Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn review for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC

Shadow of the Ninja was originally released on the original Nintendo Entertainment System way back in 1990. It was a fun, yet very challenging game that many players had a hard time beating, myself included. Natsume did a fantastic job with the original and now have struck gold again with this complete remake, Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn. Let’s dive in!

So the story goes, in 2029, we’ve arrived in a dystopian future of concrete and steel. it’s up to 2 Ninja Warriors, Hayate and Kaede to save the world from the brink of destruction and bring peace. However, their battle will not be easy as everything is trying to eliminate you. Using your wits, your trusty Katana and a arsenal of weapons, you cut your way through 6 stages of absolute chaos and pain. Giant, screen filling bosses await you at the end of each stage, and they won’t be struck down without a fight, that is, of course if you actually make it to the end of a stage. The enemies will not back down and you’ll have to be at your best to get through them. Nothing in front of you will be easy, so get ready for a challenge!

You start out with a Katana Blade for close range attacks, and a chain whip that can land shots from a distance. As you progress, you will find many other weapons you can use for a limited time, such as hammers, throwing shuriken and even bazookas and shotguns. You will also find power up orbs that make your main weapons stronger and life boosts scattered throughout each stage. Some weapons do a lot of damage and can really help with clearing a difficult area or make short work of a mini-boss, so it’s good to store as many different weapons as you can find. You have to be careful when selecting your weapons, making sure you are in a safe area while selecting the item you want, of you could take some serious damage. Since every item you find is stored, it can be frustrating to have to scroll through several items before finding the one you want, only to take damage from an unseen enemy. But, with practice, you can master this technique with ease.

Don’t feel discouraged if you keep getting killed in an area, because as you keep trying, eventually you will see the best way to conquer what’s in your way and progress forward. Trust me, this is not an easy game and you will die, a lot… but no matter how many times you get knocked out, you want to keep trying again until you get it right. The challenge and fun factor really overshadows most of the frustration you may feel while playing.

Controls in Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn feel like an absolute dream. Everything is fluid and responsive, and even with the somewhat cumbersome item selection, it will get the hang of everything in a few short moments. Sound and music are both top notch here and each stage has a rocking soundtrack that really keeps you in the game. It’s so good, I would probably listen to it outside of the game. Animations and backgrounds are excellent. Sometimes there is so much on screen, it can be difficult to see where the next platform is or if there is an enemy hiding nearby, but that’s not really a problem when everything looks this good. The bosses are really fantastic looking, with some filling the screen with sharp animation and color. This game fun to look at as much as it is to play.

Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn is a perfect example of taking a classic title, expanding on it just enough to not ruin the legacy, and making a fantastic game. While it is a little short with only six stages, it will give you enough challenge and replay value to keep you coming back for a long while. NasumeAtari and ININ Games really knocked this one out of the park. I cannot recommend this title enough, download this one as soon as you are able to, you will not be disappointed.

Note: ININ Games provided us with a Shadow of the Ninja – Reborn code for review purposes.