So, Shinobi Legions never got a Japanese release??...

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 6:33 pm

Gamefaqs only lists it as having been released in the US, and I can't locate it on any import website.

If so, it would certainly be the first shinobi not to also get a japanese release.

Post by **Ghegs** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 6:37 pm

Two minutes of googling and cross-referencing on GameFaqs reveals...

Shinobi Legions US = Shin Shinobi Den JPN.

TWITCHDOCTOR · Post by **TWITCHDOCTOR** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 6:44 pm

^Beat me to it!

Yea, Shin Shinobi Den
Its ok, but its lacking that special something... not as great as Revenge of Shinobi,Shinobi III!
Shadow Dancer's cool too, but it just feels like a different game.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 6:54 pm

TWITCHDOCTOR wrote:^Beat me to it!

Yea, Shin Shinobi Den
Its ok, but its lacking that special something... not as great as Revenge of Shinobi,Shinobi III!
Shadow Dancer's cool too, but it just feels like a different game.

Although it should be the opposite, since Shadow Dancer keeps the "one hit and you're dead" mechanics of the original.

LoneSage · Post by **LoneSage** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 7:56 pm

Shinobi 3>Shadow Dancer>ROS

Though the PS2 Shinobi's the greatest of them all...not to mention one of my favorite games.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 9:05 pm

Well, as I SAID. I checked Gamefaqs, and they only had an "N/A" release, and I also have checked plenty of import stores. So cut the sarcasm, Ghegs alright?

Bydobasher · Post by **Bydobasher** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 9:10 pm

LoneSage, which Shadow Dancer are you referring to? The Genesis port plays rather different than the arcade version.

Haven't played the PS2 game, but the original Shinobi is one of my favourites.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 9:46 pm

I highly recommend avoiding the NES Shinobi. It's nothing more than a poor port of the master system version with some shortened stages and enemies that can juggle you.

99pence · Post by **99pence** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:16 pm

Bah, its all a poor mans Rolling Thunder.

Bydobasher · Post by **Bydobasher** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:18 pm

Yes, Shinobi would never have come into being without Rolling Thunder, but for some reason I've never been able to get into RT the way I can with Shinobi. Maybe I need to give it another shot....

benstylus · Post by **benstylus** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:37 pm

One of the times where Sega used Namco's ideas instead of the other way around.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 11:45 pm

Sweet, according to Gamefaqs Area 51 got a Japanese release as well!

Kakizaki · Post by **Kakizaki** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:38 am

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but are there any decent shrines/sites dedicated to Shinobi? I have googled it once or twice, but I can't seem to find anything -- I know Ninja Gaiden has a few decent sites, but I guess I am just kind of surprised Shinobi does not.

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:45 am

There was a thread on the old forums with everything there is to know about Shinobi. I miss that thread.

I have a question though. Does anyone know if Shinobi Legions (the US port of Saturn Shinobi) has the cutscenes dubbed? Or are they just subtitled. God damn, I want some dubbing on those. That would be amazing.

Kakizaki · Post by **Kakizaki** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 1:23 am

There was a thread on the old forums with everything there is to know about Shinobi. I miss that thread.

That would be cool, but I guess I am looking for sprite rips, cover/box art form various regions, and production artwork.

BIG · Post by **BIG** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 1:26 am

Shinobi > all.

Back when I was a pup,I remember bumming quarters off of my elder siblings just so that I can go down to the neighborhood cornerstore to play Shinobi. At that time,we didn't have much in terms of money,so I had to make every quarter count. I remember playing it so much that I was soon able to 1cc it just about everytime I played...which was a very good thing for me,since my one quarter would last me about 30-40 mins of playtime. For this reason alone,Shinobi will always have a special place in my heart...

BIG-

Kakizaki · Post by **Kakizaki** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:12 am

Revenge of Shinobi/Super Shinobi was the first game I purchased for my Genesis with my Christmas money back in '89. I believe it cost me $70-75 at the time -- it astounds me that people complain about the prices of games these days..

LoneSage · Post by **LoneSage** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:38 am

Bydobasher wrote:LoneSage, which Shadow Dancer are you referring to? The Genesis port plays rather different than the arcade version.

The only arcade Shinobi I've played was the original; pretty hard game from what I remember. Played a bit like Bad Dudes, too, with the jumping up on buildings and whatnot.

I like Shadow Dancer a lot, I know people consider it the black sheep of the Genesis family and that may well be true, but it's still rockin' cool.

I remember when I was extremely hyped about Nightshade for the PS2 back in 2003, and then the reviews came...so I waited for a price drop, picked it up when it was $20 in July or so and played the crap out of it. Beautiful game, I love the use of colors in this game -- the first level where you're on the back of a stealth fighter flying through the city is awesome.

I also think Nightshade's a wee bit harder than Shinobi (PS2), but then again I didn't find the PS2 Shinobi to be obscenely difficulty like so many people say

dang reviewin' whiners..

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:44 am

I really don't mind Shadow Dancer. As someone else mentioned, it plays more like the original Shinobi than many of the others. The enemy set-ups are fun and sometimes tricky to defeat.

Then again, I fucking hate Revenge of Shinobi, so I don't know how many people should take me seriously.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:51 am

I actually prefer the Genesis Shadow Dancer over the arcade one. Don't believe that's the general sentiment but oh well.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:56 am

My first shinobi was Revenge of Shinobi, imported (well, rented from a place that rented imports) back in 88 or 89? It was whatever year it was released. We happened to get a snow day (only one I can remember), and my mom brought me to this place ... what a great day.

I love ShadowDancer on the genesis. My friend and I played that so much that we could almost go through it on hard without dying (never quite made it on hard without choking somewhere).

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 3:10 am

Andi wrote:There was a thread on the old forums with everything there is to know about Shinobi. I miss that thread.

I have a question though. Does anyone know if Shinobi Legions (the US port of Saturn Shinobi) has the cutscenes dubbed? Or are they just subtitled. God damn, I want some dubbing on those. That would be amazing.

I have never played the US version, but I read somewhere that the cutscenes are sadly completely missing.

gameoverDude · Post by **gameoverDude** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 3:19 am

Shatterhand wrote:I have never played the US version, but I read somewhere that the cutscenes are sadly completely missing.

The between-level cutscenes are in fact there. If I recall correctly, they're subbed. What didn't make it was the opening cinema which GameFan's Dave Halverson said was "cheesy to the point of being awesome".

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:36 pm

gameoverDude wrote:What didn't make it was the opening cinema which GameFan's Dave Halverson said was "cheesy to the point of being awesome".

That's the best one. Everytime I play the game, I can't help but watch the opening.

Bydobasher · Post by **Bydobasher** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 3:10 pm

are there any decent shrines/sites dedicated to Shinobi?

Have a look at PHM's Shinobi site or this feature over at sega-16.

I fucking hate Revenge of Shinobi, so I don't know how many people should take me seriously

Well, I wouldn't put it quite the same way, but I can't really get into that game either, and it certainly does have a legendary reputation.

Kakizaki · Post by **Kakizaki** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:55 pm

Have a look at PHM's Shinobi site or this feature over at sega-16.

Thanks for the links, but I have checked out PHM's site and it is severly lacking -- it is really pretty limited. After all this talk, I busted out Shinobi III last night-- that game has aged amazingly well IMO. I love the horse and jet board levels -- it really makes me miss older action titles.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:14 am

Thanx for the info, Gameoverdude.

Yes, I do watch the intro everytime I play the game too.. I also watch all the cutscenes too. I don't play this game too often, so I never get tired of them

FRO · Post by **FRO** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 4:12 pm

I rather liked Shinobi Legions, especially the ultra-cheesy Japanese acting. I thought it was a lot of fun, at least until you get to the spot where you have to jump from boat to boat. That part is really hard.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 4:21 pm

Bydobasher wrote:LoneSage, which Shadow Dancer are you referring to? The Genesis port plays rather different than the arcade version.

Or better, they are different games, but they play quite the same. You rescue hostages, get power-ups, use the wolf in both. Only the stages are totally different.

For all the lovers of the arcade, try the Genesis one too. It's very good on its own.

99pence wrote:Bah, its all a poor mans Rolling Thunder.

True, for the original. And yet, Shinobi has evolved a lot more. Rolling Thunder fans can only dream of a sequel that has Shinobi III's quality. And even Revenge of Shinobi is much more than Rolling 3.