Shinobi Legions

From Sega Retro

n/a

ShinobiLegions title.png

Shinobi Legions
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Sega, Vic Tokai (US)
Developer:
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (2 tracks)
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP
¥4,8004,800 GS-9010
Sega Saturn
US
T-2301H
Sega Saturn
EU
MK81082-50
Sega Saturn
BR
192136

Shinobi Legions, known as Shinobi X in Europe and Shin Shinobi Den (新・忍伝) in Japan, is a video game in the Shinobi series, originally released for the Sega Saturn in 1995. During development the game was known as Shinobi EX.

It is a 2D game, similar to Shinobi games found on earlier consoles, and makes heavy use of live action cutscenes which have since been criticised for having poor acting.

Programming errors mean that Shinobi Legions cannot be played if two controllers are connected to the console.

Sega of Europe's producer David Nulty was reportedly unimpressed with Shinobi Legions's quality, and decided to delay the game from seeing a European release so that the entire soundtrack could be replaced. The new soundtrack was produced by Richard Jacques, who aimed for a style closer to that of Yuzo Koshiro, the man behind The Revenge of Shinobi's musical score. For this reason, this version of the game is often seen as superior to its North American and Japanese counterparts. Since the game only credits those who were involved with the live action cutscenes, it is unknown who composed the original soundtrack.

Production credits

Shin Shinobi Den/Shinobi Legions

Cast
  • Sho: Tetsuya Aoki
  • Kazuma: Hiromitsu Miyamoto
  • Aya: Kumiko Odaka
  • Ukyo: Masayuki Ohta
  • Sakyo: Narito Shigemi
  • Kouryuu: Tatsuo Inada
  • Talace: Shinnosuke Yagami
  • Nicholi: Kouichi Natsuyama
  • Rushudo: Eiichi Takagi
  • Swordman: Taketo Nakamura
  • Stickmaster: Yoshiki Tsujimoto
  • Ninja: Arata Okumiyama
  • Martial Artist: Eiichi Takagi
Staff
  • Camera: Yasuhiro Kinoshita
  • Lighting: Manabu Yasuda
  • Recording: Shuuichi Oki
  • Video: Eiji Hiroishi
  • Artwork: Touei Bijyutu Center
  • Stylist: Masako Yamada
  • Decorations: Keiichi Tamai
  • Propman: Kouzu Shoukai
  • Clothing: Tokyo Ishou
  • Special Effects: Ryuuichi Ito
  • CG: Axe
  • Editing: Yasurou Mizukami
  • MA: Masaya Ishihara
  • Record: Hisayo Shiba
  • Assistant Director: Hiroyuki Shimizu, Kouji Yamamoto, Fumie Saito
  • Action Coordinator: Yuuta Morokaji
  • Business Coordinator: Isao Nagaoka
  • Camera Assistant: Toshihiro Gotsubo
  • Lighting Assistant: Akio Yamanaka, Harumi Sumiyama, Masatsugu Inoue
  • Cooperation: Toei, Japan Action Club, AD Studio
  • Director: Nagi Onomichi
  • Producer: Hirofumi Nakanishi
  • Co-production: Kids Company
  • Presented by: Sega Enterprises

Shinobi X

Cast
  • Sho: Tetsuya Aoki
  • Kazuma: Hiromitsu Miyamoto
  • Aya: Kumiko Odaka
  • Ukyo: Masayuki Ohta
  • Sakyo: Narito Shigemi
  • Kouryuu: Tatsuo Inada
  • Talace: Shinnosuke Yagami
  • Nicholi: Kouichi Natsuyama
  • Rushudo: Eiichi Takagi
  • Swordman: Taketo Nakamura
  • Stickmaster: Yoshiki Tsujimoto
  • Ninja: Arata Okumiyama
  • Martial Artist: Eiichi Takagi
Staff
  • Camera: Yasuhiro Kinoshita
  • Lighting: Manabu Yasuda
  • Recording: Shuuichi Oki
  • Video: Eiji Hiroishi
  • Artwork: Touei Bijyutu Center
  • Stylist: Masako Yamada
  • Decorations: Keiichi Tamai
  • Propman: Kouzu Shoukai
  • Clothing: Tokyo Ishou
  • Special Effects: Ryuuichi Ito
  • CG: Axe
  • Editing: Yasurou Mizukami
  • MA: Masaya Ishihara
  • Record: Hisayo Shiba
  • Assistant Director: Hiroyuki Shimizu, Kouji Yamamoto, Fumie Saito
  • Action Coordinator: Yuuta Morokaji
  • Business Coordinator: Isao Nagaoka
  • Camera Assistant: Toshihiro Gotsubo
  • Lighting Assistant: Akio Yamanaka, Harumi Sumiyama, Masatsugu Inoue
  • Cooperation: Toei, Japan Action Club, AD Studio
  • Director: Nagi Onomichi
  • Producer: Hirofumi Nakanishi
  • Co-production: Kids Company
Sega of Europe Staff

Magazine articles

Main article: Shinobi Legions/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 №46, p126/127/128
84 №166, p46/47[3]
79
40 №24, p76/77
65 №342, p32
80 №33, p50/51
81 №15, p58/59
88 №45, p22/23 (international)
40 №2, p145
85 №35, p66-69[4]
84 №37, p91[5]
89 №58, p104/105/106
82 №22, p60/61
76 №71, p62/63
81 №49, p54/55
60 №1995-07, p126[6]
62 №, p14[7]
Sega Saturn
75
Based on
17 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
CD Consoles (FR) NTSC
48
[8]
Consoles + (FR) NTSC-J
92
[9]
Consoles + (FR)
92
[10]
Computer & Video Games (UK) NTSC-J
84
[3]
Digitiser (UK)
79
[11]
Edge (UK) NTSC-J
40
[12]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
80
[13]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
65
[14]
Freak (IL)
85
[15]
Fusion (US)
50
[16]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
94
[17]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
80
[18]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
90
[1]
GamePro (UK) NTSC-J
58
[19]
Gamers (DE) PAL
53
[20]
Games World: The Magazine (UK) NTSC-J
81
[21]
Hobby Consolas (ES) NTSC-J
79
[22]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
88
[23]
Joypad (FR)
91
[24]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
65
[25]
Maximum (UK)
25
[26]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-J
68
[27]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-J
85
[4]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
84
[5]
Next Generation (US)
50
[28]
Player One (FR)
89
[29]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
67
[30]
Saturn+ (UK) PAL
82
[31]
Secret Service (PL)
80
[32]
Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
82
[33]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J
76
[34]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
81
[35]
Sega Megazone (AU)
85
[36]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
60
[37]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
62
[7]
Super Juegos (ES)
88
[38]
Todo Sega (ES)
79
[39]
Ultimate Future Games (UK) NTSC-J
50
[40]
Última Generación (ES)
66
[41]
Videogame Advisor (US) NTSC-J
91
[42]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-J
82
[43]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
80
[44]
Sega Saturn
74
Based on
42 reviews

Shinobi Legions

Saturn, US
ShinobiLegions Saturn US Box Back.jpgShinobiLegions Saturn US Box Front.jpg
Cover
ShinobiLegions Saturn US Disc.jpg
Disc
Shinobilegions sat us manual.pdf
Manual
Saturn, EU
ShinobiX Saturn EU Box.jpg
Cover
ShinobiX Saturn EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, JP
Shinshinobiden sat jp backcover.pngShinshinobiden sat jp frontcover.png
Cover
ShinobiLegions Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
ShinShinobiDen Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, BR
ShinobiLegendsSaturnBRCover.jpg
Cover

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 File:GamePro US 075.pdf, page 50 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 075.pdf_p50" defined multiple times with different content
  2. File:SSM UK 01.pdf, page 96
  3. 3.0 3.1 File:CVG UK 166.pdf, page 46 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 166.pdf_p46" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 File:MeanMachinesSega35UK.pdf, page 66 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega35UK.pdf_p66" defined multiple times with different content
  5. 5.0 5.1 File:MeanMachinesSega37UK.pdf, page 91 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega37UK.pdf_p91" defined multiple times with different content
  6. File:SSM_JP_19950701_1995-07.pdf, page 128
  7. 7.0 7.1 Saturn no Game wa Sekai Ichi~i~i~i!: Satamaga Dokusha Race Zen Kiroku, SoftBank Publishing, page 16 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf_p16" defined multiple times with different content
  8. CD Consoles, "Septembre 1995" (FR; 1995-09-08), page 126
  9. Consoles +, "Septembre 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 126
  10. Consoles +, "Novembre 1995" (FR; 1995-1x-xx), page 172
  11. Digitiser (UK) (1995-10-11)
  12. Edge, "September 1995" (UK; 1995-07-27), page 76
  13. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "September 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 36
  14. Famitsu, "1995-07-07" (JP; 1995-06-23), page 32
  15. Freak, "10/95" (IL; 1995-xx-xx), page 1
  16. Fusion, "Volume 1, Number 3: October 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 80
  17. GameFan, "Volume 3, Issue 9: September 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 15
  18. Game Players, "Vol. 8 No. 10 October 1995" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 54
  19. GamePro, "November 1995" (UK; 1995-09-xx), page 34
  20. Gamers, "Dezember 1995" (DE; 1995-11-08), page 30
  21. Games World: The Magazine, "September 1995" (UK; 1995-0x-xx), page 58
  22. Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1995" (ES; 1995-xx-xx), page 94
  23. Joypad, "Septembre 1995 (Joypad International supplement)" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 22
  24. Joypad, "Novembre 1995" (FR; 1995-11-03), page 62
  25. MAN!AC, "12/95" (DE; 1995-11-08), page 90
  26. Maximum, "November 1995" (UK; 1995-11-xx), page 145
  27. Mega Fun, "10/95" (DE; 1995-09-20), page 64
  28. Next Generation, "October 1995" (US; 1995-09-19), page 113
  29. Player One, "Novembre 1995" (FR; 1995-1x-xx), page 106
  30. Saturn Fan, "1995 September" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 56
  31. Saturn+, "Christmas 1995" (UK; 1995-12-14), page 60
  32. Secret Service, "Czerwiec 1996" (PL; 1996-06-01), page 67
  33. Sega Magazine, "October 1995" (UK; 1995-09-12), page 60
  34. Sega Power, "October 1995" (UK; 1995-08-17), page 62
  35. Sega Pro, "September 1995" (UK; 1995-08-10), page 54
  36. Sega Megazone, "September 1995" (AU; 1995-0x-xx), page 22
  37. Sega Saturn Magazine, "July 1995" (JP; 1995-06-08), page 128
  38. Super Juegos, "Octubre 1995" (ES; 1995-xx-xx), page 88
  39. Todo Sega, "Noviembre 1995" (ES; 1995-1x-xx), page 52
  40. Ultimate Future Games, "September 1995" (UK; 1995-08-01), page 84
  41. Última Generación, "Septiembre 1995" (ES; 1995-0x-xx), page 80
  42. Videogame Advisor, "Volume 1, Number 3: July 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 34
  43. Video Games, "8/95" (DE; 1995-07-26), page 65
  44. VideoGames, "October 1995" (US; 1995-09-19), page 70



Games in the Shinobi series
Arcade
Shinobi (1987) | Shadow Dancer (1989)
Sega Master System
Shinobi (1988) | The Cyber Shinobi (1990) | Shadow Dancer (1991)
Amiga
Atari ST
Amstrad CPC
Commodore 64
ZX Spectrum
IBM PC compatibles
MSX
Shinobi (1989)
Sega Mega Drive
The Revenge of Shinobi (1989) | Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi (1990) | Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (1993)
Sega Game Gear
The GG Shinobi (1991) | The GG Shinobi II: The Silent Fury (1992)
Sega Saturn
Shinobi Legions (1995)
Game Boy Advance
The Revenge of Shinobi (2002)
Sony PlayStation 2
Shinobi (2002) | Nightshade (2003)
Nintendo 3DS
Shinobi 3D (2011) | 3D Shinobi III (2013)
Nintendo Switch
Sega Ages Shinobi (2019)
Shinobi related media
Music
The Super Shinobi & Works (1989) | Shinobi Original Soundtrack (2002) | Legend of Joe Musashi: Shinobi Music Collection (2009) | Shinobi 3D Original Soundtrack (2012) | Kunoichi Original Soundtrack (2014) | Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (2015) | The Revenge of Shinobi (2016) | Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi (2022)
Book
Shinobi: The Fear Pavilion (1994) | Shin Shinobi Den Hisshou Kouryaku Hou (1995) | Prima's Official Strategy Guide: Shinobi (2002) | Shinobi: The Rise of Hotsuma (2002) | Shinobi: The Complete Guide (2002) | Shinobi the Wide Ilustration Archive (2003) | Kunoichi Koushiki Guide Book (2003) | Kunoichi Perfect Guide (2004)