3 Comments
Leave Your Comment »
#Shinobi
Takin’ it back to the old school ('cause I'm an old fool).
As an SNES kid, there’s a sizable selection of Genesis classics that I’ve never had the opportunity to play. With the exception of the first game, the Shinobi series unfortunately falls into that category. However, thanks to Sega’s recent efforts to 3D-ify some of their classic Genesis titles, I’ve finally been able to give Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master a shot. I’m happy to report that not only is this title still fantastic today, but that M2 has done a phenomenal job in bringing this game to the 3DS.
A perfectly fan-serviceable, but mindless brawler.
Despite the variety of games classified as brawlers, they typically fall into one of two camps: Those that have deep, complex mechanics and require thoughtful, strategic combat decisions and memorization of enemy tactics, and those that are simple, fun, and generally don’t require a whole lot of thought. These are games like Streets of Rage, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Musou games like Dynasty Warriors. Senran Kagura Burst falls squarely into this second camp, but that doesn't mean it’s not a unique experience. Senran Kagura Burst is probably the most Japanese game I've ever played, and that’s really saying quite a lot.
Coming on March 5 for the PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
Alex Kidd should be better since his company is comprised of ninjas and motorcycles.
Sega is no stranger to porting its greatest games over to new consoles. They re-release their games more than Disney re-releases their animated movies. Luckily, Sega doesn't lock their classics up in a metaphorical vault and in fact are now bundling three of the company's older games into one collection. One of the first in this new approach is Alex Kidd & Co., which includes Alex Kidd in the Miracle World, The Revenge of Shinobi, and Super Hang-On. A slapped together group if there ever was one, but does such a variety of genres work in its favor?
It's certainly not the prettiest game on the Vita, but it does offer fleeting moments of fun.
From the moment I booted up Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen, something felt oddly familiar. No, it wasn't because I had played the last game in the series - that title never released in America – it was something else. Visages of Tenchu immediately sprung to mind, and rightfully so, as this was a ninja game from Acquire, the minds behind Tenchu. For those familiar with the Tenchu series, this is a good thing; however, repetition and poor controls ultimately get the better of this experience.
An introduction to the gameplay features available in Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen.
Zen, the main protagonist, will have to struggle for the choices he makes against those that are in his way.
Once upon a time, one of the toughest games got its rightful sequel. It’s now.
Out of all the 3DS titles released this year, Shinobi is the most likely to become a hard-to-find cult classic. Even with all of its faults, hardcore fans will find more than enough content to feel fulfilled. The developers at Griptonite have reinvigorated a dormant series that has stayed true to its roots as an unforgiving, relentless, combat-based platformer.
