The first of an incoming wave of SEGA revival projects, Shinobi Art of Vengeance dashed across the scene in 2025. Joe Musashi created impressive ninja magic in reviving his franchise with breathtaking hand-drawn visuals, an amazing combat system, and strong platforming mechanics.
But soon after its launch, SEGA and developer Lizardcube returned to the battlefield with a lengthy DLC adventure, pitting Joe against legendary SEGA villains. Does this DLC offer another round of ninja magic? Or is it a dulled blade?
After finishing the DLC, I immensely enjoyed returning to Art of Vengeance and fighting against legendary SEGA characters.
Publisher/Developer: SEGA/Lizardcube
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam (PC)
Price: $9.99 (or $11.99 in the Deluxe Upgrade Pack)
Release Date: April 3rd, 2026
Reviewed On PC (Steam)
What is Shinobi Art of Vengeance?
We reviewed Joe Musashi’s latest adventure, here at Lords of Gaming, by none other than Subeg Dhaliwal. He said the following on this exciting 2D hand-drawn classic.
Art of Vengeance is a triumphant return for the series. Leveling up the formula with excellent traversal and combat. Its richly layered, hand-drawn backgrounds are as inviting as they are detailed. Lizardcube has modernized the series while honoring its 1987 roots, forging a fresh path for Joe Musashi that respects the lessons and legacy of their peers and predecessors. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is sharp, fluid, and pure, and a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern design.
In addition, the Iron Lords teamed up to discuss what makes this title so special. You can watch their lengthy video review below.
Fighting Through the AGES – SEGA Villians DLC Content
The SEGA Villians DLC is composed of three worlds, each based on iconic SEGA worlds, which unlock after you unlock the Kaiju stage.
From the wartorn world of Golden Axe, the crystallized Tokyo-inspired dimension of Yazkua, and the iconic green hills of Sonic the Hedgehog, Joe has his work cut out for him.
While the Sonic the Hedgehog part of the experience is just a boss fight against Eggman, the Golden Axe and Yakuza dimensions have Joe running through challenging platforming gauntlets leading up to some intense boss encounters.
Upon completing each dimension, Joe gets access to a new skin based on the villain he just defeated, alongside a new Ninpo art to pull off.
Boss Rush Modes & Free Update
Alongside new costumes and Ninpo magic arts, two Boss Rush modes are included as well, letting you take on the SEGA Villians and main-game bosses in an intense boss rush.
In addition, a free update will go live alongside the DLC release, containing the following:
- Addition of a new “Hardcore” Mode
- Combat System Settings (hit stop, hit flash, camera shake, character outlines)
- Map Display Feature (enlarged)
- Tutorial Display Feature (now viewable through Settings menu)
A Golden Axe – Death Adder Stages
Kicking off my adventure was the Golden Axe world, containing two stages. This was my first time playing Shinobi in a while, so getting used to the combat and platforming controls took a minute. But once I got into my groove again, I loved every moment of these two stages.
The visuals looked great, having a wartorn background filled with small details from the Golden Axe games to keep things fresh. However, the fighting against the Death Adder was brutal.
He has clear tells for many of his attacks, so it’s more of a matter of you timing your perfect dodges and using Ninpo arts and Ninja Magic at the right moments. Even after dying more times than I could count, I felt like a million bucks after defeating him.
What made the fight all the more enjoyable was the attention to detail. All of Death Adder’s attacks had impact, looked stunning, and the second phase made effective use of fire to highlight just how dangerous he was.
The Mad Dog – Goro Majima Stages
My favorite stages had to be here in the Yakzua world. The neon-lit city is saved for Goro’s arena, while the lead-up to it takes place in a floating crystal abyss with signs and other references to Yakuza/Like a Dragon scattered throughout.
What took me by surprise was the platforming challenges, as these levels have you strike a crystal with your blade to create a platform for a short time. And this extended to some of the combat arenas, where you had to hit these floating objects to attack foes out of reach.
This gimmick, combined with your gliding and the Ori-esc hookshot ability, made the platforming so much fun. But the fight with Goro himself was by far my favorite part of the experience.
Goro Majima Boss
This stood out Goro Majima and Joe Musashi are equally tall, feeling like a proper duel between warriors. What I loved the most about the fight was how personal this felt because of this detail. The neon-lit streets were a perfect backdrop for phase one of the fight.
From dodging throwing knives, dashing away from clones at the right moment, and the entirety of the second phase, this fight will stick with me. More so from the music, as it sounded fantastic and really amped up the fight’s energy.
Faded Hills – Dr. Eggman Boss
Capping off the DLC is a boss fight against none other than Sonic’s Dr. Eggman. The arena takes place in two iconic Sonic zones, with both lovingly adapted into the hand-drawn style of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance.
There’s no proper lead-up to the boss, like the other worlds. Running through a hand-drawn version of locations from Sonic 1 or Sonic 2 would’ve been perfect. That being said, seeing Green Hill and Chemical Plant in this art style makes me want to see Lizardcube make a Sonic project one day.
As for the Eggman fight itself, it starts with the good doctor flying in his Egg Mobile, using attacks from Sonic 1 like the iconic chainsaw and more to attack Joe. But after defeating Eggman, the battle continues in the Chemical Plant zone, where Phase 2 begins.
Death Ninja Robot – Eggman Boss Phase 2
But in classic Eggman fashion, he has another trick up his sleeve. Piloting a themed Ninja robot, one of the hardest bosses I’ve faced in a long time is undertaken.
Mastery of Joe’s dodging, skillful resource management with Ninja Magic and Ninpo arts, and effective use of your kunai are the only ways to victory. This being the hardest of the boss encounters in the DLC is fitting. Sonic may have an easy time dealing with Eggman.
But for other characters? He’s the final boss. He’s no joke, and Joe struggling to defeat him is thematically perfect in my book and a great way to celebrate the Sonic series on its 35th Anniversary.
Closing Thoughts on the Shinobi Art of Vengeance – Villains DLC
After spending well over three hours with this DLC content, I loved my time with it. It reminded me why Art of Vengeance is one of 2025’s best games, and that quality continues with this lengthy DLC. For $10, this is a must-own for those longing for a real challenge.
Score – 8.5 out of 10
DLC Content was provided by the publisher for this review.
Pros:
- A lot of content within the five new stages
- All three boss encounters are fun and demand mastery of the game’s mechanics
- Unlockable Nipo Arts and Costumes are great bonuses
- Stages and Music are strong like the base game
Cons:
- The Sonic world only has one boss encounter, no lead-up stages
