This Week In Retro: Shadow Dancer (1989) (Patreon)

May 1989: Sega shadow-drops a Shinobi sequel

by Diamond Feit

When platonically pairing animals and human beings based on personality and presentation, associating ninjas with dogs doesn't make much sense. Both conjure images of ferocity, speed, and agility, but ninjas also rely on stealth to accomplish their missions. That's not a trait I would assign to dogs, as they seem all too eager to greet every person they meet in the hopes of receiving affection or treats.

Despite this incongruity, circumstantial evidence suggests ninjas and dogs have frequently worked together over the years, both in real life and in pop culture. Just as in Western nations, dogs have helped guard secure areas in Japan for centuries; it follows that they could also be trained to infiltrate. Historical ninja texts such as the Mansenshūkai address proper techniques for handling dogs, and Japanese Wikipedia even includes an article about Ninken (忍犬) or "ninja dogs," albeit a threadbare and poorly sourced one.

Ninjas who keep dogs—as well as literal dog ninjas—exist throughout Japanese manga and anime, from older series like Ninja Hattori-kun and Dragon Ball to more recent hits like Naruto. Video games, too, have their share of canines in cahoots with assassins; I couldn't call myself a NEO•GEO fan if I didn't mention Galford from Samurai Shodown and his beloved pooch Poppy.

Yet I first noticed the connection 35 years ago when Sega released a curious arcade cabinet that stood out to me for two reasons: First, it resembled the company's hit Shinobi but lacked that word in the title, instead using the more metaphorical Shadow Dancer. Second, the main character entered battle with a faithful white hound by his side.

Anyone who spent time in late 80s arcades should know the name Shinobi. Sega's platform action game proved incredibly popular and ports appeared on all contemporary home computers and consoles—including rival hardware such as the NES and PC Engine. Shinobi capitalized on the burgeoning ninja boom of the decade by imbuing its hero with a touch of the fantastic. In addition to his sword and throwing stars, Joe Musashi also wielded ninja magic capable of clearing the screen of enemies.

Despite the absence of the Shinobi name on the marquee, Shadow Dancer clearly follows in its footsteps. Both games star a ninja who walks to the right and leaps between levels as needed. Both games require the hero to make key pickups in every stage; Shinobi has apprentice ninjas held hostage, Shadow Dancer has bombs to disarm. Ninja magic also returns, although in Shadow Dancer the sequence includes a full-screen animation and a Japanese voice sample to help sell its mystique.

Even the enemies look and act nearly identically across the two titles, running the gamut from street punks and armed gunmen to evil ninjas who materialize out of thin air. Thankfully, Shadow Dancer carries over Shinobi's approach to damage-dealing. While the heroes of these games can only take one hit before expiring, their assailant must attack them with a weapon, not merely touch them. Walking or jumping into an unprepared foe causes both parties to harmlessly bounce off of one another.

The biggest innovation Shadow Dancer brings to the table is the aforementioned addition of Man's Best Friend. Named Yamato according to interviews with Sega staffers, this four-legged ninja assistant walks behind his master Hayate at all times, barking as enemies approach. Whenever Yamato yelps at danger, players can command him to leap forward and attack, disabling opponents just long enough for Hayate to kill them. This technique carries a risk, however, as Yamato can only distract a hostile human for a few seconds. Should Hayate not act fast enough, the enemy will injure and render his pet helpless; Shadow Dancer communicates this by shrinking Yamato into an adorable puppy.

The arcade release of Shadow Dancer exists in a strange limbo, a sequel in every sense except in name. In official documentation sent to exhibitors, Sega made clear to arcade operators that this game served as a direct follow-up to Shinobi, even as they declined to inform those of us with quarters in our pockets. Ex-Sega developer Roppyaku Tsurumi speculated that the rebranding occurred because the original game's lead designer, Yutaka Sugano, had transferred to Sega of America and had no involvement with the new project.

Whatever the reasoning, Sega made sure to fold Hayate and Yamato's adventure back into the Shinobi family when it came time to bring this game to the company's home consoles, renaming the Master System and Genesis versions Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi. However, only the 8-bit version remained faithful to the arcade experience. On Genesis, The Secret of Shinobi features all new levels, music, and character design, shifting the story from modern times to a near-future dystopia. Enemies now have cybernetic limbs and carry ray guns, and the backgrounds suggest that some terrible disaster has given our planet a less-than-flattering makeover.

Looking back at Shadow Dancer, I find myself drawn to the revised home game more than its arcade progenitor. Despite a hardware downgrade, I feel the 16-bit incarnation looks and sounds better. It has an identity and personality unto itself. I wouldn't put it on the same level as The Revenge of Shinobi, the 1989 Genesis release designed for the home market, but I'd still rather take Yamato on a walk through the wasteland than the generic stages seen in the first Shadow Dancer.

My primary takeaway from this retrospective is that Sega should put together a Shinobi collection for ninja lovers everywhere. The company has already announced plans to revive old franchises and I look forward to discovering what modern developers can do with these classic characters, but I also relish a chance to access all of these titles in one tidy package. Besides, if we don't teach children about the legacy of ninja/dog cooperation, who will?

Writer/podcaster/performer Diamond Feit lives in Osaka, Japan but xer work and opinions exist across the internet.