| Credits | |
| Published: |
1991, Image Works
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| Developer: |    |
| Copyright: | Mirrorsoft |
| Coder: | Raffaele Cecco |
| Graphics: | Teoman Irmak |
| Musician: | Nick Jones |
| Information | |
| Hardware: | OCS, ECS |
| Disks: | 2 |
| License: | Commercial |
| Language: | English |
| Players: | 1 Only |
| Relationship: | Precursor to Second Samurai  |
| Categorization | |
| Genre: | Platformer |
| Subgenre: | Scrolling Screen |
| Tags: | fantasy, jumponthings, magic, multidirectional, ninja, oriental, platform, scrolling |
| Magazine Reviews | |
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Added by Kim Lemon on Dec 29, 2004. Viewed 36203 times.
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Read review by Ariane
Graphics: 10 ‧
Music: 10 ‧
Playability: 8 ‧
Overall: 9
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I struggled with the controls in this game `back in the day` and lost all lives quickly, which put me off playing it. I have come back to it this week having looked at the Lemon walkthrough on youtube and really appreciate the work that went into this game, I`m now able to get to the end of level 1 and intend to finish it. The artwork and sprite animation are excellent for a 1991 Amiga game, sadly some of the sound samples spoil the atmosphere - still an 8/10 from me
View all comments (21)
This was a very nice game at the time, which I bought it on release and eventually completed. Lovely graphics, and 'that' sword swish. It's a bit sluggish by later Amiga game standards but it deserves its place as an Amiga classic.
But I completely agree with the poster below about the inappropriate sound effects, which detract a touch from the atmosphere. Why on earth, when the feel of the game is ancient/feudal Japan, does a sample of the Halleluja Chorus from Handel's Messiah, a piece of classical baroque music written in the 1740's by a German composer, play every time you break open a chest of food? (Yes I know the time period/location changes on later levels but the tone is determined by you and your samurai sword.) Why, when you swipe a flying enemy, is there an orchestral sound, the pitch of which increases for each subsequent enemy hit until you have played a full scale? I suspect that the amazing Paula chip was a victim of its own success here and, to paraphrase Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park, they were so concerned with whether they could, they didn't stop to think whether they should. The inferior ST sound chip ended up with more appropriate effects.
That quibble aside, it's superb.
View all comments (93)
Way too many enemies thrown at you right from the start, some of them designed in a comical way which doesn't fit the graphic style of the game. The sample are equally out of place (an idiotic "halleluja" when you collect certain items).
View all comments (387)
Raffaele Cecco used to make the most of very limited 8-bit machines then it's not surprising that his Amiga effort looks and plays very well. Technically wise, everything in this game oozes class and polish with a unique rendition of the feudal and supernatural japanese setting. Gameplay is very good and rewarding, the only problem in this regard coming from a control system that does not take advantage of more than one button and then should have been semplified. All in all, a great game (7/10).
View all comments (212)
Atmosphere !
View all comments (86)
9/10! Great game!
View all comments (33)
Graphics are a bit grainy in places but apart from that, fab! 9/10
View all comments (248)
Major classic, top quality in Amiga. 10/10
View all comments (61)
Like Gods, but done (mostly) right. It has the huge, varied levels, grainy-but-stylish graphics, and balance between action and puzzles, but with much better controls, in-game music mixed with lots of sound effects, and an interesting combat system that, while not as visceral as Gods's Ghosts 'n' Goblins-style weapon-throwing, is certainly rewarding in its own, technique-oriented way. There's plenty of feudal Japanese atmosphere, too, which is a definite plus. It has its presentation issues, like coarse graphics and scratchy sound, the constantly-spawning enemies are a major annoyance, and the player movement is - as in Gods - far too slow (although definitely more manageable, and coupled with a jump that actually works well), but the rest of the game rises above those flaws admirably.
View all comments (141)
Me and my nephew played the sequel first and just loved it! The controls become so intuitive at one point...really great work on the gameplay mechanics. And the graphics are like some kind of Chinese art or something.
Both these are favs.
View all comments (288)
I never understood the popularity of this game. The graphics are okay but dont fit together, and are too dark. The animation isnt as smooth as can be. The title suggests it tries to be funny (last ninja, first samurai) but the game appears to be quite serious. Some unforgiving moments in gameplay. As many sound samples as memory could hold, but for no apparent reason. (just to impress?).Sorry for bringing the average score down, I'm rating this game 7/10.
View all comments (57)
One of the best action platformers on the Amiga
Cecco was really at the top of his game with this. A superb game that oozes class and polish.
Reviewed it recently on my site - an all time classic and one of the best Amiga games in the 'arcade' genre.
The music, the sounds, the graphics, the playability... Even the intro was awesome.
10/10 from me
View all comments (19)
I loved first samurai on both the c64 and amiga both were awesome and challenging platformers
View all comments (65)
Can anyone tell me how to shortcut the intro?
It lasts for hours and i pressed every possible key and button.
This stops me from playing it.
Reactions [email protected]
I think it is one of the best games ever released on the Amiga.
I usually play racing games but this one has a lot going for it!
This is a game which incorporates every aspect of gaming and is every bit as demanding to the player.
Confession; i never got through level one, but still play it and hope i get on with it!! ;-)
View all comments (18)
Excellent in all sectors. If you love oriental stuff, this is a fantastic gaming experience you definitely should not miss!! 9/10
View all comments (64)
Awesome game. Great graphics. Music and intro sequence were amazing. I remember using an action replay to rip the music and sprites. Controls felt a bit clunky some times, especially in complicated jumping sequences. Great animation though. 1st game was much better than the 2nd, which was a shame.
View all comments (3)
One of the best games on the Amiga. Excellent animation and a great control system. The levels are diverse and the music samples are great as well. Get hacking. "Oh no my sword!"
View all comments (3)
And great music too
View all comments (24)
A true masterpiece that ranks up there with "Gods" and "Shadow of the Beast" as far as looks, though with superior controls to either.
Everything about this game is masterful, from the sprite control, to the background, to the story, to the enemies, to the music.
It's one of those games where just the experience of playing it is a joy, let alone progressing and winning.
The object, collecting magical objects to pass some barrier, is simple yet effective. Certainly better than solving puzzles which would have taken away from the flow of this action plat-former.
A legendary must-have.
10/10.
View all comments (49)
Very cool game! Just bought it on eBay!
View all comments (809)
I think this was less predictable in level design than the second part and adding this to the overall quality of the game, results that "first samurai" is one of the greatest arcades on the A500.
View all comments (162)
An absolute classic and well ahead of it's time. Some excellent concepts backed up with sweet graphics and smooth controls. Excellent!
View all comments (2)
Totally played this one till I was dreaming about it! Some nifty graphics and very addictive gameplay. Being a samurai's never been so much fun!
View all comments (524)
Great Fun, satisfying for the kung fu inside of me.
View all comments (61)
This was good, satisfying arcade fun, though my disappointment was great when I was told that disk 2 wouldn't boot after I completed the first.
I never had the heart to go back to it...
View all comments (116)
I got this in the double pack with the classic Mega-lo-mania, but somehow never got hooked on it, even though it has a lot of great features. It just had times of seeming aimless, and that classic "Oh No! My sword!" sample was only funny so many times.
View all comments (185)
Great graphics and sound. Damn fine gameplay too.
View all comments (65)
Great arcade platformer of the sort you only seemed to get on the Amiga and Atari ST. The only real problem was that some of the levels were far too big, although it did allow you to save your position once you'd completed them (a rarity in those days).
View all comments (145)
Wow what a game, it has lush GFX and some fantastic sounds on it, I liked it but didn't play it till the bitter end unfortunately
View all comments (522)
Great graphics, nice level design.. Still it didn't do the trick for me.
View all comments (62)
I was gonna review this game but Ariane beat me to it
View all comments (142)
Mixed feelings towards this game. I know it's a great game with nice graphics and good atmosphere, but somehow I never got into it much. Maybe I should play it again with cheats. Anyways, this one is definitely worth checking out.
View all comments (232)
Oh my good what a game!!! Totally exquisite
View all comments (86)
I once fell asleep playing this game. In all honesty.
View all comments (82)
This is a beat-em-up with a really magical atmosphere and feeling.
View all comments (9)