"Last Ninja 2"
"What 10 year old wouldn't love an awesome looking video game that features a Ninja in New York?
Well it's safe to say that this game remains a firm favourite with this 36 year old 26 years later!
My friend Paul owned a Commodore 64 and this was the game we played the most. That first level is ingrained into my brain and its imagery is truly iconic.
Let me break it down for you so as you can understand exactly why this game was and still is so awesome.
1. GRAPHICS 95%
The graphics on this game were the first thing that drew me in. I didn't realise the
Commodore 64 was capable of such awesomeness until I saw this System 3 marvel. I felt like
I WAS a Ninja in New York (sounds like a Sting song doesn't it!?!) It was the first time I'd believed in the game world as it was such a cool representation for the time. The isometric angle was also something that I just loved and it added to the whole aesthetic. For me this was the best looking game on the Commodore 64 and a joy to wander around Central Park dressed in a Ninja suit.
2. SOUND 98%
The soundtrack for this awesome game was produced by Matt Gray and it just oozes class. It's a soundtrack that you could listen to as a standalone CD. The thing is that the music was so good it led to a successful Kickstarter Campaign for a Last Ninja 2 remake of the music CD.
The campaign raised a whopping £75,000 in order to make it a reality.
There is a whole community of Last Ninja 2 fans who remix the original tunes and the Kickstarter showed that the feeling is still just as strong for this awesome music. The SID chip rocks and apparently produces sounds that not even some dedicated synthesisers can produce.
3. GAME PLAY 94%
Fighting, Exploration and Puzzle Solving game play in one game was unheard of. Games were normally one of those things and not all three. That's where Last Ninja 2 trumped the opposition as you wandered around the isometric New York fighting dudes with Shurikens and looking for items which assist you in solving puzzles. From memory I used to get stuck at a point where I had to make a double boat jump — can't actually remember if I EVER got past that bit! I'm going to have to go back and play it again to remind myself!
4. PRESENTATION 91%
The Ninja eyes are an everlasting image that is synonymous with the Commodore 64 / 8 Bit glory years. The imagery is still cool (if not cooler) to this day. You could seriously market this game in today's market without a problem. Imagine a Last Ninja reboot with beautiful BIG BOX art just of the Ninja Eyes. It's awesome stuff and regularly the Last Ninja image makes its way onto my desktop as wallpaper.
5. HOT DOGS 100%
Any game that uses Hot Dogs as the basis for health replenishment gets my vote. Every Ninja in New York needs a healthy supply of Hot Dawgs to survive the onslaught of bad guys."
That's five reasons why Last Ninja 2 still rocks my world....
Why Do YOU Love Last Ninja 2?
Let Me Know In the Comments Box Below
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