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[The Promised One]

Anyone else remember how freakin cool this game was. Out of all the Shinobi's, 3 was my favorite. I used to love starting off with 0 stars, and just usings my sword through most of the game. I would kill for a GBA port of this.

 

[nitewulf]

yes, my fav shinobi as well. still play it from time to time.

 

[drohne]

brilliant game, and yeah, it particularly shines when you play without ninja stars. lots of neat moves to play with, and you can string them together really fluidly.

 

[Dan]

I've been begging for a GBA port ever since the GBA was announced. I loved this game. That crappy licensed GBA title was just an insult. We need the real thing, and it doesn't get better than this one. Man, I'm tempted to dig up my Genesis and take the game for a spin.

 

[Scorpion]

It's a shame Sega couldn't make a good 3D Shinobi game.

 

[Tellaerin]

It's a shame Sega couldn't make a good 3D Shinobi game.

IAWTP.

Shinobi 3 kicks ass to this day, which made the PS2 game doubly disappointing to me. =/

 

[Grifter]

When did Shinobi become about Melee? The first couple games were about having unlimited stars.

 

[Brandon F]

Shinobi was -always- about melee when I played(from Revenge to Shin Shinobi-Den). Despite usually keeping my shurikens maxed out anyway, I never really could bring myself to 'shoot' enemies so to speak, just had a natural tendency to always go ginsu with my sword.

I did occassionally get a cheap thrill from spitting out a rain of ninja stars during a jump flip though, about the only time I ever used the bloody things(outside of when you are forced).

A Shinobi collection on GBA would be so gawd damned cool!

Oh and Shinobi PS2 is quirky fun, it does it's own unique thing quite wonderfully. Nightshade unfortunately felt really lamed down tho.

 

[Ill Saint]

Shinobi on PS2 is awesome. Sure the level design is basic, but zipping through the levels flawlessly, while pulling of Tates is a beautiful thing, and becomes almost therapeutic once you've got it down properly.

A very under appreciated game.

 

[cvxfreak]

Kunoichi/Nightshade is a Shinobi game right? Heard the graphics sucked ass.

 

[evilromero]

I still havent't finished that game to this day but I've gotten pretty damn far into it.

 

[myzhi]

Original Revenge of Shinobi is my favorite. Nothing beats bosses that consist of Batman, Spiderman, Godzilla, The Terminator, and etc.

 

[XS+]

Musashi's new moves are a blast, but level design in Shinobi 3 kinda drags on without much in the way of excitement. Things get really fun at the last three levels, but I find myself laboring through the early levels to get to the good stuff. Revenge's levels are better but you really miss Musashi's ability to run, which puts a damper on your enjoyment, so you can't win either way.

Call me crazy but out of all the Genesis Shinobis, I like playing through Shadow Dancer the most, prolly cause it's faster-paced (albeit shorter) than Revenge or 3.

PS. Shinobi 3 pwned Revenge in the music department, sorry Yuzo.

PPS. Oh and Nu-Shinobi on PS2 rocks, from what I've played of it anyway (about halfway done).

 

[belgurdo]

Kunoichi/Nightshade is a Shinobi game right? Heard the graphics sucked ass.

Graphics are fine, albeit a little jaggy like most PS2 games

 

[GhaleonEB]

Anyone else remember how freakin cool this game was. Out of all the Shinobi's, 3 was my favorite. I used to love starting off with 0 stars, and just usings my sword through most of the game. I would kill for a GBA port of this.

I often did the same thing myself, starting with zero stars (or rather throwing knives). The control and level design on this game was incredible, and music rocked even without Yuzo Koshiro. The ability to climb walls, sprint, hang on ceilings and cables and string jump kicks together rocked.

 

[gunstarhero]

Only problem with Shinobi 3 was I remember it being a cake walk compared to my favorite in the series: Revenge of Shinobi.

Too bad Shadow Dancer (the Genny version, NOT the arcade) was so average...

 

[ManDudeChild]

Only problem with Shinobi 3 was I remember it being a cake walk compared to my favorite in the series: Revenge of Shinobi.

Too bad Shadow Dancer (the Genny version, NOT the arcade) was so average...

Back up there. Shadow Dancer was actually both in the arcades ... AND worth playing?

 

[gunstarhero]

Back up there. Shadow Dancer was actually both in the arcades ... AND worth playing?

YUP! Granted, it's a totally different game in the arcade (more like the original Shinobi in the arcades), but I like it better then the genesis version.

Arcade version: (complete with FLYING POOCH!)

Genny version:

 

[Deleted member 284]

Arcade version: (complete with FLYING POOCH!)

Best Bonus Game Ever.

 

[XS+]

For years, even recently, I would walk past arcade SD and never play it (never caught my eye). I should look up my local Mame website and give it a shot. I like the post-apocalyptic look of Genny SD better tho.

 

[ourumov]

My favourite Shinobi game too...The music was great so were the levels...Does anyone remember the horse level ?? Supa-Awesoma !!!!

 

[radios shipping overview]

Shinobi 3 is AWESOME. I was just playing it the other night. So many great settings, levels, set-pieces, plus it nails the all-powerful "you ARE a ninja" feeling perfectly. Dashing through a level while using all your moves to their fullest potential and never getting hit is glorious. It still looks and sounds great these days, too.

Kunoichi/Nightshade is awesome, too. The variety of moves and the focus on destroying everything without getting hit remind me a lot of Shinobi 3, and the music and level settings recall all of the Genesis Shinobis. I absolutely love the TATE system. I always find myself out of breath after a 10+ TATE string. The game is FAST FAST FAST and always 60fps, and way too much fun.

 

[Apharmd Battler]

IAWTP.

Shinobi 3 kicks ass to this day, which made the PS2 game doubly disappointing to me. =/

Agreed, but I think the bigger disappointment had to be Shinobi Legions on the Saturn. It wasn't an awful game...it should've just been called something else. How dare Vic Tokai invade the franchise with 2D digitized Mortal Kombat wanna be graphics and B movie FMV.....

 

[DaCocoBrova]

I'm confused...

I remember the OG Shinobi. Played that to death in the arcades...

I remember the Revenge of Shinobi on the Genesis...

I remember Shadow Dancer both on the Genesis and the arcade...

I even remember the Saturn Shinobi...

Why does Shinobi 3 not ring a bell?

 

[radios shipping overview]

How dare Vic Tokai invade the franchise with 2D digitized Mortal Kombat wanna be graphics and B movie FMV.....

Vic Tokai didn't invade it; they just published it here since Sega didn't want to for whatever reason. :/ It's a competent game, and the swordplay is pretty interesting (knocking shuriken back at enemies and so on), but it's nowhere near Shinobi 3.

 

[XS+]

I'm confused...

I remember the OG Shinobi. Played that to death in the arcades...

I remember the Revenge of Shinobi on the Genesis...

I remember Shadow Dancer both on the Genesis and the arcade...

I even remember the Saturn Shinobi...

Why does Shinobi 3 not ring a bell?

It's the Shinobi game that looks, sounds and plays significantly better than any other Shinobi on Genesis, you can't miss it. It was released in '94.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

That would explain it then. I was graduating high school and was strictly a SNES gamer at that point. I sold my entire Genesis library back in '92 -'93.

Are there any pics? I don't see the game in this thread (ironically). But then again, I have no idea what it looks like either.

 

[Seth C]

One of the best games of all-time. I played that game to death. With stars, without stars, normal, hard, whatever. It's one of those games you can play and reach a zen-like state. After a while you won't even miss stars on the first few levels. I'd much rather be dashing, jump kicking, blocking, and sword slashing my way through with every enemy and every area memorized. Gaming bliss. Bliss I tell you.

 

[Dujour]

I love both versions of Shinobi, but the PS2 one is a different beast. While yeah, Shinobi 3 did everything right, I loved Revenge of Shinobi. The bosses (spider-man, batman, godzilla, the terminator, I mean, come on!) the bitch ass final boss and the two endings, the levels, the music (the chinatown one still rocks to this day). I'll have to sit down one day and really try to beat Shinobi III. That horse level rocked. Well, it looked so cool. I remember when that and Sonic were the shiz. Back when Sega was a titan

 

[Jugendstil]

Shinobi 3 is such a great game. Hell, I like all of the games in the series, even the PS2 Shinobi. Musashi is just a bad ass.

 

[Seth C]

Musashi's new moves are a blast, but level design in Shinobi 3 kinda drags on without much in the way of excitement. Things get really fun at the last three levels, but I find myself laboring through the early levels to get to the good stuff. Revenge's levels are better but you really miss Musashi's ability to run, which puts a damper on your enjoyment, so you can't win either way.

Call me crazy but out of all the Genesis Shinobis, I like playing through Shadow Dancer the most, prolly cause it's faster-paced (albeit shorter) than Revenge or 3.

PS. Shinobi 3 pwned Revenge in the music department, sorry Yuzo.

PPS. Oh and Nu-Shinobi on PS2 rocks, from what I've played of it anyway (about halfway done).

How can you not like the first few levels? They are perfect for training yourself not to use throwing knives. In the caves, every enemy can be defeated without them, including the mini-boss and boss. It throws rope climbing and wall jumping at you immediately. Tons of opportunity to drop in from the sky on top of an enemy with a drop kick. Maybe kick from one enemy to another. The music is gorgeous.

I can still hear the music that plays while you're riding the horse through the woods. Wow. Seriously, this game is like heaven to me. If I couldn't have it, I might give up gaming completely.

 

[Apharmd Battler]

Vic Tokai didn't invade it; they just published it here since Sega didn't want to for whatever reason. :/ It's a competent game, and the swordplay is pretty interesting (knocking shuriken back at enemies and so on), but it's nowhere near Shinobi 3.

Yeah, the game was OK, but it should not have been called Shinobi......not after the action gmaing bliss that was shinobi 3. I guess I need to let it go.

I forgot Sega made it, and Vic Tokai published it...my bad........

 

[nitewulf]

whoa, i didnt know there were so many fans of shinobi 3. i love it because it has that zen-like feeling just like sonic 2...once you get it, you can sorta blow through everything on your path without stopping...dashing, jumping right before an enemy and coming down with the drop kick, dashing again while throwing shurikens to clear your path...double jump to a platform above while slashing and taking out a flying enemy etc. it has such fluid game mechanics, levels were deisgned well, and the game looked fantastic. i really like level 6 (i think) called "rocks" or something, where you begin the stage jumping from one falling rock to another.

i love ps2 shinobi as well, but yeah, it didnt live upto shinobi 3 for me. both games are two of my most fav action games though.

 

[casmaksen]

When did Shinobi become about Melee? The first couple games were about having unlimited stars.

IIRC in the original shinobis and shadow dancer you would get bonuses for only using melee through a level.

 

[Ill Saint]

I remember reading a pre-release review for Shinobi 3, I think in Mean Machines magazine (anyone PAL regioners remember that?) and there were a lot of complaints regarding the game. Sega went back and fixed it up due to the criticism.

I wonder if that version ever got released in some form?

Rented out a pre-release of Streets of Rage 3 from an import store... that was real disappointing.

 

[bjork]

I had a friend once who pointed out that you could see the dog's butthole on Shadow Dancer, then paused during a jump inbetween platforms to prove it.

Useless info for the day, enjoy!

 

[GhaleonEB]

How can you not like the first few levels? They are perfect for training yourself not to use throwing knives. In the caves, every enemy can be defeated without them, including the mini-boss and boss. It throws rope climbing and wall jumping at you immediately. Tons of opportunity to drop in from the sky on top of an enemy with a drop kick. Maybe kick from one enemy to another. The music is gorgeous.

I can still hear the music that plays while you're riding the horse through the woods. Wow. Seriously, this game is like heaven to me. If I couldn't have it, I might give up gaming completely.

Amen. While many of the features of the game, such as the moving envoronments in the subterannian level, made the big splash at the time the gameplay and level design were brilliant. You could interact with every surface so easily each level became a test of how many cool move you could string together.

I've done some levels barely touching the ground, linking kicks, wall-jumps, flips and climbing all in unison. The game is a model of flawless gameplay and intelligent level design that really let you use your abilities in a number of interesing ways.

And the music when you first show up on the hover-ski...wow. Jams like none other to this day.

Side note: the game scored straight 9's in EGM when it hit. Recognized as great from the beginning.

 

[XS+]

How can you not like the first few levels? They are perfect for training yourself not to use throwing knives. In the caves, every enemy can be defeated without them, including the mini-boss and boss. It throws rope climbing and wall jumping at you immediately. Tons of opportunity to drop in from the sky on top of an enemy with a drop kick. Maybe kick from one enemy to another. The music is gorgeous.

I can still hear the music that plays while you're riding the horse through the woods. Wow. Seriously, this game is like heaven to me. If I couldn't have it, I might give up gaming completely.

The early levels are mostly flat and not exactly gushing with chllenge or variety. Run, wall-hop, run some more while killing some enemies at your leisure (you can easily count the number of enemies in a certain level at times). How am I supposed to call that 'brilliant level design?' I can't. Things get better here and there when you're in the 'belly of the beast' or whatever, and when you're surfing and fighting mechs, but the game doesn't really pick up for me until that forest fire level. Everything is tough as nails from then on.

 

[belgurdo]

I dunno..."Body Weapon," to me, was always an awesome stage, and had some interesting level design, as well as the stage before it where doing some creative jumping at the beginning got you some nifty powerups.

 

[XS+]

I guess there's nothing wrong with the early levels, but they're not 'amazing' or 'brilliant,' and I've seen better in other games.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I find the early levels excellent for presenting you with opportunities to practice your new abilities, without screaming "Tutorial Level!" You were learning to use the environment, flips and jump kicks without thinking, okay, I can't get past here unless I learn this move..." The level invites learing, witout forcing it on you.

Anyway, I find that kind of balancing act impressive. Perhaps brilliant is a bit excessive for the early stages, but certianly excellent, IMHO.

 

[XS+]

'Practice levels' are neat I guess when you play the game for the very first time, but it sucks for replay value. That's the problem I have with Shinobi 3.

This strays from the topic a tad bit, but you wanna know what game I'm thinking about right now? The first level of Metal Slug 3. They threw eveything+the kitchen sink at you in the first level, and capped it off with a boss that belongs in a 4th stage instead of the first (hell, it was a remix of the Level 4 boss in MS2). That's my idea of 'amazing' and exciting level design.

 

[GhaleonEB]

'Practice levels' are neat I guess when you play the game for the very first time, but it sucks for replay value. That's the problem I have with Shinobi 3.

This strays from the topic a tad bit, but you wanna know what game I'm thinking about right now? The first level of Metal Slug 3. They threw eveything+the kitchen sink at you in the first level, and capped it off with a boss that belongs in a 4th stage instead of the first (hell, it was a remix of the Level 4 boss in MS2). That's my idea of 'amazing' and exciting level design.

On one hand, I see your point. The first level of Metal Slug 3 is very tough. On the other hand, I don't think the design of the level had much to do with it, which was fairly straightforward - with such a limited set of actions the levels couldn't be designed too creatively. (The settings were great, mind you - just not the design.)

Now the first level of Gunstar Heroes, that's another story....

 

[radios shipping overview]

Now the first level of Gunstar Heroes, that's another story....

Which one?

 

[The Promised One]

Damn, a lot of Shinobi 3 fans in here. I'm surprised. For me, pretty much every level has something I like about it, but the horse riding, falling rocks, bio weapon stage, and the airship stick out the most.

Pretty much all the praises everyone else has said about this game are mine as well, especially the fluidity allowed with movment, that really made one feel like a ninja.

Since there's so many Shinobi 3 fans, perhaps someone should make up a petition for Sega to port it to the GBA?

 

[Anube]

yep, one of the best genesis games ever. i beat it countless times and even did it without dying. the stage where he's skating over water had the best music. there were some cool mode 7 like effects in that game, too.