The Last Ninja

The Last Ninja is an action adventure game developed and published by System 3 Software and released in 1987 for the Commodore 64.

It was ported to several other systems in subsequent years. It is the first in a trilogy and one of the best games ever made on the Commodore 64. It also set the stage for its next two chapters as far as the look and feel of the series goes.

The game is set in Japan’s Edo period and follows the protagonist, Amakuni, on his mission to kill the reigning Shogun. As the sole survivor of his slaughtered clan, it’s up to Amakuni to make the Shogun pay. As with any villain he has a lot of cronies that Amakuni must defeat before he faces the actual Shogun. Amakuni can use all of the classic ninja moves like shuriken throwing, smoke bombs, swords, nunchaku, and so on. Jumping is also an important part of the game and you will need to be precise for some levels. You may want to avoid water, however, because even this skilled ninja can’t swim. Amakuni is controlled from an isometric view making him able to walk in 8 different directions. Should you find yourself stuck, Amakuni can kneel in front of shrines and other markers to get a little spiritual guidance.

The Last Ninja was internationally critically acclaimed due to its innovative graphics and gameplay. It features a sophisticated combat system that makes it possible to target individual body parts, the influence of which can still be seen in games now. With a perfect mixture of action and adventure, an in depth story-line, and kick ass martial arts moves, the Last Ninja’s got it all. The epitome of classic, it begs to be experienced.