Play Shinobi (Japan) Online

You're Joe Musashi, flipping between brutal platforming and first-person knife throws while ninjas swarm you—miss one jump and it's game over. Those weird window attack segments somehow work, even when you're sweating through the difficulty.

Developer: Sega

Genre: Action

Released: 1988

File size: 256 bytes

Game Overview

Shinobi on the Master System is one of those games that makes you realize how tough ninjas had it in the '80s. You play as Joe Musashi (yes, that’s his actual name), sneaking through enemy bases to rescue hostages while dodging way too many shurikens. The platforming is brutal—one wrong jump and you’re toast—but there’s something satisfying about nailing those precise wall jumps.

What’s cool is the mix of side-scrolling action and these weird first-person segments where you throw knives at ninjas popping out of windows. Feels like a mini-game, but it’s actually part of the main missions. And the difficulty? Let’s just say the arcade version didn’t hold back, and neither does this port. You’ll either love the challenge or rage-quit after the third stage. Either way, it’s pure old-school SEGA.