SHADOW DANCER: THE SECRET OF SHINOBI
[Sega Master System Version]
**MINI GUIDE (Ver 1)**
Written by R-Jay (
[email protected])
=====================================
COPYRIGHT: This document can be freely displayed on any website as
long as it remains COMPLETELY intact and is not used for profit
making.
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CONTENTS
--------
1. History
2. Game Review
3. Introduction
4. Storyline
5. Special Moves
6. Power-Up & Boss Guide
6.1 Stage 1: Airport
6.2 Level 2: Freight Train
6.3 Level 3: Sewers
6.4 Level 4: Shuttle Station
7. Bonus Stages
8. Credits
1. History
-----------
Ver 1.0 - Written on 30 April 2003
I rented this horrid game back in 1992 (I was 13) and couldn't get past
the first boss!! >_< Always vowed that one day I would beat the game
and so, 8 years later in 2000, I bought a copy. Got to the last
boss, but had no idea how to beat his second form. :-( After a few
days, I put the game away and didn't play it again.... until last
Sunday, when I was sorting through my unwanted games. Once I saw the box
I thought to myself: UNFINISHED BUSINESS!! So I packed away my newly
bought Gamecube + Metroid Prime pack, unplugged my Dreamcast and
booted up my old MS II. Finally, after two evenings of solid play
with the aid of a VHS (to record my efforts), I beat the game that
gave me all that trouble 11 years ago! :-) So, to celebrate this
wonderful story and my glorious triumph (LOL), I've decided to write a
mini guide....
2. Game Review
--------------
Nostalgia and challenge aside, you cannot hide the fact that Shadow
Dancer on the Master System is an APPALLING game!! The whole thing is
short and shallow and once mastered, it can be finished in under 12
minutes. No surprise then, that the game has a one hit=death condition
and no continue option! Apart from the challenge, there is no other
incentive to play....bad graphics, dismal sound, poor level design and
ultra-linear gameplay make this one of the WORST titles available for
the Master System! I would say it's as bad as the hideous Cyber Shinobi
but thankfully this game is over very quickly!!
So why am I writing a guide? Well, there is nothing else about MS Shadow
Dancer on the web and every game deserves a guide...even a bad one, and it
did keep me occupied for 11 years.....even though my total play time over
that period was about a week!! :-D
3. Introduction
---------------
This document contains a guide for fighting each boss and how to
obtain the power-up on each level. There is also a section on
special moves like the dog attack and magic.
4. Storyline
------------
Err, well....some terrorists want to hijack a shuttle and threaten the
world. So instead of sending the police or military, they send a
white ninja with a husky! Go figure..........
5. Special Moves
----------------
JUMP TO HIGH PLATFORM - Up, then Button 2
JUMP BACK TO GROUND LEVEL - Down, then Button 2
DOG ATTACK (ENEMY ON-SCREEN) - Down (2 secs), then Button 1
Only works on Machine Gunners and Knifemen. Don't bother with it -
waste of time!!
MAGIC ATTACK - Up, then Button 1
Kills everything on-screen. Again, you don't need it unless you want
to kill the jumping ninjas. May cause you to lose power-up (see
section 6).
Magic Types - Tatsumaki (Senpu Kyaku...LOL :-D): Tornado
Fire Dog: Fire?...Dog?....whatever!
Butsuzo: Buddha (WTF?!)
6. Power-Up & Boss Guide
------------------------
If you collect all 5 time bombs in each stage, the fifth bomb will
grant you a weapon power-up for the boss fight. This doubles the
damage you inflict. It's not necessary to get a power-up as the
bosses can be defeated easily without them, but I've listed how to
get them anyway.........
NOTE: The game cannot have two time bombs on-screen at once. If you
use magic to kill on-screen enemies which both possess bombs, then
only one bomb will appear. A similar thing happens if a bomb is left
on-screen while killing another bomb holder: the second bomb won't
appear.
6.1 Stage 1: Airport
--------------------
POWER UP: Easy, just kill everyone and you'll get it at the end.
BOSS: Stand so the first ball will travel over you after bouncing,
then jump straight up to avoid the ground ball while firing shuriken.
Repeat until dead. With the other bouncing balls, move back & forth
slightly to avoid being hit.
6.2 Level 2: Freight Train
--------------------------
POWER UP: The first 4 bombs are easy to come by. To get the fifth
one, walk forward and make the red ninja jump. It appears where he
was. You can then kill the ninja with magic or just avoid him.
BOSS: When the engine is far away, just jump up between shots and
throw shuriken. If it's right next to you, duck and when the HIGHEST SHOT
from the gun has JUST passed over you, quickly jump and fire. Repeat
until destroyed.
6.3 Level 3: Sewer
------------------
POWER UP: The first three bombs are held by the knife men near the
start of the level. Kill the first one, then high-jump onto the
above pipe. Then quickly jump down onto the ledge to grab the bomb,
then immediately high jump back up. Walk along and kill the next guy
along. Now jump down behind the third man and slash him. The forth
bomb is held by the second machine gunner - easy to get. To get the
fifth bomb, stand near the next alligator so its tail swings.
Immediately jump straight up and fire shurikens. The alligator
should turn upside down and the power-up will appear on the other
side (no..I don't understand it either!!).
BOSS: Get close to him and when the shield stops moving, hesitate a
split second then fire a shuriken. Hopefully it should hit him when
he turns the shield off quickly. Jump straight up if you miss to
avoid the disc and then move back to dodge the falling missile. Don't
get too mad if you die: work on the timing of your shuriken throw and
he'll become a pussycat (especially with those boots....meowwww!!).
6.4 Level 4: Shuttle Station
----------------------------
POWER UP: When you see the high platform, jump up. Now walk along
until you see a blue ninja. Let him near you (not too close), then
kill him and grab the bomb. Now jump down and walk along. Kill the
ninja on the ground for the second bomb. For the third and forth
bombs, when you see the exhaust pipes of the shuttle, jump up to the high
area. Kill the knifeman and grab the bomb, then position yourself so
you are in front of the guy on the ground. Jump down and immediately
slash to kill him. There may be a small chance he could kill you as
you land, so if you are too scared, use magic instead (CHICKEN!!).
The last bomb is with the ninja at the end - easy to get.
BOSS: Move left to the back of the screen. Avoid the first two low
projectiles, then jump and shoot at the higher ones. If you think
you can't hit a projectile, just jump/avoid it. For his second form,
move towards him and when he begins to move his stick, duck and fire.
Repeat until dead. Do not duck prematurely: he will hit the ground
with his stick, killing you at any distance!!
If you beat him, sit back and watch an incredibly sh**e ending!! Now go
and track down the Genesis/Megadrive version of Shadow Dancer..it's a
completely different game and much better for it!
7. Bonus Stages
---------------
Just a quick note to say if you can complete the bonus stage after
level 1 & 3, you're a better player than me: the last ninja always
seems immune to my shuriken! Stage 2 is easy: just fire quickly and
when the ninjas get close, go to the middle and fire two shots,
hesitate, fire two shots, hesitate....repeat until the end. Get
the timing right and you can't fail!!
8. Credits
----------
SEGA - Although the game is dire, you deserve a credit for
the challenge aspect..or was that down to my lack of skill..;-)
HOOKIE NA-NA, MR NICE & MAC - Me mushdies & maties!!
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Shadow Dancer: The Secret Of Shinobi (C) 1991 Sega
This guide (C) 2003 R-Jay (
[email protected])
[End Of File - I'm off to bury Shadow Dancer in the desert with those ET
games! :-D]
