Megadrive - Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master

Format
Megadrive
Publisher
Sega
Developer
Sega
Country of origin
Japan
Genre
Scrolling Fighter

Shinobi III

By Eric
22nd Jan 05

With all the new ninja games on the market right now, sometimes one can forget one's ninja roots...that's right, the 8 and 16-bit days of gaming. Shinobi III is old as dirt by today's standards, but if you still own a Sega Genesis/Megadrive, I urge you to try to get your hands on this forgotten gem.

Shinobi was never a very realistic ninja game. In fact, Tenchu may be the only ninja game there is that follows the actual rules of ninjitsu. Nonetheless, it's fun if you're not some whining purist. There are some moments when you might say "Oh c'mon", but those are some of the most fun moments in the game. Riding a jetboard and fighting a giant, screen-filling mutant creature is just FUN. The plot of the game isn't very important or comprehensive, but that's not what makes me love this game anyway.

For a 16-bit game, you have a surprising amount of ways to dispatch your enemies using just two buttons. Close-range attacks are melee sword slashes, while long-range attacks are shuriken throws. You can also use jump kicks, spinning shuriken throws, running slashes, and even guard from attacks. You also get four ninja spells that work for destructive, protective, or jump enhancement purposes. It's nice to have them available, although most hardcore gamers will probably try to beat the level without the use of spells in order to get that "no magic" bonus.

The graphics for the time were quite impressive and the sound effects, while primitive and unimpressive by today's standards, did the job well. The music is very appropriate and often quite catchy. A few minutes of playing it and you'll see why so many people appreciate old school gaming music.

Of course, the game is not for everyone. It can be notoriously difficult in places. While the challenge is usually fair, there are still those "pull your hair out" moments. Also, the game is rather short and can be completed in an hour or two. Once you have beaten it, there isn't a whole lot of replay value. It'll still be fun, but you won't get anything new for playing it again. Nonetheless, the game is likely to cost you less than ten bucks nowadays, so why not give it a shot?

Score: 8.75/10

-- Eric 22nd Jan 05

Megadrive Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master Images