Last Ninja 3 review

[R.O.B.]

Last Ninja 3 - Commodore 64

The third in the Last Ninja series sees you as Armakuni, the Last Ninja. He is drawn again into a battle with evil Shogun Kunitoki. The battle will take place among the temples of Tibet, the source of the Last Ninja's mystical strength. The Shogun intends to corrupt these Buddhist temples, to dest..

5 star(s)

Read the Last Ninja 3 Virtual Console review

Source: vc-reviews.com

[andol123]

Did anyone actually play through the VC version of Last Ninja 3 ? I've finally completed Level#1, but as Level#2 loads or is about to be displayed a blue screen appears and stays forever... nothing but a blue screen with black borders. I can still access the C64 keyboard, but that's it. No Level#2. I've completed Level#1 several times and the same happens again and again.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Originally Posted by andol123

Did anyone actually play through the VC version of Last Ninja 3 ? I've finally completed Level#1, but as Level#2 loads or is about to be displayed a blue screen appears and stays forever... nothing but a blue screen with black borders. I can still access the C64 keyboard, but that's it. No Level#2. I've completed Level#1 several times and the same happens again and again.

Try redownloading?

[Betagam7]

Originally Posted by Jogurt the Yogurt

Try redownloading?

Ah, sounds to me like you've accessed the C64 start up screen. I also managed this through Cybernoid. I reset and it didn't happen again. In fact I detest Cybernoid so much that I wish I had left it as it was so I could have experimented with programming for the first time in about 20 years

[Joxe]

10 PRINT "Joxe is the best"
20 GOTO 10

Instant win!

Even though it blue-screened out on you I don't think you were in the C64's OS, feels more like corrupted data, a simple redownload should fix it.

[andol123]

Ok. Now I have erased the game and its save data, redownloaded the game and the same thing happens again. I have the latest Wii update. I don't have any issues with any other downloaded game (Mega Man 9, Last Ninja 1 + 2, Super Mario Bros: the lost levels, Ice Climber, Metroid)

I find it wierd that you should need to redownload a VC game. If the Wii can't verify the downloaded game against some checksum something's seriously wrong.

Oh, and once you reach the blue screen you have to reset the game to be able to try again. You can't do anything at the blue screen, whatever keys your press on the C64 keyboard the screen remains blue.

[Drake]

I downloaded it as well and am having the same issue. I'll shoot Commodore an email.

[Betagam7]

haha, I guess I'm the only one that got into the actual operating system then. Bah, I wish I'd kept it!
Looks like a bit of a stuff up by Commadore Gaming though. Make sure you complain to Nintendo too they'll probably refund your points

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Drake

I downloaded it as well and am having the same issue. I'll shoot Commodore an email.

Fix is on the way:

Dear Mr. Van Duyn,

The programmers are aware of the bug and are working hard to fix this asap hopefully they will submit the new fixed version today so you should be able to redownload a new bugfree version soon

Kind regards,

Ilco Braam

[andol123]

Originally Posted by Drake

Fix is on the way:

Thanks for the update!

[Tull]

Originally Posted by Betagam7

Ah, sounds to me like you've accessed the C64 start up screen. I also managed this through Cybernoid. I reset and it didn't happen again. In fact I detest Cybernoid so much that I wish I had left it as it was so I could have experimented with programming for the first time in about 20 years

Fun... Im downloading this when anyone posts the howto break the game: - D

[andol123]

They still haven't fixed this game. Just redownloaded it and tried again.. blue screen.
Only good thing about this bug is that I've now become master of level1. I still can't complete the level without losing at least 2 lives though.

[Betagam7]

This is a real stuffup from Commadore gaming and I hope it doesnt effect Nintnendo's attitude to releasing future games for the VC.
Has anyone complained to nintendo?

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Originally Posted by Betagam7

This is a real stuffup from Commadore gaming and I hope it doesnt effect Nintnendo's attitude to releasing future games for the VC.
Has anyone complained to nintendo?

Are Commodore the ones responsible for the emulation of this game? I don't know that we should point fingers. There have been glitchy games before, and they get fixed. Also, I believe someone posted a message from Nintendo earlier in this thread, so that answers that question.

[DarkGlobe]

Hi all, I'm having the same issue with Ninja 3 on the VC.

Heh, I remember Ninja 3 being pretty buggy when it came out. Full of glitches, slowdowns and random features. It was never as slick or playable as Ninja 1 or 2, probably because John Twiddy only wrote the first two games and not everyone was able to command the C64 as well as him.

I did at least expect to make it further into the game than the green screen at the end of level one though

I just replayed Ninja 2 to make myself feel better. Now there's a proper C64 classic!

[timp29]

Same issue here
Being from australia I have to change my region to UK in order to download this game. I hope this doesn't create an issue when it comes to redownloading. Hope they fix this soon. And level 1 is hard! In fact this game just doesn't control as well as 1 or 2 or have such rocking music. Still fun though!

All in all however, the third installment is not as polished as the second (but I only have the first level to go on lol)

[Mayhem]

Something actually struck thinking about this again. Blue screeen end of level #1? Well LN3 had some seriously nasty copy protection on the original disks. I wonder if the emulator they are using isn't designed to handle all original disk images (not sure what they are using personally but it can't be trained/cracked software surely?) and it's bombing out on the copy protection routines.

I know this because I was asked to provide intro free original copies of the LN games for Retro Gamer's cover CD years back and I was able to do LN1 and LN2, but LN3 needed some serious patching, and there wasn't enough time to get it done. So they used a cracked version instead.

[timp29]

I'm really surprised that they could release this game with such an obvious bug. First, they must have never played it through on the VC, and perhaps they released it as soon as it was finished. Either way, I want my level 2 mofos!!!

[Mayhem]

Yeah exactly. When I produced my images for Retro Gamer, I played them all the way through in emulation before submission to make sure they were 100% working. Which is how I discovered the LN3 issue at the end of level one...

[Betagam7]

Suprised Nintendo hasn't pulled this yet or at least released a statement

[SAB]

I really wish they would release this game in the US!

[timp29]

No you don't, it's totally broken.

[Betagam7]

Anyone think C64 games are now on hold because of this? What happened to Wizball? Seriously why hasn't it been pulled from the channel?

[Drake]

Both Nintendo (Netherlands) and Commodore told me they're working on a fix, but I guess because of the holidays they haven't made much progress yet. As Mayhem said it is a problem which also existed in the original game so one has to wonder how they missed it to begin with.

[Mayhem]

Well, one you'd only discover if you tried to copy the original LN3 disks without patching to bypass or remove the copy protection. My original C64 disks from 1991 work fine still (actually I have two sets!).

I recall another interesting copy protection that System 3 would go onto use for Turbocharge, where the group responsible inserted some, how shall we say, rude words into the code to appear on screen if you didn't crack the protection correctly and loaded up some non-100% copies. One of my original Turbocharge disks malfunctioned and gave me this "error" to which when I phoned System 3 help support, not only were they acutely aware of this faux pas of swearing proportions but I had to convince them I hadn't been trying to copy the disk! Thankfully they issued me a replacement that worked fine...

[Drake]

I've emailed Commodore again asking for an update, this is taking way too long!

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Originally Posted by Drake

I've emailed Commodore again asking for an update, this is taking way too long!

Was it Commodore who was in charge of building the Wii's C64 emulator, or did they contract it out? There was a guy here at one point who was apparently on the team that worked on it.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Jogurt the Yogurt

Was it Commodore who was in charge of building the Wii's C64 emulator, or did they contract it out? There was a guy here at one point who was apparently on the team that worked on it.

I'm pretty sure it was Commodore who worked on it.

[Betagam7]

What has Nintendo's response been? Have you asked for a refund of your Wii points?

[LinkFanatic]

Failing to realize how this happened to you guys...Nintendo is supposed to send all their VC ideas through QA before releasing to the public. Fils-Aim was very adamant about that shortly after mentioning the launch of the VC!

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Betagam7

What has Nintendo's response been? Have you asked for a refund of your Wii points?

Nintendo also said Commodore is working on a fix, they haven't said anything since. They didn't mention a refund at all.

[Jogurt the Yogurt]

Originally Posted by LinkFanatic

Failing to realize how this happened to you guys...Nintendo is supposed to send all their VC ideas through QA before releasing to the public. Fils-Aim was very adamant about that shortly after mentioning the launch of the VC!

The QA team apparently couldn't make it past level 1.

Originally Posted by Drake

Nintendo also said Commodore is working on a fix, they haven't said anything since. They didn't mention a refund at all.

I'm sure they wouldn't mention a refund unless explicitly asked, and maybe not even then.

[LinkFanatic]

Originally Posted by Jogurt the Yogurt

The QA team apparently couldn't make it past level 1.

hahaha...ur probably right

[Betagam7]

Originally Posted by Jogurt the Yogurt

The QA team apparently couldn't make it past level 1.



I'm sure they wouldn't mention a refund unless explicitly asked, and maybe not even then.

If I'd bought the game I'd be explicitly asking by now as it is I'm still to struggle through the first one!

[timp29]

Now I am hating the region swap trick to score me my c64 games. Doesn't give me much of a chance to get a refund. In fact I might have to buy the game all over again to get an updated/fixed version if it ever even happens.

Please keep us posted on the last ninja 3 if they ever manage a fix for it. Or someone PM me if you manage to get a refund

[Betagam7]

Originally Posted by timp29

Now I am hating the region swap trick to score me my c64 games. Doesn't give me much of a chance to get a refund. In fact I might have to buy the game all over again to get an updated/fixed version if it ever even happens.

Please keep us posted on the last ninja 3 if they ever manage a fix for it. Or someone PM me if you manage to get a refund

Region swapping is perfectly legal and should not affect your statutory rights to a refund.
For all Nintendo knows you moved country.

[Joxe]

Yeah, loads of people move to new countries only to regret it and move back 10 minutes later, didn't you know that

[Betagam7]

Originally Posted by Joxe

Yeah, loads of people move to new countries only to regret it and move back 10 minutes later, didn't you know that

That's down to Nintendo to prove. What about going on holiday and taking your Wii with you? the facility exists for a reason otherwise like switching to USA and Japan it would be blocked (oh wait that's to stop us downloading 60hz games isn't it?).

The point is you don't have to give Nintendo a reason as to why you performed an operation that is perfectly legal and not against the warranty of either the machine or the software you purchased. Nintendo warns that you will lose Wii points only, it does not advise you that switching regions and buying C64 games is in anyway not allowed.

[Joxe]

...which really makes the regional locking idiotic, or even more idiotic so to say.

PC

[SKTTR]

Found this old thread.

Yah, it's more than a year since Last Ninja 3 was released on VC.

Now that I have it I can confirm that it still crashes after stage 1 and is not updated!