Difference between revisions of "Shinobi"

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(Created page with "'''''Shinobi''''', known as '''''忍 [Shinobu], "Ninja"''''' in Japan, is a run-and-gun platform game developed and published by Sega for the arcade in 1987, and then...")
 
 
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'''''Shinobi''''', known as '''''忍 [Shinobu], "Ninja"''''' in Japan, is a run-and-gun platform game developed and published by [[Sega]] for the [[arcade]] in 1987, and then ported to the majority of platforms of the day. In the game, you play the ninja Joe Musashi who must fight his way through various stages rescuing hostage children who have been kidnapped by a terrorist organization named Zeed.
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{{Video Game
 +
| Title            = Shinobi
 +
| Image            = Shinobi - ARC - USA - Marquee.svg
 +
| ImageDescription = Arcade - USA - Marquee.
 +
| Developer        = {{VideoGameDeveloper|Sega}}
 +
| Publisher        = {{VideoGamePublisher|Sega}}
 +
| PublishedYear    = 1987
 +
| PublishedMonth  = 11
 +
| PublishedDay    = 16
 +
| Platforms        = {{Platform|Amiga}}, {{Platform|Amstrad CPC}}, {{Platform|Arcade}}, {{Platform|Atari ST}}, {{Platform|Commodore 64}}, {{Platform|DOS}}, {{Platform|MSX}}, {{Platform|NES}}, {{Platform|Master System}}, {{Platform|TurboGrafx-16}}, {{Platform|ZX Spectrum}}
 +
| Genres          = {{VideoGameGenre|Beat 'em up|Beat 'em up}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Platformer|Platformer}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Platform shooter|Platform shooter}}
 +
| Themes          = {{MediaTheme|Action}}, {{MediaTheme|Martial Arts}}, {{MediaTheme|Science Fiction}}, {{MediaTheme|Ninjas}}
 +
| Series          = ''[[Shinobi (universe)|Shinobi]]''
 +
| Multiplayer      = {{GameMultiplayer|Alternating versus}}
 +
| Distributions    = {{VideoGameDistribution|Commercial}}
 +
}}
  
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My first memory of Shinobi was at the arcade room in Lakeland Arena in the late 1980s. Since my parents never game me quarters, I could never play it myself, by I enjoyed watching other people play it. I thought the game looked pretty cool, but nobody who played it ever got very far into the game. Only once did I ever see someone beat the bonus round.
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'''''Shinobi''''' is a cross between a [[platform shooter]] and [[beat 'em up]] with a ninja theme developed and published by [[Sega]] for the [[arcade]] in 1987-11-16. It was built for the [[System 16]] board and then ported to the majority of platforms of the day, though, strangely, not the [[Genesis]].
  
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==Status==
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In the game, you play the ninja Joe Musashi who must fight his way through various stages rescuing hostage children who have been kidnapped by a terrorist organization named Zeed.
−
I do not own any of the port and haven't beat any.
+
 
 +
==Personal==
 +
{{VideoGameStatus
 +
| Own      =
 +
| CantOwn  =
 +
| Won      =
 +
| CantWin  =
 +
| Finished =
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
My first memory of Shinobi was at the arcade room in Lakeland Arena in the late 1980s. Since my parents never game me quarters, I never played it myself, but I enjoyed watching other people play it. I thought the game looked pretty cool, but nobody who played it ever got very far into the game. Very rarely someone would beat the first boss, and only once did I ever see someone beat the bonus round. Years later, with the help of Sega arcade emulator, I was able to play the game through by giving myself tons of credits. I now see it as an important platformer, but unfairly difficult.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
−
* '''Overall:''' 4/10
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{{Video Game Review|4|4|7|6|4|Arcade}}
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* '''Best Version:''' Arcade
+
 
 +
{{Spoilers}}
  
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
−
* The game has great graphics and sound for the day.
+
* The game is technically advanced for the day.
−
* Ninjas were really popular in the late 1980s, and this game delivered. There are ninja stars, swords, guns, and scary Japanese...
+
* The graphics and animation are well made.
 +
* [[Yasuhiro Kawakami]] composed a good soundtrack for the game.
 +
* Ninjas were really popular in the late 1980s, and this game delivered. There are ninja stars, swords, guns, and scary Japanese bosses, etc. The various ninja magic animations are especially cool.
 +
* I like that merely touching an enemy doesn't kill you like so many other games at the time.
 +
* The depth mechanic where you can jump from the background to the foreground is a cool trick and it makes the stages more interesting.
 +
* One of the Marilyn Monroe posters has an oddly-placed mole as a joke.
 +
 
 +
===Bad===
 +
* Only being able to take a single hit before dying isn't unusual for an 80s action game, but it's still pretty ridiculous.
 +
 
 +
===Ugly===
 +
* Like most arcade games, Shinobi is meant to eat quarters. In the later stages, the game play becomes extremely unfair. There are all sorts of enemies that dart across the screen faster than most players can react requiring dozens of failed play-throughs before you can memorize the game.
  
 
==Media==
 
==Media==
 +
===Box Art===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Marquee.svg|Arcade - Marquee - USA.
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Bezel.png|Arcade - Bezel - USA.
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Side Art.jpg|Arcade - Side art - USA.
 +
Shinobi - SMS - Europe.jpg|Master System - World.
 +
Shinobi - C64 - USA.jpg|Amiga, Commodore 64, DOS - USA.
 +
Shinobi - C64 - Europe.jpg|Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum - Europe.
 +
Shinobi - MSX - Japan.jpg|MSX - Japan, some European regions.
 +
Shinobi - NES - USA.jpg|NES - USA.
 +
Shinobi - PCE - Japan.jpg|PC Engine - Japan.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 +
===Documentation===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Manual.pdf|Manual - Arcade - USA.
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Instructions.png|Instructions - Arcade - USA.
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Instructions - 1.png|Instructions - Arcade - USA.
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Instructions - 2.png|Instructions - Arcade - USA.
 +
Shinobi - SMS - USA - Manual.pdf|Manual - Master System - USA.
 +
Shinobi - SMS - Europe - Manual.pdf|Manual - Master System - Europe.
 +
Shinobi - NES - USA - Manual.pdf|Manual - NES.
 +
Shinobi - ARC - USA - Ad.jpg|Advertisement - Arcade - USA.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 +
===Maps===
 +
<gallery>
 +
Shinobi - ZXS - Map.png|ZX Spectrum.
 +
</gallery>
 +
 +
* [http://vgmaps.com/Atlas/Arcade/index.htm#Shinobi Arcade]
 +
* [http://vgmaps.com/Atlas/MasterSystem/index.htm#Shinobi Master System]
 +
 +
===Graphics===
 +
* [https://www.spriters-resource.com/arcade/shinobi spriters-resource.com/arcade/shinobi] - Arcade.
 +
* [https://www.spriters-resource.com/nes/shinobi spriters-resource.com/nes/shinobi] - NES
 +
* [https://www.spriters-resource.com/master_system/shinobi spriters-resource.com/master_system/shinobi] - Master System.
 +
* [https://www.spriters-resource.com/amstrad_cpc/shinobi spriters-resource.com/amstrad_cpc/shinobi] - Amstrad CPC.
 +
 +
===Videos===
 +
{{YouTube|lqScgMHVe3c|Longplay - Arcade.}}
 +
{{YouTube|JkZEj5p0aog|Longplay - NES.}}
 +
 +
==Play Online==
 +
{{PlayOnline|https://classicreload.com/shinobi.html-0|Arcade}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.free80sarcade.com/sega_Shinobi.php|Master System}}, {{PlayOnline|https://classicreload.com/shinobi.html|MS-DOS}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/turbografx16-games/shinobi-japan.html|PC Engine}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/nes-games/shinobi-usa-unl.html|NES}}
 +
 +
==Representation==
 +
{{Representation
 +
| Media                      = Video games
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Fail
 +
| StrongFemaleCharacterNotes  = There are no women.
 +
| BechdelTestStatus          = Fail
 +
| BechdelTestNotes            = There are no women.
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterStatus    = Pass
 +
| StrongPOCCharacterNotes    = Everyone is Japanese including the hero, Joe Musashi.
 +
| QueerCharacterStatus        = Fail
 +
| QueerCharacterNotes        = There are no queer characters.
 +
}}
 +
 +
==Titles==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Language !! Native !! Transliteration !! Translation
 +
|-
 +
| English || Shadowgate || ||
 +
|-
 +
| Japanese || 忍 || Shinobu || Ninja
 +
|}
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
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* [http://www.mobygames.com/game/shinobi mobygames.com/game/shinobi] - MobyGames.
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{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/game/shinobi}}
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* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinobi_(video_game) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinobi_(video_game)] - Wikipedia.
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinobi_(video_game)}}
 +
{{Link|SegaRetro|https://segaretro.org/Shinobi}}
 +
{{Link|GameFAQs|https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/sms/588140-shinobi}}
  
  
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[[Category: Games]]
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[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Action, Adventure, Strategy]]
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[[Category: Video Games]]
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[[Category: Game mechanic - Playable person of color]]
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[[Category: Amiga Games]]
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[[Category: 4-bit Color Graphics]]
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[[Category: Amstrad CPC Games]]
 
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[[Category: Arcade Games]]
 
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[[Category: Atari ST Games]]
 
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[[Category: Commodore 64 Games]]
 
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[[Category: DOS Games]]
 
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[[Category: MSX Games]]
 
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[[Category: NES Games]]
 
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[[Category: Master System Games]]
 
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[[Category: TurboGrafx-16 Games]]
 
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[[Category: ZX Spectrum Games]]
 
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[[Category: Action]]
 
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[[Category: Platformer]]
 
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[[Category: Run and Gun]]
 
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[[Category: Ninja]]
 

Latest revision as of 19:25, 13 March 2024

Shinobi

Shinobi - ARC - USA - Marquee.svg

Arcade - USA - Marquee.
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Published 1987-11-16
Platforms Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Arcade, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, MSX, NES, Master System, TurboGrafx-16, ZX Spectrum
Genres Beat 'em up, Platformer, Platform shooter
Themes Action, Martial Arts, Science Fiction, Ninjas
Series Shinobi
Multiplayer Alternating versus
Distribution Commercial

Shinobi is a cross between a platform shooter and beat 'em up with a ninja theme developed and published by Sega for the arcade in 1987-11-16. It was built for the System 16 board and then ported to the majority of platforms of the day, though, strangely, not the Genesis.

In the game, you play the ninja Joe Musashi who must fight his way through various stages rescuing hostage children who have been kidnapped by a terrorist organization named Zeed.

Personal

Own?No.
Won?No.

My first memory of Shinobi was at the arcade room in Lakeland Arena in the late 1980s. Since my parents never game me quarters, I never played it myself, but I enjoyed watching other people play it. I thought the game looked pretty cool, but nobody who played it ever got very far into the game. Very rarely someone would beat the first boss, and only once did I ever see someone beat the bonus round. Years later, with the help of Sega arcade emulator, I was able to play the game through by giving myself tons of credits. I now see it as an important platformer, but unfairly difficult.

Review

Video Game Review Icon - Enjoyment.png Video Game Review Icon - Control.png Video Game Review Icon - Appearance.png Video Game Review Icon - Sound.png Video Game Review Icon - Replayability.png
4 4 7 6 4

Best Version: Arcade

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • The game is technically advanced for the day.
  • The graphics and animation are well made.
  • Yasuhiro Kawakami composed a good soundtrack for the game.
  • Ninjas were really popular in the late 1980s, and this game delivered. There are ninja stars, swords, guns, and scary Japanese bosses, etc. The various ninja magic animations are especially cool.
  • I like that merely touching an enemy doesn't kill you like so many other games at the time.
  • The depth mechanic where you can jump from the background to the foreground is a cool trick and it makes the stages more interesting.
  • One of the Marilyn Monroe posters has an oddly-placed mole as a joke.

Bad

  • Only being able to take a single hit before dying isn't unusual for an 80s action game, but it's still pretty ridiculous.

Ugly

  • Like most arcade games, Shinobi is meant to eat quarters. In the later stages, the game play becomes extremely unfair. There are all sorts of enemies that dart across the screen faster than most players can react requiring dozens of failed play-throughs before you can memorize the game.

Media

Box Art

  • Arcade - Marquee - USA.

  • Arcade - Bezel - USA.

  • Arcade - Side art - USA.

  • Master System - World.

  • Amiga, Commodore 64, DOS - USA.

  • Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum - Europe.

  • MSX - Japan, some European regions.

  • NES - USA.

  • PC Engine - Japan.

Documentation

  • Manual - Arcade - USA.

  • Instructions - Arcade - USA.

  • Instructions - Arcade - USA.

  • Instructions - Arcade - USA.

  • Manual - Master System - USA.

  • Manual - Master System - Europe.

  • Manual - NES.

  • Advertisement - Arcade - USA.

Maps

  • ZX Spectrum.

Graphics

Videos

Longplay - Arcade.
Longplay - NES.

Play Online

Arcade, Master System, MS-DOS, PC Engine, NES

Representation

Strong female character?FailThere are no women.
Bechdel test?FailThere are no women.
Strong person of color character?PassEveryone is Japanese including the hero, Joe Musashi.
Queer character?FailThere are no queer characters.

Titles

Language Native Transliteration Translation
English Shadowgate
Japanese 忍 Shinobu Ninja

Links

Link-MobyGames.png  Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-SegaRetro.png  Link-GameFAQs.png 

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