Software:Last Ninja 3

From HandWiki
Last Ninja 3
Cover art for the Commodore 64
Developer(s)System 3
Publisher(s)Commodore Gaming
Kixx (re-release)
Director(s)Adrian Cale[1]
Producer(s)Mark Cale
Designer(s)Stan Schembri[1]
Adrian Cale[1]
Mark Cale[1]
Tim Best
Programmer(s)Mark Dawson[1]
Dave Collins[1]
Artist(s)Paul 'Dokk' Docherty[1]
Robin Levy
Guy Jeffries[1]
Tony Hagar[1]
Composer(s)Reyn Ouwehand[1]
Justin Scharvona (Atari ST)
SeriesLast Ninja
Platform(s)Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, Amiga CD32, Virtual Console
Release1991
Amiga & Atari ST
March 1991
Amiga CD32
1993
Virtual Console
Genre(s)Action-adventure game
Mode(s)Single player

Last Ninja 3 is an action-adventure video game that was developed and published by System 3 for the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST in 1991. It is a sequel to the 1988 game Last Ninja 2.

Development and release

The Amiga and Atari ST versions of Last Ninja 3, as developed by System 3, began development in September 1990, and were released in the March 1991 for the Amiga and Atari ST; a DOS version was in development and announced for the same month,[1] but was never released. Adrian Cale, the co-director of Last Ninja 3, stated that the game was conceived because "the Ninja games have almost become a genre in their own right. People buy them because they specifically want that type of game. ... years ago Last Ninja was state of the art on 8-bit machines, we're now trying to make it state of the art on 16-bit".[1] Unlike its predecessors, Last Ninja 3 may have more than one enemy on-screen at once.[1] Alongside this, the enemy AI was improved: Stan Schembri, a designer for Last Ninja 3, said that they are "a lot more intelligent", further stating that "they attempt to react to the way you move. In Ninja 2 if you were fighting that was it. In this one if you make a slight move, an enemy will try to come round to fight you from the back".[1] Last Ninja 3 was designed with arcade-style gameplay in mind: this manifests in the form of changes to Ninja 3's combat, and the addition of bosses.[1] Due to these gameplay changes, the game's joystick controls are also altered: while previous Last Ninja games have controls for turning and moving separately, the protagonist now faces and moves in the same direction the stick is pushed.[1]

Last Ninja 3's graphics were intentionally made aesthetically different from previous games in the series.[1] Cale said that some of the game's enemies are "more fantasy oriented", as opposed to "a load of guys in karate gear".[1] Cale further expressed that the Last Ninja 3 team "tried to create character animation that hasn't been seen in other games", with making the animations 'realistic' being a priority.[1] The One expressed that the development team also prioritized walkcycle animations, with the graphic artists seeking to avoid characters 'looking like they're skating'.[1] Last Ninja 3 has larger sprites than its predecessors: the protagonist's sprite is double the size of that of previous games.[1] The 16-bit versions of Last Ninja 3 were programmed by Mark Dawson and Dave Collins from the game studio Eldritch the Cat.[1] Despite the size of Last Ninja 3's sprites, they don't use much processor time: the game's 3D masking uses more processing power, with about 200 layers of masking per screen.[1] According to Collins & Dawson, the game's 3D masking was one of the hardest aspects to code.[1] The Amiga version was the first version of the game made, and was used as the basis for the Atari ST and cancelled DOS conversions.[1] Dawson primarily programmed the Atari ST version, which he expressed is easier than the DOS version due to the ST 'essentially using the same code', while Collins worked on the DOS version.[1] Rather than using a PC running PDS for development like previous System 3 games, Last Ninja 3 was programmed on Intel 80386 PCs with SNASM boards.[1] Collins & Dawson expressed that the 386 PCs & SNASM boards eased Last Ninja 3's development, and stated that they "mak[e] life far easier. You can look through memory on your PC and all sorts of things easily".[1]

In a retrospective interview in 2005, System 3's Mark Cale felt that the game was "by no means the best entry in the series", blaming the breakup of the original Last Ninja series team, stating that "when working with such talented people as John Twiddy and Hugh Riley, there was always a certain amount of magic and things just flowed. With some other developers, they were always trying to escape the nemesis of the past. I think the programmers on Ninja 3 were always trying to outdo John Twiddy, rather than make a great game. It wasn’t as good as it should have been".[2]

Last Ninja 3 was re-released on the Virtual Console in North America in 2008,[3] and in 2010 in Europe.[4] Last Ninja 3 was pulled from the European Virtual Console storefront in 2010 due to a bug in the game which resulted in the game freezing after the first level,[4] which was present since its release in 2008.[3][4]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Computer + Video Games94% (C64)[5]
Zzap!93% (C64)[6]
CU Amiga90% (Amiga)[7]
The One90% (Amiga)[8]
Amiga Format81% (Amiga)[9]
Amiga Power80% (Amiga)[10]

According to Mark Cale, about 3 million copies of the game were sold.[2] The game was very well received by the press. The Amiga version reviews included the review scores of 81% from Amiga Format,[9] 80% Amiga Power,[10] and 90% from CU Amiga.[7] The C64 version was further acclaimed, including the scores of 94% from Computer + Video Games[5] and 93% from Zzap!.[6]

British gaming magazine The One gave the Amiga version of Last Ninja 3 an overall score of 90%, and noted the game as incorporating console and arcade-style gameplay elements. The One praised Last Ninja 3's new weapons & moves, and favorably expressed that they don't 'dilute the game's challenge', further remarking that these elements "bring it to another level of playability". The One praised Last Ninja 3's "complex" and "creative" puzzles and map design, and "detailed" larger sprites, further noting the game as having 'good visual details' and effects, such as motion blur for weapons being swung. The One noted the game as 'unoriginal' and somewhat 'dated' due to advents in the graphic adventure genre, but expressed that the game is fun, challenging, and "a classic".[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 South, Phil (February 1991). "Three Times a Ninja". The One (emap Images) (29): 84–86. https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-29/page/n83/mode/2up. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Legend of the Last Ninja". Retro Gamer (Live Publishing) 2 (6): 54–58. 2005. ISSN 1742-3155. https://archive.org/stream/retro_gamer/RetroGamer_018#page/n49/mode/2up. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Green, Kelvin (December 13, 2008). "Last Ninja 3 Review (C64)". Gamer Network. http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2008/12/last_ninja_3_virtual_console. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wahlgren, Jon (February 23, 2010). "Last Ninja 3 Pulled From European Virtual Console". Gamer Network. http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2010/02/last_ninja_3_pulled_from_european_virtual_console. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Swan, Robert; Leadbetter, Richard (April 1991). "Review: Last Ninja 3". Computer + Video Games (EMAP) (113): 34–36. https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_113_1991-04_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n33/mode/2up. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Wynne, Stuart; Hogg, Robin; King, Phil (March 1991). "Zzap! Test! - Ninja III". Zzap! (Newsfield Publishing) (71): 12–13. https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-071/page/n11/mode/2up. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Patterson, Mark (October 1991). "Screen Scene: Last Ninja III". CU Amiga (EMAP) (20): 103–104. https://archive.org/details/cuamiga-magazine-020/page/n101/mode/2up. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Pattenden, Mike (September 1991). "The Last Ninja 3". The One (emap Images) (36): 81–82. https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-36/page/n79/mode/2up. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Webb, Trenton (December 1991). "Screenplay: Last Ninja III". Amiga Format (Future Publishing) (29): 104. https://archive.org/details/Amiga_Format_Issue_029_1991-12_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n103/mode/2up. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Campbell, Stuart (November 1991). "Game Reviews: Last Ninja 3". Amiga Power (Future Publishing) (7): 36–37. https://archive.org/details/Amiga_Power_Issue_07_1991-11_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n35/mode/2up. 
  • Last Ninja Archives
  • Last Ninja 3 at Hall of Light Amiga database
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



Warning: Default sort key "Last Ninja 3, The" overrides earlier default sort key "Mobygames".



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Last_Ninja_3&oldid=674362"