Joe Musashi in motion
Shinobi III looks stern until you learn how freely Joe Musashi can move. Running attacks and carefully timed shuriken let you carry momentum between hazards. The stages alternate demanding stretches of platforming with more extravagant action scenes. Returning to a troublesome passage is often the best part: separate decisions gradually become a movement you can perform without stopping to think.
Spend time with the double-jump timing before worrying about lost lives. Once it feels dependable, much of the game opens up. Save states are useful for practising a difficult passage until you can clear it in one attempt.
The Super Shinobi II
Megasoft developed this 1993 Sega release, known in Japan as The Super Shinobi II. The regional numbering makes the box title an unreliable guide to the series’ order. Its achievement is the refinement of stage-based action, especially the range of movement available to Musashi.
Why we chose it for Mega Drive
Musashi’s movement rewards practice. A passage that once consumed several lives can eventually become the part you most want to replay.
Explore this console’s game selection ↗Release record
Original worldwide release: 1993. Release records above identify the console editions covered by this collection.
Sources and further reading3 references
- Mega Drive software catalogue (Japanese releases) ↗SEGA · Accessed 2026-10-27
Japanese release years and original publishers. These dates apply to Japan.
- Shinobi III: release and credits ↗MobyGames · Accessed 2026-10-27
1993 Mega Drive release and Megasoft developer credit.
- SEGA Mega Drive: Nintendo Switch Online game library ↗Nintendo · Accessed 2026-10-27
UK catalogue checked October 2026. Requires Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack; availability can change.
