Shadow Dancer

About

Shadow Dancer is a single player survival survival game. It was developed by Sega and was released on December 31, 1989. It received very positive reviews from players.

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 fireba…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 13 reviews

graphics2 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Gameplay is crisp and satisfying, with enjoyable combat mechanics using both sword and shurikens.
The soundtrack and sound effects are well-crafted, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
Graphics are vibrant and appealing, particularly the designs of enemies and bosses.

Achievements are locked behind DLCs, which can be frustrating for players.
The emulation quality is inconsistent, with some technical issues and glitches reported.
The game lacks the superior arcade version, leaving some players wanting more from the experience.

gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The gameplay is praised for its crispness and satisfying combat mechanics, particularly when hitting enemies with swords or stars. While it retains the core philosophy of the original arcade Shinobi, it offers a fresh experience rather than a mere remake, though some elements, like the dog companion, are seen as less effective. Overall, it delivers a familiar yet refined gameplay experience.
- “Gameplay: very crisp, as hitting enemies both with sword and stars feels fantastic.”
- “It actually is pretty much the same idea for core gameplay, but made from scratch.”
- “It may not completely revolutionize core gameplay, and the dog is pretty useless against enemy ninjas.”
- “It's a sequel to the original arcade Shinobi, following the same core gameplay philosophy instead of redoing it like The Revenge of Shinobi, keeping one-hit deaths.”
- “But nope, it actually is pretty much 'same idea for core gameplay, but made from scratch.'”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's music has been widely praised for its lovely background music and impressive sound effects, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the standout quality of the soundtrack, particularly noting a level centered on a bridge theme that features even better music.
- “The soundtrack and sound effects are lovely, featuring delicious background music.”
- “Seriously, this game has awesome music.”
- “The level focused on the bridge theme is there as well, but it's different and has better music.”
- “The music in this game is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
- “The audio quality of the music is subpar, and it feels like it doesn't match the game's atmosphere.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are generally praised for their vibrant quality, particularly highlighting the impressive designs of standard enemies and boss models. Overall, players find the visual presentation to be appealing and engaging.
- “The graphics are pretty cool, particularly the standard enemies and boss models.”
- “Oh yeah, the graphics are good and vibrant.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
The game offers decent replayability, particularly for players interested in achieving a one-credit clear (1cc), encouraging repeated playthroughs to master the challenges.
- “The game offers a variety of paths and choices, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With multiple endings and unlockable content, I find myself coming back for more every time.”
- “Replayability is pretty decent if you want to go for a one-credit clear.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
- “The lack of varied endings makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report that the simple launcher experiences several glitches, indicating that stability is an issue for this aspect of the game.
- “However, the simple launcher has its fair share of glitches as well.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and disconnections during gameplay.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's story varies significantly depending on the region, leading to a diverse narrative experience that may appeal to different players.
- “The plot of this game is, well, dependent on the region.”
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative.”
- “Character development is shallow, making it hard to connect with anyone.”