Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn Review Summary

A top-tier action platformer with beautiful pixel art and stunning modern graphics, though cumbersome item switching, stiff controls, and buggy save confusion hold it back.

Beautiful pixel art: Reviewers consistently praise the gorgeous, colorful pixel art and sprite animation. The visual style is described as juicy, neat, and absolutely beautiful.

Stunning modern graphics: Many players highlight the breathtaking, beautiful graphics and visually impressive backgrounds. The modern visuals are considered fantastic and highly appealing.

Top-tier action platformer: Reviewers call it one of the best action platformers in years. It is described as an amazing arcade-style action platformer with great level design.

Tough but fair difficulty: Many reviewers note the high difficulty is fair and consistent, with a challenging yet rewarding experience reminiscent of NES classics. The challenge is considered tough but fair even on normal.

Solid mechanics: The game's mechanics are described as rock solid, well-designed, and reliable. Gameplay feels smooth and refined.

Cumbersome item switching: Item switching is counter-intuitive and cumbersome, often requiring standing still and holding buttons. This slows down gameplay and leads to getting hit while selecting.

Stiff and awkward controls: Players consistently describe the controls as stiff, awkward, and terrible, making the game feel unresponsive. This is a widespread complaint across multiple clusters.

Save system confusion and bugs: The save system is unclear and buggy: players can only save by pressing EXIT on the game over screen after dying. Pausing and returning to title loses progress.

Overloaded and confusing input: The control scheme is overloaded and confusing, with even basic actions like jumping becoming unpredictable. The hang mechanic and wall interactions are particularly inconsistent.

Sluggish character movement: The character feels sluggish in both movement and actions, reducing satisfaction and increasing perceived difficulty. Slow attack and jump animations further contribute to this.

Action platformer gameplay: The core gameplay is a fast-paced action platformer with a full moveset, typical of old-school arcade-style action games. It blends classic platforming with combat.

Classic NES remake: The game is a complete reimagining of a classic NES/Famicom title, preserving the original spirit while adding new moves and item systems. It features renewed graphics and updated mechanics.

Arcade-style design: The game follows an arcade-style structure, emphasizing replay value over lengthy content. It includes modes like single-player arcade with difficulty levels and 1CC challenges.

Item management system: An item selection and management system is present, with seven inventory slots shared between subweapons and healing items. Limited ninja gear items can be used.

Sword and chain weapons: Players wield a sword and a chain hook by default, with additional weapons available. The chain attack has long reach but slower recovery.

Linux compatibility praised: User reports that the game runs well on Linux distributions Fedora and Bazzite using Proton GE9, with no lag even when using an offboard GPU.

Strongly recommended by many: Numerous reviewers praise the game and give strong recommendations, citing it as a fantastic remake and a pleasure to play. Many say it is worth playing and highly recommended.

Appeals to arcade and platformer fans: The game is recommended for fans of arcade games, classic sidescrolling platformers, and action platformers. It is particularly praised for providing a fair, balanced challenge.

Nostalgia drives recommendation: Recommendations are often conditional on nostalgia for NES or 90s arcade games, with some saying it's only for nostalgia seekers. Others note nostalgic players may not find much satisfaction.

Not recommended for general audience: Several reviewers advise against buying, calling it not a good game or not recommended for purchase. Some suggest saving money and choosing a better option.

Wait for sale or discount: Several reviewers suggest buying on sale or waiting for a discount, especially for players who played the original. One says whether to buy now or wait is up to you.

Community fair range: $14.99 - $19.99.

Game completion: 2.0h.

Endgame: 22.0h.

Players often face a demanding, tutorial-light opening and report that the game becomes fun after its mechanics click or after co-op partners coordinate strategies. Some reviewers enjoy the arcade action immediately, so the evidence is mixed.

Friction: punishing difficulty; no tutorial or clear item-use guidance; replaying after death can be a slog; co-op automatically forces hard mode; co-op partners must decide who gets each power-up; repetitive motion can cause hand pain.

Unlock drivers: gameplay mechanics clicking; co-op partners communicating strategies.

Nostalgic NES Remake Veteran: Plays with memory of the original, compares the remake to its source, and values faithful old-school action. Motivation: Relive the NES original and see a classic action platformer remade with modern pixel art. Stance: buy.

Old-School Challenge Master: Memorizes enemy patterns and stage layouts, treats each move as a commitment, and replays to improve. Motivation: Master a punishing but fair action platformer through practice, pattern learning, and execution. Stance: buy.

Co-op Partner Strategist: Coordinates strategies in co-op, accepts the harder default difficulty, and uses remote-play workarounds when online play is absent. Motivation: Share the challenge and fun of two-player co-op with a friend or partner. Stance: buy.

Steam Deck: The feedback indicates the game is playable on Linux and Steam Deck-like systems, but not fully seamless: users report that Proton GE9 is needed for smooth performance, and the most recurring gameplay barrier is imprecise, inconsistent controller behavior with underused buttons and an awkward inventory. No crashes, anti-cheat failures, unreadable UI, external launcher problems, or major battery drain are reported in the provided evidence.

Remake of NES classic: The game is a remake of the NES game Shadow of the Ninja (Kage/Blue Shadow). It is developed by the original team, including Tengo Project and Natsume, and re-envisions the classic title.

Compared to classic action games: Reviewers compare the game to classic action-platformers like Ninja Gaiden, Castlevania, and Mega Man, noting influences and similarities. Some say it's a better Shinobi game than Art of Vengeance.

Developed by Tengo Project: The game is developed by Tengo Project, known for other remakes, and is part of their series of 16-bit style remakes. The original developers worked on this remake.

Short game length: The game is considered short, with only six stages and a playthrough on normal taking about three to four hours. It can be finished in about an hour once mastered, and some reviewers completed it in two hours.

Original NES version more responsive: Reviewers compare the remake unfavorably to the original NES version, stating that the original feels more responsive and has better controls.