Shadow Dancer – The Secret of Shinobi is one of those Genesis games that makes you feel like a total badass ninja within seconds. You start off sprinting through neon-lit streets, slashing enemies with your sword while your trusty wolf companion (yeah, you get a wolf) takes out stragglers. The controls are tight—every shuriken throw and jump feels deliberate, and mistiming a move usually means eating dirt.

It’s tough, but not unfair. The levels throw everything at you—snipers, collapsing bridges, even ninjas who pop out of nowhere—but once you get the rhythm down, chaining kills together feels smooth. The music’s got that classic Sega vibe, all synths and urgency, and the later stages get seriously creative with their traps and layouts.

If you’ve played other Shinobi games, this one’s a no-brainer. If not? Still worth a shot—just don’t be surprised when the third level hands you your butt a few times before you figure it out. The wolf mechanic alone makes it stand out from other action platformers of the era.