Sega Ages: Shinobi

 Switch
Sega Ages: Shinobi Image
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12 Ratings

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  • Summary: Shinobi. It's Japanese for stealth, the perfect description of a Master Ninja. And that's exactly what you are! Armed with throwing stars and finely-honed battle skills, you must defeat the Ring of Five. Fight your way past mercenaries and karate thugs. Take out the meanest martial artistsShinobi. It's Japanese for stealth, the perfect description of a Master Ninja. And that's exactly what you are! Armed with throwing stars and finely-honed battle skills, you must defeat the Ring of Five. Fight your way past mercenaries and karate thugs. Take out the meanest martial artists and rescue hostages. But these dangers pale in comparison to your ultimate challenge: A fight to the death against five evil Ninja Assassins whose mastery of the deadly ancient arts may well surpass your own!… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Gaming Age
    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.
  2. Gaming Nexus
    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.
  3. Nintendo Force Magazine
    May 1, 2020
    90
    Shinobi is another can't-miss Sega Ages release. [Issue #46 – May/June 2020, p. 22]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. Nintendo Life
    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.
  5. Video Chums
    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.
  6. NintendoWorldReport
    Jan 24, 2020
    70
    I liked Shinobi a lot, even though the experience was very quick. The controls felt good and tight, there were some clever enemies (especially towards the end) and the entire concept of being a ninja is a real cool idea. Shinobi is a fleeting experience, but not one that I don’t regret having.
  7. Cubed3
    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.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. Jonboy777
    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 areThis 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!… Expand
  2. JJtheTexan
    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 puristAbsolutely 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!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Best Switch Game of 2020

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