It’s been 33 years since the launch of Shadow of the Ninja for NES, an impressive 2D side-scrolling (and vertical) action and platform video game, which was dubbed Blue Shadow in Europe. A game that, paradoxically, appeared at number 1 on HobbyConsolas.
With him, and without any doubt, Natsume took full advantage of the power of the NES, the 8-bit console from Nintendogiving us a thrilling work at the height of the mythical saga Ninja Gaiden.
Well, if you were dreaming of the return of the ninjas Hayate and Kaede, protagonists of the legendary title, are in luck. And I’m going to tell you why in this Shadow of the Ninja Reborn review for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC (playable on Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, and similar) after completing all stages of this update. If you purchase the PlayStation version, it includes both the PS4 and PS5 versions.
The best thing of all is that this remake of Blue Shadow It’s also coming to physical stores, not just in digital format: Meridiem has also been responsible for distributing physical copies for PS5 and Nintendo Switch, which is great news for collectors.
Pampering the past to protect the present
But before we go on, do you know who has worked this miracle? Indeed, Tengo Project, and they have done it with all the love in the world, respecting and pampering the original material, giving it a facelift that fits it like a glove.
The pixel art of the protagonists, as well as the design of the enemies and scenarios, are simply spectacular, a pleasure to behold. As are the effects, from the explosions to the rays with which the protagonists appear in the levels.
The music is not far behind the visual field either, as they have had Iku Mizutani, the famous composer who participated in the legendary themes of the original cartridge. What’s more, it goes all out with its guitar riffs, evoking all the power of retro adapted to our days. You can get your mouth watering with this gameplay with the first few minutes of the game…
A classic story that can’t fail
As I was telling you, Tengo Project has chosen to be faithful to the original video gameso we find ourselves with the same ninja story that we enjoyed in the distant year of 1990.
To give you a little background, the title It takes place in a dystopian future in the year 2029and we will put ourselves in the shoes of Hayate or Kaede (you choose before starting the game), two ninjas belonging to the Ryuha Shippu clan. Our objective? Infiltrate the evil empire Garuda to end their era of terror. How cool is that?
In our game we played with Kaede, but we already warn you that both characters are handled in the same way and only differ in their appearance (you can see the visual finish in the gallery below these lines, so you can decide which character to choose when you start playing).
The handling, like all ninja paths, is not easy at all.
Of course, the game is not a walk in the park, as was the case with many action games of the time. You will have to be patient until you master each and every move you can perform.
Once you’ve gotten used to all the possibilities offered by the control and strategic selection of weapons (we can pick up secondary weapons such as throwing bombs), your experience will be more than satisfactory and you’ll feel like a real ninja, whether with the dash, embedding the katana while falling from a jump or climbing walls and platforms.
In fact, Some points in the game will force us to execute special movementssuch as gliding to avoid the occasional fall into the void. And yes, you can also run vertically along the walls, something you’ll get used to as you get the hang of the controls.
However, if the game drives you crazy, or your retro gaming skills are rusty, I’m going to leave you with a couple of tips that will probably help you approach the action in a different way.
The delicious almond trick so you never give up
I must confess that I had no difficulty in capturing the image you see below, as there were many occasions when I bit the dust.
Game Over becomes one of your best friends during the adventure, not in vain You only have one life. Yes, we are not joking, once you run out of health points, the game comes to an end.
But beware, there’s a catch! There are 6 levels in total, and each one is made up of different areas that serve as checkpoints.
For example, if you get killed in the second area of the first level, you can continue the game from the second area and not from the very beginning. And another trick: If you get killed 3 times in a row, the game will give you a delicious snack to regain life during the phase.
The final bosses blow away those from the 90s
While the game is very faithful to the original and respects many of the levels and enemies, new threats have been added and The final bosses have had a meteoric facelift.
Some of them will surprise us with various transformations in combat.so we will have to learn their movement patterns to emerge victorious from the epic confrontations.
Despite the difficulty that the enemies present to us, we have the lightning attack Ninjutsu and an arsenal of weapons that we get throughout the levels (they can even be purchased), something that will come in handy when facing them.
And if you want to be more austere, we recommend ranged attacks with the kusarigama chain that we always carry with us since the beginning of the game. A godsend.
An update that will leave you wanting more
As we pointed out above, Shadow of the Ninja Reborn has improved and included many elements that we didn’t have in the original 1990 game, making the experience even better than the original.
Apart from the 6 playable stages (one more than on the NES) and a time trial mode for the most experienced, a local doubles mode for two players has been added, ideal for beginners or to enjoy with the family, although we also warn you that… Garuda, the emperor of terror, will not be your last stop!
To face that final gift with a guarantee of life, we are going to give you a lethal trick. Attack Garuda with the chain from a distance, crouching and from the left side of the stairs that you will see on the screen. And we will not tell you more!
What we do assure you is that This remake has left us wanting more, especially seeing what they have done with the innovationsAre we dreaming of a second part?
And so we come to the end of the analysis of Shadow of the Ninja Reborn? Have you been wanting to enter the world of shadows to fight evil? In that case, you have an obligatory date with the Tengo Project on your Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 or PC.
By the way, the video game comes with a beautiful manual in physical format, either for the Nintendo hybrid or the consoles SonyNow this is what we call being true to the original retro experience!
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