Shinobi — one of the all-time arcade classics, and one of the defining platforming experiences of SEGA history — is now available on Virtual Console!

A rabid quarter-eating arcade bastion of ninja-fueled awesomeness, the original Shinobi was a signature SEGA title, first released in 1987. It’s hard to sing the praises of this game enough; it’s one of those titles that’s both steeped in nostalgia and is still incredibly fun to revisit.

The levels are meticulously designed, with a difficulty to match. Arcade games are, by their very nature, supposed to be difficult — would Slot Machines be worth it for Casinos if they didn’t take in more than they gave out? — but only the best games were able to combine that difficulty with a fun addictiveness that made them worthwhile.

Of course the big draw of Shinobi is playing as a ninja, complete with shuriken and crazy ninja leaps. With all kinds of mad ninja skills — just take a look at the screenshot of Shinobi taking on a helicopter — the character became one of SEGA’s most iconic, and was even name-dropped by the Wu Tang clan — “swinging swords like Shinobi”. Upgradable weapons and a variety of malevolent full-screen bosses highlight the ninja skills required to master this game, and if you played this game back in the day then, like me, the “Mandara” boss pictured here is a recurring nightmare:

Some fun quick facts, well we’re at it: “Shinobi” is actually the Japanese pronunciation for “ninja”, and the character’s name, “Joe Musashi”, is from the great, renowned Samauri, Miyamoto Musashi.

Whether you never played this game, or it’s a nostalgic favorite, it’s worth picking up again: incredibly challenging levels & unique bosses draw you in, and the reward of learning a difficult part and then pulling off some true ninja moves to get out of it are well worth the time spent.