Talk:The Revenge of Shinobi (1989 video game)

Overhaul

Gave the page a major overhaul today, adding info and stuff. The explanation to each ninjitsu technique I actually wrote earlier in the Shinobi 3 article, so I just copy-pasted it and used it again here. If anyone wants to rewrite it a little you're welcome. Also, the stages could use some expansion, but I'm not very enthusiastic to do it myself right now so I'd be happy if someone else wrote it out for me. --Steerpike 22:09, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Different Versions

There's some kind of problem with the list of versions given here. I can tell you that years ago I bought the normal US cartridge version of the game (not the "re-release" version) and it had a copyright credit for Spider-Man before the title screen. Godzilla still looked like Godzilla (more or less) but there was no copyright mentioned. Batman wasn't there, it was the bat-like man. So I'll make a slight edit pending someone with better info correcting the list. --Do Not Talk About Feitclub (contributions) 14:04, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

I owned a copy of the game from when it was first released in the US, and it had, in the manual, proper trademark notices for Spider-Man. Batman was in the game, but not mentioned in the manual. I just don't know how in the world to find a cite so I can update the article. I don't have the manual anymore, it was destroyed when my friend's cat urinated on it. However, it's worth noting that in the same time frame, Sega had a licence from Marvel to make the Spider-Man game for the Genesis, so common sense at least would indicate Marvel wasn't upset about it.

Actually, upon closer inspection, the "Versions" section of the article seems to disagree with the info in the "Stages" section of the article by stating "Use of the boss Spider-Man was licensed", and other than the name of the characters, it's not really pertinant to the Stages section, so I suppose I'll leave the Versions alone info and just remove the off topic stuff from stages.70.225.216.76 04:35, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

I also was going to say something. I had a PAL version purchased circa 92, it had Spiderman (including the copyright credit), but Batman and Godzilla had been modified. However it also had the alternate "bad" ending, including a different endng BGM. This permutation doesn't match up with those listed here. Also although it was the PAL version, it featured shurikens and not knives as stated. Onkeh (talk) 21:48, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Release Date Ambiguity/Error

How did the game come out in 1988 if it was one of the flagship titles for the new Sega Genesis in 1989? I'll make a small edit but someone needs to clear that up. --Do Not Talk About Feitclub (contributions) 14:24, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

The Sega Genesis was already released in Japan by 1988, with The Revenge of Shinobi practically alongside it. When the console came out a year later in North America, so did The Revenge of Shinobi. Simple as that. :) --Steerpike 15:11, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

The official Japanese Sega website lists the date as December 2, 1989 (see [1]), as do various other sources. I'm changing the year until there is evidence to the contrary. --Jacquismo 02:58, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

Can you read Japanese? I see two dates mentioned in that article. 1988 *and* 1989. This site [2] also says it 1989 so it's probably right though. --Steerpike 11:13, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

Huh... The one I had growing up, I always thought that guy was Devilman... I remember making fun of my mother for saying it was Batman, because he was flying aroudn and controlling bats. I didn't know it had actually been Batman at one point. Does anyone else see a resemblance to the Go Nagai Manga character? 71.171.96.223 04:28, 5 July 2007 (UTC)Steve

Is this turning into a GameFAQ?

Not to be a conservative fart, and I realize this applies to other articles(goldeneye I'm looking at you) but is Wikipedia getting a little too detailed about video games? Isn't that what video game sites exist for? I thought I was already pushing the boundaries of encyclopedias by putting this article up. If people want to know about the freakin ninjitsu they have the manual, countless video game sites and GameFAQ's. I could understand putting the introductory storyline if it was realy good, but it's a standard insipid plot if you can even call it that. And people do not need to know about the freakin bonus crates or what each godamn stage in the game is. Krymson 14:07, 3 April 2006 (UTC)

Yes and no. This particular article, as it stands, is somewhat FAQ-esque and could stand something of a trim. But, for example, Super Mario 64 (which is a Featured Article) has an extensive section describing the various stages.

Most game articles do start out very FAQ-esque, simply because that's what writers/players have immediate knowledge about. That doesn't mean the article is bad or unencyclopediac, it just means there's something of a bias that needs to be curbed every once in a while. Nifboy 17:41, 3 April 2006 (UTC)

Actually the info on the bonus crates was a little more detailed back when I wrote it. You're probably right it doesn't *really* belong in this article though. HOWEVER, you will have noticed I reverted your edits and that's for a couple of reasons. First of all, I don't think detailed video game articles are less worthy to be included on Wikipedia, or less encyclopedic than for example a detailed article on a book. Let me make clear that I'm against *extensive* descriptions of plot, gameplay or levels (we have, of course, Wikibooks for that) but that doesn't mean they are entirely unuseful. When I write a video game article I start with the assumption that the person who will be reading it has no knowledge of the game. So yes, I think they might be interested to know what the storyline is and how the most important aspects of the game work.

But what's perhaps equally important to me, is that by including a little more details on this article, other Shinobi articles can build on it without much further explanation. The Revenge of Shinobi was a milestone in the Shinobi series, introducing all the familiar elements that would became a staple of the other games. This includes the Ninjitsu techniques so yes it's worthwhile to include them. Well maybe the part of the bonus crates could be trimmed (or cut out) and the plotline a bit rewritten. But for the rest I was fairly happy with this article. It wasn't that long really. --Steerpike 09:51, 4 April 2006 (UTC)

Detail is one thing. Exactly what gets detailed and how it is detailed are two entirely different matters. The game's plot is ripped straight from the game manual. If you must, at least rip off the description of the exact same events as described in the Shinobi series article; the latter is at least in summary style and not, you know, copyrighted (we like not stretching fair use). Specifics of gameplay (using A button, Ikazuchi takes four hits, etc) are FAQ-esque and basically not kosher for game articles; as the Gaming project states, "if the content only has value to people actually playing the game, it's unsuitable." Nifboy 06:22, 5 April 2006 (UTC)

Yes well the button combinations should have been left out. And the plot could do with a rewrite. I'll try and fix it in the near future. --Steerpike 14:27, 5 April 2006 (UTC)

Detroit?

Last time I checked, Detroit was not located in the West Coast. Chief of Naval Operations (talk) 13:24, 28 November 2009 (UTC)

Looks like it's Seattle. 184.96.219.82 (talk) 16:36, 17 September 2010 (UTC)