Alex Kidd in Shinobi World
Shinobi World's Western Packaging
Developer(s)	Sega
Publisher(s)	Sega
Series	Alex Kidd series
Platform(s)	Sega Master System, Virtual Console
Release date(s)	Sega Master System NA 1990 EU August 1990 Virtual Console NA TBA PAL December 11, 2009
Genre(s)	Platform
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: E PEGI: 12
Media	Cartridge

Alex Kidd in Shinobi World is a video game developed by Sega.

The final title to be released in the Alex Kidd Series, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World is a parody of the Sega game Shinobi. It features Alex Kidd and was released in 1990 for the Sega Master System. As the title suggests, Alex Kidd is essentially thrust into the hero's role in a Shinobi game. Alex Kidd's abilities in this game are different from his other games, besides jumping.

In the game, Alex Kidd has to rescue his girlfriend, a native of Shinobi World, from an evil ninja named Hanzo. A good ninja fuses into him and gives him his powers.

Despite its Japanese look, feel and origin, Sega never released Alex Kidd in Shinobi World in Japan.

[edit] Rounds

Alex Kidd in Shinobi World contains 4 rounds:

• Round 1: Kabuto

• Round 2: Raid of the Helicopters

• Round 3: The Jungle

• Round 4: The Battle with the Dark Ninja

[edit] Shinobi Kid (original / working title)

In 2007, images and articles began to surface on the internet, that like Alex Kidd: High-Tech World, Alex Kidd was not originally intended to be the star of the game. Rather, the game was initially devised to be a 'cute' parody of Shinobi, in a similar vein to Kid Dracula was to Castlevania and Parodius was to Gradius.

An article from Issue Four of "S: The Sega Magazine" (March 1990) printed the following article about Shinobi Kid:

The Game's Title Screen.

Along with the price reduction, Sega announced that there will continue to be new titles released for the Master System, and many were on display. As well as games already featured in S there were new up-and-coming titles such as Ultima IV, Golfamania, Shinobi Kid, Assault City, Slapshot plus Super Monaco GP and Simple Fighter (both announced but not shown) and R.C. Grand Prix from Absolute Entertainment, although none of the previous third party licenses (Activision, Parker Brothers, Epyx) plan to release new titles for the Master System.

Of these, Shinobi Kid was about the best. The tune is from Shinobi, but the Character is a small kid. He has some of the same moves and a new power: instead of walking through the screens, he can grab the occasional lamp pole or bar and start spinning faster and faster around it. Pushing the button releases him and he flies across several screens, knocking out any bad guys along the way. The screen scrolls horizontally and sometimes vertically downward into a maze and then back up to ground level. At the end of each level, after he rescues all the tied-up hostages, he must fight the end-of-level boss. One is called Mari-Oh (as a sideswipe at Ni****do's Mario character). Defeat Mari-Oh and he shrinks down in size and disappears.

[edit] Differences

Shinobi Kid with Original Level 1 Boss "Mari-Oh"

Shinobi Kid Screenshot.

There are some noticeable differences made during development, The first boss, Kabuto, was originally going to be named Mari-Oh, as a parody of the Nintendo character Mario ("Oh" in Japanese meaning, "King", King Mari) mixed with Shinobi's first boss, Ken-Oh, who he appears to have a similar attack. Despite the name not going through, Kabuto still shares many of his would-be counterpart's qualities; his main attack is shooting fireballs, and he shrinks after taking a certain amount of damage.

None of the original Shinobi Kid sprites remain in the Alex Kidd in Shinobi World ROM. But, besides the sprite character changes and some graphical alterations to the first level, the early and final games appear to be identical.

[edit] External links

• Alex Kidd in Shinobi World at MobyGames
• Alex Kidd in Shinobi World at GameFAQs