Shinobi

56 Games like Shinobi that you should try

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Shinobi is hard to replace: few games combine deep RPG systems and single-player focus in quite the same way. We analyzed over 2,000 titles across 6 gameplay attributes and found 56 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Below Kryll and Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia lead the list, with Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow reaching a 92/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Shinobi special.

iRank63/ 100

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GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

Tags

SoloMultiplayer

Year 1987Dev Team Shinobi

Quick answer

The closest game to Shinobi is Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow — scoring 92/100 on our similarity scale. Below Kryll and Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia follow close behind.

#1Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow92 #2Below Kryll92 #3Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia92 #4Dragon's Crown92 #5Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories92

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Games like Shinobi

56 similar games found

#1Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

92

iRank90

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMagicMelee

IGDB90· 3

Year 2005Dev Konami

✓ Shared with Shinobi: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, Metroidvania exploration and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping action RPG combat

92

iRank89

Below Kryll

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMeleeOpen World

Steam👍 89%· 105

Year 2015Dev Team KryllPlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, open world exploration and melee combat, while skipping action RPG combat

#3Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

92

iRank88

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMagicMelee

IGDB88· 1

Year 2008Dev Konami

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: precision platforming, Metroidvania exploration and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping action RPG combat

#4Dragon's Crown

92

iRank81

Dragon's Crown

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMagicMelee

IGDB81· 11

Year 2013Dev Vanillaware · Nippon Ichi SoftwareOn PlayStation 3

✓ If you enjoyed Shinobi, expect deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: combat magic, melee combat and ranged combat, while skipping adventure storytelling

#5Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

92

iRank80

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMagicMelee

IGDB80· 1

Year 2004Dev Jupiter Corporation · Nintendo

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Its own twist: turn-based strategy, combat magic and melee combat, while skipping action RPG combat

#6Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

92

iRank80

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMagicMelee

IGDB80· 3

Year 2006Dev Konami

✓ If you enjoyed Shinobi, expect deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, Metroidvania exploration and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping action RPG combat

92

iRank76

Apotheon

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMeleeRanged

Steam👍 90%· 3.8KRAWG👍 47%· 329MC78IGDB85· 4OC78· 30

Year 2015Dev AlientrapPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with Metroidvania exploration, precision platforming and strong narrative focus

#8The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile

86

iRank93

The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DCo-opMelee

Steam👍 95%· 1.8KIGDB88· 4

Year 2017Dev Ska StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ If you enjoyed Shinobi, expect deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: fighting mechanics, horror tension and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping adventure storytelling

#9Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

86

iRank88

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DCo-opMelee

Steam👍 93%· 41KIGDB83· 11OC83· 135

Year 2019Dev ArtPlay · 505 GamesOn PS4 · PC · iOS

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: Metroidvania exploration, precision platforming and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping action RPG combat

#10Super Castlevania IV

83

iRank100

Super Castlevania IV

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

Solo2DDarkNarrativeHorror

IGDB100· 1

Year 1991Dev Konami

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: precision platforming, dark, oppressive atmosphere and strong narrative focus, while skipping adventure storytelling

#11Clicker Heroes

92

iRank63

Clicker Heroes

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DMeleeCasual

Steam👍 90%· 62KRAWG👍 23%· 592

Year 2015Dev PlaysaurusPlaytime ~9hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Shared with Shinobi: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, vibe casual and melee combat, while skipping action RPG combat

#12Child of Light

85

iRank88

Child of Light

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

SoloMultiplayer2DCo-opOffline

Steam👍 91%· 13KIGDB88· 14OC83· 88

Year 2014Dev Ubisoft Montreal · Ubisoft EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, turn-based strategy and strong narrative focus, while skipping action RPG combat

83

iRank94

Comix Zone

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

Solo2DMeleeMagicHardcore

Steam👍 94%· 18

Year 1995Dev Sega Technical Institute · Tec ToyOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · Android

✓ Like Shinobi, it's known for deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, fighting mechanics and punishing difficulty, while skipping adventure storytelling

#14ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist

83

iRank91

ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

Solo2DMeleeDarkHardcore

Steam👍 95%· 18KIGDB90· 2OC86· 68

Year 2025Dev Live Wire · Binary Haze InteractivePlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Shared with Shinobi: deep RPG systems, action RPG combat and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with Metroidvania exploration, precision platforming and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping multiplayer gameplay

#15SteamWorld Heist

83

iRank90

SteamWorld Heist

GenreRPGSubgenreAction RPG

Solo2DMeleeTacticalSci-Fi

Steam👍 94%· 6.2KIGDB88· 12OC86· 63

Year 2015Dev Image & FormOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ If you enjoyed Shinobi, expect deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, melee combat and combat tactical, while skipping action RPG combat

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to Shinobi?: The closest game to Shinobi is Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, scoring 92/100 on our similarity scale. They share 5 gameplay attributes, including deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like Shinobi?: The three closest games to Shinobi are: 1. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (92/100, 5 shared attributes) 2. Below Kryll (92/100, 5 shared attributes) 3. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (92/100, 5 shared attributes). All share Shinobi's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 56 candidates across 6 dimensions.
Is Below Kryll similar to Shinobi?: Yes, very much so — Below Kryll scores 92/100 similarity to Shinobi. They share 5 attributes, including deep RPG systems and adventure storytelling. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What RPG games are similar to Shinobi?: The best RPG games similar to Shinobi are Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Below Kryll, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia and Dragon's Crown. All share the RPG genre alongside other key Shinobi attributes like deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and single-player focus.
How is similarity to Shinobi calculated?: We compare Shinobi against every game in our catalog using 6 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Shinobi experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.
Are there free games similar to Shinobi?: Yes — Clicker Heroes is free and scores well on similarity to Shinobi. It's a great way to test whether the play style clicks before investing in other paid titles.