I didn’t count on top-of-the-line low-key rivalries in gaming to make a comeback in 2025, however right here we’re. Each Sega’s Shinobi and Capcom’s Ninja Gaiden are getting 2D retro revivals this 12 months, they’re every coming from nice studios, and to this point they appear unbelievable.
Shinobi: Artwork of Vengeance was introduced throughout this week’s PlayStation State of Play with Lizardcube within the driver’s seat. That crew codeveloped Streets of Rage 4, hands-down one of the best fashionable beat ‘em up, in addition to Surprise Boy: The Dragon’s Lure, a wonderful remake of a 1989 basic. Artwork of Vengeance already has a launch date of August 29 and appears lovely in its first trailer, which exhibits Shinobi Joe Musashi effortlessly combo-ing by enemies and throughout lush, painterly ranges with ease and precision.
Then there’s Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, which was introduced within the pre-show for final 12 months’s Recreation Awards. It’s additionally popping out someday in 2025 and being made by Dotemu in partnership with The Recreation Kitchen, the crew behind the distinctive Souls-y Metroidvania collection, Blasphemous. Its first trailer showcased clean platforming fight, vibrant pixel artwork animations, and tons of blood. Regardless of the recent coat of paint and fashionable polish, it seems to be just like the punishing Ninja Gaiden components followers have discovered to worry however love from the collection’ NES days.
Each franchises moved away from their 2D roots within the early 2000s. Shinobi obtained a 3D sequel on PlayStation 2 whereas Ninja Gaiden did the identical on the unique Xbox. Capcom hasn’t revisited the old-school Ninja Gaiden components since, and the Shinobi video games that attempted to had been, uh, not nice. Whereas followers of these ‘90s motion platformers have had the occasional ninja-themed side-scroller to maintain them occupied, like Mark of the Ninja and The Messenger, nothing has aimed to scratch these nostalgic itches fairly like these new throwbacks.
What I’m most excited for is that each Shinobi: Artwork of Vengeance and Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound seem to doing issues a bit bit otherwise. The previous has air dashes and every kind of flashy skills, whereas the latter appears to hew extra carefully to much less flashy Ninja Gaiden strategies like wall bouncing. And as an growing older fan raised on 8-bit and 16-bit consoles, I really like any alternative for my mind to sink again into the acquainted, well-worn grooves of a 2D platformer. No mini-maps, crafting mechanics, or dense, hyper-realistic environments to parse.
And whereas I’m a fan of each collection, I’m nonetheless a Shinobi-stan at coronary heart. The unique Ninja Gaiden trilogy is superior however can’t maintain a candle to The Revenge of Shinobi and Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Grasp. I’m glad each franchises are getting a recent shot on the 2D side-scrolling crown in 2025.
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