Shinobi (1987) is a seminal hack-and-slash arcade game developed by Sega for the System 16 board. It stars the modern-day ninja Joe Musashi, who must dismantle the criminal organization Zeed to rescue kidnapped children from his ninja clan. 

Core Gameplay Mechanics

The game is a side-scrolling action platformer known for its high difficulty and deliberate, methodical pace. 

• Rescue Mission: Each stage requires you to find and touch every hostage to unlock the exit.
• Layered Stages: A defining feature is the ability to jump between the foreground and background levels (holding Up or Down while jumping), which is essential for dodging and reaching hidden areas.
• One-Hit Death: In the arcade version, Joe Musashi dies from a single hit from an enemy weapon or projectile.
• Melee & Projectiles: Joe primarily throws an unlimited supply of shurikens. If he is standing next to an enemy, his attack automatically switches to a melee strike (kick, punch, or katana).
• Ninja Magic (Ninjutsu): You can use a screen-clearing special attack once per level to destroy all visible enemies. 

Game Structure

Final Mission Constraint: Once you reach the fifth mission, continues are typically disabled, requiring you to finish the game with your remaining lives. 

Five Missions: Each mission consists of three to four stages, concluding with a massive boss battle.

Bonus Stages: Between missions, a first-person shooting gallery allows you to throw shurikens at incoming ninjas to earn extra lives.