Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master is a hack-and-slash platformer game that was developed by Megasoft and published by Sega. It was released in 1993 for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive console.

As you can imagine from the title, it's the third chapter of the Shinobi series, which started with Shinobi in 1987 for the Master System, and many other platforms and continued with The Revenge of Shinobi in 1989 for the Mega Drive. Apparently, the game was supposed to be released in 1992, but SEGA was not satisfied with the result, so the game was reworked and changed considerably. The 1993 version is quite different from the 1992 version previewed by many magazines.

As a continuation of the Shinobi series, Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master follows the story of the skilled ninja Joe Musashi as he embarks on a journey to stop the evil Neo Zeed organization from taking over the world. The game features eight challenging levels that take you through various environments, such as forests, mountains, and futuristic cities.

Shinobi 3 introduces many changes to gameplay compared to its predecessors. The game is faster and, in a way, also easier. The controls are tight and responsive, making it easy to execute precise movements and attacks. As you progress through the levels, you'll encounter various enemies that require different strategies to defeat. You have an arsenal of attacks at your disposal, including shurikens, a sword, and various ninjutsu abilities, such as a whirlwind attack and a double jump.

Our hero also has a limited amount of special ninjitsu techniques, such as using lightning as a temporary shield or summoning the fire dragon. There is also a technique that allows the ninja to sacrifice himself, losing a life but also destroying powerful enemies.

In addition to its solid gameplay, Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master also boasts impressive graphics and sound design. The environments are well-designed and detailed, with parallax scrolling adding a sense of depth to the levels. The soundtrack is also a highlight, featuring catchy and memorable tunes that perfectly complement the game's action.

The only critics I have read about Shinobi III is the level of difficulty: the game is considered too easy by many players but, at the same time, with an almost impossible final level. It's like the developers realized that without a difficult level, the game would have been too short. But that's not exactly the right way to do it. Considering all the years required to release it, they could have balanced the game a bit better.

Said that, Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master is one of the best games ever created for the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive (some people say THE best). So, whether you like ninjas or not, this is a must-play.