Shinobi

Overview

Shinobi is an action platformer developed by Griptonite Games, published by SEGA for the 3DS. The game is a prequel to the original Shinobi and features a new main character (Jiro Musashi) as well as 3D effects.

The game was revealed in the May 2011 issue of the magazine Nintendo Power and was scheduled for a September 2011 release but was delayed until November 2011 due to the slow hardware sales of the 3DS.

Gameplay

Shinobi is a sidescroller that mixes action and platforming. As Jiro, the player must go from left to right, dodging shirukens and slashing up enemies. Jiro has a large variety of weapons, ranging from his trusty samurai sword to shirukens and daggers. Jiro will also have magic at his disposal to slay the endless waves of enemy ninjas. Jiro can jump, double jump and wall jump as well as use a grappling hook. The only thing he can't do is block. Instead of blocking, the player will have to parry enemy attacks. The game has a dedicated parry button that the player will have to hit at just the right moment to counter an attack. Different attacks have different timings and parrying can be done on the ground and in the air.

Shinobi has a multiplier system where players are rewarded for killing the maximum amount of enemies without getting hit. As the multiplier rises, Jiro's sword will begin to glow. Combos are executed by mixing different kinds of katana strikes (sweeping strikes and stabs) while throwing ninja stars at far away enemies. Said stars can be thrown in waves to eliminate a maximum amount of enemies. To reward skillful play, Griptonite Games have incorporated an in game achievement system that unlock special features and cheats, similar to the in-game achievements found in the console versions of After Burner Climax.