Shadow of the Ninja

Jeuxvideo.com (17 out of 20)

Malgré le fait qu’il soit peu connu du grand public, Blue Shadow est un titre plaisant, bourré de qualités, et il serait dommage que les amateurs du genre le laissent de côté. Enfilez-donc votre cagoule, faites le plein de shurikens, et faufilez-vous dans l’ombre jusqu’à votre NES afin de profiter de ce très bon soft.

The Retro Spirit (5 out of 6)

Alt i alt, jeg kan ikke forsvare å gi en Golden DOS Spirit award. Spillet kommer nærme, men vanskelighetsgraden og de små særegenhetene trekker dessverre ned såpass mye at spillet kommer opp til målstreken, men ikke over. Dette til tross, spillet kan anbefales på det sterkeste.

Questicle.net (B+)

Despite having a deep appreciation for Shadow of the Ninja‘s aesthetics, I understand why it has not taken its place in the hall of NES greats. The game’s hook – controlling a ninja – had already been accomplished in Ninja Gaiden I and II (III had not yet been released prior to Shadow). And while Shadow has some features unique to it – two-player co-op and the ability to grasp on to overhangs – it pales beneath Ninja Gaiden‘s fuller cinematic approach to both story telling and overall presentation. Shadow of the Ninja is not a classic, but it’s a damn good game, and it still deserves more recognition than it receives.

The Video Game Critic (B+)

Enemies include boomerang-tossing brutes and humanoid robots that break in two, forcing you to deal with their running legs and flying torsos. Then there are those hyperactive ninjas who attempt to push you around the screen. You'll be wise to avoid these guys whenever possible! Additional hazards include steam vents and mechanical mice. The stages are challenging but mercifully short. If there's one problem with Shadow, it's the lack of a score. Forging through the game is fun, but it would be nice to have a way to gauge your performance when you fall short. Still, for non-stop action you can enjoy with a friend, Shadow of the Ninja is a blast.

Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library ( )

The game is totally designed around the gameplay idea of making a big leap, hanging from a platform, flipping off, and taking out an enemy in just a few seconds – and it feels great. The music is wonderful, and while the main character sprites are on the simplistic side, the enemies, mostly mechs and robots, are actually well-detailed and very cool. Among a sea of ninja-themed games, this is one of the shining jewels.

Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) (32 out of 40)

Shadow of the Ninja is a tremendous first effort from Natsume. The graphics and play action are incredible for this configuration (MMC1), and have all the action you'd expect in a first-rate title. Expect big things from Natsume!

VideoGame ( )

Em uma terra distante, Garuda é um tirano. Várias foram as tentativas de destroná-lo, todas em vão. Mas, você e um amigo, que podem jogar simultaneamente, serão os bravos guerreiros ninja que poderão derrotar Garuda em 7 fases.

Total!! UK Magazine (74 out of 100)

I reckon the average player will probably get only about a week's solid play out of Blue Shadow, so if you're after a platform wizard, it won't offer much of a challenge. Having said that, if this is the kind of game you're into, you won't find a better cartridge for your NES this side of Low G Man.

RetroGame Man (7 out of 10)

In summary, this is a fun action-platform game that has an awesome cooperative component that is blast to play with a pal. The game is challenging (I have yet to beat it) but whenever I return to it, I get a little bit further. If you can find this one for a decent price, its definitely worth a pickup!

Classic-games.net (7 out of 10)

While it doesn’t have an original bone it its body it doesn’t matter. Shadow of the Ninja is a great second tier action game once you’ve completed Ninja Gaiden and Shatterhand. It cribs from many titles yet blends them all together to create a solid action whole.

Retrogaming History (7 out of 10)

Alla fine, i veri punti di forza di Shadow of the Ninja sono la rapidità dell'azione e soprattutto il fatto che si possa giocare in due contemporaneamente, non una cosa così comune ai tempi del NES; in definitiva il titolo non verrà certo ricordato come un capolavoro ma è comunque un buon gioco sufficientemente accattivante e ben realizzato per il periodo. Natsume riconferma la sua capacità di sfornare buoni giochi d'azione per lo scatolotto Nintendo.

Nintendo Power Magazine (3.3 out of 5)

Another ninja game with detailed graphics and Ninja Gaiden-like action may seem unnecessary. Shadow of the Ninja from Natsume, though, adds a new twist with two-player simultaneous action and great play control.

Nintendo Magasinet (Sweden) (3 out of 5)

Blue Shadow är ett äkta actionspel som ställer krav på ett snabbt avtryckarfinger och blixtsnabbt fattade beslut. Här finns inga krångliga pussel, labyrinter eller skattjakter som slöar ner dig. Bara full fart hela tiden!

Retro Game Reviews ( )

Shadow of the Ninja is a poor-man's Ninja Gaiden without the awesome gameplay, fluid controls and innovative focus on storytelling. Patient gamers who like a serious challenge might find something to love but for me the action was more frustrating than it was fun.