As a kid, I got this on the Sega Classics collection for my Sega CD. It was awesome to have Revenge of Shinobi, Streets of rage, and Golden Axe on one disc. (Sorry, Columns)
Agreed! It's not as popular but the PS2 Shinobi game was excellent as well. It didn't get high review scores because game journalists complained it was too hard. It was very hard but I don't believe you should give a game low scores based on that.
@@damin9913 shadow dancer is good but in my opinion revenge and shinobi 3 are more substantial games maybe it is that shadow dancer is too similar to the original shinobi who knows?
When I was in college back in the mid 1990’s. I had a music class, and my professor asked us to do a presentation on any music composer of our choice. I chose Yuzo Koshiro, and demonstrated both Streets of Rage 2 and the Revenge of Shinobi in class. I got an A on both the presentation and for the course.
@@ArpeggioPegasus Calling your hobbies "special interests" will probably get you weird looks in itself. It makes it sound like it's a symptom of autism spectrum disorder. But yeah people have always looked down on unusual hobbies.
My dad was debating between getting a Genesis or a TG-16. He saw a demo of this in person and went with the Genesis on sight. We were coming from the Sega Master System. Pretty glad he made the right choice, this game is incredible and I grew up a Sega kid. Still am, really. As an aside, I'm currently playing Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness. Yuzo Koshiro is still making bangers.
Haha, I had the same decision in christmas 1992. Mom said I could get either a Genesis or SNES, and I remember thumbing thru the (IIRC) JCPenny Christmas catalog for weeks, focusing on the advertisements for both consoles. Went with the Genesis maybe due to Sonic the Hedgehog and am super glad I did. I had no idea that each console was geared more towards certain types of games, and since back then RPGs were definitely not my thing, the genesis definitely was the better console for me.
I still find myself drawn back to this beloved game. Whether it's for a quick nostalgic fix or a deeper dive into the immersive world, The Revenge of Shinobi has become a timeless reminder of the joy and excitement gaming can bring. It's a personal experience that has shaped my appreciation for the artistry and storytelling found within video games, and it's one that I hold close to my heart.
This was one of the first games I played on the Genesis. I got the Model 2 in 1994 on my 6th birthday and besides the pack in game of Sonic 2… I got to rent a game for the weekend and I chose Shinobi!
yeah, Sega was very smart making sonic 1(then 2) pack in games. They lost some money on people not having to buy them, but have the console bundled with the killer app is amazing marketing. Shinobi is a great alternative to sonic...bet that was a fun weekend.
This is still one of my favorite games of all-time. Great graphics, amazing music and impeccable design make this one just as playable and enjoyable today as it was when it was first released. A timeless classic that I never get tired of.
The US got the 1.0 release originally as well. I clearly remember playing this as a kid and seeing all those pop culture icons in game. Rambo, Terminator, Spiderman, Batman, Godzilla, they were all there in the US release. I never even knew they were later changed and the "controversy" behind why they changed till well over a decade later when I booted up a rom of it in a emulator and saw those changes.
Yup, I had the 1.0 version. It was an X-Mas gift back in 1990. I guess I lucked out since revisions were already on the shelves by the time mom picked it up to place under the tree for me that year. I remember being surprised at all the pop culture icons in the game and thinking how cool it was at the time. Happy to still have the cart in my collection today!
I'd love to see a 2.5D remaster of this game and Shinobi III combined into one arc. That water stage would have no excuse but to look incredible and fierce. Photo realistic mapping captures would make the game look surreal under the tools we have these days.
OMG now i cant un-want that now! Whoever can make this a reality, I will make them take my money for it! However, I'm a bit vague, and don't think i totally loved it if memory serves me, but wasn't there a 3ds Shinobi game years back that was based on this concept? I think i remember a 2.5D Shinobi or Legend of Kage 3ds game that was tricky to play and the first or an early level was fire ridden...time for research on this matter!
30 seconds later and I was right, there was such a shinobi game, but the cover art was based kinda like the ps2 shinobi character design, but still i do want a 2.5D remaster of 1989's Revenge of Shinobi!
It is very difficult to explain how absolutely mindblowing it was as a fifteen-year-old 10th grader to see the display console in the window of the local Gaming Store at our mall showing a runthrough of Revenge of Shinobi. I saved $220...$200 for the Genesis (bundled with "Altered Beast") and $20 for the extra controller...and my parents bought Revenge of Shinobi for me as a Christmas gift. The 16-bit capability was exponentially better than the 8-bit NES and Sega Master System my friends and I had been stuck with. This was like bringing the arcade home. This game is still not only one of my favorites, but a nostalgic piece of my past, a magic that is unrecapturable.
The original version had Spiderman and Godzilla. I had that one on cartridge. Then I got the Sega CD Classic Collection. They had stripped Godzilla down to a skeleton and turned Spiderman black which kinda made him look like Venom, it was still cool.
Just like Sega Lord X, this was the game that made me a proud Genesis owner. A timeless classic that should be on every Genesis/Mega Drive best-of list. That soundtrack still slaps today.
I think that ROS was the most important title for the Mega Drive at the time of launch because what came before it was less than impressive and as Sega Lord X said the launch lineup of games for the system was quite embarrassingly weak with only Golden Axe coming close to ROS but the importance of ROS cannot be understated.
Shinobi 3 and Shadow Dancer were amazing sequels, but there's something about Revenge of Shinobi that hits the mark. Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but like you said there's something magicall about this installment. The locations, the enemies, music, graphics the challenge. I need to plat this again ASAP. Great review and subscribed!
Adored this game as a kid. The graphics AND gameplay were so cool at the time. This was a long way from a side scrolling platformer like Super Mario World. Major wow factors were the size of the characters, especially giant bosses like the Godzilla. And a weird random cameo from Spider-Man?! (And a strong guy who turns green when you hit him...?) Today, judging graphics will come down to resolution and frame-rates. (My current gaming obsession is "Dave the Diver", which uses a retro-pixel aesthetic as a CHOICE.) Growing up with videogames in the 80s, you saw this progression of what was possible. From the very crude, representational graphics of the Atari 2600 to games on the NES where your character didn't just have to be a square dot. To something like THIS where the art is beautiful.
Very special memories of this one for me. It was my first ever experience of the Sega Mega Drive. From the moment the music played and the title screen showed Joe "blocking" two shurikens, I was blown away.
Still one of the most underrated channels for retro gaming and factual info- you should be much more appreciated in the TH-cam community- I cherish all your videos- please DONT STOP MAKING THIS GREAT CONTENT
I got a Sega Genesis for Christmas in 1989 too. It was the greatest Christmas present I ever received. My favorite games on the system are Rambo III, Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf and Streets Of Rage 2. Some of my favorite memories are of my Brother, friends and I playing Sega Genesis games late into the night on weekends.
One of my earliest and fondest memories of the Genesis is Revenge of Shinobi. Bosses that included Godzilla, Batman, Spider-Man?! What more could a kid ask for! It was a must have when I started my retro game collection.
This was the ONLY game I ever beat that my oldest brother could never finish, so it's a 10/10 for me, yo. Lol I'm honestly shocked that you haven't reviewed this one yet. Some people hate it, but it'll always have a place in my heart.
A friend of mine when he got the game, for some weird reason he got the JPN 1.0 release with John Rambo and morphing Spider-Bat (the funny thing is that the JPN cart could work without issues on USA hardware and EUR as well as it didn't have region lock AND switched the game version based on the used hardware... unlike Shinobi III were it had region lock), a great classic that took me more than 16 years to get it (the same for the console), but as they say, better late than ever. Edit: This game along a few others like Alien Soldier and Gunstar Heroes made me throw my "Nintendo fanboy" ideals out of the window and value the games regardless of their platform.
This is one of my favourite Mega Drive games. I own it in a 6 in 1 cart that has Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Columns, World Cup Italia & Super Hang On.
Our family was one who got the Genesis quite early when the lineup was relatively lean, but it still had some good stuff -- I distinctly remember our first six games as Altered Beast (of course), Revenge of Shinobi, Golden Axe, Tommy Lasorda Baseball, Last Battle, and Ghouls 'n' Ghosts. Revenge and GnG were head and shoulders above the rest, with GA slotting in as a solid 3rd place!
Yuzo Koshiro is a genius ❤ remember listening to the music when I was a kid ... I leave it playing and start dancing 9:51. Revenge of the shinobi was and still to this day a game ahead of its time.
Man the soundtrack of this game has always been a favorite of mine to throw on every so often. Between this game and the Streets of Rage games Yuzo Koshiro became a favorite game musician for me. Ninja Step has no right making a factory that danceable!
Just one small correction: v1.00 of the game did in fact come to North America. My copy of Revenge of Shinobi has the Rambo clones on state 3 complete with mullets instead of bald heads.
Phantasy Star 2 was my biggest Genesis purchase at $80. I remember i had to order it from the Sears catalog store and the workers thought I was crazy to spend that amount on a single game. As many hours that i played it, i probably got my money's worth.
I know this sounds weird... But your videos have been very comforting to me through some really hard times just playing in the background, and want to say thank you! Love your content.
I grew up with Shinobi in the arcades and with my Master System then finally as a kid back then when I first got my Mega Drive with Revenge of Shinobi game words can’t describe my feeling of playing it for the very first time and the music by Yuzo was just so friggin awesome and later on to get Shinobi 3 was just another great game I also owned and loved Shadow Dancer too the best years of my life with my Mega Drive console
Took me 2 months back in 1992 when I first got my genesis to figure out how to beat the game. I must have played it over and over about 130 times but it was worth it. The soundtrack never got old, in my opinion along with Shinobi 3 the best soundtrack on the sega genesis
This game, along with Golden Axe and Streets of Rage, was one of the first games I had when I got my Sega Mega Drive for Christmas. It was called Mega Games II (or something similiar like that). Three games into one cardtridge. And, of course, Sonic the Hedgehog. Best Christmas ever. :)
AWESOME review! This is my favorite Sega Genesis title. This was the game that told me I had to get a Genesis when it came out. I still own my original game REV 1.0 and play it still from time to time. The music, atmosphere was a prefect blend. IMO, this was kinda like playing one of those late 80's action movies. Killer action, with some oddities that just fit. Playing Shinobi in the arcade, and the MasterSystem during that time, The Revenge of Shinobi just felt like the next level.
Great review as always, SLX! This was the second Genesis game I owned, after the pack-in Sonic. Picked it up for $20 at a pawn shop without knowing anything about it and really striking gold. It's amazing how much content they managed to pack into a meager 4 Mbit cart, especially with all those awesome drum samples in the music. I found it incredibly hard at first though. Didn't know how to double jump and couldn't get past the waterfall stage. I then figured out that you could use the float magic for this and eventually did get the double-jump right. At that time, it seemed incredible to hear stereo music like this coming out of your game console. I was really surprised by the musician credited on the title screen as well but had quickly discovered why he got the cred. Yuzo was the master of getting the most out those 6 FM and 4 PSG channels, combining them in novel ways to get a much richer sound than most others were getting out of the system. As with a lot of my favorite games back in the days, I would always quit playing after I got to the final stage, because I didn't want the game to end, just replaying it over and over. Pretty sure than my version was the uncensored one. I remembered being amazed at fighting Spiderman and then Batman. Must have been the very first US version. Yeah, this game is a definite classic. Shinobi 3 outshines it many ways but it there was always something special about this one.
I remember owning this game, putting the shuriken count to 00 in the options and staring at the 00 for a while contemplating how hard it will be to play without shurikens from the start. Then something awesome happened and I'm not gonna spoil it.
@Sega Lord X ,Glad to see you doing another review of this one... I replied on the last review and appreciated your reply... This is one of my "All Time" favorites...
Revenge - delightfully challenging, not as hard as Castlevania, but you have to plan your next move or fall into a pit or get overwhelmed until you lose a life Shadow Dancer - perfect controls allow you to pull off tight strategies that requirements split second attacks and jumps. The challenge never feels cheap even at top difficulty III - least challenging even at highest difficulty, but the extra moves and score bonuses makes it fun to pick up and play anytime All 3 have classic soundtracks
Yuzo Koshiro also composed the music for Streets Of Rage. His electronic music was so good that it was also played in nightclubs. Can you imagine being out and then a tune from one of your favourite games comes on? And I'm not talking about a small sample mixed into another track, like the whole tune!
I remember taking delivery of my imported Megadrive back in late 1988 from Japan (I live in the UK) for something like £399 (about £900 equivalent today) and having two games. Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts and Super Shinobi (as the Japanese version was called). That intro blew me away - I had to watch it several times before even starting to play.
Revenge of Shinobi, Altered Beast (the pack in) and Golden Axe are what I remember having when my brothers and I saved up to buy the system and games and let me tell you, those were good times. Revenge of Shinobi is by far my favorite Shinobi game after the original arcade. I liked Shadow Dancer, but never got into Shinobi III for some reason.
I wish arcades in America are still what they where when i was a kid. The feeling of getting the home version of a game you played in the arcades was awesome.
The first car analogy was spot on! I love this game, I always will. The soundtrack is definitely VGM Hall of fame. I feel like this is a perfect example of the feeling early 16 bit SEGA vibe. Like Altered beast, SOR1 and ESWAT. I cannot describe the feeling 7 year old me getting the bad ending. I'm almost 40 now and still can recall it.
Nice review you did. The Revenge of Shinobi is available on the Sega Genesis Collection for PS4 & Xbox One (both backwards compatible with PS5 & Xbox Series X) and 9n Nintendo Switch. This game was made available for NSO+Expansion Pack for the Sega Genesis app. It's also available on Sega Genesis mini 2.
That's hilarious that the US release has you fighting the real Spider-Man. Shinobi: "I'm here to avenge my master and rescue my fiancé." Spider-Man: "No."
I share the love you have for The Revenge of Shinobi. But in the Sega Genesis's first year we got the masterpieces of *** Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, Ghouls N Ghosts, Phantasy Star II, Super Hang-On, Super Monaco GP, Golden Axe, Herzog Zwei, After Burner II, Bloody Wolf, Elemental Master, Ghostbusters, Granada, Moonwalker, Castle of Illusion, and Outrun. *** I feel there were a lot of amazing games to choose from in the first year of the Sega Genesis. 1989 was amazing for Sega, 1991 was Sonic and it was a game changer. Loved the video, I can tell you love the game :)
I got this game one birthday along with Super Thunder Blade, and distinctly remember putting it on for the first time after dinner. I’ve never gotten the good ending; it’s a big challenge!
Yes! I remember playing this as a kid when I first got the SEGA GENESIS it was hard for a little kid, but there was something about it that kept me coming back, and before you know it, I was in love. The learning experience gave me confidence and seeing and hearing so many different levels and amazing music added to my discovery that taught me that with hard work and perseverance, I could get better at games and enjoy it too. Thank you forever, Shinobi!🎉😎
I still hope that Sega, might release a sequel to Revenge of the Shinobi. In the end they did it for Streets of Rage, by releasing the 4th installment.
This was the first game that I played on the Jap Megadrive that I purchased in December 1989, nearly a year before the UK release. Utterly amazing at the time, along with Golden Axe and Space Harrier II!
My favourite game of all time. Loved this as a 13-14 year old kid. It was the first game I saw on the Megadrive/Genesis. First game I put the sound track onto a cassette for my Walkman because no other gaming music was this good or cool. I’ve completed this game well over 100 times I can pretty much speed run it
I had Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage on the dame cartridge for my Mega Drive 2. Played so much of this game. Never got to the end but the level variety always impressed me even as a kid.
This game was definitely an early showcase piece for the Genesis. It was a step above what the previous(8 bit) generation could deliver, great graphics, smooth gameplay controls, awesome music and quality sound effects (especially when hooked up through the stereo cables). If it were released as is in the arcades back then, I'm pretty sure I would have spent a bunch of tokens/quarters on it.
I loved how you could negat attacks by slashing them with the sword or simply walk forward during power up. Even works on rambos flame thrower. Just remember to keep walking . The moment you stop, you drop your guard.
Man, that was the first hard game I ever beat, and it took me a while! I beat the first arcade Shinobi in college, but this was way harder... Those were the days!
The 1st 16-bit experience to truly blow me away. That same summer I’d played GG Shinobi and fell in love with it, especially the soundtrack but omg when I heard terrible beat on Revenge! The feeling was a mixture of euphoria and dread. A beloved franchise that fell off from Saturn onwards.
Great review mate, loved the separate music section. There's absolutely nothing wrong with nostalgia fuelling love for a classic title, and I like how you speak to the joy it brings - for many reasons yes, but with the game at the heart of them. Thanks for the video! -SamboNZ
First time my friend called me over to see and play ROS i lost my mind upon seeing it. I knew right there that i had to have a Genesis. The sound and music. the graphics. the gameplay. the details... perfection. Felt like i was at the arcade and i couldnt stop gawking at the tv at my friends house. Good times!!
Owned the game before having the megadrive. For 3 months solid me and my brother studied that manual and finally got to play it at Christmas and wasn't disappointed !
This was the game that made me want a Sega Genesis. I remember watching the GamePro TV show when it would come on Saturday mornings and it was part of the reel of games they would show for the opening of the show. Every time I would see it I knew that I had to get a Sega Genesis!
Great spot on review! I recall playing this for the first time at my friend's place & was impressed with everything, colors, gameplay, ninja magic, Spiderman! He even showed how to get unlimited shurikens & make the title screen show "Super Shinobi". I live in Honolulu & have a request. A few years ago I saw a video, from the gaming historian I believe that showed where "Service Games" (1940s) was before becoming SEGA. Maybe you can help me find the old address. I believe it was Mokuea street which is a warehouse area & I'd like to get some pictures of what's there now, just need to get the old address.
One of my favourite ever mega drive games. I was blown away with this game it looked incredible and yes the music to this day still makes me smile it's simply outstanding and maybe the best soundtrack I've ever heard.
@@christophmatthews4313 Always seen my friends and cousins own the 6-pak version. I didn't know anyone who had the original cartridge. I would see it in Blockbuster and in stores.
This game kicks so much ass. We were early adopters of the Genesis as well, and this game, along with Golden Axe, is what convinced my friends to get the console.
this is in my top 10 mega drive games. one of the best soundtracks that i still listen to and excellent replayablity. i got a sega in 93 for christmas and it was packed with this , golden axe and streets of rage. this really was a stand out game.
I'm surprised the pc sega smash pack volume 1 version wasnt mentioned, that had the sega channel version on it- which in turn was the prototype version!
Still have the loose cart of the first version of REVENGE OF SHINOBI. Playing this game, back in the day was a blast. Seeing Rambo, Spidey, Batman, Hulk, Terminator and Godzilla was quite an experience as a15 yo kid. Then came Shinobi 3, and damn...I was amazed at the game. Still to this day, I know Shinobi 3 is better than Revenge...for me Revenge of Shinobi is my favorite game. Sega really did an amazing job bringing Shinobi to the GENESIS !
Awesome video! Thank you so much for making wonderful content for us. If you can, I would love to see a Sega Genesis buying guide video. With so many games and Genesis models, I'm not sure where to start. But The Revenge of Shinobi alongside the Streets of Rage games are on my list of games to get!
Want unlimited shurikens?!? Goto the option menus and set the shuriken count to 00 and wait for a few moments and the 00 will turn into a ♾️ symbol. Your welcome 🤗
14:52 Not sure how you meant this, but Version 1.00 was also the 1st version in North America. Version 1.01 wasn't the first NA one. I own a NA copy which is V1.00. It has all the original IP's like Batman, Rambo, Terminator, Godzilla. Thanks for the video on this excellent game - I forgot it was only 4mb! Wow!
I meant version 1.01 was first released in the US. It never came to Japan. Listening to that back it does sound like I'm saying version 1.01 was the first.
Good review! I actually never owned or have played this one as of yet. Might have to take care of that. I love these 16-bit action titles and I've always heard this was an absolute classic! I thought the Round Clear screen and music had a vaguely familiar style as this has the exact same vibe as Streets of Rage (which makes sense as it was developed and composed by the same team). There are some great patches for this game as well that restore the Batman/Spiderman boss completely, add a save feature and also allows ol' Joe to have jumping abilities more akin to Shinobi III.
I feel the same way about Jewelmaster, although I was your typical 6 year old Sonic fan I credit Jewelmaster as THE game that made me fall in love with the Genesis. It's short and not as good as most castlevanias or ghouls and ghosts but the music is FM syth mastery and the concept is pretty cool
There isn't much at all wrong with The Revenge of Shinobi imo. Great game. Always loved the title screen too. The sound of throwing stars hitting the katana ting ting! lol I would watch it a few times before playing. I remember after completing it I just wanted more.
I adored this game back when I was a kid. I’d speed run it before I even knew what speed runs were. Just a phenomenal experience and I completely agree and understand your love for this game.
This game was the first video game that struck me as next gen. I was born in 80 so NES was the console I played early on. I moved to a new city and made friends with a kid who had a genesis in like 89. When he showed me this game I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The characters were so much bigger and brighter than what I was used to. I was in shock that we could control such a ninja in our homes! This game always sticks out to me as awesome and cutting edge for that reason.
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As a kid, I got this on the Sega Classics collection for my Sega CD. It was awesome to have Revenge of Shinobi, Streets of rage, and Golden Axe on one disc. (Sorry, Columns)
I really liked that CD. The only thing that I didn’t like was the one-player Golden Axe version.
One player Golden Axe is a real kick in the shell
Same. I loved that disc.
Yeah I had a 6 in cartridge with those 3 games plus Columns, World Cup Italia 91 and Super Hang On. I played and liked all the games even Columns.
Man I actually didn't care for those Sega CD pack-in. Shinobi was never at all interesting to me.
Definitely liked Sherlock and Sol Feace better
Revenge of shinobi and shinobi 3 are some of the best experiences in gaming.
Big facts
Agreed!
It's not as popular but the PS2 Shinobi game was excellent as well. It didn't get high review scores because game journalists complained it was too hard.
It was very hard but I don't believe you should give a game low scores based on that.
You forgot Shadow Dancer
@@damin9913 shadow dancer is good but in my opinion revenge and shinobi 3 are more substantial games maybe it is that shadow dancer is too similar to the original shinobi who knows?
And Shadow Dancer!
When I was in college back in the mid 1990’s. I had a music class, and my professor asked us to do a presentation on any music composer of our choice. I chose Yuzo Koshiro, and demonstrated both Streets of Rage 2 and the Revenge of Shinobi in class. I got an A on both the presentation and for the course.
That's sick. These days talking about your special interests in school gets you weird looks...
@@ArpeggioPegasus
Calling your hobbies "special interests" will probably get you weird looks in itself. It makes it sound like it's a symptom of autism spectrum disorder.
But yeah people have always looked down on unusual hobbies.
I really enjoyed "Ninja games" from this period. 16 bit was 100% the right time and place for the genre.
One of the greatest game soundtracks of all time, even got a vinyl release a few years back
My dad was debating between getting a Genesis or a TG-16. He saw a demo of this in person and went with the Genesis on sight. We were coming from the Sega Master System. Pretty glad he made the right choice, this game is incredible and I grew up a Sega kid. Still am, really.
As an aside, I'm currently playing Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness. Yuzo Koshiro is still making bangers.
Haha, I had the same decision in christmas 1992. Mom said I could get either a Genesis or SNES, and I remember thumbing thru the (IIRC) JCPenny Christmas catalog for weeks, focusing on the advertisements for both consoles. Went with the Genesis maybe due to Sonic the Hedgehog and am super glad I did.
I had no idea that each console was geared more towards certain types of games, and since back then RPGs were definitely not my thing, the genesis definitely was the better console for me.
I was old enough to have a job back the, so I got both! Those were the happy days
yuzo still composing?
I still find myself drawn back to this beloved game. Whether it's for a quick nostalgic fix or a deeper dive into the immersive world, The Revenge of Shinobi has become a timeless reminder of the joy and excitement gaming can bring. It's a personal experience that has shaped my appreciation for the artistry and storytelling found within video games, and it's one that I hold close to my heart.
I’m in America and I remember playing against Spider-Man and it morphed into Batman. Not sure where this “Devil-man” came from
Shinobi 3 had way better graphics but Revenge was much better you had to memorize the levels somewhat or you would die
This was one of the first games I played on the Genesis. I got the Model 2 in 1994 on my 6th birthday and besides the pack in game of Sonic 2… I got to rent a game for the weekend and I chose Shinobi!
I am so happy that I had the original model 1 Japanese Megadrive, the best looking version.
yeah, Sega was very smart making sonic 1(then 2) pack in games. They lost some money on people not having to buy them, but have the console bundled with the killer app is amazing marketing. Shinobi is a great alternative to sonic...bet that was a fun weekend.
This is still one of my favorite games of all-time. Great graphics, amazing music and impeccable design make this one just as playable and enjoyable today as it was when it was first released. A timeless classic that I never get tired of.
Shinobi 3 had the great graphics but its boring to play Revenge has crap graphics but very challenging gameplay
The US got the 1.0 release originally as well. I clearly remember playing this as a kid and seeing all those pop culture icons in game. Rambo, Terminator, Spiderman, Batman, Godzilla, they were all there in the US release. I never even knew they were later changed and the "controversy" behind why they changed till well over a decade later when I booted up a rom of it in a emulator and saw those changes.
I meant it was the US that got version 1.01 first.
Yup, I had the 1.0 version. It was an X-Mas gift back in 1990. I guess I lucked out since revisions were already on the shelves by the time mom picked it up to place under the tree for me that year. I remember being surprised at all the pop culture icons in the game and thinking how cool it was at the time. Happy to still have the cart in my collection today!
I'd love to see a 2.5D remaster of this game and Shinobi III combined into one arc. That water stage would have no excuse but to look incredible and fierce. Photo realistic mapping captures would make the game look surreal under the tools we have these days.
OMG now i cant un-want that now! Whoever can make this a reality, I will make them take my money for it! However, I'm a bit vague, and don't think i totally loved it if memory serves me, but wasn't there a 3ds Shinobi game years back that was based on this concept? I think i remember a 2.5D Shinobi or Legend of Kage 3ds game that was tricky to play and the first or an early level was fire ridden...time for research on this matter!
30 seconds later and I was right, there was such a shinobi game, but the cover art was based kinda like the ps2 shinobi character design, but still i do want a 2.5D remaster of 1989's Revenge of Shinobi!
While not official Shino games, there are a number of really good modern-retro ninja games released in the last 10 years.
It is very difficult to explain how absolutely mindblowing it was as a fifteen-year-old 10th grader to see the display console in the window of the local Gaming Store at our mall showing a runthrough of Revenge of Shinobi. I saved $220...$200 for the Genesis (bundled with "Altered Beast") and $20 for the extra controller...and my parents bought Revenge of Shinobi for me as a Christmas gift. The 16-bit capability was exponentially better than the 8-bit NES and Sega Master System my friends and I had been stuck with. This was like bringing the arcade home.
This game is still not only one of my favorites, but a nostalgic piece of my past, a magic that is unrecapturable.
The original version had Spiderman and Godzilla. I had that one on cartridge.
Then I got the Sega CD Classic Collection. They had stripped Godzilla down to a skeleton and turned Spiderman black which kinda made him look like Venom, it was still cool.
Just like Sega Lord X, this was the game that made me a proud Genesis owner. A timeless classic that should be on every Genesis/Mega Drive best-of list. That soundtrack still slaps today.
I think that ROS was the most important title for the Mega Drive at the time of launch because what came before it was less than impressive and as Sega Lord X said the launch lineup of games for the system was quite embarrassingly weak with only Golden Axe coming close to ROS but the importance of ROS cannot be understated.
Shinobi 3 and Shadow Dancer were amazing sequels, but there's something about Revenge of Shinobi that hits the mark. Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but like you said there's something magicall about this installment. The locations, the enemies, music, graphics the challenge. I need to plat this again ASAP. Great review and subscribed!
I remembered playing this game on my Sega Genesis via 6-pak. Shinobi is a great classic of a game
Adored this game as a kid. The graphics AND gameplay were so cool at the time. This was a long way from a side scrolling platformer like Super Mario World. Major wow factors were the size of the characters, especially giant bosses like the Godzilla. And a weird random cameo from Spider-Man?! (And a strong guy who turns green when you hit him...?) Today, judging graphics will come down to resolution and frame-rates. (My current gaming obsession is "Dave the Diver", which uses a retro-pixel aesthetic as a CHOICE.) Growing up with videogames in the 80s, you saw this progression of what was possible. From the very crude, representational graphics of the Atari 2600 to games on the NES where your character didn't just have to be a square dot. To something like THIS where the art is beautiful.
Boss music never got better than Terrible Beat. One of the most memorable games in history!
Very special memories of this one for me. It was my first ever experience of the Sega Mega Drive. From the moment the music played and the title screen showed Joe "blocking" two shurikens, I was blown away.
Still one of the most underrated channels for retro gaming and factual info- you should be much more appreciated in the TH-cam community- I cherish all your videos- please DONT STOP MAKING THIS GREAT CONTENT
Underrated? His subs say otherwise.
I got a Sega Genesis for Christmas in 1989 too. It was the greatest Christmas present I ever received. My favorite games on the system are Rambo III, Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf and Streets Of Rage 2. Some of my favorite memories are of my Brother, friends and I playing Sega Genesis games late into the night on weekends.
One of my earliest and fondest memories of the Genesis is Revenge of Shinobi. Bosses that included Godzilla, Batman, Spider-Man?! What more could a kid ask for! It was a must have when I started my retro game collection.
This was the ONLY game I ever beat that my oldest brother could never finish, so it's a 10/10 for me, yo. Lol
I'm honestly shocked that you haven't reviewed this one yet. Some people hate it, but it'll always have a place in my heart.
Yeah Revenge of Shinobi is absolutely amazing, still holds up just fine today, fun as hell to playthrough.
12:07 *Don't forget the change here to the "Hulk" lol* 💪👍
A friend of mine when he got the game, for some weird reason he got the JPN 1.0 release with John Rambo and morphing Spider-Bat (the funny thing is that the JPN cart could work without issues on USA hardware and EUR as well as it didn't have region lock AND switched the game version based on the used hardware... unlike Shinobi III were it had region lock), a great classic that took me more than 16 years to get it (the same for the console), but as they say, better late than ever.
Edit: This game along a few others like Alien Soldier and Gunstar Heroes made me throw my "Nintendo fanboy" ideals out of the window and value the games regardless of their platform.
Real quick, I just wanna say how much MORE of a appreciation I have towards ol' SEGA because of your channel. Hell yeah," SEGA!!"
Always good to hear Sega receive its proper dues.
This is one of my favourite Mega Drive games. I own it in a 6 in 1 cart that has Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Columns, World Cup Italia & Super Hang On.
Our family was one who got the Genesis quite early when the lineup was relatively lean, but it still had some good stuff -- I distinctly remember our first six games as Altered Beast (of course), Revenge of Shinobi, Golden Axe, Tommy Lasorda Baseball, Last Battle, and Ghouls 'n' Ghosts. Revenge and GnG were head and shoulders above the rest, with GA slotting in as a solid 3rd place!
i think i have this game on the 6 Pak.
as being an OG Sega fan since the early 90s, I have never played this game.
time to give it a go this weekend!
Revenge of Shinobi, Golden Axe, SOR2 and Ghouls n Ghosts are certified Genesis classics that I will always come back to and play over and over... 😊
Facts
Yuzo Koshiro is a genius ❤ remember listening to the music when I was a kid ... I leave it playing and start dancing 9:51. Revenge of the shinobi was and still to this day a game ahead of its time.
This has always been my favorite Genesis game, and one of my favorite games of all time.
Man the soundtrack of this game has always been a favorite of mine to throw on every so often. Between this game and the Streets of Rage games Yuzo Koshiro became a favorite game musician for me. Ninja Step has no right making a factory that danceable!
Just one small correction: v1.00 of the game did in fact come to North America. My copy of Revenge of Shinobi has the Rambo clones on state 3 complete with mullets instead of bald heads.
Phantasy Star 2 was my biggest Genesis purchase at $80. I remember i had to order it from the Sears catalog store and the workers thought I was crazy to spend that amount on a single game. As many hours that i played it, i probably got my money's worth.
A remaster of these early Shinobi games with the running of 3 and cleaner animations would be awesome
I know this sounds weird... But your videos have been very comforting to me through some really hard times just playing in the background, and want to say thank you! Love your content.
Glad you found some enjoyment in them. I hope things have improved for you.
I grew up with Shinobi in the arcades and with my Master System then finally as a kid back then when I first got my Mega Drive with Revenge of Shinobi game words can’t describe my feeling of playing it for the very first time and the music by Yuzo was just so friggin awesome and later on to get Shinobi 3 was just another great game I also owned and loved Shadow Dancer too the best years of my life with my Mega Drive console
Took me 2 months back in 1992 when I first got my genesis to figure out how to beat the game. I must have played it over and over about 130 times but it was worth it. The soundtrack never got old, in my opinion along with Shinobi 3 the best soundtrack on the sega genesis
This game, along with Golden Axe and Streets of Rage, was one of the first games I had when I got my Sega Mega Drive for Christmas. It was called Mega Games II (or something similiar like that). Three games into one cardtridge. And, of course, Sonic the Hedgehog. Best Christmas ever. :)
same mate, i played the hell out of it over the xmas of 93.
AWESOME review! This is my favorite Sega Genesis title. This was the game that told me I had to get a Genesis when it came out. I still own my original game REV 1.0 and play it still from time to time. The music, atmosphere was a prefect blend. IMO, this was kinda like playing one of those late 80's action movies. Killer action, with some oddities that just fit. Playing Shinobi in the arcade, and the MasterSystem during that time, The Revenge of Shinobi just felt like the next level.
Great review as always, SLX! This was the second Genesis game I owned, after the pack-in Sonic. Picked it up for $20 at a pawn shop without knowing anything about it and really striking gold. It's amazing how much content they managed to pack into a meager 4 Mbit cart, especially with all those awesome drum samples in the music. I found it incredibly hard at first though. Didn't know how to double jump and couldn't get past the waterfall stage. I then figured out that you could use the float magic for this and eventually did get the double-jump right. At that time, it seemed incredible to hear stereo music like this coming out of your game console. I was really surprised by the musician credited on the title screen as well but had quickly discovered why he got the cred. Yuzo was the master of getting the most out those 6 FM and 4 PSG channels, combining them in novel ways to get a much richer sound than most others were getting out of the system. As with a lot of my favorite games back in the days, I would always quit playing after I got to the final stage, because I didn't want the game to end, just replaying it over and over. Pretty sure than my version was the uncensored one. I remembered being amazed at fighting Spiderman and then Batman. Must have been the very first US version. Yeah, this game is a definite classic. Shinobi 3 outshines it many ways but it there was always something special about this one.
I remember owning this game, putting the shuriken count to 00 in the options and staring at the 00 for a while contemplating how hard it will be to play without shurikens from the start. Then something awesome happened and I'm not gonna spoil it.
😉
I'm just reminded of a quote from Buzz Lightyear.
@@RavenHawkes 😂
@Sega Lord X ,Glad to see you doing another review of this one... I replied on the last review and appreciated your reply... This is one of my "All Time" favorites...
The nostalgia itself makes this game one of my all time favorite. Chinatown,that music,oh that wonderful music❤
Revenge - delightfully challenging, not as hard as Castlevania, but you have to plan your next move or fall into a pit or get overwhelmed until you lose a life
Shadow Dancer - perfect controls allow you to pull off tight strategies that requirements split second attacks and jumps. The challenge never feels cheap even at top difficulty
III - least challenging even at highest difficulty, but the extra moves and score bonuses makes it fun to pick up and play anytime
All 3 have classic soundtracks
This really takes me back, I had so much in my teens with games like this.
Remember getting this pre owned from my local market when i was a kid. Im 34 now and its still one of my favourite games
Yuzo Koshiro also composed the music for Streets Of Rage. His electronic music was so good that it was also played in nightclubs. Can you imagine being out and then a tune from one of your favourite games comes on? And I'm not talking about a small sample mixed into another track, like the whole tune!
You’ve got that special “sumptin’ sumptin’” Wholesome, innocuous, sincere, genuine. Thorough and thoughtful. Comfort food. Smooth and mild. Cheers!
I remember taking delivery of my imported Megadrive back in late 1988 from Japan (I live in the UK) for something like £399 (about £900 equivalent today) and having two games. Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts and Super Shinobi (as the Japanese version was called). That intro blew me away - I had to watch it several times before even starting to play.
Revenge of Shinobi, Altered Beast (the pack in) and Golden Axe are what I remember having when my brothers and I saved up to buy the system and games and let me tell you, those were good times. Revenge of Shinobi is by far my favorite Shinobi game after the original arcade. I liked Shadow Dancer, but never got into Shinobi III for some reason.
I wish arcades in America are still what they where when i was a kid. The feeling of getting the home version of a game you played in the arcades was awesome.
The first car analogy was spot on! I love this game, I always will. The soundtrack is definitely VGM Hall of fame. I feel like this is a perfect example of the feeling early 16 bit SEGA vibe. Like Altered beast, SOR1 and ESWAT. I cannot describe the feeling 7 year old me getting the bad ending. I'm almost 40 now and still can recall it.
Nice review you did. The Revenge of Shinobi is available on the Sega Genesis Collection for PS4 & Xbox One (both backwards compatible with PS5 & Xbox Series X) and 9n Nintendo Switch. This game was made available for NSO+Expansion Pack for the Sega Genesis app. It's also available on Sega Genesis mini 2.
That's hilarious that the US release has you fighting the real Spider-Man.
Shinobi: "I'm here to avenge my master and rescue my fiancé."
Spider-Man: "No."
I share the love you have for The Revenge of Shinobi. But in the Sega Genesis's first year we got the masterpieces of *** Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, Ghouls N Ghosts, Phantasy Star II, Super Hang-On, Super Monaco GP, Golden Axe, Herzog Zwei, After Burner II, Bloody Wolf, Elemental Master, Ghostbusters, Granada, Moonwalker, Castle of Illusion, and Outrun. *** I feel there were a lot of amazing games to choose from in the first year of the Sega Genesis. 1989 was amazing for Sega, 1991 was Sonic and it was a game changer. Loved the video, I can tell you love the game :)
I got this game one birthday along with Super Thunder Blade, and distinctly remember putting it on for the first time after dinner. I’ve never gotten the good ending; it’s a big challenge!
Yes! I remember playing this as a kid when I first got the SEGA GENESIS it was hard for a little kid, but there was something about it that kept me coming back, and before you know it, I was in love. The learning experience gave me confidence and seeing and hearing so many different levels and amazing music added to my discovery that taught me that with hard work and perseverance, I could get better at games and enjoy it too. Thank you forever, Shinobi!🎉😎
Revenge of Shinobi will always gonna be my all time favourite Sega Genesis game ever. I’d definitely gonna go back and revisit this game.
I still hope that Sega, might release a sequel to Revenge of the Shinobi.
In the end they did it for Streets of Rage, by releasing the 4th installment.
This was the first game that I played on the Jap Megadrive that I purchased in December 1989, nearly a year before the UK release. Utterly amazing at the time, along with Golden Axe and Space Harrier II!
My favourite game of all time. Loved this as a 13-14 year old kid. It was the first game I saw on the Megadrive/Genesis. First game I put the sound track onto a cassette for my Walkman because no other gaming music was this good or cool. I’ve completed this game well over 100 times I can pretty much speed run it
I had Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage on the dame cartridge for my Mega Drive 2. Played so much of this game. Never got to the end but the level variety always impressed me even as a kid.
This game was definitely an early showcase piece for the Genesis. It was a step above what the previous(8 bit) generation could deliver, great graphics, smooth gameplay controls, awesome music and quality sound effects (especially when hooked up through the stereo cables).
If it were released as is in the arcades back then, I'm pretty sure I would have spent a bunch of tokens/quarters on it.
Chinatown and Over the Bay are really hallmark pieces of soundtrack in this game.
This was the game that convinced me to get a Genesis back in the day. Still my all time favorite game for that system.
I loved how you could negat attacks by slashing them with the sword or simply walk forward during power up. Even works on rambos flame thrower. Just remember to keep walking . The moment you stop, you drop your guard.
SLX, your review is spot on and I have the same nostalgia for Bare Knuckles/SoR I too.
Man, that was the first hard game I ever beat, and it took me a while! I beat the first arcade Shinobi in college, but this was way harder... Those were the days!
The 1st 16-bit experience to truly blow me away. That same summer I’d played GG Shinobi and fell in love with it, especially the soundtrack but omg when I heard terrible beat on Revenge! The feeling was a mixture of euphoria and dread. A beloved franchise that fell off from Saturn onwards.
IMHO, Revenge is the best game of the Shinobi series.
Sega Lord X, thank you for making an episode on Revenge of Shinobi. 😊
Glad you enjoy it!
Great review mate, loved the separate music section. There's absolutely nothing wrong with nostalgia fuelling love for a classic title, and I like how you speak to the joy it brings - for many reasons yes, but with the game at the heart of them.
Thanks for the video! -SamboNZ
One of the first Megadrive games I ever got and still on of my all time favourites.
First time my friend called me over to see and play ROS i lost my mind upon seeing it. I knew right there that i had to have a Genesis. The sound and music. the graphics. the gameplay. the details... perfection. Felt like i was at the arcade and i couldnt stop gawking at the tv at my friends house. Good times!!
Owned the game before having the megadrive. For 3 months solid me and my brother studied that manual and finally got to play it at Christmas and wasn't disappointed
!
This was the game that made me want a Sega Genesis. I remember watching the GamePro TV show when it would come on Saturday mornings and it was part of the reel of games they would show for the opening of the show. Every time I would see it I knew that I had to get a Sega Genesis!
Great spot on review! I recall playing this for the first time at my friend's place & was impressed with everything, colors, gameplay, ninja magic, Spiderman! He even showed how to get unlimited shurikens & make the title screen show "Super Shinobi". I live in Honolulu & have a request. A few years ago I saw a video, from the gaming historian I believe that showed where "Service Games" (1940s) was before becoming SEGA. Maybe you can help me find the old address. I believe it was Mokuea street which is a warehouse area & I'd like to get some pictures of what's there now, just need to get the old address.
My first Mega Drive game and my fave. The sound, the game play , the sharpeness of the platforming…perfect.
One of my favourite ever mega drive games. I was blown away with this game it looked incredible and yes the music to this day still makes me smile it's simply outstanding and maybe the best soundtrack I've ever heard.
If you played this game, most likely you played it on the 6-pak. 😎 One of the greatest compilations ever. The menu theme is imbued into my brain...
Or we played it in its original cartridge.
I LOVED the 6-Pak
@@christophmatthews4313 Always seen my friends and cousins own the 6-pak version. I didn't know anyone who had the original cartridge. I would see it in Blockbuster and in stores.
This game kicks so much ass. We were early adopters of the Genesis as well, and this game, along with Golden Axe, is what convinced my friends to get the console.
this is in my top 10 mega drive games. one of the best soundtracks that i still listen to and excellent replayablity. i got a sega in 93 for christmas and it was packed with this , golden axe and streets of rage. this really was a stand out game.
Best music I've ever heard in a game.
I'm surprised the pc sega smash pack volume 1 version wasnt mentioned, that had the sega channel version on it- which in turn was the prototype version!
Story for another time.
@@SegaLordX fair enough!
Still have the loose cart of the first version of REVENGE OF SHINOBI. Playing this game, back in the day was a blast. Seeing Rambo, Spidey, Batman, Hulk, Terminator and Godzilla was quite an experience as a15 yo kid. Then came Shinobi 3, and damn...I was amazed at the game. Still to this day, I know Shinobi 3 is better than Revenge...for me Revenge of Shinobi is my favorite game. Sega really did an amazing job bringing Shinobi to the GENESIS !
Awesome video! Thank you so much for making wonderful content for us. If you can, I would love to see a Sega Genesis buying guide video. With so many games and Genesis models, I'm not sure where to start.
But The Revenge of Shinobi alongside the Streets of Rage games are on my list of games to get!
Want unlimited shurikens?!?
Goto the option menus and set the shuriken count to 00 and wait for a few moments and the 00 will turn into a ♾️ symbol. Your welcome 🤗
14:52 Not sure how you meant this, but Version 1.00 was also the 1st version in North America. Version 1.01 wasn't the first NA one. I own a NA copy which is V1.00. It has all the original IP's like Batman, Rambo, Terminator, Godzilla. Thanks for the video on this excellent game - I forgot it was only 4mb! Wow!
I meant version 1.01 was first released in the US. It never came to Japan. Listening to that back it does sound like I'm saying version 1.01 was the first.
Good review! I actually never owned or have played this one as of yet. Might have to take care of that. I love these 16-bit action titles and I've always heard this was an absolute classic! I thought the Round Clear screen and music had a vaguely familiar style as this has the exact same vibe as Streets of Rage (which makes sense as it was developed and composed by the same team).
There are some great patches for this game as well that restore the Batman/Spiderman boss completely, add a save feature and also allows ol' Joe to have jumping abilities more akin to Shinobi III.
To this day, the opening sequence to this game is my favorite ever. I get chills every time I watch it. Such a classic!
I feel the same way about Jewelmaster, although I was your typical 6 year old Sonic fan I credit Jewelmaster as THE game that made me fall in love with the Genesis. It's short and not as good as most castlevanias or ghouls and ghosts but the music is FM syth mastery and the concept is pretty cool
Especially the title track.
There isn't much at all wrong with The Revenge of Shinobi imo. Great game. Always loved the title screen too. The sound of throwing stars hitting the katana ting ting! lol I would watch it a few times before playing. I remember after completing it I just wanted more.
Still have my original cartridge which still maintains rambo, terminator, batman/spiderman and godzilla.
I adored this game back when I was a kid. I’d speed run it before I even knew what speed runs were. Just a phenomenal experience and I completely agree and understand your love for this game.
This game is one of my favorites. Soundtrack is amazing
Loved this game as a kid. I had it on the multipak thing with Golden Axe and Super Hang on and Streets of Rage and Columns.
Classic, no words needed . Music was 🔥🔥🔥🔥 but was hard ASF to complete .
This game was the first video game that struck me as next gen. I was born in 80 so NES was the console I played early on. I moved to a new city and made friends with a kid who had a genesis in like 89. When he showed me this game I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The characters were so much bigger and brighter than what I was used to. I was in shock that we could control such a ninja in our homes! This game always sticks out to me as awesome and cutting edge for that reason.