In the 80s and 90s, ninjas were all the rage. Every kid wanted to be a ninja because they looked cool and had a bunch of interesting weapons. In a way, they were like a cooler version of Batman that wasn’t clouded by delusions of morality. There were tons of ninjasploitation films from the East and West, tons of comic books, and of course; video games. To this day, we still get ninja games. Some might say that ninja mania never died and it still endures to this day.
Kids would want to play ninja games together, and while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II on NES was a pretty fun beat-em-up, you didn’t get the cool ninjitsu like you saw in Ninja Gaiden; a man’s ninja game. When Shadow of the Ninja was released on the NES in 1990, it stood out because it supported local two-player co-op. It was fast and cool, and Kaede was an early example of a sexy babe in a video game.
Since 2016, Natsume Atari has begun an initiative to remake some of its classics with the top men at Tengo Project. Their remakes of Wild Guns, Pocky and Rocky, and The Ninja Saviors were dramatically enhanced with gameplay refinements and extra features. This time they have their sights on Shadow of the Ninja. Have they hit a fourth homerun in a row? Find out in our Shadow of the Ninja Reborn review!
Shadow of the Ninja Reborn
Developer: Tengo Project, Natsume Atari
Publisher: Natsume Atari, ININ Games, United Games Entertainment GmbH, Edigger
Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch(reviewed)
Release Date: August 29, 2024
Price: $19.99
In a dystopian future, an insane Emperor has usurped the world’s superpowers and has become a powerful dictator. Two ninjas are sent to assassinate the fearless leader, but they must infiltrate the citadel and face his three fearsome generals before they can. It is like Escape From New York meets Ninja Terminator but with awesome Metal Slug-like graphics.
The story of Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is the kind of afterthought common for ninja games in the late 80s and early 90s. Kids back then didn’t care and the remake doesn’t try to fix what isn’t broken.
The story is very easy to miss and the only way to know what is going on is if you idle at the start screen and allow the attract mode to begin. It is a shame that this is hidden because the pixel art and animation during this sequence are impressive and the music rocks.
Like its progenitor, Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is an action platformer. There are no rogue-lite elements and you won’t be leveling up Hayate or Kaede at all. They are the only playable characters and they play identically.
This isn’t a metroidvania and all; it is a linear gauntlet of tricky level design and brutal boss battles. It is a spicy game that demands the players learn patterns, memorize the stages, and master all the ninja tools.
This is a faithful remake where the developers understood what worked and where to punch up the experience. Since the originals’ gameplay was inspired by arcade action, Shadow of the Ninja features many power-ups, a stage timer, death pits, and a palpable sense of hustle while trying to avoid getting killed.
Hayate and Kaede’s abilities are identical. They have their swords which are always reliable, but their chain weapon is powerful and can be whipped in all directions like Simon Belmont in Super Castlevania IV. This chain is mapped to a face button, making it always available and useful. It also has a really satisfying stabbing sound effect when it punctures multiple foes.
Both heroes can do a spinning glide maneuver by mashing jump and holding the downward direction button. It is a secret ninja technique that the game won’t tell you about unless you check out the manual in the options. It can be handy when clearing tricky gaps or clearing past a barrage of low incoming enemy fire. Wall jumping and running are ninja staples and the heroes are adept at this as well.
There is a neat downward sword pogo-attack that makes the heroes stand on the hilt. The animation for it is a bit too long for it to be practical at first and it is better to whip the chain downward while in the air. The heroes can also perform a devastating area of effect charge attack when charging the sword at the cost of some HP. This is a handy risky move that is for skilled players who are talented at mastering the quick step dodge maneuver.
Most of these mechanics are new and enhance the experience for a more challenging and deeper action game. On top of Hayate and Kaede’s core skills, there are a lot of ninja items to collect.
There are about 50 of them, and some of them are repeated with different graphics and stats, the game justifies this by each one having a value for purchasing in the ninja shop. Sure, you could go into battle with the gattling gun, but it will be expensive.
Clearing an end-stage boss without using up your ninja weapons is how it gets unlocked in the ninja store. This is a great way to challenge players and makes healing items some of the trickiest unlockables to earn because when Hayate or Kaede dies, they lose everything. Thankfully, Shadow of the Ninja is merciful enough to give players a little help if they die too much by giving them a healing item to not discourage them too badly.
No matter what, you will always be collecting money that can be spent. Shadow of the Ninja is a hard game and this is the way it fosters less skilled players to get a fighting chance at winning. At first, expect to struggle to see the end of the first stage. Dedicated gamers will improve and it won’t be long before everything clicks.
Mastering the pogo sword and switching weapons on the fly makes Shadow of the Ninja seem like a technical action game in the hands of a skilled player. Daring dodges and sneaky shotgun blasts while bouncing off foes and never getting hit by charging generals or hulking zombie samurais never felt or looked so good.
The pixel art and animation have received a massive overhaul. Shadow of the Ninja resembles a slick SNK arcade game where there are huge sprites with many moving parts, depth, volume, and unbeatable attention to detail. Natsume Atari’s remakes have always gone above and beyond with the visuals and Shadow of the Ninja is no different.
The world feels so textured and rich. Small water drops are dripping from the ceiling and steam clouding the area in some stages go a long way in building the dank atmosphere. Highlights shimmer and massive metallic structures have chipped paint and rust. The large roster of enemies prevents the experience from appearing repetitive and many environmental details are rarely repeated.
The original game looks and feels so basic and quaint compared to this reimagining. Everything looks and feels bigger and sweatier – especially Kaede’s thighs which have a wonderful weighty, plumpy heftiness to them.
The music is awesome and has a frenetic and energetic tempo with a chiptune flair. It sounds like something you might hear in a Mega Man X game; combining shredding and wailing guitars with catchy beats that stick with you long after playing. This is the kind of music that gets your blood pumping and pushes you to press on without looking back.
Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is a genuine 90s kid game and it honors this ethos with its local co-op gameplay. While this can make the experience marginally easier for the less skilled player, it can also increase the stress on the better player, who may feel the pressure to carry their partner.
Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is another hit for Tengo Project and Natsume Atari. This feels like it is their best work yet given the scope of the game, added content, and gameplay enhancements. You won’t find a better 2D action ninja game than this and it is not for the faint of heart.
Shadow of the Ninja Reborn was reviewed on a Nintendo Switch using a code provided by Natsume Atari. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is now available for PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
