Shinobi is one of those games that has a special aura in the hearts of SEGA fans. The saga, which began in 1987 on arcade terminals, has seen numerous sequels and adaptations.

In recent months, the franchise has remained in the spotlight thanks to several homebrew projects, such as the porting of the Game Gear to Mega Drive version and the adaptation of the arcade game for Neo Geo, a console that had never before hosted the series.

This time, it's an official project that's revealed in detail with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. Announced at The Game Awards 2023 without much in the way of details, SEGA has put an end to speculation by revealing a gameplay trailer that confirms that the game is indeed being developed by French studio Lizardcube, already acclaimed for its work on Streets of Rage 4.

One look at the video is enough to recognise the studio's signature style: entirely hand-drawn graphics and exceptionally dynamic animation. However, this modernisation respects the saga's heritage, as Ben Fiquet, the game's creative director, points out:

"Special powers, combos and even certain enemies, levels and bosses capture the very essence of the old Shinobi games. This is particularly true of the bamboo forest, which makes its return in this title and is sure to provoke a sense of nostalgia among fans of the Shinobi games."

The game is due to be released on 29 August on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, priced at €29.99.

If the ‘retro-ninja’ universe appeals to you, this year will be particularly rich, with the concomitant release of Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, also in 2D. Developed by Spanish studio The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous) and published by French outfit Dotemu (TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Streets of Rage 4), it promises to be another serious contender in the genre.