Shinobi
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Sega considers reviving classics like 'Crazy Taxi' and 'Jet Set Radio'
Sega is considering reviving multiple classic game franchises, including 'Crazy Taxi' and 'Jet Set Radio.'
Sega hires media exec to adapt its games for TV, films, web
Sega continues its push to enter the world of non-gaming media by hiring Evan Choflin to adapt a number of the publisher's classic games for movies, TV series and web-focused digital content. In his new role, Choflin will lead Stories International, a collaboration between Sega and ad agency Hakuhodo DY Group designed to create mass market video content. According to Variety, Stories International has access to a wide range of classic Sega properties, including Golden Axe and Virtua Fighter. Before those beloved series are adapted, however, Choflin plans to move forward on adaptations of Altered Beast, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi and Streets of Rage, among other notable Sega hits. Absent from the Stories International portfolio is Sega mascot Sonic the Hedgehog, presumably because the blue rodent already has a cartoon. It's unknown how Stories International plans to adapt these games, nor when these adaptations might reach the public. [Image: Sega]
Sega 3D Classics coming to 3DS eShop in North America, Europe
Along with today's reveal that Earthbound is now available on the Wii U eShop, Nintendo announced that a slate of Sega 3D Classics are coming to the European 3DS eShop. Sega confirmed that a North American launch is also in the works. No specific dates or prices were given for the games, which include Altered Beast, Ecco the Dolphin, Galaxy Force, Shinobi, Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Harrier, Streets of Rage and Super Hang-On. Of those games, Ecco the Dolphin, Super Hang-On, Space Harrier, Altered Beast and Sonic the Hedgehog already launched on Japan's 3DS eShop.
NintendoWare Weekly: Game Gear, Samurai Shodown IV
It's the Virtual Consoliest day of 2012! Between the Wii and 3DS, there are four new Virtual Console games you can buy today. On 3DS, of course, that means Game Gear support has arrived. On Wii, it means Samurai Shodown IV, originally for Neo Geo.There's also some free entertainment to be found on the 3DS Nintendo Video service, where a 3D Kid Icarus anime is probably being delivered to you over SpotPass right this second.
Game Gear titles head to 3DS on March 14 for ¥300 apiece
March 14 is the big day for Game Gear on Virtual Console, with a trio of titles headed to Japanese 3DS owners, Nintendo announced this morning. Unsurprisingly, Sega leads the lineup with three classics: Sonic (Sonic and Tails 2), Shinobi (GG Shinobi), and Dragon Crystal. The titles will cost ¥300 ($3.75) apiece, and no word was given as to when they'd head Stateside.Of course, Sonic Triple Trouble and Shinobi were rated by the ESRB for 3DS back in February, and we were last told that Game Gear (as well as TurboGrafx-16) games would arrive on the handheld's Virtual Console store in "late May." So, uh, they're coming to North America, just not quite yet. We'll also venture a wild guess that Dragon Crystal will end up in the US as well. Sure, why not?
ESRB rates Game Gear games for 3DS
Despite using more electricity than a Lady Gaga performance and being the size of a small cathedral, the Game Gear was a pioneering handheld system than did many things better than its contemporaries. Twenty-two years later, the heart and soul of Sega's plucky little handheld lives on in the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console.Shinobi and Sonic Triple Trouble have both been rated by the ESRB for the 3DS, which indicates that the ports are close to, if not entirely ready for release. If you had told us 22 years ago that someday we'd be playing Sega games on a Nintendo handheld, we'd have pushed you off the monkey bars.
Shinobi 3DS review: The Atomic Sauce Challenge
It's tough being a ninja. Every time you put your feet up and try to relax after crisscrossing the globe in battle, your master betrays you or your girlfriend gets kidnapped or your village gets torched by a rival clan. Before you know it, you're leaping from rooftops again, sword in hand, dicing up rivals and chucking shurikens at levitating magicians. As it was for Joe in Sega's 1987 arcade hit Shinobi, so it is for Jiro, his father, whose arc of the multi-generational plight we follow in Griptonite Games' 3DS prequel. Both games are conveniently titled Shinobi, and both would like nothing more than to happily accept your money and then kill you. Repeatedly. %Gallery-131247%
Shinobi 3DS clip looks back, sees ninjas
Ninja Gaiden isn't the only series about a head-scarfed sword swinger fighting off crazy beasts. Check out this Shinobi retrospective that features many silly demons from the ninja series' past.
A fistful of new Shinobi 3DS screens
Griptonite's wall crawling, kunai hurling, shuriken throwing ninja action homage Shinobi looked pretty dang good back at E3, and these new screenshots, hot from the Gamescom oven, are making us hungry for more.
LEGO Universe update adds progression system
LEGO Universe has the creative aspects of MMOs and online gaming down pat. After all, we're talking LEGOs (edit: LEGO BRICKS OMG, LEGO BRICKS) here, and if there's one word that's synonymous with the long-running Danish toy line, that word is build. What's there to do in LEGO Universe when your creativity runs dry, though? Thanks to the game's latest content update, traditional MMO character-building is now a viable option. Player minifigures may progress through 40 levels of content, unlocking points, achievements, and equipment along the way. That's not all, as the latest LEGO Universe patch also features four new faction kits (Specialized Adventurer, Shinobi, Inventor, and Space Ranger), each of them aligned with one of the game's four Nexus Force factions and each offering players the opportunity to rank up and explore "new gear, powers, and abilities." Last but not least, the new LEGO Universe update brings a new instance challenge in the form of the Avant Gardens, and a big nasty known as the Spider Queen awaits players who are creative enough to make it through to the final battle.
Shinobi preview: The re-revenge of Shinobi
If you've heard that the new 3DS Shinobi game feels exactly like the original -- or any Shinobi game to date -- you've heard wrong. Even though it's published by Sega and it's about a ninja, Griptonite's new Shinobi is definitely a modern action game. It does take some inspiration from the series, which makes it recognizable as a descendant of those games, but it's more reimagining than remake.%Gallery-126014%
3DS release schedule outs new eShop games, upcoming dates
We were just casually browsing Nintendo's E3 press site, like you do, when we happened upon upcoming schedules for 3DS, DS, and Wii. And there's a bunch of stuff on here that we, and probably you, hadn't heard about yet! Like, in case you missed it, the September 11 release date for Star Fox 64 3D., and an August 23 date for Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked. According to this schedule, Ubisoft's got James Noir on the way August 30, Imagine Babyz 3D (imagine babies! In 3D!) October 25, a 3DS version of Michael Jackson: The Experience and a 3DS NCIS game the same day, and ... a 3DS version of Rayman: Origins on March 13, 2012!? The eShop section of the schedule names some upcoming Game Gear Virtual Console titles from Sega, all scheduled for "Summer." The games include Columns, Dragon Crystal, Shinobi, Sonic Drift 2, and Sonic Triple Trouble. Check the list out after the break. Keep in mind that some of these listings will undoubtedly change in the future, or might be inaccurate now, as they were reported by Nintendo and not these games' actual publishers.
Shinobi 3DS emerging from the shadows this September
You heard about its existence earlier this week, and Nintendo Power took the liberty of confirming the title yesterday, but today Sega officially-officially unveiled the 3DS relaunch of the Shinobi series. Shinobi is a mix of original 2D side-scrolling gameplay with -- you guessed it! -- 3D occasionally mixed in. This fall's 3DS title will follow Jiro Musashi, progenitor to the original game's main character, as he "becomes a true ninja legend" in the only way he knows how: "by mastering a brand new combo system switching between melee, ranged, and acrobatic attacks." The true ninja way! Beyond announcing a September 2011 release window for Shinobi, Sega sent over a mess of new screens and a trailer with gameplay, which we've dropped after the break. Be careful to watch for shurikens as you sneak past the guards!%Gallery-124532%
Nintendo Power cover confirms Sonic Generations 3DS, new Shinobi
We've recently seen some evidence of two Sega 3DS projects that have yet to be officially announced: a 3DS (and PC) version of Sonic Generations, and a new Shinobi game. It turns out that the latest issue of Nintendo Power announces them both before Sega has a chance to fire up the press release machine. The cover of the June 2011 issue, as found on NeoGAF, specifically notes that Sonic Generations "speeds onto the 3DS" just in time for the sometimes pudgy hedgehog's 20th anniversary. Shinobi, however, is only listed as a "classic revival." Additionally, a teaser of the forthcoming Shinobi game appears to have leaked on YouTube, posted yesterday by user "greatshow482" -- the user's only upload. Beyond affirming Griptonite Games as the developer, the teaser confirms a Shinobi game "re-imagined for the Nintendo 3DS."
Resume reveals Griptonite working on 'Shinobi' for 3DS
It's been quite some time since Sega's arcade-born ninja series Shinobi sliced up fools on consoles, but a recently discovered resume listing indicates that he may be making a return on Nintendo's 3DS. Griptonite Games environmental artist Branden Brushett explains his work on the unannounced title in detail, noting he "created whole levels for 'Shinobi' on the Nintendo 3DS, including many props for use in a variety of environments." Unfortunately, aside from the news of the game existing, not much else is known -- the publishing rights holder, Sega, has yet to respond to a request for comment, nor had Mr. Brushett. And other than the news that the game will likely feature "hand painted and photo referenced textures," the resume doesn't illuminate anything else about the game. You might say that information about Shinobi 3DS is hiding in the shadows, like a ninja, waiting to strike. And considering how strong our ninja detecting skills are, we'd wager E3 is a likely time for that strike. The "strike," likely, will just be a press release, so don't worry. Update: Sega told us it isn't offering a comment at this time.
Hyperdimension Neptunia trailer features surprise Sega character cameos
Just in case NIS America's Hyperdimension Neptunia wasn't weird enough, this newly released trailer highlights some of the classic Sega characters that inexplicably make an appearance. Also, don't ogle too much over the scantily-clad anime girls; you do know that they're video game consoles, right?
VC in Brief: Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SNES) and Shinobi (VC Arcade)
Martial arts is the theme on the Virtual Console this week, as Sega and Capcom both offer up entries in their respective franchises. Unless you like to punch things, throw pointy things at things or kick things -- or maybe some kind of mixture of all that -- then you'll probably want to skip this week's downloads. Pacifists need not apply! Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SNES, 1 - 2 players, 800 Wii Points) Shinobi (VC Arcade, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks like that.
NintendoWare Weekly: Rayman, Stop Stress, Shinobi, Street Fighter Alpha 2
There's some classic platforming to be had in both Rayman and Shinobi in this week's Nintendo downloads, and even a way to deal with Jack's overabundance of stress in Stop Stress: A Day of Fury. There's over ten titles in all, so cruise past the break for the full list.
European Nintendo downloads: Protothea finally arrives for some reason
We have a message to deliver to our European friends from the distant past: don't buy Protöthea. We had pretty much forgotten about this shooter, released soon after the North American launch of WiiWare, until Ubisoft inexplicably dusted it off for European release. There were much better shmups on the Wii a year ago, and there are only more now. Happily, there are also more arcade games now, like the wonderful Shinobi! Shinobi (Arcade, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) PictureBook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit (WiiWare, 1-4 players, 800 Wii Points) Protöthea (WiiWare, 1 player, 1,000 Wii Points) A Little Bit of... Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (DSiWare, 1 player, 800 DSi Points) Combat of Giants: Dragons - Bronze Edition (DSiWare, 1-4 players, 800 DSi Points) %Gallery-22560%
VC in Brief: The Revenge of Shinobi (Sega Genesis)
The Revenge of Shinobi (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) We say: Dude, it's Shinobi. We don't need to say anything. The Virtual Console gets hit with a nasty case of flying shurikens this week in The Revenge of Shinobi. It's classic ninja action on one of gaming's classic consoles. Who wouldn't love that? Okay ... maybe pirates. Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks.
