Last Ninja 2

System 3

Industry	Video game development and publishing
Founded	1982
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Video games, including Last Ninja series

Last Ninja 2: Back with a Vengeance is an action-adventure title developed and released by System 3 in 1988 for the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC. It serves as the sequel to the 1987 game The Last Ninja. Between 1989 and 1990, additional versions were launched for platforms including the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, and NES. The NES edition was marketed under the name The Last Ninja. In 1990, the Last Ninja Remix was re-released specifically for 8-bit systems.

Gameplay

Players assume the role of a ninja who must traverse various stages populated by hostile enemies, gathering crucial items needed to advance. The game employs an isometric perspective, allowing movement in eight directions along with the ability to jump.

Enemies attack using hand-to-hand combat and traditional ninja weapons, compelling players to fight either unarmed or with weapons discovered during play. Combat mechanics include a range of strikes and defensive blocks, as well as a special throwable weapon—the shuriken—which can eliminate or severely injure foes upon contact.

Essential objects such as keys, ropes, and maps are dispersed throughout the levels and must be utilized thoughtfully to fulfill mission goals. Collecting hamburgers provides players with additional lives.

Plot

Following the events of The Last Ninja, Armakuni possesses the Koga scrolls and is training a new generation of shadow warriors. During this period, he unexpectedly finds himself transported to 20th-century New York City, where he faces off once more against the malevolent shogun Kunitoki.

Reception

Last Ninja 2 enjoyed remarkable commercial performance. Mark Cale of System 3 disclosed that sales of the Commodore 64 version alone reached 5.5 million copies, equating to ownership by one in every four C64 users at that time.

The game was shortlisted as a contender for Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards and secured the 68th spot in a 2004 Retro Gamer reader poll ranking top retro titles.

8-bit versions
Platform	Magazine	Score	Accolade
Acorn Electron	Electron User	9/10	Golden Game
Commodore 64/128	The Games Machine	93%	Top Score
	Computer + Video Games	9/10	C+VG Hit!
	Commodore User	9/10	CU Super Star
	IGN	7.5/10
	ACE	747/1000
ZX Spectrum	Sinclair User	92%
	Your Sinclair	9/10
	Crash	90%	Crash Smash
	The Games Machine	89%	Top Score
16-bit versions
Platform	Magazine	Score	Accolade
Amiga	The Games Machine	70%
	Amiga Format	58%
Atari ST	Computer + Video Games	77%
	The Games Machine	70%
DOS	Computer + Video Games	76%
	The Games Machine	73%

Legacy

The follow-up title, Last Ninja 3, was launched in 1991.

The reissued Last Ninja Remix includes a brief introductory sequence, subtle graphic enhancements, and a reworked soundtrack. Unlike the original Limited Edition, which came with a ninja mask and rubber shuriken, these items were excluded from the Remix edition.

In 2015, the source code for the previously unreleased Konix version came to light.

City Connection plans to re-release the NES edition on June 4, 2025, for the Nintendo Switch under the Jalecolle brand, marking its inaugural official launch in Japan.

External links

• Visuals of Last Ninja 2 packaging and manual at C64Sets.com
• Terry Greer (the game's artist) Last Ninja information page