Shinobi (history and reception)

Akagi Masumi's list of arcade games files Shinobi (忍) under Sega in its Japanese section, in November 1987, and under Sega USA in its overseas section, in February 1988. shinobi-history/arcade-release

Read in the OCR text only: the printed page and the page image haven't been checked. The list gives year and month only and names no source for its dates. In its Japanese section the OCR sets the title beside the board code "(S16A/B)" (line 5498), which this claim doesn't read as a statement about the hardware.

Cited by: Shinobi

Commodore User reviewed the arcade game in its March 1988 arcades column, at 2 × 10p a play. Nick Kelly found that Sega's latest upright bore a striking resemblance to Atari's Rolling Thunder: the player is Joe Musashi, a lone ninjutsu master, rescuing kidnapped ninja children and fighting their terrorist kidnappers, with a Ninja Magic smart bomb once per life, a boss at the end of each stage, and a bonus stage after it in which the player throws shuriken at ninjas on two platforms. He wrote that Shinobi "doesn't break new ground", but called it a well-thought-out, well-executed game that looked good and played brilliantly, and rated it 8 overall (Graphics 8, Sound 7, Toughness 7, Endurance 8, Value 8). shinobi-history/arcade-cu-review

The verdict, the ratings and the smart-bomb line were read on the page image (image 103) by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the other quotes are in the OCR text. The image prints no folio; the contents index gives p. 103. This is a review of the arcade cabinet, not of a home version.

Cited by: Shinobi

Your Sinclair's arcade section of April 1988 previewed Shinobi as Sega's one- or two-player game of rescuing hostages while beating up everyone in sight, with three missions to complete before the terrorists are defeated. Its one real difference, the box said, is a smart bomb, worked with two of the three buttons and the joystick, that releases ninjas who kill everything in their way. It gave a Convertibility Factor of 6: "Possible - but once again we've seen it all before." shinobi-history/arcade-ys-review

Read on the page image (image 79) by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the OCR of this box is broken. The box is an arcade preview with no byline, scored by how likely a Spectrum conversion is, not a review of a home version.

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Computer Entertainer's report from the Consumer Electronics Show in its June 1988 issue said that Sega showed Shinobi there for the second half of the year: an arcade conversion for the Master System on a two-megabit cartridge, one of a pair that Sega owners had asked for. shinobi-history/sms-ces-1988

The page of the Sega booth item (p. 10, image 10, folio "10") was read on the page image by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the quotes are in the OCR text. The same page's paragraph on release dates and prices gives no date for Shinobi. The overview's page isn't read: this issue's contents index places the CES overview on p. 5.

Cited by: Shinobi

The Master System version was in Computer Entertainer's chart of the top fifteen videogames in early 1989: 12th in February and 13th in April. shinobi-history/sms-chart

Read in the OCR text; the page images haven't been checked. In the April 1989 issue the OCR doesn't keep the chart's heading beside the list; the entries around it are NES and Master System games ("Double Dragon (Sega/Sega)"), as in February's videogame chart. "Sega/Sega" gives the maker and the system. The chart's method isn't given in these lines.

Cited by: Shinobi

Computer Entertainer reviewed the Master System version in January 1989 and recommended it, with four stars out of four for both graphics and play: it called Shinobi "the best game with a martial arts theme that we've seen on a video game system" and loved its realistically animated martial arts moves. The suggested price was about $45-$50, and versions for the Commodore 64 ($34.95), MS-DOS ($39.95), and the Amiga and Atari ST ($49.95) were coming soon. shinobi-history/sms-ce-review

Read on the page image (image 12, folio "12", footer "Computer Entertainer - January, 1989") by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the pinned text layer doesn't carry this review, so verify-quotes lists the quotes for a reader. The first set of stars rates graphics and the second play and entertainment value (the newsletter's rating key, computer-entertainer-8-8 p. 2).

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Computer Entertainer liked the Master System version. Its November 1989 review of the Commodore 64 version said "we loved Sega's home version for the Sega Master System", and in January 1990 it called The Revenge of Shinobi a "very satisfying sequel" to the 8-bit Sega game that it had reviewed a year before. Its October 1989 issue said that the Genesis game would feature the familiar martial arts character from the Master System game. shinobi-history/sms-ce-opinion

Read in the OCR text; the page images haven't been checked. The Master System review it recalls is in the January 1989 issue (sms-ce-review).

Cited by: Shinobi

Computer Entertainer's October 1989 issue reported that Sega had licensed four of its Master System hits to Tengen, due that year in new versions for the NES: Afterburner, Alien Syndrome, Shinobi and Fantasy Zone. shinobi-history/nes-tengen

Read in the OCR text; the page image hasn't been checked. The issue lists the games as announced; it doesn't say who programmed them.

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Computer Entertainer's Availability Update of November 1989 lists "Shinobi (TEN)", the Tengen game, in its Nintendo column under December, without the x it gives games already shipped. shinobi-history/nes-availability

The column and month were read on the page image (image 14, folio "14") by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the quote is in the OCR text. The same page also lists "Shinobi (SEG)" unshipped in a column read as the Atari ST's (fourth quarter) and "x-Shinobi (SEG)" in a column whose system heading wasn't read; this claim doesn't rest on them. No source read gives the NES version's release date (gap on the page).

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A table on p. 9 of Computer Entertainer's January 1990 issue, which lists titles with a system, a publisher and a month, has two Shinobi rows: "Shinobi Co Sega Nov 89" (Co, the Commodore 64/128) and "Shinobi Sega Sega Jan 89" (the Master System). The page prints no key to what the month stands for. shinobi-history/ce-1989-index

Read on the page image (image 9, folio "9") by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the OCR scrambles the table. Both months match the issues with the reviews of those versions (computer-entertainer-7-10 for the Master System, January 1989; computer-entertainer-8-8 for the Commodore 64, November 1989), so the month may be the month of review rather than of release; the page doesn't say, and this claim reads no release date from it. The table has no Tengen NES row for Shinobi.

Cited by: Shinobi

Zzap!64 reported in May 1989 that the next release from The Sales Curve would be Shinobi, a home version of the Sega coin-op, out from Virgin in the next couple of months, and that its Amiga and Commodore 64 versions looked impressive. The magazine itself had thought the coin-op "pretty unspectacular". shinobi-history/computer-sales-curve

Read in the OCR text, which is damaged here; the page image hasn't been checked. The word before "release" (the OCR's "fi6x\") may be "first" or "next"; this claim doesn't rely on it.

Cited by: Shinobi

The One reported in April 1989 that the 16-bit conversions of Shinobi had been due from the French software house Fil, but that Fil's disappearance had left Virgin/Mastertronic to make them, and that the game should be out on the Atari ST and Amiga in the summer. shinobi-history/computer-16-bit-fil

Read in the OCR text; the page image hasn't been checked.

Cited by: Shinobi

In America, Computer Entertainer's report from the June 1989 Consumer Electronics Show said that home computer versions of Shinobi and After Burner were on display at Mindscape's booth, Mindscape distributing Sega's computer games, and that both would come out for the Commodore 64 ($34.95), MS-DOS ($39.95), and the Amiga and Atari ST ($49.95 each). shinobi-history/us-computer-mindscape

Read in the OCR text, which cuts off the start of each line in this column; the page image hasn't been checked. The MS-DOS price is in the OCR as "-DOS ($39.95)".

Cited by: Shinobi

Zzap!64 reviewed the Commodore 64 version in October 1989, from Virgin at £9.99 on cassette and £14.99 on disk, which the review called the first arcade conversion on the relaunched Virgin Games label, and gave it 86% overall (Presentation 90%, Graphics 89%, Sound 84%, Hookability 86%, Lastability 84%): "A very accurate coin-op conversion with plenty of playability." Randy called it "an extremely faithful representation of the original", so authentic at times that he believed he was playing the arcade machine. Robin, who hadn't thought much of the coin-op, found the Commodore 64 game superbly presented and highly playable, "an excellent conversion". A note said the Amiga version was due soon, at £19.99. shinobi-history/c64-zzap-review

The ratings, the reviewers' names (from their portrait boxes), Robin's verdict and the Amiga strip were read on the page image (image 17, footer "ZZAP! OCTOBER 1989 17") by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the other quotes are in the OCR text.

Cited by: Shinobi

Computer Entertainer reviewed Sega's Commodore 64 version in November 1989, gave it two stars out of four for graphics and two for play, and did not recommend it. The game had "lost a lot in its translation": none of the graceful animation of martial arts moves, blocky graphics, and the look of "a very quick programming job". The review gives the story as a Master Ninja against the Ring of Five, terrorists who have kidnapped the children of world leaders, over five rounds. The suggested price was $34.95; it listed the Master System version as available and MS-DOS ($39.95), Amiga and Atari ST ($49.95) versions as coming soon. shinobi-history/c64-ce-review

The stars and the closing line were read on the page image (image 3, folio "3") by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the other quotes are in the OCR text.

Cited by: Shinobi

Game Player's reviewed the Commodore 64 version in January 1990. Neil Randall found it a solid version of an arcade hit that had translated well to home videogame formats such as the Master System, recommended it because "it's a nonstop fighting game from start to finish", and, for its graphics, sound effects and joystick interface, called it "a top example of its genre". The review names Mindscape as the computer version's publisher, with an Amiga and an Atari ST version available too, and the Master System version from Sega/Tonka. It gives the player's role as Joe Musashi, a master ninja, against the Ring of Five, who must defeat the terrorists and set the children free, with three lives. shinobi-history/c64-gp-review

Read in the OCR text; the page image hasn't been checked. The OCR drops a line in places: "Master System" is cut to "ter System." after "formats like", "recommended for ... cause it's a nonstop fighting game" loses its middle, and the Sega/Tonka line loses which version ("sion available") it gives. The printed page number 97 is in the OCR at the foot of the column.

Cited by: Shinobi

Sinclair User reviewed the Spectrum version in November 1989, from Virgin, written by The Sales Curve, at £8.95, and gave it 75 overall (Graphics 69, Sound 70, Playability 79, Lastability 79): "Tried and tested though high quality ninja action". The review likened the game to a cross between Super Mario Bros and Human Killing Machine, colorful and full of exploration but at heart a combat game, in which the player can only punch and throw shuriken, with Ninja Magic once per level to wipe out everything on the screen. It found the graphics colorful but not especially fantastic and the gameplay "tuned very successfully", from an easy start to a virtually impossible end, but thought the game offered nothing new to anyone with a couple of beat-'em-ups already: "A corker, but a tried and tested formula". shinobi-history/spectrum-su-review

The Fax Box was read on the page image (image 35, folio "35") by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the review text is in the OCR. The Fax Box's "Reviewer:" line is blank on the page, so the review has no byline.

Cited by: Shinobi

Crash reviewed the Spectrum version in October 1989, credited to Virgin Mastertronic and Binary Designs at £9.99 on cassette and £14.99 on disk, and gave it 76% overall: "Oriental Biff-'em-up that will keep the Bruce Lee fans among you happy." Nick found it highly unoriginal, though beat-'em-up fans might find something in it (67%); Mark thought the game "really rather good", with an oriental soundtrack (85%). shinobi-history/spectrum-crash-review

The credit line, the reviewers' names and marks, the box and the verdicts were read on the page image (image 46) by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the OCR of the page is badly damaged, and only the soundtrack line is in it. The story on the page names the hero Joe Musashi and the villain Bwah Foo.

Cited by: Shinobi

Your Sinclair reviewed the Spectrum version in November 1989, from Virgin at £9.99 on tape and £14.99 on disk. Jonathan found it not a bad conversion of the Sega original at all and "pretty darned reasonable" as such games go, and gave it 71° (Life Expectancy 62°, Graphics 69°, Instant Appeal 76°, Addictiveness 79°). The diagnosis: it takes the scrolling beat-'em-up theme and "does absolutely nothing whatsoever with it. A good conversion though." shinobi-history/spectrum-ys-review

Read on the page images by a scout pass in stubs batch 34 (the review on image 36, which carries the folio "35"; image 35 is an advertisement). The byline is Jonathan (Jonathan Davies, by the issue's reviewer list on p. 18); the OCR keeps only the diagnosis and part of the score box.

Cited by: Shinobi

In March 1990 The Games Machine placed Shinobi, from Virgin Mastertronic, fourth in its all-time top five hack and slay games: Joe Musashi runs and jumps through five horizontally scrolling levels, throwing shuriken stars, with Ninja magic that acts like a smart bomb. It advised that the computer conversions weren't recommended but some of the console versions were excellent, and recalled that the 8-bit Sega version was one of the earliest games to earn a Star Player in the magazine. shinobi-history/tgm-best-bruisers

Read on the page image (image 59, folio "TGM March 1990 59") by a scout pass in stubs batch 34; the quotes above without a note are also in the OCR text. "Earliest" renders "one of the first games". The entry isn't a review; the issue's other Shinobi items (the Mega Drive sequel, pp. 36-37; the PC Engine version, p. 52) weren't read.

Cited by: Shinobi

Virgin promoted the Spectrum game in Sinclair User: a Shinobi competition in November 1989 offered copies of the game and posters, and in January 1990 Shinobi was one of six Virgin Games arcade games in a Christmas prize draw entered with tokens from the games. Virgin's blurb there made the player Masashi, a tough ninja warrior on a mission to clear the town from rebel martial arts fanatics, and warned of end-of-level guardians. shinobi-history/virgin-promotion

Read in the OCR text; the page images haven't been checked. The competition is the magazine's, run with Virgin's prizes; the January 1990 pages are Virgin's advertisement, which alone would be tier 2. The advertisement's other games are Continental Circus, Silkworm, Ninja Warriors, Double Dragon (II in the OCR's cut-off "DOUBLE DRA") and Gemini Wing. The blurb's "dearths" in the OCR is read here as "clear the" (the evidence's reads).

Cited by: Shinobi