With SEGA on the rise, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was one of the first major hits reviving the company’s dormant IP. After critical acclaim at launch and with strong post-launch DLC, Joe’s Ninja Magic is making its way to Nintendo Switch 2.
After spending some time with the Switch 2 Edition, here are my thoughts on Lizardcube’s 2025 hidden gem.
What is Shinobi: Art of Vengeance?
The game follows Joe Musashi as he slashes and jumps his way to revenge against Lord Ruse and ENE-Corp. They took down his fallen Oboro clan, fueling the Ninja Master’s drive to accomplish his mission. That mission involves tight platforming, challenging boss encounters, and some of the best hand-drawn visuals of the generation.
Our very own Subeg Dhaliwal reviewed this 2025 gem, saying the following:
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.
The Iron Lords also had glowing praise for the 2D action/platformer, with all the Lords enjoying different aspects of Joe’s latest adventure.
But Joe’s adventure didn’t conclude with the enjoyable main campaign. Later, after launch, SEGA and Lizardcube teamed up once more to deliver the fantastic SEGA Villians DLC. I reviewed that content and loved the challenging boss encounters and how it highlights the game’s core combat systems.
With the game out now on Switch 2, what extra features does the title offer on Nintendo’s latest hybrid console?
Painterly Strokes – Visuals/Performance on Switch 2
The main addition for the Switch 2 version is upgraded visuals, maintaining the original Switch releases’ 60 FPS target but at much higher resolution. For handheld players, it’s not a major leap forward considering Nintendo’s handheld boost mode enables the Switch 1’s 1080p docked resolution.
But for console players, it’s a crisp 4K resolution, making the visuals pop off TV screens. And considering it’s a native application on Switch 2, it uses less battery life than running the original Switch 1 version in handheld boost mode.
Everything that made the game’s presentation strong in the Switch version is present in this Switch 2 release. However, there’s one tripwire Shinobi: Art of Vengeance runs into coming to Switch 2.
Torn Up Scroll – Lack of an Upgrade Path
Like other Switch 2 releases of other SEGA games, such as Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S and Sonic X Shadow Generations, there isn’t a paid upgrade path option for owners of the Switch version. Thankfully, saves do transfer over, so if you buy the Switch 2 version, you can pick up where you left off.
I hope SEGA considers offering paid upgrades for this and their other titles on Switch 2 in the future.
A Dashing Wolf – Overall Impressions on Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
Revisiting a few stages on Switch 2, it’s clear that the hand-drawn visuals benefit from using a native 1080p or 4K resolution. Everything pops off the screen, making the bold colors and detailed animations shine even more than in the original Switch release.
Revisiting this gem is a delight, with the game’s combat system shining the brightest. Joe’s attacks feel fantastic to pull off, with light attacks feeling fast and heavy attacks hitting like a truck. It takes Lizardcube’s beat ’em-up origins from Streets of Rage 4 and effortlessly weaves them into a 2D platformer.
Alongside the strong combat, it wouldn’t be an impressive SEGA production without good music. And Tee Lopes’s tracks deliver a killer soundtrack to the original Shinobi games, while adding his own flair to a few tracks.
Overall, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance remains one of SEGA’s best releases in recent years, and its arrival on Switch 2 is a nice upgrade over the original game, specifically for those looking for a better Docked Mode experience. Will you get Art of Vengeance on Switch 2? Let us know in the comments below!
The publisher provided a code for these impressions.
