The Revenge of Shinobi

"Full of variety and pop culture references!"

Introduction:
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Revenge of Shinobi is a 2-D action game featuring 8 stages, and was released shortly after the Genesis launched way back in 1989. For its time, it stood out as one of the finest action games available. By today's standards, Revenge of Shinobi compares favourably to most games in the Genesis library, and even some modern action games.

Gameplay(10/10):
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Gameplay; the most important aspect of any game is also Revenge of Shinobi's greatest feature. Shinobi has a large aresenal of moves at his disposal, including double jumps, sword attacks, and low kicks. The majority of the game is spent scrolling from left to rigth, dispatching various foes by using either throwing stars or hand-to-hand weapons. Ninja Magic is also available, and in some levels, is practicaly a neccessity for victory.

Where Revenge of Shinobi really excels is in its variety. The bosses you fight range from a Terminator look alike to Spiderman himself! All of the boss encounters are memorable, and each boss has a unique attack pattern that requires a different strategy to beat him. There is also a great deal of variety in the regular enemies. Throughout the 8 stages of Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi must face everything from army soldiers and dogs, to Bruce Lee look-a-likes, and female ninjas. Most importantly though is the variety of the levels in Revenge of Shinobi. Each of the 8 stages offers a unique and memorable experience. Everything from battling atop a moving train, to navigating a waterfall are present in Revenge of Shinobi. All of the stages offer a distinct experience, and you'll never feel as if you'er playing the same level twice.

Graphics (7/10):
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Not the game's strongest point, though more than adequate. The characters themselves are large and animate well, though some of the enemies lack detail. The bosses steal the show in the graphic's department, especially Spiderman and the final boss. The foregrounds are all very cool-looking. The backgrounds however are a mixed bag. Some look excellent, while others lack detail. Overall, Revenge of Shinobi has solid graphics, especially when you consider the time of its release.

Sound (8/10):
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Revenge of Shinobi boasts an excellent musical score. All of the music tracks are well composed and do a great job of setting the pace for the game. The boss theme especially stands out. Sound effects however, are a mixed bag. Some sound cool, such as the sound of hitting an enemy with a throwing star, while others, such as the jumping sound, fail to deliver.

Overall (9/10, not an average):
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To this day, I still enjoy Revenge of Shinobi, and I think you will too. If you're a fan of action games, especially those of the 2D variety, you will enjoy what Revenge of Shinobi has to offer. The sheer variety of enemies, levels, and bosses are well worth checking this title out for.

Buy or Rent?:
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It is unlikely that most people have access to a place that still rents Genesis games, so buying is your only choice. If you're a fan of action games, you'd do well to purchase Revenge of Shinobi. The game is fairly common, due to a rerelease late into the Genesis' life cycle, and can be found for fairly cheap (around $5 or so). At an under $10 price, its a steal!

Fun Fact:
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Revenge of Shinobi is loaded with pop culture references, such as bosses that resemble Batman, Terminator, and Godzilla, and enemies that resemble Bruce Lee and Rambo. Due to copy right infringements, this game was rereleased, with changes made to the Batman, Godzilla, and Rambo look a likes. The Terminator and Bruce Lee look a likes remain unchanged. As mentioned earlier, Spider Man is featured as a boss, but Sega actually obtained permission from Marvel Comics to use him in the game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/15/03, Updated 06/15/03