Joe Redifer Posted May 7, 2002 Share Posted May 7, 2002 Shinobi 'Shin Shuriken Jam' This has got to be my favorite of djp's early efforts. I like what he has done here. This is based off of the first stage music in the Sega Master System version of the game. Something to keep in mind is that EVERY SINGLE STAGE in the game had this exact same music, so djp could have easily called it "Shinobi - Last Stage" and it still would have worked (the arcade and PC Engine versions featured about 4 different themes, the arcade had completely different 1st stage music, which Rayza has arranged). This tune is featured in level 1-2 in the arcade... that's the stage with the pictures of Marilyn Monroe hanging on the brick wall. djp takes the theme and makes it jam. It doesn't follow the tune note for note, as he takes the time to make sure he adds just enough funk between the familiar notes. If you have played the game then you need to download this tune. And since you are reading this then you must have at least a moderate interest. Start downloading if you haven't already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamPaladin Posted July 4, 2002 Share Posted July 4, 2002 I like this one. It starts off (and continues with) a very cool melody thingo that goes down then up. This is the centrepiece of the whole tune, down with some Japenese sounding pipe/flute sort of thing, and gives the whole mix a very Japenese flavour. Think of a Jubei from ninja scroll wearing a funky orange bandana, and bopping to the beat and you'll get the idea. Subjective Ninja-Headbanging-O-Meter: 8.898/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario Buu Posted March 31, 2003 Share Posted March 31, 2003 Way to go Djpretzel. I didnt think this song could get much better, but now it jams on my computer, soon to be on disk, making it instantly better. Also, the tune to the song now is much more happy then ninja like then the game had originally had it, but that suits me just fine, as the game makes me happy, and not a ninja. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Wow! That´s very amused! The rhythm is good for the ears and the transformed version of the Shinobi with other instruments is very creative. The flute is pretty and the production is interesting. The style of this stuff remembers the ShInObI gAmEs. djpretzel used pan, pitch and other good resources in your mix. Okay, good job! - SOMEMASHOMO!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerd_Fen Posted December 18, 2005 Share Posted December 18, 2005 If this song isn't a testament to this site's longstanding tradition of quality, I don't know what is. The very first remix ever posted here, and still one of my favorites. Very nice beat to jam/headbob/DJP along to. Quite a lot of panning effects, so your ears don't get bored listening to it. It's techno style, and yet it still sounds distinctly ninja-chinese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 The beatwork could have used some more power, and the flute's a bit mechanically sequenced, but the overall texture is pretty solid, and I really loved the interpretation of the melodic components here. The panning tricks going on during the breakdown in the middle were too extreme, but were used only briefly. A great first mix that illustrates the mission statement and creativity standards of OCR from day 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 So this is where it all started.. The starting thick and slightly dutuned synth is pretty tight, though I think layering it with some sub bass would make it sound even better. The flute is a little too piercing unless i crank the volume way down, and there is a small stutter between transitions between sections, there is a lot of cool stuff happening here. The guitar sample used during the breakdown is perfectly used; VERY SPARINGLY. Just a few chords here and there, with a few effects on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maelkashishi Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 The mix is not outstanding in any respect, but it conveys a good and upbeat feeling. There are a number of weaknesses, such as some sounds being too harsh and a slight lengthyness when regarding the unspectacular middle part and the rather simple background loop. But as a whole, the song is ok nevertheless, as it refrains from any pretence and just wants to be a nice variation on the source tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streets of Rage bum Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 If u guys are wondering why i've been reviewing all these older titles lately...well, i find that there's alot of jems hidden in here that don't get enough attention, partly due to newer OCR members checking out the newer releases + the fact that only the old school gamers would remember the older titles. Speaking of, this jam is pretty damn funky, got the feeling of a ninja just strollin down the streets of chinatown and boppin to this tune. Anyways, great job DJP A few of the mixes here, sound dated due to newer tools and styles, but 8 years later, this piece still holds up in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BomberKid Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 For such an old song, I found ShinShuriken nice to listen to. It had a nice beat going, some variation and the quality instruments didn't bug me that much. I thought more people would have commented on this, or maybe the key to browsing through songs ins't as obvious to everyone else... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonAvenger Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 The song accomplishes what it sets out to do, which is obviously a good thing. Nowadays it's very basic, but that isn't entirely a bad thing. I found the mix to be pretty enjoyable, and worth holding on to. A nice start to it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmiduke Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Jesus, the amount of times I've listened to this. I wish I hadn't messed around with hard-drives and media players throughout the years because I would love to know the playcount for this one. Funnily enough, it was only recently that I realised I played a lot of Shinobi as a kid, but back then I thought it was a Spiderman clone with weird Marilyn Munroe licensing. So I would have been familiar with this tune, if only on a subconscious level. There isn't all that much to say about the mix itself. It does sound dated, but not in a bland way. More of a charming way. It ages gracefully, like something in a museum. The older it is, the more interesting it is, and I don't think OCRemixes get much older than this one. A grand beginning of an era, indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Ah, the song that kicked off OCR! Samples sound old of course, and this song sort of just rambles on in a bit of a repetitive fashion. However...I don't think djp ever envisioned OCR becoming this big back then and lasting for so long. Much props, even if this song doesn't hold so well today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tables Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Immediately catchy, kind of simple but not to the point of ridiculousness that is reached by some of the other early ReMixes *cough*. A little repetitive, but not too much so. The flute was kind of obnoxious but it fit the ninja theme, and doesn't overstay its welcome too long. Neither does the song, for that matter, ending right before it gets old. A perfectly average remix, surprisingly good for the first ever entry for OCR, and the beginning of something wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillRock Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 So, this is the mix that started it all. Not a bad mix by any means, but it does have a few production issues (that piercing flute for starters) Not to mention the really hard panned left section in the middle of the track, which while a nice idea, was lacking in execution. However, its got a great drum beat providing a great rhythmic foundation, and a pretty cool bassline as well. My only other issue is that it gets a bit repetitive towards the end, despite the short length of the remix. A flawed but enjoyable mix nontheless . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crulex Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 For being one of the mixes that started it all, I gotta say that it holds up better than some later mixes. It's catchy as hell and a damn good toe-tapper. Seriously, the beat and the flute worked well together, and although there are a few flaws, they're only minor. OCR has come a long way, but this was a great start for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gario Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Oh boy, track #1. The song that started it all. For what it is (and especially for the time it was released) it's not a bad jam - the style is fun, and the instruments are very fitting. The flute is convincing enough (though on the dry side), and the vanilla synth adds just the right atmosphere to it. The drums have a decent beat, though they're a little too machine-like for my tastes. They also don't change that much, which makes them tiring to listen to after a while. There's a flange in the middle of the track that doesn't rest well with me - particularly because of the hard pan that comes with it. It admittedly is a good way to break the static arrangement, but that panning is too distracting for me. Otherwise, it's not a bad track. Sure, not up to the bar today, but we all have to start from somewhere. This is certainly not a bad place to start. It gets a good, solid six ninja stars out of ten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Hakštok Posted December 2, 2011 Share Posted December 2, 2011 Didn't expect the flute to come in after the opening bars, though I must say it's just a tiny bit too loud. I definitely love the bassline, especially the parts where it follows the lead. The panning transition at 1:30 didn't really sit well for me, just the flanger would've probably been better. Overall, pretty good for the first ReMix ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Strader Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 The flute is definitely a little high in volume compared to the other elements, and is lacking modern articulations -- although the pitch bend at 0:18 makes it seem like a more "realistic" performance. For being an almost 13 year old mix, it still stands up pretty well. The high end starts getting bad at 1:24, and very bad at 1:28, but is only a brief moment of pain. The arrangement is pretty straight forward and repetitive. It begins to loop the song again at 1:58, right? For the time, I bet this mix was amazing -- wish I was here back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirby Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Time to review THE ORIGINAL REMIX!! It's not a bad song; as Brandon said, it stands up pretty well. There are a few issues that stand out, but all in all it's still a solid mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternZypher Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 IMHO, this just doesn't stand up to the test of time...it stands up and *puts on shades* gets down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaconProcurement Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Humble beginnings of a individual that loves video game music. Age has been kind to this mix as it isn't too jarring to listen to, nor is far from perfect. It definitely brings the funk but the flute (I'm assuming it's a flute) is a bit too loud that it oversteps the beats in the background. Other than that, it's a good head-bobbing song that will cause people to think you're weird for bobbing one's head. Somewhat cover-ish but it still does its own thing that it compliments the original source. Two things I find a bit weird (but not really due to the possibility of no one thinking of it before), no one has thought to remix this track (the source) ever since this was posted almost 14 years ago. Nor has the main man, DJP revisited this track after improving his craft. Just an observation I had after listening to this, that's all. swansdown 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Necrox Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Fun mix, The flute and drum FX are especially cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black_Doom Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Nice! The flute is pretty cool indeed, and the guitar samples at around 1:30 are good too. Not a ground-breaking song for sure, but still, this is a very nice tune, especially for being the first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurningMagma Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 (edited) I was born in 2009, and this song actually slaps. 23 years and going strong. Man, was I born in the wrong generation... Edited March 23, 2023 by BurningMagma djpretzel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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