For the Shinobi 3 Heads
Games that feel like, reference, or are often compared to the Genesis classic. Suggestions welcome
24 Games
Stealthier, craftier ninja action platformer, but the variety of playstyles supported scratches the itch.
A solid, more approachable take on Ninja Spirit by way of Alien Soldier, with short levels punctuated by frequent boss fights.
Mega Man Zero with a grappling hook and a focus on melee combat - three hit combos, divekicks, very crunchy. Feels like a counterpart to Moonrider - where that game was Shinobi 3 with a bit of Mega Man, this is Mega Man with a bit of Shinobi 3.
Not all that much like Shinobi 3, but it's a fluid ninja action platformer with a relatively varied moveset and level of quality that belies its mobile game roots.
Feels much more like an NES ninja game, but there's a specific reference to Shinobi 3's horseback autoscroller stage.
We'll see...
Often called "The Shinobi 3 of SNES," on paper this game hits all the marks, but the result plays significantly differently. If Shinobi 3 used Revenge of Shinobi as a jumping-off point, Hagane started with Strider. An interesting game, but very much its own thing.
The predecessor. Slower, more deliberate, with a much more limited moveset. The origin of the much-maligned "Shinobi double-jump," which is good, actually.
An ugly, derivative follow-up with hideous digitized graphics, clunkier controls and boring level design. Worse in every way.
Despite using an old Visco game license, even the game's storefront description references Shinobi 3, and you can feel it.
A decent western-developed successor, hampered by middling visuals, bland music and a lack of new ideas.
The gameplay is Shinobi 3 at its core - running slashes and divekicks - but the full game brings in a host of other influences, from Hagane and Mega Man X to Contra and Super Hang-On. The result is fresh but familiar. A good time, if a little too easy for my tastes.
