Sega's 1987 side-scroller Shinobi is remarkable for the way it plays with the conventions of both player and enemy vulnerabilities. In most games of the time, simply touching an enemy meant death, or at least taking damage. Not so for ninja hero Joe Musashi, who is merely knocked back when running into a foe, and is only killed by a weapon or physical strike. It allows for a much more gung-ho playing style that promotes forward momentum. This is important for more than one reason. While Joe has an unlimited supply of shuriken to take out enemies from a distance, many foes have shields, which prevent them from taking damage. However, if you're close enough to an enemy, you'll automatically execute a melee attack, which will either immediately kill or at least stun them, enabling an opening for a follow-up blow.
The stages are set up so that many bad guys are protected by the scenery, requiring you to take cover to avoid their projectiles while leaping out and delivering your own killing blows. Many stages have two tiers which you can leap between, allowing you to surprise the enemy from above or below. You also need to rescue all of the kidnapped children in each stage before you can proceed, with each one usually presenting a mini-challenge to overcome. Shinobi requires a perfect blend of action and strategic thinking that's distinct from other similar games.
While the concept of stage end bosses is wellworn nowadays, it was still a novel idea back in 1987. Shinobi emphasizes these encounters by showing the boss portrait before each stage. There are six altogether, ranging from a flame shooting giant to a helicopter that tosses out a seemingly endless variety of ninjas. The strategies required to beat these bad guys requires an entirely different skill set than the main stages, ensuring that you're always on your toes.
There are actually two delineations of 2D Shinobi games. The arcade sequel Shadow Dancer and its (drastically different) Genesis port take after the original game, with the most noteworthy addition being a dog companion that can be used to disable enemies. Both of these are excellent, with a number of memorable battles (a fight against a train in the former, a battle next to the Statue of Liberty in the latter). On the other hand, The Revenge of Shinobi for the Genesis and its successors, including Shinobi III, play much differently, despite featuring the same protagonist and using some of the same mechanics. These are also fantastic, but feel less unique, since they’re missing the strategic element of the other games.
Shinobi game was almost definitely inspired by Namco's Rolling Thunder, which plays very similarly, right down to the two-tiered stages and the emphasis on cover fire. However, it's definitely a less refined game, with fewer levels, no real bosses, and a high degree of difficulty (curse the bats and flame men in the third stage!). The sequel, while much less popular, is also a substantially better game. The aesthetic has changed from a retro spy thriller to a modern, globetrotting, James Bond setting, while also allowing two people to play at once. The arcade version offers superior graphics and music, while the more well known Genesis release has several extra levels.
No comments:
Post a Comment