Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi
Encyclopedia
is a side-scrolling action game
produced by Sega
that was originally released for the Mega Drive/Genesis in . It has been re-released via downloading services such as the Wii
's Virtual Console
and Steam, and included in the Sega Genesis Collection
for the PlayStation 2
and PlayStation Portable
.
It is the second game in the Shinobi series released for the Mega Drive following The Revenge of Shinobi
. However, it is not a continuation of the previous game, but rather a loose remake of the arcade game Shadow Dancer. Like in the original arcade game, the player controls a ninja accompanied by a canine companion.
, turning most of the city in ruins. The few citizens who survived Union Lizard's onslaught of chaos are now kept prisoners by its members. A ninja warrior, accompanied by his faithful dog , emerges out of hiding to combat Union Lizard's reign and rescue the hostages. The identity of the protagonist, which is kept ambiguous in the in-game opening, varies between supplemental materials. The Japanese manual identifies him as , son of Joe Musashi
from the previous games in the Shinobi series, while the English language manual identifies him as Joe Musashi himself coming out of retirement.
There are five rounds in all. The first four rounds consists of three stages each, with the third one being a confrontation with the round's boss, while the fifth round consists of only one stage comprises of five rooms that leads to the final boss' lair. The rounds are as followed:
arcade game. The male hostages give out bonus points and the occasional extra life, while the female hostages will strengthen the player's basic attacks until he reaches the next stage or loses a life.
While the one-hit-point-per-life system from the two arcade version has been retained, there are numerous bonus lives hidden throughout the game. Between rounds the player will participate in a bonus stage where he will jump down from a building and shoot down an army of 50 enemy ninjas jumping across his direction. After the bonus stage ends, the player will gain a certain amount of points or extra lives.
There are three difficulty settings in the game, each affecting the enemy placement and the number of continues the player gets. The player can also choose to disable shuriken
s, using them only for boss battles and bonus stages. Bonus points are awarded at the end of each stage and boss battle (except for the final stage), based on how long it took the player to complete the stage and whether a ninjutsu attack was used or not. There are also hidden bonuses that the player can achieve by completing a stage or boss battle under a certain condition.
called The Secret of Shinobi "the most awesome release" in the entire Shinobi franchise, adding that the game "answers the question of what could possibly be cooler than a ninja stalking around a gritty urban landscape: that ninja's dog." In 2010, Revo-Emag called Yamato the Dog the #2 retro video game pet.
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
produced by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
that was originally released for the Mega Drive/Genesis in . It has been re-released via downloading services such as the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
and Steam, and included in the Sega Genesis Collection
Sega Genesis Collection
The Sega Mega Drive Collection is a video game compilation for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, compiled and emulated by Digital Eclipse and released in the U.S. in 2006 and Europe and Australia in 2007...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
.
It is the second game in the Shinobi series released for the Mega Drive following The Revenge of Shinobi
The Revenge of Shinobi
The Revenge of Shinobi, published in Japan as is a video game developed and published by Sega in 1989. It was the first Shinobi game developed for the Sega Mega Drive, and was later released on the coin-operated version of that console, the Mega-Tech....
. However, it is not a continuation of the previous game, but rather a loose remake of the arcade game Shadow Dancer. Like in the original arcade game, the player controls a ninja accompanied by a canine companion.
Plot
In 1997, an evil group called "Union Lizard" has taken over New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, turning most of the city in ruins. The few citizens who survived Union Lizard's onslaught of chaos are now kept prisoners by its members. A ninja warrior, accompanied by his faithful dog , emerges out of hiding to combat Union Lizard's reign and rescue the hostages. The identity of the protagonist, which is kept ambiguous in the in-game opening, varies between supplemental materials. The Japanese manual identifies him as , son of Joe Musashi
Joe Musashi
is a player character and main hero in Sega's Shinobi series of video games, first introduced in 1987.-Character design:When debuting in the Shinobi series, Musashi was designed with an outfit that would be described by IGN as "thoroughly traditional", whereas Sega would coordinate later characters...
from the previous games in the Shinobi series, while the English language manual identifies him as Joe Musashi himself coming out of retirement.
There are five rounds in all. The first four rounds consists of three stages each, with the third one being a confrontation with the round's boss, while the fifth round consists of only one stage comprises of five rooms that leads to the final boss' lair. The rounds are as followed:
- Round 1: "Burning Downtown" - Set in the ruins of a city filled with burning buildings. The boss is called the "Stomper" ("Yoroi" in the Japanese version), a giant armored warrior who can cause earthquakes by jumping, as well as breathe fireballs.
- Round 2: "Battle in the Railway" - Loosely based on Round 2 from the arcade version. Set on a bridge which leads to a railway. The boss is called the "Mirage" ("Kabe" in the Japanese version), a brick wall possessed by a demon that can materialize into a face with a pair of arms.
- Round 3: "The Statue of Liberty" - Set on a construction site which leads to an elevator ride to the top of the Statue of LibertyStatue of LibertyThe Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
. The boss is called "Blade" ("Yaiba" in the Japanese version), a giant armour clad-woman armed with rolling buzzsaws on both of her hands. - Round 4: "In the Darkness" - Loosely based on Stage 4-1 from the arcade version. Set inside a dark cave. The boss is the "Wheel of Fire" ("Kuromabi"), a flying spinning wheel with three fire-breathing faces.
- Round 5: "Union Lizard" - Set in the hideout of the enemy, where the player faces against a different type of enemy in each room. The final room is the lair of the final boss Sauros (unnamed in the Japanese version), who will his ninja minions to attack the player.
Gameplay
The game mechanics are roughly identical to the arcade version, with the main difference is the addition of a meter for the ninja dog that accompanies the player. In order for the dog to attack an enemy, the player must hold down the attack button until the meter is filled. The dog will only attack when he is barking towards a nearby enemy. This allows the player to sic the ninja dog on an enemy while standing and jumping, allowing for more versatility than in the arcade version (where the dog only attacked while the player was crouching). The objective of each stage is also slightly changed from retrieving time bombs to rescuing hostages, much like in the original ShinobiShinobi (arcade game)
is a side-scrolling action game produced by Sega originally released for the arcades in . In Shinobi, the player controls a modern day ninja named Joe Musashi who goes on a mission to rescue his kidnapped students from a group of terrorists...
arcade game. The male hostages give out bonus points and the occasional extra life, while the female hostages will strengthen the player's basic attacks until he reaches the next stage or loses a life.
While the one-hit-point-per-life system from the two arcade version has been retained, there are numerous bonus lives hidden throughout the game. Between rounds the player will participate in a bonus stage where he will jump down from a building and shoot down an army of 50 enemy ninjas jumping across his direction. After the bonus stage ends, the player will gain a certain amount of points or extra lives.
There are three difficulty settings in the game, each affecting the enemy placement and the number of continues the player gets. The player can also choose to disable shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
s, using them only for boss battles and bonus stages. Bonus points are awarded at the end of each stage and boss battle (except for the final stage), based on how long it took the player to complete the stage and whether a ninjutsu attack was used or not. There are also hidden bonuses that the player can achieve by completing a stage or boss battle under a certain condition.
Reception
In 2008, JoystiqJoystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
called The Secret of Shinobi "the most awesome release" in the entire Shinobi franchise, adding that the game "answers the question of what could possibly be cooler than a ninja stalking around a gritty urban landscape: that ninja's dog." In 2010, Revo-Emag called Yamato the Dog the #2 retro video game pet.
External links
- Shadow Dancer™ on Steam
- Shadow Dancer at GameFAQsGameFAQsGameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...
- Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi at GiantBomb