is a side-scrolling

action game An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, rhythm games and ...

Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...

released for the

Game Gear The is an 8-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth-generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990 in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and in 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear primarily ...

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

. It was the first ''

Shinobi A , or was a spy and infiltrator in pre-modern Japan. The functions of a ninja included siege and infiltration, ambush, reconnaissance, espionage, deception, and later bodyguarding.Kawakami, pp. 21–22 Antecedents may have existed as ear ...

'' game developed specifically for a portable game platform. The player controls the modern-day ninja

Joe Musashi is a series of hack-and-slash games created by Sega. The ninja (''shinobi'') Joe Musashi is the protagonist of the original series of games ('' Shinobi'' to '' Shinobi III''). The first ''Shinobi'' was released in 1987 as an arcade video game. ...

, protagonist of previous ''Shinobi'' games, as he goes on a mission to rescue four kidnapped comrades from an enemy, gaining control of the other ninjas (each with different abilities) as the game progresses in a manner similar to ''

Mega Man ''Mega Man'' (known as in Japan) is a video game franchise developed and published by Capcom, featuring the Mega Man (character), protagonist of the same name. The Mega Man (1987 video game), original game was released for the Nintendo Enter ...

''. It was followed by '' The G.G. Shinobi II: The Silent Fury'' in

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

. ''The G.G. Shinobi'' was one of the first Game Gear games available on the 3DS

Virtual Console The Virtual Console was a line of downloadable retro video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video game consoles and the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld systems. The Virtual Console lineup consisted of titles originally released on pa ...

in March 2012.

Plot

Terror and destruction have made their way to Ninja Valley. The Master of the Oboro school of shinobi sends his best students to investigate the suburban areas. They return with news of a powerful dark force that has established a base within Neo City. The Master knows that only a warrior trained in the arts of

ninjutsu , and are terms for the techniques and skills used by spies and scouts in pre-modern Japan known as ninja. Some of these techniques are recorded in ninja scrolls, some which have been published and translated. The study of these scrolls have c ...

can stand against this menace. One by one his greatest pupils enter Neo City to locate and destroy the source of the evil. Ninja Valley has lost contact with each of them. All are believed to be captured. Now

the Red Shinobi, must carry out this dire mission. As the oldest and strongest of his ninja disciples, Musashi must use his special skills in the art of ninjutsu to free his fellow shinobi. With their combined strength, they can destroy the City of Fear.

Gameplay

The play mechanics of ''The G.G. Shinobi'' are roughly based on the Genesis game '' The Revenge of Shinobi'', but with the addition of a character-switching system. The player starts the game as Joe Musashi (the red ninja), whose goal is to rescue four kidnapped allies who are being held captive in different stages. There are four stages. These can be played in any order. Each ninja character has a unique weapon, ninjutsu (typically consuming one ninjutsu spell) and ability. After completing all four stages, the player automatically enters the fifth and final stage (Neo City), proceeding through a series of trap rooms. Each room requires the skills of a particular ninja character in order to pass it. Almost all rooms have two exits which lead to further distinct trap rooms. Whilst exploring Neo City, the player will encounter further

boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...

es, finishing with the final one.

Reception

Retro Gamer ''Retro Gamer'' is a British magazine, published worldwide, covering Retrogaming, retro video games. It was the first commercial magazine to be devoted entirely to the subject. Launched in January 2004 as a quarterly publication, ''Retro Gamer'' ...

'' called ''The G.G. Shinobi'' "unquestionably a classic slice of ninja heaven" but noted it was "notoriously difficult".

References

External links

*
Hardcore Gaming 101: Shinobi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shinobi (Game Gear) 1991 video games Game Gear games Game Gear-only games Sega video games Shinobi (series) Single-player video games Video games developed in Japan Video games scored by Yuzo Koshiro Virtual Console games for Nintendo 3DS