Shadow of the Ninja Reborn review

For many, Ryu Hayabusa is the most famous ninja of the 8-bit era, with appearances across a trio of NES titles. But some might also recall Natsume’s Shadow of the Ninja (aka Yami no Shigotonin Kage). A capable rival for Tecmo’s famed franchise, the title offered a few novelties, like cooperative play as well as the ability to sacrifice a portion of the health bar to summon a devastating thunderstorm.

Despite Shadow of the Ninja’s solid gameplay and innovations, the title failed to earn much of a following, spawning a single spiritual successor, Return of the Ninja for the Game Boy Color. But with the release of Shadow of the Ninja Reborn on PC, Switch, and PlayStation 4/5, developers NatsumeAtari and Tengo Project continue their collaborative efforts.

Much like their work on The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors and Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, the result is a modernization that preserves the spirit of the source material while adding graphical enrichment and a few contemporary mechanics. Ideally, more development teams would follow this blueprint, instead of offering half-hearted re-imaginings that sacrifice the charm of the original game.

Let’s Hang!

Like the original game, you’ll seize control of Hayate or Kaede. Both are functionally identical, extending the same navigational abilities and weaponry. Both even have the same muscular thighs, but Kaede’s aversion to pants could make her a player favorite. Mirroring the 1990 NES title, it might take a few minutes to acclimate to Shadow of the Ninja’s jumping. Instinct might make you tap the jump button a second time when your ninja is hanging from the ceiling. But you’ll need to push upward, allowing them to stealthily emerge from the floor, where they’re poised to eliminate any unsuspecting enemies.

Combat, with your short-to-medium-ranged katana and vertically-striking kusarigama, is engaging enough. Both items can be powered up, if you know where to look on each level. Naturally, you’ll need to duck under some attacks and learn to stay out of the striking distance of sentry drones and whip-carrying dominatrixes. But Shadow of the Ninja’s real challenge is mastering the environment. As you retry each of the game’s six levels, you’ll learn tricks like assaulting foes on the other side of doors and dropping to decimate a throng of unsuspecting adversaries. Shinobi’s Joe Musashi was never this much of a furtive badass.

Nutrient Bombs and Other Explosive Treats

Expectedly, the game’s bosses are no pushovers and can quickly humble an inexperienced ninja. But Reborn provides tools to tip the odds in your favor. Abundantly scattered around each stage are containers that hold everything from health-replenishing onigiri to bombs that can devastate the health bar of end-of-stage baddies. Sure, cycling through the options in the midst of a battle is a bit cumbersome, but you’ll steadily learn the proper time to use each item. As such, there’s a sense of satisfaction when you conquer Ninja’s strenuous stages, learning to skulk through them completely unscathed.  If you do struggle, prep money earned in-game can be used to buy gear to assist with your next run.

Arguably, one of Reborn’s best traits is the care that’s gone into rebuilding the game. Yes, the foundations are all intact and recognizable, from Iku Mizutani’s searing guitar licks to the gritty environmental elements that make up each stage. Now, enemies and their behaviors are a bit more sophisticated, ensuring play doesn’t feel antiquated. The other change is that the game’s aesthetics have been given a comprehensive renovation, while a single additional level hints at what a sequel could look like. With Reborn, explosions and your trademark lightning ability are all dazzling, reminding just how attractive 2D games can be.

Shadow of the Ninja Reborn was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.