Shinobi (Master System, 1988)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-8 Control-7.5 Challenge-8 Story-5
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-7
Overall Score-7
+
Some creative ninja magic/spells (lightning, temporary flight (Quartet), tornado, invincibility, freeze time (Bubble Bobble), and multiply self - however three of them do the same thing which is function as smart bombs)
Good bosses overall
Pretty good variation
Gain new weapons and refill health/extend your lifebar by rescuing hostages
Double-plane levels (foreground and background)
Fun weapons (shurikens, nunchaku, knives, grenades and... mini-rockets!) - most of which weren‘t in the arcade version (nor any other version)
Less cheap samurai boss
Adds a lifebar which is upgradeable (no more one hit deaths (would've been interesting to have a hard mode with it in place though along with the faster rate of fire))
+/-
Can’t use magic on bosses here
Sometimes different level design and enemy behavior compared to the arcade version
Slower movement and lower rate of fire compared to the arcade original (can be increase to 2 on screen at once here whereas in the arcade version it's 4 by default)
You can hit enemies with melee weapons through thin walls and statues
Some delay on most melee weapons
Larger hit box on melee weapons compared to the arcade original
Random magic rewards after bonus levels (if you don't get flight it's hard to make a certain jump later on in the game though if you know how to do it it's not that hard)
-
Some cheap hits (mostly because of the screen not keeping Jo Musashi in the center at all times when walking left or because you have to make some leaps of faith when jumping between planes, last boss’ final form, some enemy placements)
Some control/interface issues (awkward controls for using ninja magic (you have to first kill 10 enemies, then jump, keep holding the jump button to assume position when landing, then press fire, you can only hold 4 ninja magic at a time (lame considering how hard they are to acquire or even use), no sub weapon or main weapon inventory, your melee weapon attack is canceled if you crouch as Jo is about to use it in standing position, can’t manually switch between different magic?, no jump height control besides normal/super (switch planes/go up one floor))
Bonus levels turn frustratingly hard pretty quickly (you need to beat them to gain magic)
No difficulty options
No ending (just a game over screen)
Some bosses are pathetic while others are very challenging
Sometimes simplified enemy behaviour compared to the arcade version
Trial & error (near pixel perfect jump before the samurai boss, Mandara boss, final boss, final level)
Less intense than the arcade original
Some so-so looking backgrounds
Missing some music tracks from the arcade original
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-7
Overall Score-7
+
Some creative ninja magic/spells (lightning, temporary flight (Quartet), tornado, invincibility, freeze time (Bubble Bobble), and multiply self - however three of them do the same thing which is function as smart bombs)
Good bosses overall
Pretty good variation
Gain new weapons and refill health/extend your lifebar by rescuing hostages
Double-plane levels (foreground and background)
Fun weapons (shurikens, nunchaku, knives, grenades and... mini-rockets!) - most of which weren‘t in the arcade version (nor any other version)
Less cheap samurai boss
Adds a lifebar which is upgradeable (no more one hit deaths (would've been interesting to have a hard mode with it in place though along with the faster rate of fire))
+/-
Can’t use magic on bosses here
Sometimes different level design and enemy behavior compared to the arcade version
Slower movement and lower rate of fire compared to the arcade original (can be increase to 2 on screen at once here whereas in the arcade version it's 4 by default)
You can hit enemies with melee weapons through thin walls and statues
Some delay on most melee weapons
Larger hit box on melee weapons compared to the arcade original
Random magic rewards after bonus levels (if you don't get flight it's hard to make a certain jump later on in the game though if you know how to do it it's not that hard)
-
Some cheap hits (mostly because of the screen not keeping Jo Musashi in the center at all times when walking left or because you have to make some leaps of faith when jumping between planes, last boss’ final form, some enemy placements)
Some control/interface issues (awkward controls for using ninja magic (you have to first kill 10 enemies, then jump, keep holding the jump button to assume position when landing, then press fire, you can only hold 4 ninja magic at a time (lame considering how hard they are to acquire or even use), no sub weapon or main weapon inventory, your melee weapon attack is canceled if you crouch as Jo is about to use it in standing position, can’t manually switch between different magic?, no jump height control besides normal/super (switch planes/go up one floor))
Bonus levels turn frustratingly hard pretty quickly (you need to beat them to gain magic)
No difficulty options
No ending (just a game over screen)
Some bosses are pathetic while others are very challenging
Sometimes simplified enemy behaviour compared to the arcade version
Trial & error (near pixel perfect jump before the samurai boss, Mandara boss, final boss, final level)
Less intense than the arcade original
Some so-so looking backgrounds
Missing some music tracks from the arcade original