Software:Shadow of the Ninja

From HandWiki
Short description: 1990 video game
Shadow of the Ninja
North American box art
Developer(s)Natsume
Publisher(s)
Programmer(s)Kazuhiko Ishihara
Artist(s)Shunichi Taniguchi
Composer(s)Iku Mizutani
Kouichi Yamanishi
Platform(s)Nintendo Entertainment System
Release
  • JP: August 10, 1990[1]
  • NA: December 1990
  • EU: July 25, 1991
Genre(s)Platform, hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Shadow of the Ninja, originally released in Japan as Yami no Shigotonin Kage (闇 (やみ)の仕事人 (しごとにん) KAGE, The Dark Operative: Kage) and later released in Europe and Australia as Blue Shadow, is a 1990 hack and slash platform game developed and published by Natsume for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game revolves around a pair of ninja sent to assassinate a dictator in a futuristic version of New York City. A port was planned for the Game Boy, but was released in a rebranded form as Ninja Gaiden Shadow. A remake, Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn, was released in 2024.

Gameplay

Gameplay of Shadow of the Ninja, with Kaede (left) and Hayate (right)

In 2029, the evil Emperor Garuda has taken over the United States of America, building a stronghold in the middle of the nation's "largest city". To stop Garuda and avenge the innocent lives that were lost in his reign, two ninja masters from the Iga clan, Lord Hayate and Lady Kaede, are sent to infiltrate the dictator's well-guarded stronghold and kill him.[2][3]

Shadow of the Ninja is a side-scrolling platform game that can be played by up to two players simultaneously, with one player controlling Hayate (a ninja in purple) and the other as Kaede (a kunoichi in orange). In either mode, the player can decide which character they want to control before the game begins. There are no actual performance differences between either character.[4]

The player can run, crouch, climb ladders, attack, and jump like in most side-scrolling action games as well as hang onto an overhang and move under it.[5] If the player has more than half of their vitality remaining, they can perform a special attack by holding a button for an extended period, summoning a thunderstorm that will damage all on-screen enemies, but at the cost of roughly half of their maximum vitality.

The player's default weapon is a katana, which can be traded for a kusarigama and vice versa. The kusarigama has a longer range than the katana and can be swung upwards diagonally and horizontally, but can only damage enemies from a specific distance and does not work as well at close range like the katana. If the player picks up a weapon they already have, its attack power will be strengthened by an increment of one level (with up to three attack levels). However, if the player takes too much damage, their weapon's strength will be reduced back to its previous level. There is also the possibility to use both weapons, if the player starts with the kusarigama and collects secret power-ups hidden in some levels. The player can also obtain throwable shuriken and hand grenades as well, both which can only be used as long as the player's supply lasts before the player reverts to using the katana or kusarigama. All four weapons are obtained by destroying item boxes scattered throughout each stage, along with vitality potions.[6][7]

Shadow of the Ninja consists of five levels with fourteen stages,[8] with the first four levels being divided into three stages and the final level into two.[9] The player fights numerous types of enemy characters throughout each level, including bosses and sub-bosses. Once a boss has been defeated it will explode, this explosion will heal players the closer they are to it, since actually the same amount of health from one level will be carried to the next one until either recovered with potions or by dying. The game ends if the player loses all of their vitality and only five chances are provided to continue. If two players are playing the game, their continues will be shared.

Release

American magazine GamePro ran a contest in 1991, awarding 10 readers with a free copy of the game; the magazine stated the 10 giveaway copies were an exclusive edition, which had a password feature not included in any of the retail versions.[10] Shadow of the Ninja was re-released as a Virtual Console title for the Wii in 2010, the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U in 2015, and the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Classics service in 2020.[11][12]

Natsume began development of a Game Boy version following the NES release.[13] However, the publishing rights of the game were picked up by Tecmo and the title was subsequently revised as a Ninja Gaiden 1991 spin-off Ninja Gaiden Shadow, which was also developed by the Nagoya division of Natsume.[14][15]

A remake, Shadow of the Ninja: Reborn, was released on August 29, 2024 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.[16]

Reception

Shadow of the Ninja was well received upon its release. The "Greatest Hits" special issue GamePro gave it a near-perfect score of 23/25 and called it "an above average ninja fare with top of the line graphics and fast-paced gameplay" and "a top flight, fast-paced action cart,"[8] while Electronic Gaming Monthly in particular praised the game's "superb" graphics and sound.[17] Total! gave it a more reserved total rating of 74%, but added that "if this is the kind of game you're into, you won't find a better cartridge for your NES this side of Low G Man."[18] Nintendo Power featured it in the 1991 article "Weird Heroes" for supposedly featuring the "first male-and-female team" in video game history.[19]

Retrospectively, Hardcore Gaming 101's Kurt Kalata in 2006 called it "still an excellent game."[20] Matt Allen from Nintendo Life and Jeremy Parish from USgamer were more critical in their reviews of the Virtual Console release, awarding it six stars out of ten and three stars out five, respectively.[21][22] Lucas M. Thomas from IGN rated the VC release 7.0/10, opining it is "not quite as smooth or memorable as Gaiden, and it'll frustrate you a few times as only an NES action game could -- but its unique qualities, like two-player co-op support, compensate well for any of its shortcomings."[23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Family Computer 30th Anniversary Book (supplemental booklet)" (in Japanese). Weekly Famitsu (Enterbrain) (1284). 25 July 2013. 
  2. ↑ Natsume Co., Ltd.. Shadow of the Ninja. Nintendo Entertainment System. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 5. 
  3. ↑ Natsume Co., Ltd.. Shadow of the Ninja. Nintendo Entertainment System. Level/area: Opening. 
  4. ↑ Natsume Co., Ltd.. Shadow of the Ninja. Nintendo Entertainment System. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 6. 
  5. ↑ Natsume Co., Ltd.. Shadow of the Ninja. Nintendo Entertainment System. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 7. 
  6. ↑ Natsume Co., Ltd.. Shadow of the Ninja. Nintendo Entertainment System. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 8. 
  7. ↑ Natsume Co., Ltd.. Shadow of the Ninja. Nintendo Entertainment System. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 13. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "GamePro Video Game Greatest Hits (1991-07)(IDG Publishing)(US)". July 1991. https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Video_Game_Greatest_Hits_1991-07_IDG_Publishing_US#page/n25/mode/2up/. 
  9. ↑ Natsume Co., Ltd.. Shadow of the Ninja. Nintendo Entertainment System. Level/area: Instruction manual, page 9. 
  10. ↑ GamePro 18 (January 1991), p. 125.
  11. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (2010-06-16). "Shadow of the Ninja cuts up Virtual Console". http://www.gamespot.com/articles/shadow-of-the-ninja-cuts-up-virtual-console/1100-6265514/. 
  12. ↑ "Natsume Bringing Shadow of the Ninja To Virtual Console". Siliconera. 2015-01-28. http://www.siliconera.com/2015/01/28/natsume-bringing-shadow-of-the-ninja-to-virtual-console/. 
  13. ↑ "Game Boy Special Feature: Coming Soon". Nintendo Power 28: 67. September 1991. "Another (Game Boy title) to look for is Shadow of the Ninja, a Game Boy adaptation of the NES ninja thriller.". 
  14. ↑ "SIT Developer Table". http://review-site.net/developer/na.html. 
  15. ↑ "ナツメ開発ゲームリスト". http://ryoshi.at.infoseek.co.jp/summereyes.html. 
  16. ↑ "Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn: Official Launch Trailer". Ziff Davis. 29 August 2024. https://za.ign.com/shadow-of-the-ninja-reborn/200135/video/shadow-of-the-ninja-reborn-official-launch-trailer. 
  17. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly 21 (April 1991).
  18. ↑ "Total! - Issue 004 (1992-04)(Future Publishing)(GB)". April 1992. https://archive.org/stream/Total_Issue_004_1992-04_Future_Publishing_GB#page/n37/mode/2up/. 
  19. ↑ Nintendo Power 18, page 90.
  20. ↑ Kalata, Kurt (2006-02-06). "Natsume NES Action Games". Hardcore Gaming 101. http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/natsume/natsume.htm. 
  21. ↑ "Shadow of the Ninja (NES) Review". 18 June 2010. http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/vc/shadow_of_the_ninja_nes. 
  22. ↑ "Virtual Spotlight: Shadow of the Ninja, a Reminder That 8-Bit Games Hated You". USgamer. http://www.usgamer.net/articles/virtual-spotlight-shadow-of-the-ninja-a-reminder-that-8-bit-games-hated-you. 
  23. ↑ "Shadow of the Ninja Review - IGN". Uk.ign.com. 2010-07-12. http://uk.ign.com/articles/2010/07/12/shadow-of-the-ninja-review. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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