System 3’s The Last Ninja is one of the best-selling games on the Commodore 64, releasing in 1987. The title performed so well that it snagged a couple of sequels (The Last Ninja 2&3) and was ported to several systems in the following years, including the Apple IIGS, BBC Micro, and MS-Dos.
At the time, The Last Ninja was hailed for its advanced graphics and intricate combat system. The title narrowly missed winning Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards in 1988. According to System 3, The Last Ninja sold over 4 million copies, which is impressive, even by today’s standards.
Why the history lesson? Well, a project is underway to bring the BBC Micro version of The Last Ninja to the Atari XL/XE. It’s early days, and only the first level is playable, but so far, it looks promising. You can view a short snippet of gameplay footage on Saberman’s Youtube Channel.
It’s important to remember that this is a port of the BBC Micro version and not the Commodore 64. Because of this, the graphics are more straightforward, and the catchy soundtrack is missing. Saberman notes that the video showcases progress from only 3 weeks of work but it’s hard not to be impressed by how much has been achieved in that time.
If you want to give the game a go for yourself, you can download a playable demo.
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