Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Marks One Year, Switch 2 Lands September 24
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (SHINOBI 復讐の斬撃), Sega’s side-scrolling ninja action game, celebrates its first anniversary today, August 29, 2026. The title originally launched on August 29, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. Developed by Lizardcube, the studio known for reviving Sega’s classic IPs for modern audiences, it drew strong attention from retro gamers. The franchise began as an arcade release in November 1987, and this installment stands as the first entirely new entry in roughly 14 years, following the Nintendo 3DS title that arrived on November 17, 2011.
Players control Joe Musashi, head of the Oboro ninja clan, who has long guarded peace from the shadows. When the armed organization ENE Corporation attacks the Oboro village in its bid for world conquest, Musashi loses his clan and heads for the enemy’s stronghold to seek revenge. The game’s core appeal lies in the satisfying feel of cutting down foes, backed by responsive controls, speedy ninja-like movement, and skillful use of hitstop and sound effects to sell every slash. Simple button presses chain attacks together, but players can also insert an aerial dash, the Hien, mid-combo to extend their strings, even using the dash to dodge enemy attacks as part of the flow.
Enemies carry an execution gauge alongside their HP; once it reaches maximum, the kanji 滅 appears above their heads, and pressing the corresponding button triggers a Shinobi Execution that finishes the target in one hit. When conditions are met, several enemies can be executed at once for a huge rush of satisfaction, and powerful ninpo and ninjutsu skills allow for more strategic chains. Visually, everything from the protagonist’s animations to the stages is hand-drawn, creating a cohesive presentation that feels like moving through an animation itself. The art is not purely Japanese in style, incorporating Western comic-inspired lines and stylization, and it shines brightest while Musashi is in motion.
The soundtrack features Tee Lopes, known for Streets of Rage 4, alongside legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro, who scored The Super Shinobi. On April 3, 2026, the Sega Villains Stage DLC added battles against Death Adder, the final boss of the Golden Axe series; Dr. Eggman, the evil scientist from the Sonic series; and Goro Majima, one of the legendary men of the Yakuza series. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is scheduled for September 24, 2026, which would complete coverage across all major current consoles. For newcomers, the anniversary is a fine moment to jump in, or wait about a month and pick up the Switch 2 edition for handheld play.
