Random Gaming Thoughts

[Gunstar Green]

So let me pointlessly take the time to address the awkward as hell naming of Shinobi III and ask the (to my knowledge) unsolved mystery of just what exactly are considered Shinobi I and Shinobi II.

In Japan, Revenge of Shinobi and and Shinobi III are part of a spin-off series called The Super Shinobi, look at it as sort of like the Mega Man X branch of the Shinobi franchise. We didn't know the Super Nintendo was going to be a thing yet so we can forgive the strange naming.

So what went through Sega of America's head when naming the games?

Let's start with Revenge of Shinobi. Cool name, very "This is the sequel to Shinobi." Doing good so far guys.

Now it gets complicated.

On the Genesis we have Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi. The odd duck out and the actual sequel to the original arcade game (and to get even more confusing, the remake of the arcade sequel of the same name).

So is this the game meant to be the Shinobi 2 in our trilogy or is the original Shinobi the actual Shinobi 1, Revenge of Shinobi being Shinobi 2 and Shadow Dancer is just ignored considering the word Shinobi only shows up in the subtitle? Or is the original Shinobi ignored and Revenge of Shinobi is the assumed Shinobi 1 because Sega execs assumed Sega Genesis owners never played a video game before the Sega Genesis and wouldn't understand that Shinobi isn't a Genesis exclusive franchise?

These are the questions that keep me awake at night. Don't even get me started on Wonder Boy.

[marurun]

Revenge of Shinobi WAS Super Shinobi in Japan. It was only part 2 to us. Shadow Dancer: the Secret of Shinobi was sort of a side-story. Shinobi III was Super Shinobi II in Japan. So in the US, the formal trilogy is Shinobi, Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi III. In Japan it's really Shinobi as a stand-alone and then Super Shinobi and Super Shinobi II.

[noiseredux]

These are the questions that keep me awake at night. Don't even get me started on Wonder Boy.

yeah the Shinobi naming conventions always confused me too.

But never mind Wonder Boy or Monster Island. You should check out Revenge Of Drancon on Game Gear...

[Xeogred]

Revenge of Shinobi WAS Super Shinobi in Japan. It was only part 2 to us. Shadow Dancer: the Secret of Shinobi was sort of a side-story. Shinobi III was Super Shinobi II in Japan. So in the US, the formal trilogy is Shinobi, Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi III. In Japan it's really Shinobi as a stand-alone and then Super Shinobi and Super Shinobi II.

[Gunstar Green]

But never mind Wonder Boy or Monster Island. You should check out Revenge Of Drancon on Game Gear...

I'm pretty sure the folks at Sega of America were either stoned, picked names out of a hat to fuck with us, or picked names out of a hat while stoned.

[TSTR]

Revenge of Shinobi WAS Super Shinobi in Japan. It was only part 2 to us. Shadow Dancer: the Secret of Shinobi was sort of a side-story. Shinobi III was Super Shinobi II in Japan. So in the US, the formal trilogy is Shinobi, Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi III. In Japan it's really Shinobi as a stand-alone and then Super Shinobi and Super Shinobi II.

lelelel

[marlowe221]

Revenge of Shinobi WAS Super Shinobi in Japan. It was only part 2 to us. Shadow Dancer: the Secret of Shinobi was sort of a side-story. Shinobi III was Super Shinobi II in Japan. So in the US, the formal trilogy is Shinobi, Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi III. In Japan it's really Shinobi as a stand-alone and then Super Shinobi and Super Shinobi II.

lelelel

Names be damned! Shadow Dancer is still the best one!

[Exhuminator]

I own but have not played all of the 3D Shinobi games:

Shinobi (2002)
Nightshade (2003)
Shinobi 3D (2011)

What do you guys think about those?

[noiseredux]

yeah I never played the 3D ones. I always thought that Shinobi (2002) and Nightshade looked cool, though.

I've played Shinobi (SMS), Revenge, and the two GG games the most. I've played Shadow Dancer and III on Genesis enough to have a good feel for them, but never owned those personally.

I'm starting to really enjoy Legions now.

[Snatch1414]

I think I am going to cancel my Project X Zone 2 preorder. Just started SMT Devil Survivor 2 and Fire Emblem is on the way. I don't think I need THREE strategy RPGs going all at the same time. The 20% off on Amazon is tempting to just go ahead and buy it but by the time I actually get around to it I'm sure it'll be $29.99 anyways.