From The Shadows

Years before Sonic the Hedgehog was Sega’s mascot, a ninja named Joe Musashi emerged as a candidate to pave the way forward for the company’s gaming business. Capitalizing on the mainstream popularity of ninjas in the late ’80s, Sega released an arcade title called Shinobi. The game was a big hit for Sega as it attempted to recapture success in the arcade market and, eventually, the series helped Sega make inroads in the console market.

However, following the 3DS release of Shinobi 3D in 2011, the franchise came to a screeching halt. What was once considered one of Sega’s flagship franchises went dormant for over a decade, and memories of Joe Musashi’s adventures settled securely into the realm of nostalgia. Though Sega released an enhanced version of the original game in 2020 on Switch as part of the retro series Sega Ages, it felt increasingly like 2011 was the final time fans would step into the tabi of the Oboro Clan.