Every family has one - the Black Sheep. It's that one member that doesn't quite fit in. That guy that never gets an invitation to the family reunion. Join me as I explore some of video gaming's most notorious outcasts. This is Black Sheep!


Okay, here's what we know for sure: This is the first Shinobi and this, well, this is obviously Shinobi III. I don't believe any of that is in dispute. But what about Shinobi 2? Well that is a whole other matter entirely. Some people will argue that the true sequel is Shadow Dancer, the arcade follow-up that added one of those Call of Duty dogs to the cast. Others dismiss this claim entirely, instead choosing to believe that The Revenge of Shinobi is the real sequel. They make a good argument; it does have Shinobi right in the title.

But here's the thing, both sides have it wrong. Neither of those action games are the true sequel to Shinobi. The real sequel is none other than The Cyber Shinobi, which sees Joe Musashi's grandson fighting technologically enhanced ninjas in the far flung future of 2XXX. How do I know The Cyber Shinobi is the true sequel? Because of the three contenders, it's the only one that actually claims to be Shinobi Part II.

But despite being the real sequel, Joe and his cyber posse get no respect. It's hard to be a ninja in the future, what with all of the drones, NSA spying program and Obamacare. Thankfully Joe has learned a new technique; one slash of his sword will instantly burn his foes, literally turning them into ashes. He'll need every advantage he can get when battling futuristic vehicles like a bulldozer, helicopter, submarine and this bear.

Of course, the real reason Sega refuses to acknowledge this sequel is because it spoils the ending of Shinobi III and all future Joe Musashi adventures. This Master System game suggests that Joe lived long enough to father at least one child, which means I don't even need to bother playing Shinobi III. Thanks for nothing, Sega.

You're better off just playing Revenge of Shinobi or Shadow Dancer, two far superior Shinobi sequels. But for Joe Musashi's honor, it's time for Sega to invite The Cyber Shinobi back to the party. No, not that Joe Musashi, this other one. The future one. Oh forget it, you know what I mean.