Shinobi (series)
| Shinobi series | |
|---|---|
The 2002 logo bears the shinobi kanji (in red) that adorns every title in the series | |
| Genre | Hack-and-slash |
| Developer | Sega |
| Publisher | Sega |
| Platforms | Arcade, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, NES, PC Engine, Master System, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Genesis, Mega-Tech, Mobile, Game Gear, Windows, iPhone, Nintendo eShop, Saturn, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X/S Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch |
| First release | Shinobi November 16, 1987 |
| Latest release | Shinobi: Art of Vengeance August 29, 2025 |
Shinobi is a series of hack-and-slash games created by Sega. The ninja (shinobi) Joe Musashi acts as the protagonist of the series. The first Shinobi was released in 1987 as an arcade video game. Along with Alex Kidd and Sonic the Hedgehog, Joe Musashi has long been one of Sega's flagship characters, acting as a mascot for a short time in the late 1980s when ninjas were popular in mainstream media. The series' games are a showcase of Sega's technical accomplishment, noted for their high quality of graphics, gameplay, and music, as well as their high level of difficulty. The Shinobi series sold 5 million copies as of 2024.