Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi (in Japanese: シャドー・ダンサー ザ・シークレット・オブ・シノビ) is a side-scrolling action game produced by Sega that was originally released for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1990. 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 but it was omitted in PAL version (Sega Mega Drive Collection).
It is the second game in the Shinobi franchise 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 followed by a canine companion.
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 Shinobi 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 shurikens, 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.
Story[]
Awaken, Shinobi Blood!![]
AD 1997, New York City
A cruel group began to stir secretly. This mysterious group, which seemed to have crawled out from the depths of the earth, committed all sorts of atrocities everywhere, killing some and kidnapping others. The slaughter, appearing out of nowhere, continued endlessly... Those who escaped barely managed to answer as to their true identity.
"A-a lizard... agh," they said as they died.
But then, a human hero rose to the challenge. His name was Hayate. Now, a fierce battle to the death was about to begin.
Prologue[]
Winter 1977, Iga (Japan). A lone Iga ninja was being pursued as a deserter. His name was the legendary "SHINOBI" Joe Musashi, who was praised for his unparalleled speed. He chose the path of a deserter in order to live a normal life with his beloved wife and their only son, Hayate. The pursuers were in hot pursuit. In the final battle, Musashi managed to get the two of them and Hayate's only friend, the ninja dog Yamato, on board his boat and let them escape.
"At least just the two of us..." That was the last time Hayate saw his father.
Spring 1978, NEWYORK CITY (USA). A port in Brooklyn, choked with fog. Dick C. Kato, a Japanese-American who runs a traditional martial arts dojo here, spots a small boat during his daily jog. The woman is already dead, but the boy and dog are fine, and in their small, juvenile hands are tightly gripping a cross-shaped blade.
"Shuriken... Japanese... Ninja!"
So Kato decides to raise the child. Hayate is one year old at the time.
Summer 1997... Hayate, who had been trained in martial arts by Kato since he was a child, showed great talent. "Maybe this kid is a real ninja." Ninjas are said to be well versed in all kinds of martial arts and physical training, as well as magic-like ninjutsu.
Meanwhile, in contrast to their peaceful lives in the city, a mysterious group of assassins was operating in the shadows, plunging people into the depths of fear. Some people claimed to have seen a ninja among the group of assassins, and the violence was increasing day by day. One day, when Hayate returned from practice, he found Kato, who was seriously injured and near death.
"D-Dad...!!"
Kato had protected a child from a mysterious group and ended up getting injured instead. The death of Kato, who loved and raised him as his own child until the very end. In the midst of his intense anger, sorrow and resentment, he took up his true father's sword, the ninja sword. It was at this moment that Hayate's ninja blood was fully awakened.
As he marched into the flames of human slaughter, Yamato the ninja dog was by his side...
Missions and Bosses[]
Stage | Name | Boss |
---|---|---|
1 | Burning Downtown | Yoroi |
2 | Battle in the Railway | Kabe |
3 | The Statue of Liberty | Yaiba |
4 | In the Darkness | Kurumabi |
5 | Union Lizard | Union Lizard Boss |
Enemies[]
Reception[]
Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi was well received. Mega placed it at #33 in their ranking of top Mega Drive games of all time. In 2008, Joystiq 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." According to a Virtual Console review by Nintendo Life in 2010, "this title comes highly recommended to all ninja fans.".
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The identity of the protagonist, which is kept ambiguous in the in-game opening, varies between supplemental materials. The Japanese manual identifies him as Hayate (in Japanese: 疾風), 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.