Shinobi

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Shinobi

Promotional Flyer
Katakana
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Series Shinobi
Release date November 1987
Control 8-way Joystick, 3 Buttons
Orientation Horizontal
Arcade hardware Sega System 16
Display 15KHz

Shinobi is a side-scrolling action game produced by Sega originally released for the arcades in 1987. It is the first title in the Shinobi series.

Suicide Battery

Shinobi has a battery onboard that is used to help store the encryption keys required for decrypting the game data. When this battery dies, the encryption keys are lost and the game no longer functions. A guide to fix a suicided Shinobi board can be found here - The Dead Battery Society. Desuicided boards can be identified by observing the CPU's - a suicide capable PCB will have a CPU encased in a black box, while a desuicided PCB will have a plain CPU.

Scoring

Scoring in this game is very easy. Each enemy is worth 100 points with the exception of the Purple Guard and the Sword Throwing Guard which are worth 500 points. The bosses are 5000 points apiece. NOTE : The Purple Guards and Sword Throwing Guards are the ones that guard the hostages.

In addition to getting points from killing enemies, you can also score points for time left on the clock after you complete a level. You get 30 points per second of remaining time.

You can also receive special bonuses at the end of each level for certain actions :

  1. If you don't use your ninja magic, you get a 5000 point bonus.
  2. If you only use your Ninja-to sword (no Shurikens or gunfire), you get a 20000 point bonus.

Tips and Tricks

  • Unless you are continuing, each game begins at 'Mission 1' and will have everything you need to complete each mission. Each level must be completed within 3 minutes, and all hostages must be rescued before you can exit the level. If you are killed, all hostages rescued prior to your death will still be recorded as rescued. In addition to melee attacks, you will also be able to use a specific Ninja Magic attack once per level. These magical attacks kill everything that is on the screen but you will be awarded a point bonus if you manage to complete a level WITHOUT using your Ninja Magic. The three Ninja Magic attacks are :
  1. Multiple-Attack Magic : Allows you to gain lightning-fast speed to attack up to 12 times at once.
  2. Tornado Magic : Brings about a magical tornado to blow your enemies away.
  3. Lightning Magic : Causes the air to crackle with electricity and destroys your enemies.
  • Some general gameplay guidelines :
  1. Joe is strictly a one-hit, one-kill character, so you must avoid all enemy attacks or risk losing a life.
  2. As you become more practiced at moving around, you won't have to rely on your distance weapons (throwing stars etc.) and can use your ninja sword for close-up kills; the advantage of this is that you can gain the 20000 point bonus. This also applies to the use of Ninja Magic.
  3. Many of the enemies in the later missions will swarm Joe and attack in numbers, it's vitally important to learn to attack-and-jump as quickly as possible otherwise you will be quickly overrun.
  4. Your main goal is, of course, to rescue all the hostages to exit the level; and although three minute time limit initially seems quite generous, should you delay too long with the enemies, the time will quickly run out.
  5. It's important to become good at the Challenge Levels, since this is the only way to gain extra lives. The Challenge levels will require you to take out around thirty ninjas who are trying to get to your position. There is no real hard and fast strategy other then take them down before they reach the second platform. Challenge Levels occur at the end of every mission.
  6. Ninja Magic is a great thing. You must remember, though, that you can only use it once per level. This means you should only use it when you are totally surrounded by enemies and have no other means of escape.
  7. All bosses take eight hits to defeat. Of course, you will have to hit them in the right place for that hit to register.
  • Stop Gunners : In levels with Bazooka-toting enemies (Rounds 3-2), push one of them against a wall about ten times (always pushing on his direction, never stopping), you'll see then that all Bazooka men and Gun men are no longer able to use their weapons against you.
  • Extra lives from hostages : In game are special hostage, you can get 1UP instead points from them. These hostages are : 2nd hostage on stage 2-2, 1st hostage on 2-3, 2nd hostage on 3-1, 5th hostage on 3-2. What you must do to get 1UP instead points? When you get hostage you must have 3 identical digits at end of your score (don't count last digit which is always 0). Example : 70000, 100000, 109990, 68880, 141110. 1UP icon will appear instead points icon over hostage.

Gallery

Manuals

External Links