Software:Ninja Golf

From HandWiki
Short description: 1990 video game

Ninja Golf
Developer(s)BlueSky Software
Publisher(s)Atari Corporation
Programmer(s)David A. Dentt
David R. Sullivan
Artist(s)Dana Christian
Platform(s)Atari 7800
Release
Genre(s)Beat 'em up, sports
Mode(s)Single-player

Ninja Golf is a 1990 golf video game developed by BlueSky Software and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari 7800. It was programmed by David A. Dentt and David R. Sullivan as one of the last releases for the console. A version for Atari 8-bit computers was in simultaneous production but was cancelled. In a gameplay mix between the sports and beat 'em up genres, the ninja player character hits a golf ball at the beginning of each hole, then fights enemies in side-scrolling sections to reach it. Each green is guarded by a fire-breathing dragon boss that the player must defeat by throwing shurikens.

Ninja Golf received mixed reviews at its release, though retrospectively it was commended for its unorthodox mix of genres and comparatively well execution. An enhanced remake for iOS and Android was developed by Alpha Dog Games and released by Atari Interactive in 2019.

Gameplay

The player (center) battles enemies in a sand trap. A mini-map and heads-up display cover the bottom third of the screen.

Ninja Golf mixes golf and beat 'em up gameplay and puts the player in the role of a ninja who has completed their training, tasked with nine holes of the titular sport as a final test.[1] Each hole (stage) begins with the player aiming their golf ball via a mini-map and shooting it toward the green.[2][3] The path to reach the ball is set up like a traditional side-scroller, where the player fights other ninjas and hostile animals along the way. These creatures include gophers, birds, giant frogs, sharks, and snakes, depending on the environment.[1] For instance, sharks are encountered in water hazards and snakes in sand traps.[3] Ninjas exist in all the environments, including underwater.

The player can dodge foes by jumping and crouching as well attack with punches, kicks, and a limited supply of throwing shurikens.[3] All regular enemies die in a single hit.[2] The player can pick up restorative items such as extra health, lives, and shurikens as well as temporary invincibility and an instant warp to the green.[1] The pattern of taking golf swings and fighting towards the ball's landing spot repeats until the green is reached, where the player encounters a dragon boss that guards it. These battles take place in a third-person perspective. The player must hit the dragon with shurikens while moving either right or left to avoid its fireballs.[2] The player's score increases with defeating enemies, picking up items, and finishes holes with a limited number of strokes. The game contains four difficulty levels: easy, medium, hard, and kamikaze.[1]

Development

Ninja Golf was developed by BlueSky Software with a team consisting of programmers David R. Sullivan and David A. Dentt alongside artist Dana Christian.[4][5] Sullivan was contracted by BlueSky while Dentt was led to employment at the company in 1988 while working at arcade video game developer Cinematronics.[6] Ninja Golf was one of several titles pitched by publisher Atari Corporation's internal software team in early 1989.[7]

Sullivan claimed that BlueSky was originally set to create a comedic platformer in the spirit of the film Caddyshack, but the simultaneous popularity of ninjas in the 1980s and the success of golf games like Mean 18 led to the finalized concept.[5] "The way it was explained to me was that sports games were popular, ninjas were popular, so Ninja Golf", Dentt recounted. "One can not help but be in awe of the thought process!"[4] After being given the concept, the team expanded on it as development progressed, frequently receiving feedback from Atari. According to Sullivan, Christian was responsible for the game's more absurd elements and Atari was unhappy that the game swayed from a more serious tone.[5]

The budget for the project was $77,000 USD.[5] The programmers each worked on a separate port of the game: Dentt on a version for the Atari 7800 home console and Sullivan on a version for the Atari 8-bit computers.[4][5] The two frequently shared code with one another at their weekly meetings at a Sizzler restaurant. Aside from some art, the builds were nearly identical. However, the 8-bit computer version was eventually cancelled and remaining work shifted solely to the 7800 release.[5]

Dentt's equipment consisted of an Atari ST and one external hard disk drive.[6] The team had planned to implement a 3D renderer for the golf gameplay, but a simpler side-view was quickly added instead as combat became the main focus.[5] When coding the graphics, Dentt recalled that the 7800 split the screen into three distinct sections. Each section could swap its palette during interrupt, increasing the possible total of colors on-screen at once.[4][6] Dentt hid a joystick test within the game even after his producer insisted it be removed.[6]

Release

Ninja Golf was one of a plethora of games first unveiled by Atari at the summer 1989 Consumer Electronics Show. This came alongside an announcement that the company intended to further support its consoles even as its market share continued to dwindle against overwhelming competition from Nintendo.[8][9] Ninja Golf was released in North America in the fourth quarter of 1990 and was one of the last titles for the Atari 7800.[10] Atari manufactured about 100,000 cartridges for retail.[5] The game has since seen numerous re-releases. It was included on the Internet Archive's MESS emulator in 2014;[11] as part of a collection of Atari games for the Evercade handheld in 2020;[12][13] on the short-lived Plex Arcade streaming service in 2021;[14] on the Atari 50 compilation for eighth and ninth generation consoles in 2022;[15] and on cartridge for the Atari 2600+ console in 2024.[16]

An enhanced remake of Ninja Golf was developed by Alpha Dog Games and published by Atari Interactive as a free-to-play application for iOS and Android around March 2019.[17][18] Like the original game, the remake switches between golf and beat 'em up gameplay, but now features fully 3D graphics.[19] In 2021, Atari sold off the distribution rights to the Ninja Golf remake alongside other free-to-play apps in order to refocus on marketing premium games for console and PC.[20]

Reception and legacy

Critical reception for Ninja Golf has been mixed, though retrospective media sources have considered the game very memorable due to its unusual premise and mix of genres. Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 felt that neither the golf nor the beat 'em up gameplay were particularly well-realized, leading to a difficult and repetitive experience once the charm of the concept wears off.[2] AllGame reviewer Joseph Scoleri III gave a similar assessment, summarized, "While these facets of the game are imaginative, amusing and fun, the overall gameplay seems a little bland in comparison."[3] John Delaney of the Retro Gamer team noted the serious delivery of its humor as deadpan and its gameplay as fun despite being simplistic compared to other beat 'em ups and golf simulations.[21]

Wireframe contributor Ian Dransfield summarized it as having "sort of Jack Nicklaus-does-Shinobi vibes. Is it good? No, not really. Is it absurd and funny? Yep. Perfect for golf haters everywhere."[22] Brett Weiss wrote in his book Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984 that the game successfully combines distinct genres, lauding the boss encounters as graphically impressive and functionally reminiscent of the bonus stages from the original Shinobi.[23] Atari Gaming Headquarters reviewer Matthew Lippart made a similar observation regarding the boss fights and offered general praise to its graphics. He commended the combat gameplay while noting its difficulty in attacking when jumping and summarizing it "basically Kung Fu with a really bad golf engine thrown in."[24] Andy Slaven briefly mentioned in Video Game Bible, 1985-2002 that the game's premise "may sound wacky" but it is "surprisingly enjoyable".[25]

On his list "The Best and Worst of '80s Ninja Video Games" Den of Geek writer Craig Lines proclaimed, "I’m not sure there’s a more quintessentially '80s game in existence than Ninja Golf," calling it "endlessly inventive" and "one of the best of its kind."[26] Levi Buchanan of IGN listed it as the second best release on the Atari 7800, stating in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, "Ninja Golf is a better conversation piece than a game. But how can you deny the concept? Or that box art?"[27]

The game has been featured on other lists by magazines and websites in the decades following its original release. This includes Next Generation’s "five most bizarre game concepts of all time", CNET's "30 dumbest videogame titles ever", Paste’s "10 Goofy Golf Videogames that Aren’t Mario Golf, Bleacher Report’s "12 Most Insane Sports Video Games Ever", and Complex’s "15 Most Violent Sports Video Games".[28][29][30][31][32] The game's cover art has been considered among the worst of all time by IGN,[33] Complex,[34] ComicsAlliance,[35] Comic Book Resources,[36] T3,[37] Sports Illustrated,[38] and Grunge.[39]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Hobbs (May 1990). "ProView: Ninja Golf". GamePro (International Data Group) (10): 50. ISSN 1042-8658. https://archive.org/details/game-pro-issue-10-may-1990/page/50/mode/1up. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Naytor, Robert (June 27, 2015). "Ninja Golf". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/ninja-golf/amp/. Retrieved March 24, 2024. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Scoleri III, Joseph. "Ninja Golf - Review". RhythmOne. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141114132202/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=17115&tab=review. Retrieved June 16, 2015. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Hawkin, Kieren (September 2014). "Atari 7800 ProSystem". Retro Gamer (Imagine Publishing) (132): 22–7. ISSN 1742-3155. https://archive.org/details/RetroGamer_132/page/22/mode/2up. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Charla, Chris (March 6, 2011). "Ninja Golf: No Secrets Mode". Incredibly Strange Games (2): 5–8. https://archive.org/details/isg2bookletstyle/page/n5/mode/2up. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Harvey, John K.. "David A Dentt Interview (Ninja Golf and Klax Programmer)". https://www.atari7800forever.com/daviddentt.html. Retrieved March 27, 2024. 
  7. ↑ Ratcliff, Matthew (May 1989). "ZMagazine's Z*Net: Ratty's Rap". The JACG Newsletter (Jersey Atari Computer Group) 9 (3): Z5. https://archive.org/details/JACG_1989-05/page/n17/mode/1up. 
  8. ↑ Computer Entertainer staff (June 1989). "Atari Features New Video Games For 3 Systems". Computer Entertainer 8 (3): 13. ISSN 0890-2143. https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-8-3/page/13/mode/1up. 
  9. ↑ Harris, Steve (December 1989). "New 7800 Title Announced for 1990". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publications, Inc.) (5): 72. ISSN 1058-918X. https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20005%20%28December%201989%29/page/n71/mode/1up?q=%22ninja+golf%22. 
  10. ↑ Computer Entertainer staff (December 1989). "Availability Update". Computer Entertainer 8 (9): 14. ISSN 0890-2143. https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-8-9/page/14/mode/1up. 
  11. ↑ Jones, Darran (February 2014). "Internet Archive Launches Retro Service". Retro Gamer (Imagine Publishing) (125): 8. ISSN 1742-3155. https://archive.org/details/revistas-brasileiras-de-games-da-net/Retro%20Gamer%20-%20revistas/2014/Retro%20Gamer%20%E2%84%96125/page/8/mode/1up. 
  12. ↑ Russell, Graham (May 19, 2020). "Evercade Combines Nostalgic Cartridges, Modern Tech and a Quirky Game Library". Siliconera. https://www.siliconera.com/evercade-combines-nostalgic-cartridges-modern-tech-and-a-quirky-game-library/. Retrieved November 14, 2023. 
  13. ↑ Davison, Pete (October 18, 2023). "5 of the best Atari games on Evercade". Evercade. https://evercade.co.uk/5-of-the-best-atari-games-on-evercade/. Retrieved November 14, 2023. 
  14. ↑ Machkovech, Sam (January 26, 2021). "Plex adds game-streaming as paid add-on, completely botches the landing". Condé Nast. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/01/plex-adds-game-streaming-as-paid-add-on-completely-botches-the-landing/amp/. Retrieved November 18, 2023. 
  15. ↑ Garrido, Alberto (29 September 2022). "Over 100 arcade classics arrive in Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration". Gamez Publishing A/S. https://www.gamereactor.eu/over-100-arcade-classics-arrive-in-atari-50-the-anniversary-celebration-1211723/. Retrieved November 14, 2023. 
  16. ↑ Bitner, Jon (January 31, 2024). "New Atari 2600+ Games And Controllers Up For Preorder At Amazon". Fandom Inc.. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-atari-2600-games-and-controllers-up-for-preorder-at-amazon/1100-6520742/. Retrieved March 17, 2024. 
  17. ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (October 24, 2019). "Bethesda acquires Alpha Dog". Gamer Network. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/bethesda-acquires-alpha-dog. Retrieved November 14, 2023. 
  18. ↑ Atari staff (March 18, 2019). "The Atari Group provides an update on recent business developments and its perspectives on the occasion of the Game Developers Conference 2019 in San Francisco" (Press release). GlobeNewswire. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  19. ↑ Humphrey, Quintin (April 8, 2019). "GDC 2019 Hands-On IMPRESSIONS: Ninja Golf". Operation Rainfall. https://operationrainfall.com/2019/04/08/gdc-2019-hands-on-impressions-ninja-golf/. Retrieved November 14, 2023. 
  20. ↑ McAloon, Alissa (July 6, 2021). "Atari Gaming walks away from free-to-play games to refocus on console and PC". Informa. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/console/atari-gaming-walks-away-from-free-to-play-games-to-refocus-on-console-and-pc. Retrieved November 14, 2023. 
  21. ↑ Delaney, Jon (August 5, 2008). "Ninja Golf". Future plc. https://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games90/ninja-golf/. Retrieved March 21, 2024. 
  22. ↑ Dransfield, Ian (September 2021). "30 Great Sports Games (for people who don't like sports)". Wireframe (Raspberry Pi Foundation) (54): 74. ISSN 2631-6730. https://archive.org/details/Wireframe54/page/74/mode/1up. 
  23. ↑ Weiss, Brett (December 20, 2011). Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984. McFarland & Company. p. 162. ISBN 978-0786487554. https://books.google.com/books?id=BzxTtml8Jq4C&pg=PA162MV=ONEPAGE. 
  24. ↑ Lippart, Matthew. "AGH Atari 7800 Review: NINJA GOLF by Atari". http://www.atarihq.com/reviews/7800/ninja_golf.html. Retrieved March 22, 2024. 
  25. ↑ Slaven, Andy (June 30, 2002). Video Game Bible, 1985-2002. Trafford Publishing. p. 45. ISBN 978-1553697312. https://books.google.com/books?id=PnPRd6QwvbQC&pg=PA45MV=ONEPAGE. 
  26. ↑ Lines, Craig (July 7, 2015). "The Best and Worst of '80s Ninja Video Games". DoG Tech LLC. https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-best-and-worst-of-80s-ninja-video-games/. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  27. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (May 9, 2008). "Top 10 Atari 7800 Games". https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/09/top-10-atari-7800-games. Retrieved March 21, 2023. 
  28. ↑ Next Generation staff (September 1996). "Breaking: Top Ten". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (21): 29. ISSN 1078-9693. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_21/page/n30/mode/1up. 
  29. ↑ Lanxon, Nate (November 18, 2009). "The 30 dumbest videogame titles ever". Red Ventures. https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/the-30-dumbest-videogame-titles-ever/. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  30. ↑ Waverly (July 29, 2021). "10 Goofy Golf Videogames that Aren't Mario Golf". Paste Media Group. https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/weird-golf-games-that-arent-mario-golf. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  31. ↑ Dilbert, Ryan (September 19, 2011). "The 12 Most Insane Sports Video Games Ever". TNT Sports Interactive. https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/854790-the-top-12-most-insane-sports-video-games-ever.amp.html. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  32. ↑ Matthews, David (November 20, 2012). "The 15 Most Violent Sports Video Games". https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/complex/violent-sports-video-games. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  33. ↑ News & Features Team (March 27, 2007). "Top 25 Tuesday: Most Awesome Covers". http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/27/top-25-tuesday-most-awesome-covers?page=5. Retrieved April 10, 2011. 
  34. ↑ Rogueau, Michael (April 12, 2012). "The 50 Most Awful Retro Video Game Box Art Covers". https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/michael-rougeau/the-50-most-awful-retro-video-game-box-art-covers. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  35. ↑ Sims, Chris (January 12, 2012). "20 Amazingly Weird Pieces of Video Game Box Art". Townsquare Media. https://comicsalliance.com/20-amazingly-weird-pieces-of-classic-video-game-box-art/. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  36. ↑ Kurland, Daniel (March 31, 2022). "10 Video Games With The Worst Box Art". Valnet Inc.. https://www.cbr.com/worst-video-game-box-art-ranked/#ninja-golf-is-a-ridiculous-parody-that-asks-to-be-taken-seriously. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  37. ↑ Sawh, Michael (October 21, 2012). "Bad Covers: Worst video game covers ever". Future plc. https://www.t3.com/features/bad-covers. Retrieved March 25, 2024. 
  38. ↑ Graham, Bryan Armen (April 25, 2013). "17 Examples of Sports Video Game Cover Art That Make Other Art Embarrassed to Be Art". Sports Illustrated (The Arena Group). https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2013/04/25/17-examples-of-sports-video-game-cover-art-that-makes-other-art-embarrassed-to-be-art. Retrieved March 23, 2024. 
  39. ↑ "Worst Video Game Covers Of All Time". Static Media. March 9, 2023. https://www.grunge.com/79131/worst-video-game-covers-time/. Retrieved March 24, 2024. 
  • Ninja Golf at GameFAQs
  • 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




Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Ninja_Golf&oldid=3950490"