Last Ninja_ The
Platform: Commodore 64
Gametype: Undefined
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For 200 years the clan of the Fujiwara reigned Japan. Their ruling was very cruel, so that some craftsmen and farmers decided to leave their homeland and to move to the Toga-Kuve Mountain. Here they trained themselves to be the best warriors of Japan: the Ninjutsu. 400 years later the Ninjutsu were feared by everyone, after they had ended the tyranny of the Fujhwara Clan. But how could it come else: already another Shogun strived for getting to know the secrets of the Ninjutsu. The Shogun Kunitoki made a vicious plan. Once in every decade the Ninjutsu met on the island of Lin-Fen, where they paid their last respects to the shrine of the “White Ninja”, to get further fine-tuning. 

Kunitoki could overpower the convened Ninjas and then began to instruct his own men in the martial arts of the Ninjas. With the help of the stolen Koga scrolls he could realize this. But Kunitoki didn’t know that a Ninja had stayed at another place during this whole battue, to guard the shrine of the Bunkurkan, and survived. Armakuni was this time the one to do the task, which made him the last of his craft. He heard of the happenings on Lin-Fen and immediately rushed to take horrible revenge, to get back the Koga scrolls and to restore the honour of the Ninjas. 

 Design 

The Last Ninja was published by System 3 in 1987 and today counts as one of the absolute classics from the epoch when the C64 had his heydays. Here you control the Ninja Armakuni through 6 levels, which lead through mountains, gardens, dark dungeons and finally the palace of your enemy Kunitoki, who has wiped out your whole Ninja clanship and has removed a holy document. The view of the game is kept in an isometric perspective, which at that time was nothing new but which has never before been shown with such a technical perfection. 

The first 3 levels, which – concerning the length - form the greatest part of the game, unfortunately do not differ much graphically, but this does not derogate the fun. The graphic itself is was very good considering the means of that time and was outplayed by the successor one year later. The whole thing is underlined by a really ingenious soundtrack. At that time it was contributed by a cooperation of Ben Daglish and Anthony Lees and counts until today as one of the best C64 music pieces of all. 

The only critical points would be maybe the puzzles which are often more than illogical or really far-fetched. So e.g. you need to touch a vase somewhere in the palace, which is neither marked somehow nor made visible by other hints, to later be able to cross some stairs without harm. The giant archer at quite the end of the game can be passed by touching a green speck on the floor and by this getting invisible for a short time. Likewise, collecting of some items is not fully developed, which was improved in the successor. 

On the whole it is still a great game, that suffers a few teething problems, but nevertheless convinces by its atmosphere and was a big step ahead of its time.

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Description from the packaging:

Brotherhood. Survival. Revenge.
The evil Shogun Kunitoki and his henchmen have slaughtered the entire Brotherhood of White Ninja.

You alone survive.
The Shogun has taken possession of the Ninja Palace of Lin Fen and the sacred scrolls containing the ancient secrets of the Ninja.
Only you- the Last Ninja- can avenge the Brotherhood and recapture the secrets of the Ninja.
You must use all your fighting skills. Samurai warriors, masters of the martial arts, and the Shogun's guards lurk at every turn, ready to test their hand-to-hand combat skills against yours.
You must be as wise as you are strong. Find your way through a magnificent landscape that unfolds in screen after screen of unparalleled graphics- from the lavish interior of the Ninja Palace to the depths of its foulest dungeons. Scale forbidding mountains; cross lakes and rivers. Master new and dangerous tasks, like Ninja magic. Search for the hidden weapons, food, and charms that you need to win the final battle- and all the battles in between.

The way is long and dangerous. Start now. Kunitoki's warriors are already learning the Ninja ways.
Alone and lonely, you must find your brother's murderer.
Concentrate. Remain calm. Remember your training.
An inhuman feat- but you have found a tool.
So close to victory, but…

An animated action adventure with-
6 Unique, complex landscapes: Wastelands. Wilderness. An Imperial Palace. And more.
Over 130 detailed color screens.
Over 1000 animated figures and objects, from waterfalls and doves to rising skeletons and bloodsucking tarantulas.
6 Different "movie score" soundtracks.
Weapons galore, including staff and sword, shuriken stars, numchukas, and Ninja magic.
An array of formidable foes, human and otherwise.

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Cheats 

Keep pressed "Shift" and press "+" several times. Armakuni will run like lightning. With "Shift "and "-" you get back to normal speed. You can use this at the end of level 1 and 2 to run past the dragon. 
If you have escaped a heavily armed enemy and go back, he will commit Seppuku (suicide). 
Pokes (tested with original g64 on C64-Games.de) 
- Unlimited lives 
POKE 30855, 165 ($7887,a5) 
enter in VICE monitor: 
> 7887 a5 
Note the blanks!
