Shadow Dancer

[Assman]

How long did it take most of you to get through 5-1, room 4(ninja)?

It took me a while. It's manageable when you figure out a good position to start in for each group.

You're gonna hate room 5.

Also, I swear some 1-ups just show by throwing shuriken, like the one where solid wall background meets the top of the fence near the end of 2-2, and some of the ones near hostages in 5-1.

Yeah, you have to attack the right spot to reveal the hidden lives. There's at least one in nearly every stage.

[tryphon]

You're gonna hate room 5.

And final boss too

[midnightrider]

Yeah, I got there(Final Boss Room). That shit's just evil, but I actually had an easier time with room 5 than 4, or at least I got through it faster.

I would have probably done a lot better, but did you ever have one of those playthroughs where a random boss battle/stage kept doing you in? Could have a ton of lives on the first continue if it weren't for moments like those.

Edit:
Used a lives code on the final boss, I'd say it took me about 30 tries, but I now know how to beat it legit on the default difficulty now. Needed to watch a vid to know that some of the enemies just roll off screen permanently, if you move out of the way.

[SEGA.GENESIS1989]

midnightrider:
I'm curious about your overall impressions of the game: When you compare it to Shinobi III or Revenge of Shinobi, do you find it easer or more difficult. In spite of imcorporating a one hit death, I believe it is the easiest game in the series. I found the original Shinobi game the hardest to beat, followed by Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi III, and lastly Shadow Dancer.

[midnightrider]

Well, to be honest, I don't know if I've given III enough time, although the one time I did, and got to maybe the 6th stage in one go, tells me it's pretty easy.

Shadow Dancer is probably in the middle, since Revenge is easily the most difficult, on the console. (Which version of the original are you taking into account, btw?)

Shadow Dancer actually benefits from it's short length, which I know would be hard to explain to a majority of modern gamers. I don't know that 1 hit kills, which start you off at the beginning of the stage every time, would work on a longer game.

The dog helps out a lot too, not sure how much you guys utilize him. I'll mainly use him for all the gun guys, especially the ones that hang low, and when I haven't rescue the female hostage, the shield guys, as soon as they throw it.

The wheel boss is fairly tricky, just knowing when you have the window of opportunity to strike it. The rest are easy enough to figure out. Even the final boss comes down to pattern recognition(even though they all look exactly alike), and knowing some of them will just roll out of the way if you let them.

Not a knock on Revenge, but I do like Shadow Dancer more, and I'll have to give III more time to see where I stand with it in the mix as well. Plus I have to see where I stand with the arcade version of this game.

[tryphon]

For me :
I beat Shinobi arcade,and I think its difficulty is almost perfect (some boss are really annoying : boss 1 is a little too difficult for a 1st boss, boss 2 is too easy, boss 3 should be completely redone, boss 4 is hard, final boss is perfect).
I found revenge of Shinobi and Shinobi III easy, especially Shinobi III.
I never beat Shadow Dancer final boss.

So I'd say :
arcade > shadow dancer > Revenge of Shinobi > Shinobi III (> means "more difficult than", not "better").

But I really think it doesn't make too much sense to compare arcade Shinobi/MD Shadow Dancer from one side and Revenge/Super Shinobi III on the other. They are two different family of game (I see Revenge of Shinobi more like a sequel to SMS Shinobi).

[Pyron]

midnightrider:
I'm curious about your overall impressions of the game: When you compare it to Shinobi III or Revenge of Shinobi, do you find it easer or more difficult. In spite of imcorporating a one hit death, I believe it is the easiest game in the series. I found the original Shinobi game the hardest to beat, followed by Revenge of Shinobi, Shinobi III, and lastly Shadow Dancer.

Yes, Shadow Dancer is the easer of the series but one of most more fun and fast paced, i love it.
The original Shinobi is harder in the last two stages, my last review i beat it and alot of people come talk to me about how i kill mandara and another tricks to finish the game.

[tryphon]

If you have some trick to kill cleanly Lobster, I'd be grateful (usually i lose my first - and sometimes my only one - life here).

I've just given an eye to the mobile phone port of the arcade original. Except sweet graphism, it seems really bad (choppy animation, game made much easier, bad hit boxes, awful music...)

[Pyron]

If you have some trick to kill cleanly Lobster, I'd be grateful (usually i lose my first - and sometimes my only one - life here).

Its a easer one too, but you must have precision in your shots, shoot in the head and walk back, and repeat that until you reach the wall on the left,
wait to use a ninjitsu whem he come near to you, your magic gonna taken 4 hits points from him, and thats it.

[Tor Landeel]

I don't think Shadow Dancer is this difficult. Revenge of Shinobi is way harder.
I recall completing it even in the "Sword Only" mode (no shurikens). The dog makes it really doable, and all you need is watch your step.
Also, getting a life in every bonus stage by not throwing a single shuriken helps a lot.

[midnightrider]

^It's too tempting to not attempt for 2 or 3 lives though.

Edit: Beat it 100% legit, but barely. Not sure if I was on my last or 2nd to last life, on the first continue(really didn't want to work toward the final room again though). Lost so many lives just getting lost in the patterns. Like I'd aim for attacking the 2nd wave, forgetting that I already had, and being screwed up by the 3rd wave's attacks. Sometimes I'd screw up and not get both hits on the actual boss, so I didn't know what to expect after the 3rd wave, which apparently just starts from the 1st all over again. Somehow, through all those screw ups, I nailed it on what might have been my last chance, before having to try to get to him in the first place all over again.

[SEGA.GENESIS1989]

Shadow Dancer is probably in the middle, since Revenge is easily the most difficult, on the console. (Which version of the original are you taking into account, btw?)

The arcade version of course! Like many, I was first exposed to joe Mushashi in the arcades. So I spent most of my time hammering away at the arcade cab.

By the way, congratulations on beating Shadow Dancer legit! The first time you beat it is quite satisfying!

Yes, Shadow Dancer is the easer of the series but one of most more fun and fast paced, i love it.
The original Shinobi is harder in the last two stages, my last review i beat it and alot of people come talk to me about how i kill mandara and another tricks to finish the game.

I actually watched your video and was pleasantly surprised with your video editing skills. I thought it was very well done!

[Gentlegamer]

Every time I pick Shadow Dancer back up, I have to relearn how to beat Buzzsaw Woman at the end of stage 3.

[Pyron]

I actually watched your video and was pleasantly surprised with your video editing skills. I thought it was very well done!

Thanks man, in channel have some old eps with english subs and some clips of romhacking projects

[Cyttorak]

No, actually is more easier than that!!! Just put your character on the extreme left and tap the shot button frenetically

Sorry, that was my original meaning: just get in the left or right side and push button as fast as you can: 3 lives assured

There is a cheat to select level which comes handy when you only want to play the rooms part, for example. To do that just press A + B +C and START in start/option screen (if I remember it correctly).