Developer: Sega
Year Released: 1990
Difficulty: Default
Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi, also known as just Shadow Dancer, is a side-scrolling action game produced by Sega that was originally released for the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1990. It is the second game in the Shinobi series released for the Mega Drive, following The Revenge of Shinobi. However, it is not a continuation of the previous game, but rather a loose adaptation to the 1989 arcade game Shadow Dancer. Like in the original arcade game, the player controls a ninja followed by a canine companion. The Secret of Shinobi was well received by critics.
Plot: In 1997, an evil ninja cult Union Lizard, worshipping a giant reptilian demon, has taken over New York City, turning most of the city in ruins. The few citizens who survived Union Lizard's onslaught of chaos are now kept prisoners by its members. A ninja warrior, accompanied by his faithful dog Yamato, emerges from hiding to combat Union Lizard's reign and rescue the hostages. The identity of the protagonist, which is kept ambiguous in the in-game opening, varies between supplemental materials. The Japanese manual identifies him as Hayate, son of Joe Musashi from the previous games in the Shinobi series, while the English language manual identifies him as Joe Musashi himself coming out of retirement. - Wikipedia
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