Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master on?
- Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master was released on Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac.
- When did Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master release?
- Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master was first released on July 22, 1993.
About Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master, released as The Super Shinobi II in Japan, is the fourth game in the Shinobi series and a direct sequel to The Revenge of Shinobi.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Linux, Wii, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
- Developer
- Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
- Publisher
- Tec Toy
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action
- Series
- Shinobi
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Genesis | 1993 | $30 | $76 | $364 | 14 reviews | Medium |
Also released on: Linux · Wii · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · PC (Microsoft Windows) · Mac. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $66 | $163 | — |
| Japanese release (Super Shinobi II) | $96 | $193 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about 2 times a week
- Complete: about 2 times a week
- Sealed: about 3 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $4.25 in Jan 2008, $30 five years ago, and $30 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $4.25 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $9.00 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $10.39 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $4.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $6.44 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $6.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $10.00 | $22 |
| Jan 2015 | $10.00 | $20 |
| Jan 2016 | $14.74 | $28 |
| Jan 2017 | $13.50 | $30 |
| Jan 2018 | $13.25 | $29 |
| Jan 2019 | $14.20 | $33 |
| Jan 2020 | $14.99 | $41 |
| Jan 2021 | $23 | $48 |
| Jan 2022 | $30 | $71 |
| Jan 2023 | $25 | $61 |
| Jan 2024 | $24 | $69 |
| Jan 2025 | $30 | $79 |
| Jan 2026 | $30 | $68 |
| Oct 2026 | $30 | $76 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number | Barcode | Known board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | September 1993 | 1136 | 010086011364 | 171-5978BA |
| Europe / PAL | September 1993 | 670-2867 | — | 171-5978B |
| Japan | 23 July 1993 | — | — | — |
- Region
- NA+EU+JP
- Released
- 1993
- Authenticity
- Med
One of the best action games on the Genesis, and a pricey cart that costs far more outside North America.
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master is a Sega action platformer and the direct sequel to The Revenge of Shinobi. The Japanese Mega Drive release, The Super Shinobi II, came first on 23 July 1993, with North America and Europe both following in September 1993.
It has been ranked well in retrospectives: Retro Gamer included it among its top ten Mega Drive games, and in 2023 both Nintendo Life and GameSpot placed it among their top 15.
What the press said at the time
| GamePro Issue 49 | August 1993 | Graphics 5.0, Sound 4.5, Control 4.5, FunFactor 5.0 |
| MegaTech Issue 23 | November 1993 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 26 | February 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 27 | March 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 30 | June 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 33 | September 1994 | 93% |
| MegaTech Issue 34 | October 1994 | 93% |
| GameRankings (aggregate) | 85% (Genesis) / 61% (iOS) | |
| Metacritic (aggregate) | 62/100 (iOS) | |
| Computer and Video Games | 84% (Mega Drive) | |
| Eurogamer | 8/10 (Mega Drive) | |
| GameSpot | 7/10 (Genesis) | |
| IGN | 8/10 (Genesis) / 6.5/10 (iOS) | |
| Power Unlimited | 90% (Mega Drive) |
“Compared to the bulk of Megadrive games it’s undeniably pretty damn good and should definitely be on the post-Christmas shop¬ ping list”
“Overall it is certainly one of the best games to come from Sega in quite a while. It’s got everything that a platform game nutter could want.”
“Just when you were getting bored with similar-looking-and-playing action games, along comes Joe Musashi to shake things up. Mind-blowing backgrounds, great new moves, a horse-riding sequence, and hot music push the Genesis to the max.”
“Great, fast-paced action, brilliant graphics and sound and a few new tricks up Mushashi's sleeve make this a must for action fans.”
Undated scores are from the review table in the game's Wikipedia article, limited to reviews of the Genesis version.
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits well above the middle. The European cart usually costs about twice as much as the US one, and the Japanese Super Shinobi II cart usually costs much more again and has a different cartridge shape. It is valuable enough to check carefully: compare it with the board listed on this page, and treat a flat Western-style shell with a notch as a warning sign.
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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