It was a sequel/not a sequel to Sega's popular Shinobi arcade game. Adding more gameplay variety, better graphics, and a K9 companion, this challenging action game was a reminder that Sega made games with the best of 'em.
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Episode Notes:
1. The original arcade game doesn't connect Shadow Dancer to Shinobi directly. Only the arcade flyer for the US market mentions "Shinobi Returns", but nothing else.
2. The Master System version omits the dog during active gameplay. You must duck and wait for the magic icon to change to the dog before selecting him, which then acts as a way "summon" the dog to attack. You also can't use your magic during boss fights in the SMS version.
3. The Genesis version changes the appearance of just about everything in the game. I prefer the look of the main character of the Genesis game.
4. The gameplay captured here is via MAME, which is fairly accurate outside of some small graphical glitches.
5. The story sees radical changes in the home versions. The SMS games gives the main character two names and the terrorists are called Asian Dawn. The Genesis game directly names the hero as Joe Musashi from Shinobi, avenging the death of a student at the hands of a new terror group. The Japanese Mega Drive version changes even that story, with the hero instead Joe Musashi's son, Hayate.