Ninja Master
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Copyright/Publisher: Firebird, Release Year: 1986,
Genre: Mixed Sports, Number Of Players: 1
Anyone who has ever played one of many fighting games available must know what a Ninja is
by now. You don't? Well not to worry, it's just that one particular Ninja has entered the local
Ninja Olympics (one big ego trip really) with the Elders and becoming a Ninja Master. He must
prove his worth by partaking in four different events which test his speed of reaction and stamina.
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ARROW QUEST |
In this event you have to defend yourself from nasty pointy arrows which are 'thrown'
from off-screen. Your task is to punch or kick them aside - failure to do results in them
flying straight into you. Ouch. Points are awarded for each arrow kicked aside, and to
qualify you have to score above 1500 Ninja points.
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KARATE CHOPPING |
Here you have to waggle the joystick left and right - a la Decathlon - to build up enough
power to chop a plank in half. You are given three chances to qualify, and doing so launches
you into the next deadly challenge.
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SHURIKEN STARS |
This is a variation of the first event, except instead of arrows flying towards you there is
a shower of Shuriken stars which have to be hit away with your trusty Ninja sword. This time
you need 1200 points to qualify.
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BLOW PIPE |
Armed only with a blow pipe you must shoot - down ten canisters which fly across the screen
from right to left. Points are awarded for accuracy, and completing this event takes you back
to the first, only this time everything is faster.
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Julian Rignall |
This is a sort of oriental Decathlon, a nice idea which unfortunelately doesn't come off.
The graphics are very poor, with hardly any animation on the ninja bloke - when there
is any it's pretty sub-standard. The sound is also dire. The game itself is pretty dull and
gets repetitive after a very short while - after all, it's all been done before. For two
quid I suppose it's not exactly a rip-off, but there are many games better than this in the range.
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R.E. |
Fighting games are not my particular forte, but I actually enjoyed this cheapy smash em
up from Firebird. Unfortunelately, I can see all you experienced bashers being none too
impressed with it. But for us less able in the art of bashing, it's rather a good game.
The graphics and the sound are not really outstanding, although the speech synthesis is
neat. Overall a super, cheap introduction for those of you who have not yet dared get involved
with smash em ups, but fancy a quick go.
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Gary Penn |
Firebird have certainly released some naff games recenlty, and this is one of them. The
idea is novel, but the events aren't. A shame really, since a decent oriental pentathlon
would have been great fun. Oh well, back to the drawing board...
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