Shadow Dancer
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Astro City Mini
(2020)
Description official description
Shadow Dancer is a one-player game in which you control Shinobi. With the help of your dog, you must kill your enemies while you venture through locations such as airports, railroads, waterfalls, sewers, and more. Furthermore, you must find and disarm several bombs along the way before you leave each. You also have the option of using magic against enemies, which may consist of tornadoes or fireballs.
There are four missions you must complete; and each one has different objectives such as obstructing the enemies deadly mission, disrupting the enemy's supply route, raiding the enemy's industrial units, attacking the enemy's underground forces, and liberating and securing the shuttle's base. Each mission consists of three stages and there is a boss on each of the mission's final stages.
What's good about the dog, you say? Well, if you tell it to, the dog will maul enemies (provided that the dog barks at them when you face them) and distract them long enough so that you can shoot at them. Remember that you have a limited time to do this, as the enemy will eventually kick the dog off him. This causes the dog to yelp and shrink, making him powerless against them.
Groups +
Screenshots
Credits (Arcade version)
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 75% (based on 29 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 68 ratings with 3 reviews)
If you really like Shinobi its worth a try.
The Good
It's Shinobi enough to be interesting. The bosses are much easier than in the arcade version.
The Bad
1 hit death thus the game is very hard. Ninjitsu is hard to pull off. The bottom up bonus stage is potentially impossible. The sprite flicker makes it where ninja stars go straight through enemies. It has another bonus stage where you are falling that also appears in the Genesis Shadow Dancer & it is do-able.
The Bottom Line
It is much shorter than the arcade game but otherwise similar with easier bosses. If you really like Shinobi its worth a try. If you sorta like Shinobi but can't get to the arcade game it is worth a try as well.
SEGA Master System · by Emperor MAR (2598) · 2013
The Good
At first the graphics impress. Maybe a good game?
The Bad
Nope.
Gameplay is poorly constructed. Dog is poorly animated.
Dog gets stuck sometimes in the background?! Audio is awful.
The Bottom Line
Can you say barf?
Stay away!
Amstrad CPC · by BigM · 2025
The Good
Matthew simmonds? The one who came up with the iconic opening Chuck Rock tune?! I’m a fan. No wonder the music is so good.
Also, I too like your dog is part of the action. And it’s really nicely animated too.
Great game!
The Bad
The bad is how some of the 8-bit computer ports turned out..well Amstrad anyways.
Why bother?
The Bottom Line
Amiga was a wonderful computer game machine. Shadow Dancer shows off its great 4 part music capabilities. The game itself and graphics are great too!
Amiga · by BigM · 2025
Trivia
German index
On May 30, 1992, Shadow Dancer was put on the infamous German index by the BPjS. For more information about what this means and to see a list of games sharing the same fate, take a look here: BPjS/BPjM indexed games.
References to the game
The inspiration for the character Shadow and his dog in Final Fantasy III came from Shadow Dancer. You'll notice the dog is also a German shepherd in that game.
Information also contributed by Xoleras
Analytics
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Related Sites +
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Game Map (Sega Master System) on SMS Power!
Images of the level maps.
Identifiers +
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Katakis | カタキス.
Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum added by Martin Smith. Arcade added by Pseudo_Intellectual. Atari ST added by Servo.
Additional contributors: John Romero, Alaka, Игги Друге, formercontrib, Jo ST.
Game added November 4, 2003. Last modified June 14, 2024.