All: Amiga ColecoVision CPC Game Gear Intellivision MO5 MAME Master System MSX 1 MSX 2 MTX NeoGeo NeoGeo Pocket Nintendo Oric PCE Raine Sam Coupe Sega Genesis Super Nintendo Tandy Color Vectrex Watara Wonderswan
Bookmark us
Sega brings the arcade home yet again with Shadow Dancer. At first glance, the game looks incredible. The scrolling backgrounds and vivid detail really draw you into the action. The music score was as equally impressive. With most cartridge titles, balancing the right amount of memory between graphics and sound has always been a challenge. Sega does it beautifully in this game. Based on the stage, the score goes from jazzy to techno (my favorite is the score from the first stage). Also, there were other aspects of the game I really enjoyed
The term AI has been around for quite some time. It is often used when describing the cleaver programming code that gives life to the sprites (characters) in the game. The AI in Shadow Dancer is demonstrated quite well in the way the characters react to your playing style. For instance, shield – wielding thugs will actually change up their attack patterns to throw you off. Ninjas come at you from all angles but only the red ones will use the somersault attack. The interaction can be so intense; I can remember feeling as though the characters were communicating with each other and taunting me right through the TV screen.
Sega proved you can bring the arcade home with titles like Shadow Dancer. Great graphics, score and challenging game play are the elements notably lacking in most arcade/home conversions. Shadow Dancer is the glaring exception to that generalization. As a fan, I would have liked to have seen Sega survive the console wars; perhaps Sega has survived in the hearts and minds of those who continue to acknowledge the company for its many great works.
Give it a go and definitely try playing the game in "no shuirken" mode!
← Go Back
