Software:Shinobi Legions

From HandWiki
Short description: 1995 video game
Shinobi Legions
North American box art
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)
  • Original Release:
  • Noriyoshi Ohba[1]
  • Europe:
  • David Nulty
Composer(s)
  • Europe:
  • Richard Jacques
SeriesShinobi
Platform(s)Sega Saturn
Release
Genre(s)Platform, hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player

Shinobi Legions,[lower-alpha 1] known in Europe as Shinobi X, is a 1995 hack and slash platform game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. The player controls the ninja Sho on his quest to prevent his brother Kazuma from finding and using an ultimate ninjitsu technique that could end the world.

The game sees players go through a series of side-scrolling platforming stages, each containing numerous enemies and obstacles that the player must contend with, helpful optional power-ups such as life-ups and temporary abilities that help the player progress and a boss battle, which the player finds at the end of a level and then must defeat. The gameplay is largely retained from prior Shinobi games, however there is a higher emphasis on the usage of a katana for offense and defense against enemies and full-motion video cutscenes are used in the game to progress the ongoing plot.

The game has received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for the game's digitized sprite graphics and new defensive moves, but criticism for the FMV cut scenes and lack of any major gameplay changes from previous entries of the series.

Gameplay

Shinobi Legions is a 2-D side-scrolling hack and slash platform game in which the player controls Sho, the ninja protagonist of the game. The game has largely similar gameplay to previous games in the Shinobi series - The Revenge of Shinobi (1989) and Shinobi III: Return Of The Ninja Master - but also introduces new elements. As well as shurikens, which are secondary ranged weapons, the players primary weapon in the game is a katana, which can be used by the player either as an offensive tool for a close-range attack or as a defensive tool for blocking enemy projectiles. Power-ups can be found scattered throughout levels or defeated enemies which, when obtained, gives the player a temporary boost to either health or offense, such as how yellow and red orbs can regain lost hit points. Alongside power-ups, the player can also obtain permanent health upgrades by picking up enough blue orbs.

The majority of gameplay takes place in 2-D linear levels, containing various obstacles and enemies that must be traversed to progress. At the end of a level, a boss battle will take place. The player is given a number of lives, which are lost if Sho loses all his available hit points or falls in a pit and the game ends when the player runs out of lives, although the player can continue from their most recent stage. Occasionally, such as after completing a level, a FMV cut scene will play as a way of bridging levels and advancing the games plot.

Plot

Years of civil war have brought the ninjutsu code and its warriors to the brink of extinction. A ninjutsu master selects three children to carry on the ninja traditions for the next generation: two brothers, Kazuma and Sho, and his own daughter Aya. He begins to train them.

Fifteen years pass. The oldest boy, Kazuma, begins to reject all the ninjutsu teachings, save for the technique of strength. Obsessed with power, Kazuma demands that the master teach him the ultimate technique. The master refuses, and Kazuma vows to return one day and take revenge. Sho and Aya continue their studies and master the ninjutsu teachings.

Kazuma returns with an army and the resources to build a fortress. Although the old master has died, his pupils contain the secrets of the ultimate technique. Kazuma sets up a trap to lure Sho into his hideout, and kidnaps Aya to use her as a bait.

In the ending, Kazuma sacrifices himself to save Aya and Sho from an explosion.

Development And Release

European box art for Shinobi X, a renamed release of Shinobi Legions

Shinobi Legions was first announced in June 1994 during the Tokyo Toy Show.[4]

The European release of Shinobi Legions was published by Sega Europe and renamed as Shinobi X. Shinobi X was delayed release due to Sega Europe's producer, David Nulty, reportedly disliking the original music score and wanting it changed for the European release,[5] in a similar way Sega of America did years before with the North American release of Sonic CD. The in-game tracks were replaced with music from British video game composer Richard Jacques, however the cutscene music tracks were left intact. Jacques composed the soundtrack in imitation of the style of Yuzo Koshiro's soundtrack from The Revenge of Shinobi (1989).[5]

The North American release retained the same soundtrack as the Japanese version, however the game was published by Vic Tokai instead of Sega.

In all releases of the game, the only people listed in the in-game credits are those who were involved with the live-action FMV cutscenes, leaving the developers of the game to be unknown.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM8.5/10, 7.5/10, 8/10, 8/10[6]
Famitsu8/10, 7/10, 6/10, 5/10[7]
Next Generation3/5[8]
Maximum2/5[9]
Sega Saturn Magazine3/5[10]

On release, GamePro gave it a rave review, stating that "If you've been sitting on the fence regarding a Sega Saturn purchase, here's a swift shuriken in the butt to get you moving." They particularly praised the new defensive moves and greater variety of enemies compared to previous Shinobi games. They also felt that the digitized sprite-based graphics were a refreshing change from the polygon-based graphics used in most Saturn games.[2] The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly likewise praised the new defensive moves and "fluid" graphics. They had varying reactions to the FMV cutscenes, and two of the reviewers felt the game lacked the "feel" of earlier Shinobi games, but all four agreed that the game was both visually impressive and fun to play.[6] A critic for Next Generation, while remarking that the game made no real advance in gameplay over its last generation predecessors, argued that it also maintains the standard of excellent gameplay set by those predecessors, and that the greater sophistication in the graphics would likely be enough to appease fans of the Shinobi series.[8] Sega Saturn Magazine said that it plays well but fails to make any real use of the Saturn's capabilities, calling it "another Shinobi game that somehow managed to find its way on to CD instead of cartridge." They suggested that the "tacky" FMV scenes were added simply as an excuse to release the game on the Saturn instead of the Sega Genesis.[10] A reviewer for Maximum described it as "a disappointment" compared to the earlier Shinobi games, but did not provide any specifics.[9]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as New Shinobi Legend (Japanese: 新・忍伝, Hepburn: Shin Shinobi Den)

References

  1. ↑ "File:ShinobiMusicCollection CD JP Booklet.pdf" (in en). 2022-12-15. https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:ShinobiMusicCollection_CD_JP_Booklet.pdf&page=7. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "ProReview: Shinobi Legions". GamePro (IDG) (85): 48. October 1995. 
  3. ↑ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". Sega. http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/soft.html. 
  4. ↑ "Sega's Saturn: 32-Bit Intensity". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (61): 50–52. August 1994. https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_61/page/n49/mode/2up. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Jacques, Richard (June 3, 2000). "Gaming Age Specials -- Interview with Richard Jacques". Gaming Age Online (transcript). Interviewed by Gavin Matheson. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Carpenter, Danyon; Manuel, Al; Baran, Andrew; Sushi-X (September 1995). "Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) (74): 36. ISSN 1058-918X. https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/751be5af-e4ad-4597-866f-bdab60a6b1c2. 
  7. ↑ "New Games Cross Review". Weekly Famicom Tsūshin (342): 32. 7 July 1995. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Shin Shinobi Den". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (10): 111. October 1995. https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-010/page/n111/mode/2up. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Maximum Reviews: Shinobi-X". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (Emap International Limited) (2): 145. November 1995. https://retrocdn.net/images/e/ed/MAXIMUM_UK_02.pdf. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Review: Shinbobi X". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (1): 96. November 1995. https://archive.org/details/Official_Sega_Saturn_Magazine_001/page/n95/mode/2up. 
  11. ↑ "Electric Playground Game Reviews: Shinobi Legions". http://www.elecplay.com/arch95/shinobi.html. 
  • 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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