Shadow Knights
{{Short description|1991 video game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Shadow Knights
|image = Shadow_Knights_Cover_art.jpg
|caption = Cover art
|developer = id Software
|publisher = Softdisk
|designer = {{Plainlist|
}}
|programmer = {{Plainlist|
- John Carmack
- John Romero
}}
|released = 1991
|genre = Platform
|modes = Single-player
|platforms = DOS
}}
Shadow Knights - The Shogun of Death, also known as Budo - The Art of Ninja Combat, is a platform game created by id Software and published by Softdisk in 1991. Shadow Knights was the first game created for Softdisk, who paid $5000 for it as part of id Software's contractual obligation to them.{{cite web |title=id Software: 20 Years Old Today! |url=http://rome.ro/news/2015/12/13/id-software-20-years-old-today |publisher=Squarespace |author=John Romero |date=February 1, 2011 |accessdate=December 12, 2017|author-link=John Romero}} Shadow Knights was marketed by Softdisk as part of The Lost Game Collection of ID Software.{{cite web |title=Gamer's Edge Electronic Catalog - Volume 1 |url=http://cd.textfiles.com/maxgames/GAMES/CATACOMB/PRINTFIL.TXT |last= |first= |publisher=Softdisk |date=1992 |accessdate=December 12, 2017}}
Plot
The prospering land of Naipusan falls under siege by warriors from the North led by the evil shogun Sashika. For many years Sashika grew in power and began learning dark magic. Some said that Sashika was possessed by the demon Kuskuro. In the wake of the never-ending reign of terror, a ninja born in the east whose arrival foretold by sages comes to remove Sashika from his seat of power and rule Naipusan fairly.{{cite video game |title=Gamer's Edge Catalog |developer=Softdisk Publishing |publisher=Softdisk Publishing |date=1993-03-09 |platform=PC (MS-DOS) |language= |quote=Find out how to get your hands on other exciting games from GAMER'S EDGE! (in file_id.diz)}}
Gameplay
Shadow Knights is a platform game. The player goes through nine levels, slaying enemies with both sword and magic stars and collecting powerups. The player has limited vitality and magic power to survive. The player can accumulate power by collecting magic orbs. The ninja has healing and weapon powers. Some level areas require the player to defeat a boss monster to progress.
Development
Development for Shadow Knights was being done in conjunction with Slordax: The Unknown Enemy around 1990. At that time Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons was in development outside working hours with Softdisk.{{cite web |title=Recollections - 3D Realms |url=http://legacy.3drealms.com/keenhistory/keenhistory3.html |publisher=3D Realms |author=John Carmack |date= |accessdate=December 12, 2017|author-link=John Carmack}} Tom Hall designed a few of the levels.{{cite web |title=Tom's Games |url=https://tomtomtom.wordpress.com/toms-games/ |publisher=WordPress |author=Tom Hall |date=2008 |accessdate=December 12, 2017|author-link=Tom Hall}} The level maps were designed using a custom-made program called Tile Editor (TEd), which was first created for Dangerous Dave.{{cite web |title=Classic Tools Retrospective: John Romero talks about creating TEd, the tile editor that shipped over 30 games |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/classic-tools-retrospective-john-romero-talks-about-creating-ted-the-tile-editor-that-shipped-over-30-games |work=Gamasutra |publisher=UBM |first=David |last=Lightbown |date=2017-02-23 |access-date=December 12, 2017}} The game engine that was built would soon be reused for Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/19961220092705/http://www.idsoftware.com/killer/shadowkn.html Official website]
- {{moby game|id=/shadow-knights}}
{{id Software}}
{{Softdisk}}
Category:Japan in non-Japanese culture
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games about ninja
Category:Video games designed by John Romero