a pitch black room. Fire slowly rises in the background illuminating the final stage. Sauros, the reptilian demon lord himself, sits in the center of the room on his throne, clad in devilish black samurai armor. He is completely invincible to start off. There are statues of ninjas on either side of him. He raises his left hand and animates the statue to his left. A Black Ninja drops down. Then he animates a Black Ninja to his right. Then he animates two more simultaneously. Finally his helmet raises revealing his weak point, a rain of fire falling down, covering the whole screen. He has six bars of life meaning you have to hit him six times to kill him. His weak spot stays open long enough for you to hit him two times, if you're fast enough. Basically, if you're hitting him twice each opportunity, you have to go through the cycle I just described three times. And each subsequent cycle Sauros animates more Black Ninjas than before.
My god... this was, by far, the hardest, the most deeply angering, the greatest rage inducing boss fight of the three games I've played here thus far. This one boss battle brought out a side of me I'm not proud of, a side I hope very few people ever see. Once again, I was reduced to my knees, yelling and screaming at the television. Thank god my family wasn't in the house. Not only was it difficult to get here, but F#$& me running this was hard! And it was all because of those gawddamn Black Ninjas! ARGG!! Just surviving long enough to get Sauros to open his weak point was arduous and maddening. The rain of fire didn't help matters either. The fire rain covers the whole screen, but in between each fire drop is a blank space just big enough to stand in and survive. But if there are still Black Ninjas running around you can't stand still! The pedestals holding up the ninja statues to Sauros' left and right actually block the fire rain and provide a bigger space to stand in and move a little. At that point, as the fire rain comes down, his weak spot is exposed. Priority one: Kill any Black Ninjas remaining as fast as possible (preferably you've cleared the screen of them already). Priority Two: Position yourself between the fire rain drops (which hang around a bit after they land), jump, and throw a shuriken. Jump again immediately and throw another shuriken to hit him twice. Then the cycle begins anew. Only now he throws at least two more Black Ninjas into the mix in addition to the others and on the third cycle, you guessed it, two more Black Ninjas on top of that.
This took me several attempts across separate sittings. I tried and I tried, failing time after time. When I finally did beat it, the video gaming gods must've had pity on me. I was on my last life with no continues left. I had accidentally used my magic attack at the wrong time (I was planning on saving it for the third cycle to wipe out the hordes of Black Ninjas) so already I thought I was &%$ED. I noticed if I knocked the Black Ninjas off screen, and then threw several shurikens after them while still off screen, that they wouldn't return sometimes (this severely cut down the time it took to kill them). Anyway, this was my last chance for this sitting. Somehow I fought back the hordes of Black Ninjas without magic, nailed Sauros' weak point every time, and won! I don't know what I did differently and I don't know why this time worked when all the others didn't. I guess I somehow hit all my marks and prevailed! PRAISE BE TO SHIRYU!
VICTORY!
We are privy to a rather mundane picture of the New York City skyline with Joe and Yamato looking over their shoulders at the city they just saved from annihilation. There is a somewhat melancholy music track playing in the background... and nothing else. No text, no epilogue narrative scroll, just a picture. Then the game starts over with a higher difficulty. And there's even another higher difficulty after that! NO THANK YOU! Well, at least not now... I may return to tackle those at an undisclosed later date. Regardless, I am pleased with my success and overall pleased with the game. The graphics are great for early 16 bit systems and the gameplay is tight and solid. This game also has an awesome soundtrack, one that I feel is, even better than the previous soundtracks.
All in all, Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi is a great game! I think I love it as much as The Revenge of Shinobi (which I feel plays not quite as smooth as Shadow Dancer). But it is the next game that I have been eagerly anticipating playing the most...
4th:
SHINOBI III: RETURN OF THE NINJA MASTER (1993)
At last! The game we've all been waiting for!
I'd heard a lot about Shinobi III over the years, stories of how great it was and how it was the pinnacle of the Shinobi series. I bought this game during the height of the PS2 era and, just like the others, it was a part of a huge backlog of games that I never got around to playing. So many games! So little time! That, and I was dumping hundreds of hours into Soul Calibur, Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy X, and of course the PS2 Shinobi and its sequel, Nightshade (Kunoichi).
Now, after all these years, I have finally given Shinobi III its due. And I must say... it has lived up to its reputation and more. Shinobi III is true video game masterpiece!
Released in 1993, this game is a direct sequel to the events and gameplay/design of The Revenge of Shinobi. Originally intended for release in 1992, Sega felt unsatisfied with the original version and redesigned the game almost entirely. A video of the original version of Shinobi III is on Youtube and it makes for interesting viewing. But moreso it makes you glad Sega did what they did.
Once again Joe Musashi, the ninja master, battles the forces of darkness. Armed with shurikens (kunai actually), ninjitsu (ninja magics), and the Oborozuki (the legendary sword wielded by the master of the Oboro Clan), Joe Musashi senses evil on the rise and is ready. The evil organization of Neo Zeed has returned, led by the mysterious Shadow Master. After four years of peace, Joe Musashi takes his sword in hand to vanquish evil once and for all!
The design and layout of the game is very similar to TROS, but sharper looking. Shinobi III is visually stunning, demonstrating the Sega Genesis' clear graphics superiority of the 16 bit generation. The level renderings are detailed, clear, and simply gorgeous. The sprites look clearer and better than ever too. Gone is the multilayered screen feature (where you'd double jump to shift planes, remember?) which I am okay with (although it was present in the Beta version of Shinobi III). The game designers offer new variations of gameplay to keep things fresh.
There's a stage with Joe riding horseback and another stage with Joe showing off his impressive surfing skills. And those aren't the only new skills Joe comes equip with. Joe has a host of new moves including a ninja dash and running sword slash. He can jump off of walls scaling up higher and higher. He can cling to the ceiling and move along the ceiling. You can do a ninja dash into a super jump. And Joe can do a midair dive kick attack. His signature double jump shuriken burst is there but, surprisingly, executing his double jump is still as rough as in TROS. And the classic ninja magics are retained as well (the invincibility shield, super jump, and kamakazi explosion magics).
Ready? Let's play!
Level 1 again is a standout level in terms of setting and layers (Sega always kills it with the first level and really sets the tone going forward). Joe Musashi is running through the trees fighting off enemy shinobi and kunoichi (acting like the classic "pogo" ninja enemies from the original game or even the pink ninjas from Shadow Dancer). There is also a return of the evil monks (last seen in the first Shinobi too) albeit designed and acting differently. The level makes great use of depth, showcasing a foreground layer of grass and trees, a mid layer in which Musashi interacts with, and a background layer. There's even a layer of atmosphere such as leaves blowing in the wind and leaves falling when ninjas leap down from the trees. The enemy ninjas are clad in an earthen green colors to match their surrounding as opposed to the kunoichi who are striking in appearance and pop when they come on screen. I can't rave enough about this level's design. I just wish it were longer and incorporated more natural Japanese elements like cherry trees or Jizo statues, stuff like that. On a side note: this level is very reminiscent of the first level of the NES game THE LEGEND OF KAGE, the classic ninja game from Taito.
This game no longer announces the different stages within each level (something the previous games all maintained), instead flowing into the next stage without stopping. Once you've moved into the next stage you trigger a new respawn point. Anyway, from the forest you enter a cave system, traveling through the interior of a mountain. There you get to practice new ninja skills such as climbing across ropes and scaling up walls by jumping back and forth between them (a signature skill of Ryu Hayabusa from the Ninja Gaiden games). You face two types of demon samurai here, mid bosses and then a six armed final boss. Both types of bosses look amazing and neither are too difficult. Other than a few pitfalls in the cave, this is a relatively easy level that's somewhat hard to die in.
SHINOBI'S TRADEMARK DIFFICULTY
The only major complaint I read about this game from critics was that it was too easy. One of the first things I noticed when popping in Shinobi III was how accessible it was. By that, I mean, the game felt far easier than the previous games. Perhaps it's that I had just come off of beating the previous games, but that first trial of Shinobi III I wasn't really trying. I was admittedly pretty terrible and I still managed to beat the level.
Like Shadow Dancer, Shinobi III features multiple difficulty settings. The default difficulty is "Normal" and there are two higher difficulties to choose from as well as an "Easy" difficulty (even easier than Normal difficulty!). This "easier" difficulty starting out was welcomed, I thought. After the infuriating final battle in Shadow Dancer, I needed a pallet cleanser. And with the large array of new abilities of Joe's to learn, a beautiful and welcoming first level was perfect. Not only that, but the user friendly atmosphere made the game instantly fun. I mean, this was the first level after all. And I fully expected a gradual increase in difficulty as the game progressed, the final stages of the game being the most brutal.
Anyway, this milder difficulty didn't bother me, rather it encouraged me to explore all of Joe's new skills and better prepare myself for the challenges ahead.
MOVING ON
Level 2 begins with a stage where Joe is riding horseback and battling enemy ninja as they run alongside him. And it is AWESOME! The level is beautifully rendered once again and controlling the horse was fun albeit a little more challenging. You leap over obstructions and toss shurikens at enemies. The boss of this stage is a boss from TROS, the boss of Level 2 (and this guy may also be the final boss of the first Shinobi on NES too based on his move set). This stage is one of the highlights of the entire game, offering something completely new and fresh to the series. I only wish you could play more riding the horse.
The next stage has you infiltrating a secret research facility. Redesigns of the Boomerang Throwers and Soldiers, classic enemies from the original Shinobi (who have appeared in almost every Shinobi game), greet you inside. Then there's an "elevator" stage like the one in Shadow Dancer, followed by the boss of the level, a floating robotic brain-ball thing. This boss has a wide range of attacks, including reversing the controls on you (left becomes right and vice versa). There's a lot you have to dodge as the boss flies all over the place. Not too hard overall.
Level 3 has you moving deeper into the secret facility, now entering the genetics laboratory. There's new brain monsters to battle, toxic waste monsters, and dozens of conveyor belt platforms to jump from over a pit of acid. You keep on going deeper and deeper down until you reach the basement. In the basement you find a whole new ecosystem. Whatever Neo Zeed was bio-engineering in this lab had complete transformed the basement into a mass of living breathing flesh with all sorts of new creatures living in the fatty pockets and flesh. While traversing the stage there's a quicksand-like floor that you sink into, not far enough to kill you, just enough to bring you down a few feet. Moving through the stage, the big boss of the level periodically appears in the background and then a targeting symbol appears on the screen. Once you fall within its cross hairs the boss has a lock on you and you get blasted.
Basically you run as fast as you can through the level to avoid being shot. There also giant tick like insects that pop out of the floor and hold you still so the boss can shoot you. Utilizing Joe's new midair dive kick attack is the best way to move through the stage. Inch your way onto the sections where the cross hairs appear, jump, and dive kick over them. This places you in front of the targeting symbol. Run and jump your way through, and dive kick any giant ticks that try to grab you. Then you come to the boss himself, the first giant monster boss of the game and one gross looking mutha. The boss is horrid, but oh so cool looking at the same time (one of my favorite bosses of the game). Shoot him between the eyes while avoiding his spores, mouth laser, and giant groping hand. The quicksand floor with impede your jump height and almost always result in getting you hit. If you use super jump magic you'll be fine. Or if you let yourself sink to the bottom then, strangely, you can jump normally.
Level 4 begins with another new kind of level never before seen in a Shinobi game: surfing! Technically the instruction manual states Joe is riding on a Jet Ski, but it looks like a rocket powered surf board (calling to mind that seminal classic of cinema, that august assemblage of 1993: SURF NINJAS! Wait... this game and that movie were both released the same month in 1993?! WHAT?!?!?! Did Sega have a hand in Surf Ninjas and was Joe Musashi set to appear?!).
"Let's digress for a second, shall we?"
Ninjas in the late 80's and early 90's were in an amazing and strange place creatively (amazingly strange, you mean?). Yes. Ninja popularity was pretty high but the concept had strayed FAR from the source inspiration. It's weird. As a kid I'd imagine seeing Joe Musashi on a rocket powered surf board was the coolest thing ever. As an adult the image is incredibly absurd! But such absurdity with ninjas was massively popular at the time (or at least extremely prevalent). The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series leaned hard into the sci-fi angle and absolute absurdity. This "Ninjas vs Robots" thing began spreading to video games including the Ninja Gaiden series and Shinobi series. Even without the sci-fi elements Ninjas were still growing more and more absurd. Movies like 3 NINJAS, SURF NINJAS, and BEVERLY HILLS NINJA (all films I dearly enjoy) only exacerbated the problem and, with the benefit of hindsight, marked the death knell of the ninja craze. TMNT, Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, and the rest all died out shortly thereafter. Maybe this melding of past cultures with futuristic science fiction fantasy trend can be more accurately blamed on He-Men and the Masters of the Universe?
Needless to say, I have a love/hate relationship with this era of ninja entertainment. I was a child at the time (I may still be...) and as a kid I kinda loved these absurd ninja ideas. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that my love of ninjas originated with these ridiculous ninja renditions. My ninja love (which is stronger than ever today) further evolved over the years from these wild ideas to depictions closer to the more traditional Japanese source. Today I see these old 90's ninja media and look back both with a smile and a cringe. Today I wish the sci-fi elements of Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden would just disappear, but yet the kid in me knows I would've loved this crap back in the 90's.
Anyway,
The Jet Ski stage is basically a repeat of the Horseback stage, except instead of ninjas running at you there are robots and soldiers on hovercrafts. It is undeniably fun and a major highlight of the game while simultaneously being utterly ludicrous. After that you enter what looks like a water treatment plant with pitfalls and pipes running everywhere. This is a huge stage. Joe can cling to the pipes and explore all over the stage. You can utilize nearly the full extent of Joe's abilities traversing this level, most especially the ability to cling to the overhead. There's plenty of hidden items such as 1-Ups and extra Ninjitsu magic. After this stage you return to the Jet Ski to battle a sci-fi jet-tank thing. This boss can be a real pain in the ass and take forever if you don't have a power-up. My strategy: go into the fight with a power-up, use invincibility lightning magic, and unload shurikens on the boss. If you lose your invincibility, jump on top of the boss and dive kick him like crazy.
Level 5 begins with a stage outside of a military facility. This first stage of Level 5 is one of my favorites in terms of appearance. The background is a forest colored red by either the setting sun or a massive wildfire (I can't tell which). In either case, it is a visually striking level. It's filled with bombs, landmines, machine-gun soldiers, artillery, and more things to frustrate the hell out of you. It is the toughest stage of this level. It's tempting to want to race through the stage, but taking your time sometimes treats you better. The next several stages occur inside the military installation. As far as enemies go these stages are fairly easy. The stages themselves are massive and have a lot to explore. These stages are sectioned off and you need to detonate bombs to gain access to other areas of the stage.
After several stages inside the military base you finally reach the boss: MECHAGODZILLA! Yep, Joe faced off against Godzilla in TROS. Now, Joe must face Godzilla's mechanical double! There's even a dome-like secondary head once you blow up the main head (just like when Godzilla pulls off Mechagodzilla's head in TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA). He's as tall as the screen and has a number of projectile attacks. When he corners you against the wall you can jump onto his arms and leap over his head to the other side. Again, I used the same boss tactic as the last level: make sure to have a power-up, use invincibility lightning magic, and unload shurikens on the boss. Mechagodzilla goes down pretty easily. By this point the game feels very large and extensive, far bigger than any of the previous games.
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| Yep, Mechagodzilla! |
Level 6 starts with the craziest stage yet! You begin at the bottom of a mountain crevasse with rocks falling down atop you. You've got to leap up the falling rocks to the top of the mountain while killing stationary ninjas who're riding the rocks down the mountainside, along with winged ninjas flying around you. Yes, folks, that means pitfalls galore! I must've lost over a dozen lives on this stage. My saving grace was using the super jump magic which made leaping from rock to rock way more doable. And yes, there's a freakin' boss fight on this tricky terrain too! There are three rocks, one in the middle bottom of the screen and a rock on either side of it. You've got to leap between these rocks or fall to your doom while fighting a winged tengu demon. Talk about a pain in the a$$. Well, I found out that if you stay on the far left rock and crouch walk to the left, the boss will miss you most of the time. Then when you have an opening fire off shurikens like crazy! It's not fool proof though as he kept killing me on one of my sessions. But this tactic did secure me victory eventually.
I gotta give the game designers credit. This stage was challenging, unique, and pretty cool. Another highlight of the game.
The next stage is a revisit to Neo Zeed's fortress. The level is a reimagining of the final level from TROS (remember that labyrinth level with all of the doors that transport you all over the place? Well here it is again!). By comparison, this version of Neo Zeed's fortress is far easier to find your way through the maze, but it has its own extra difficulties. In TROS the enemies didn't respawn after you killed them. Here, if you pick the wrong door and are whisked back to a previous stage, the enemies have returned again. This is frustrating for sure, but the items respawn too allowing you to refill your shuriken stock. At one point I got far enough in the maze and found a rather evil looking doorway. My first thought was that this door looked too obvious and was a trick. I went passed the door to another. And then another. And then back to the beginning.
I couldn't figure out the damn maze to save my life! It took forever to get to this level and I was getting frustrated. I almost gave up and went to GameFAQS again, but then I remembered: I hadn't yet tried the super obvious door. My next play through I tried the evil looking doorway and guess what? It led directly to the boss. I learned that sometimes the obvious answer is the correct answer. The final boss of TROS waited for and had a whole new bag of tricks. What's awesome here is how Zeed appears, looking exactly like he did in TROS, complete with head-bangin' hair and all! He was very tough to kill in TROS and so I was anticipating the fight of my life! This boss battle has two stages: 1st you face two Zeeds! Zeed and a "shadow" Zeed disappear and reappear from behind the wall. Only one of them is the real Zeed and only one of them can be hurt. Once you hit the real Zeed enough the shadow eventually goes away and then you gotta beat on Zeed some more. With enough shurikens and an invincibility lightning magic use I was able to put him down on my first try.
This was both a relief and a disappointment at the same time. It was a relief in that traversing the fortress sucked and I didn't want to do it over again (which I would have to again anyway because the next level would claim my life). And it was a disappointment in that I was expecting something a little more epic and intense (that is why there are two higher difficulty settings to choose from I guess). Truthfully, I was glad it wasn't any harder than it was. I'm almost out of gaming fortitude!
Level 7 is the epic final level! Joe sneaks aboard Neo Zeed's massive flying ship. The first stage has Joe on the outside of the ship clinging to the landing gear for dear life while avoiding the rocket thrusters. Again, pitfalls everywhere. This stage was hella annoying. After that you enter another elevator stage, riding your way to the top while shooting down drones and small arms defense guns. The next stage has Joe atop the ship avoiding massive laser canons and various defense mechanisms. After that stage you enter the ship, leaping through the massive belly of the ship from piston to piston, up walls, and around open electric currents. This stage is massive and one epic journey in itself, again rife with pitfalls everywhere. The longest level by far! I swear, this level felt incredibly long and it took me many many tries to make it to the end. Luckily there were a few hidden items such as 1-Ups that kept me from dying out completely. In hindsight, this level feels heavily inspired by the final level from NINJA GAIDEN III: THE ANCIENT SHIP OF DOOM. In many ways, Shinobi III feels like an updated version of 1991's Ninja Gaiden III.
Editor's note: We'll have to do a post comparing and contrasting the Ninja Gaiden series and the Shinobi series in the future!
Then finally I made it to the endgame boss, the boss of bosses: The Shadow Master! This guy is a tall slender muscular person with many of Joe's own skills along with cybernetic enhancements. He's wearing some strange metallic armor that reminds me of Lord Zedd from Power Rangers. I was able to survive for quite a while against him but would ultimately lose every time. He ran me out of lives and the first continue screen popped up. I thought I was going to have to struggle through the whole level again to get back to him. Much to my surprise, continuing brought me right back to the boss fight! But that meant that I had to defeat the final boss with nothing but my base equipment. It took me a little bit of strategizing but I was able to win with...
"A judicious application of bacon and beans!"
I discovered that using the kamakazi magic attack refills your life bar and doesn't deplete your magic stock. So, after dying thoroughly several more times and continuing yet again, I put my plan into action. I fought him until my life bar was nearly gone, used the kamakazi magic attack to inflict more damage and refill my life bar in the process. I repeated this and eventually succeeded! The final scene Joe is once again standing upon a cliff overlooking the countryside, Neo Zeed's airship crashing to the ground in a blazing inferno. Then we watch Joe ride once more upon his horse against the setting sun (very evocative of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).
Fweh! Done!
Alright, it certainly sounds like this game was one of the easiest of the bunch here. Well, I completed it on Normal difficulty. There's still Hard difficulty and even Expert difficulty to boot! The challenging gaming associated with Shinobi is still there, but instead of the high difficulty being forced upon you from the get go, the game designers actually staggered the difficulty appropriately. The higher difficulty is there to please hardcore fans and gamers, you simply need to select it in the options (and I'll probably attempt those sometime in the future).
This game is the most inviting of all the Shinobi games here and by extension the most fun right off the bat. And what normal difficulty lacks in challenging gameplay it makes up for with massive levels and lengthy stages. Ultimately this game feels the most refined (obviously since it's the latest game of the four. But just because it was made later doesn't necessarily mean it would be better. In this case though, I feel it is the best of these). Visually it's the best looking and it's gameplay mechanics are the smoothest and most user friendly of this set. And it continues the tradition of having a great soundtrack!
Shinobi III is a Sega Genesis masterpiece!
WHAT COULD'VE BEEN
As I stated earlier, originally Shinobi III was going to be a very different game. The "Beta" version was sent out to reviewers and gaming magazines. You can watch a playthrough of this beta version on Youtube. Clearly Sega hadn't finished the game at that point, and while some of the original version was retained, there is a lot that was abandoned. Of the abandoned content there are a few elements that I wish the game designers would've maintained.
The final version of Shinobi III really is better in almost all respects. However, there are aspects I did enjoy about the beta version. Among those aspects was the opening level. It's still a forest level but this time it is more sprawling and far more open rather than a single screen straight run. This original version of level 1 is even more reminiscent of The Legend of Kage game for NES. Then there is Level 7. It appears to be Zeed's fortress again but Joe spends more time running along the exterior of the fortress, which resembles a traditional Japanese castle. The background is of the Kyoto horizon at night and it is gorgeous. Throughout the game Joe seems to be heading closer and closer to Kyoto as an earlier level showed the famous Toji Temple far in the distance against a twilight sky (another stage with some beautiful esthetics). Further in level 7 is another background of the full moon and it is wonderful as well.
Ultimately, aside from these backgrounds, a few stages here and there, and maybe all of the beta version's level 7, the final version of Shinobi III is superior in just about every way. It is interesting that the beta version has 8 levels while the final version has only 7 levels. If I could perform magic I'd add the Zeed fortress exterior level (the beta version's level 7) back into the final version (finished, of course). And since I'm such a big fan of that first level, I'd add the sprawling scope of the beta version's level 1 as well. Decide for yourself if there's anything you wish Sega would've retained from the beta version!
Let's check our accomplishments:
SHINOBI (NES): Defeated!
THE REVENGE OF SHINOBI (SEGA GENESIS): Defeated!
Acquired both endings
SHADOW DANCER ~ THE SECRET OF SHINOBI (SEGA GENESIS): Defeated!
On default difficulty only
SHINOBI III ~ THE RETURN OF THE NINJA MASTER (SEGA GENESIS): Defeated!
On default difficulty (normal) only
Hell yes! I am no longer a Shinobi poser! I still have a ways to get to "hardcore" status, but at least I have "walked the walk." This marks the first time I have defeated these games and (for some of them) the first time actually playing them! Of them all I feel the original Shinobi and Shadow Dancer offer similar experiences in gameplay while TROS and Shinobi III offer similar experiences to each other but different from the other two. Of these four I enjoyed Shadow Dancer and Shinobi III probably the most and I have more to play on both of those. But TROS was the only game of the these four that I went back and defeated a second time (securing both endings for the game). I fully plan on going back to Shadow Dancer and Shinobi III for a go at higher difficulties (but not until I've taken a well deserved break).
Thus marks the end of THE SHINOBI CHRONICLES... PART 1! The Shinobi franchise is far from over! We still have a ton of games left! For the second part of the Shinobi Chronicles we'll tackle the original Sega Master System games, Shinobi, Cyber Shinobi, and the original Shadow Dancer (and maybe Alex Kidd in Shinobi World)! For Part 3 we'll tackle Shinobi Legions for the Sega Saturn and Shinobi and Nightshade for the PS2! And finally for Part 4 we'll tackle all three handheld Shinobi games! So much Shinobi goodness to be had! And we also might do some gaming diaries on the Castlevania franchise too. And Ninja Gaiden. And more! So much more! Stay tuned!
For more posts on Shinobi, ninjas, and video games check out these others below!
TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (VIDEO GAMES: MALE)
TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (VIDEO GAMES: FEMALE)
TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (COMIC BOOKS)
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GUYS
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GALS TOP TEN CINEMA SAMURAI
Way of the Ninja: Kunoichi
Kage No Gundan ~ Shadow Warriors Season One
(a show set in feudal Japan about ninjas!)
(it says samurai but ninjas are included too)
(The film responsible for the status of ninjas today in pop culture.)
(A brief examination of female ninjas and how cool and dangerous these women were.)
(A survey in which I asked coworkers who they thought would win and a story based on the outcome.)
(A list of my favorite fighting game males, some of which are ninjas!)
(A list of my favorite fighting game females, many of which are ninjas!)
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