90
Shinobi is another can't-miss Sega Ages release. [Issue #46 – May/June 2020, p. 22]
50
As always, M2 has done a commendable job at preserving a piece of gaming history. Shinobi was an early and influential action title that set things in motion for greater things to come. The amazing Mega Drive sequels would cement the franchise as a legitimate action platformer franchise that gave SEGA an edge over Nintendo. Even the two highly underrated PlayStation 2 releases could give Capcom a run for its money with their take on 3D character action. Only the most die-hard of retro game enthusiasts will get something out of SEGA AGES Shinobi. Everyone else would find a much more enjoyable experience with the other Shinobi instalments found in the SEGA Mega Drive Classics compilation, or by just downloading Shinobi (2002) onto a PlayStation 3 off of PSN.
100
M2 did a marvelous job porting Shinobi to the Switch. Everything feels like you are playing the original arcade game with nothing removed. The game has been ported to many platforms over the years in many forms. This one really does feel like the best port out of all of them, though as I found it hard to put it down long enough to write this review. The addition of AGES Mode is great for new players who have never seen or heard of this game before, but most classic gamers will prefer the challenge of the original.
8
Absolutely the best way to play Shinobi (as of 2023). Lots of great quality-of-life features and little enhancements, alongside a purist version of the arcade original. Be ready for an old school challenge!
8
This is a near perfect conversion of the arcade classic from the 1980s. M2 are impressive with their very good conversions. There are different modes and difficulty levels to suit different gamers. You can even rewind time on this version if you wish. The coin guzzler from the 80s brought back to life on the Nintendo Switch! Nice one M2!
Shinobi
Released On:
Jan 23, 2020
Metascore
Generally Favorable
78
User score
Generally Favorable
8.6
My Score
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All Platforms
Metascore
Generally Favorable
67% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
33% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Feb 21, 2020
100
M2 did a marvelous job porting Shinobi to the Switch. Everything feels like you are playing the original arcade game with nothing removed. The game has been ported to many platforms over the years in many forms. This one really does feel like the best port out of all of them, though as I found it hard to put it down long enough to write this review. The addition of AGES Mode is great for new players who have never seen or heard of this game before, but most classic gamers will prefer the challenge of the original.
Feb 11, 2020
90
Sega Ages: Shinobi is still a great game more than 30 years after its initial release—and it's still just as difficult. It takes a lot of skill to progress beyond the first couple of missions. Newer players are given a couple of tools to help them, namely save states and a rewind feature, while expert players will find the same game they enjoyed all those years ago. Whether you're an experienced ninja or you're checking the game out for the first time, Shinobi is a great addition to the Sega Ages library.
Jan 28, 2020
83
Shinobi is an all time classic and deserves another reboot as far as I’m concerned. The Sega Ages release on Switch gives players the arcade original with some cool optional modifications to make it more fun and engaging, not to mention easier as well. I really would have liked to have had the SMS version included here, but this is still a great, polished release as is.
Jan 24, 2020
80
The arcade version of Shinobi is very impressive considering it debuted in 1987 and this release is the ultimate way to enjoy it.
Jan 23, 2020
80
Shinobi as a game has aged extremely well – it’s still an absolute blast to play today – and that goes a long way to making this a worthy download. The excellent variety of stages and enemies complement the tight gameplay which still feels spot-on even compared with later entries in the series, and its rather fanciful representation of ninjas is difficult to get too upset about when it’s just so much fun. We’d frankly like to see some later Sega games appearing in the Sega Ages range at some point, but it’s great to see a return to the company's heritage after some of the other more questionable releases.
Jan 23, 2020
70
Shinobi isn’t the best game in the series – that accolade belongs to Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master – but it’s still a classic, and it’s still very much playable. Like all of the SEGA AGES entries, it’s fairly priced considering the additional features, so if you’ve ever enjoyed combating ZEED as Joe Musashi it’s worth picking up. It’s just a shame that AGES mode focuses on making the game easier rather than changing the gameplay up.
Apr 13, 2020
50
As always, M2 has done a commendable job at preserving a piece of gaming history. Shinobi was an early and influential action title that set things in motion for greater things to come. The amazing Mega Drive sequels would cement the franchise as a legitimate action platformer franchise that gave SEGA an edge over Nintendo. Even the two highly underrated PlayStation 2 releases could give Capcom a run for its money with their take on 3D character action. Only the most die-hard of retro game enthusiasts will get something out of SEGA AGES Shinobi. Everyone else would find a much more enjoyable experience with the other Shinobi instalments found in the SEGA Mega Drive Classics compilation, or by just downloading Shinobi (2002) onto a PlayStation 3 off of PSN.
User score
Generally Favorable
88% Positive
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
12% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
May 1, 2023
8
Absolutely the best way to play Shinobi (as of 2023). Lots of great quality-of-life features and little enhancements, alongside a purist version of the arcade original. Be ready for an old school challenge!
Jan 23, 2020
8
This is a near perfect conversion of the arcade classic from the 1980s. M2 are impressive with their very good conversions. There are different modes and difficulty levels to suit different gamers. You can even rewind time on this version if you wish. The coin guzzler from the 80s brought back to life on the Nintendo Switch! Nice one M2!
Summary[Xbox Live Arcade] As the ninja Shinobi (Joe Musashi) you must stop the criminal organization known as Zeed, who have kidnapped the children of the Oboro clan. Test your ninja skills through five missions of increasing difficulty, and make your way to Zeed's headquarters to free all the hostages. The Ring of Five, the leaders of Zeed, a... Read More
Rated E +10for Everyone +10
