SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance is a hand-drawn 2D action platformer centred on the ninja Joe Musashi. After his village is destroyed and his clan is turned to stone, he fights through dangerous locations to find those responsible. The journey combines fast combat with jumping sections, hidden paths and abilities that open up new areas.

Behind the game are SEGA and the French studio Lizardcube, which previously worked on Streets of Rage 4. The reinterpretation relies on original animations, a modern combat system and the traditional core of the SHINOBI series. It is a single-player adventure.

SEGA released the game on Aug 29, 2025 for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, as well as PC. The international Steam listing shows Aug 28, 2025 due to its store date. Early access through certain editions is not a separate platform launch.

On Apr 3, 2026, the major expansion SEGA Villains Stage followed, with additional bosses and levels. The standalone native Nintendo Switch 2 version released on Sep 24, 2026. It is not merely a Switch product played on the newer console through backward compatibility.

The base game is available natively for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The six original platforms launched in 2025. The Switch 2 edition, released later, has its own product listing and a separate release date.

SEGA and Nintendo list, among other things, a higher resolution of up to 1080p in handheld mode for the Switch 2 version. The gameplay remains the same. Console generations are listed separately here, because an original Switch game playable on Switch 2 does not automatically replace the native Switch 2 release.

Joe Musashi fights with fast sword strikes, kunai and supernatural ninja techniques. Attacks can be linked into combos, while dodging and precise jumps determine success in the side-view sections. The levels combine combat, platforming puzzles and hidden secrets.

Amulets improve abilities. New Ningi tools make additional paths accessible, so revisiting earlier locations is worthwhile. This movement and exploration mechanic adds long-term progression to the direct arcade combat.

SEGA Villains Stage released as a major expansion for the main game on Apr 3, 2026. Joe Musashi fights three characters from other SEGA series here: Death Adder from Golden Axe, Goro Majima from Like a Dragon and Dr. Eggman from Sonic. Five new levels take on the respective game worlds.

The DLC also adds two boss rush variants, three Ninpo techniques, three outfits and six new music tracks. It is included in the Digital Deluxe Edition and is also sold separately. The free update released at the same time added, among other things, a permanently playable Hardcore mode.

The Windows version requires at least Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 or AMD Phenom II X3 720, 6 GB RAM and 20 GB storage. Steam lists graphics cards including GeForce GT 730 or Radeon R7 240. With this setup, the target is 1080p at 30 frames per second.

Recommended are an Intel Core i5-2300 or AMD FX-4350, 8 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 650 Ti or Radeon HD 7770. The official target rises to 1080p at 60 frames per second. Both profiles list DirectX 11.

Joe Musashi returns to his village and discovers that it has been burned down. His clan has been turned to stone. From this starting point, the story leads him into various hostile territories, where he hunts down those responsible for the devastation and faces powerful enemies.

The story serves as a thread running through the journey, while combat and exploration shape the flow. The settings range from militarised facilities to barren landscapes. The conflict is not told as an online campaign but in a sequence of sections built for single players.

Joe's main weapon is the Oborozuki katana. Its blade attacks are designed for close combat, while kunai can hit enemies at range. The combination of melee and ranged combat can be used during fast movement.

The sequence of actions is key: if you chain attacks and position yourself well, you can build longer combos. This way, equipment and your own movement form a cohesive combat system instead of separate game modes.

Alongside ordinary weapons, Joe Musashi uses supernatural Ninjutsu and Ninpo techniques. They expand combat options, especially where direct sword strikes are not enough. These skills complement the arsenal rather than replacing the fast side-view action.

The SEGA Villains Stage DLC adds three additional variants to the available Ninpo techniques. This also changes the possible combinations in combat over the long term. The abilities are part of the game system and are not just cosmetic extras.

Ningi are tools that Joe uses to overcome obstacles and discover new paths in the game world. Unlike combat attacks, they are mainly for movement and exploration. As a result, some branches are initially inaccessible and only become reachable after progress in your abilities.

Levels are therefore not designed exclusively as straight stretches. If you want to uncover hidden secrets, you can return to areas you already know with the right equipment. This structure combines linear action with a targeted search for additional paths.

With amulets, you can change or improve Joe's abilities. They complement the moves and attacks you have learned and allow different focuses in combat. Whether a section is easier with a certain combination also depends on the enemies and obstacles.

The customisation remains part of single-player progression. Amulets are not a separate multiplayer mode and are not equated with the cosmetic extra gear included in the Digital Deluxe Edition.

The journey runs through more than twelve different game sections. These include military facilities and desert areas, which differ both visually and in their obstacles. Platforming passages, enemy groups and hidden paths are built into each environment.

Lizardcube's hand-drawn style applies equally to characters and backdrops. Animations make Joe's movements and attacks easy to read, while the environments and enemies shape the game's pace. The levels therefore serve as more than just changing backgrounds.

On Sep 24, 2026, a native Nintendo Switch 2 version was released. Nintendo lists it as a separate game for the new console with its own release date. It should therefore be distinguished from the Nintendo Switch version released in 2025.

For the newer version, the publisher especially highlights the higher resolution in handheld mode and cites 1080p. The core combat, level and exploration systems remain part of the same game. Nintendo also offers a Digital Deluxe Edition with the corresponding additional content.

Since the free update on Apr 3, 2026, there is an additional Hardcore mode. SEGA introduced it together with the paid expansion SEGA Villains Stage. The higher challenge is one of the long-term game modes of the base game and not a time-limited event.

The update also brought changes to the combat system and improvements to displays and cards. Individual balance changes are not listed here as permanent new content, but the standalone additional difficulty variant is.

The Standard Edition includes the main game. The Digital Deluxe Edition adds extra content: the Starter Pack with outfit, amulet and in-game currency, the SEGA Villains Stage expansion, and a digital artbook with soundtrack. If you already own the base game, you can also buy the larger expansion separately.

Editions are sales bundles, not standalone narrative sequels. Some of the digital content changes Joe's appearance or equipment. The separate SEGA Villains DLC, by contrast, adds further playable stages, boss fights and Ninpo techniques.

The Steam version offers, among other things, German interface and German subtitles. Other options include English, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish and more. Steam lists English and Japanese as full voice audio, not German.

The Nintendo Switch 2 product page also lists German as a supported language. Language options should therefore be separated from platform availability. That a game offers German text does not automatically mean that all dialogue is dubbed in German.

The Steam listing marks several permanent control options: adjustable difficulty, alternative colour display, separate volume sliders and a keyboard-only control option. It also states that the game can be played without time-critical input.

These store features apply to the PC version offered there. No identical accessibility commitments are derived from them for other platforms. According to Steam and Nintendo, the game remains designed for one player and does not require a competitive online mode.