NeoZeedeater
07-05-2006, 06:56 PM
I often forget that the UK-based game company System 3(now known as Studio 3) is still around. They had an impressive presence in the '80s and early '90s but not so much today. I figured they could use a thread covering their games.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/system3logo.gif
Death Star Interceptor(C64, 1984)
This was System 3's first game as far as I can tell. I haven't played it yet and it was likely only released in Europe.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/deathstarinterceptor.jpg
International Karate(1986)
I don't know how newcomers would react to playing this game but I still love it. I consider it the best fighting game of its time. It was also the game Data East sued over claiming infringement due to supposed similarities to Karate Champ. If anything, the game resembled Beam's Way of the Exploding Fist more than Karate Champ.
Epyx published the game in North America as World Karate Championship. According to Studio 3's website's history, IK was the first European-made game to make number one on the Billboard chart in the US. It was released on several computer formats. The Atari 8-bit version is shown here.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/world_karate_championshipatari.png
The Last Ninja(1987)
Console and arcade gaming have Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden as their classic ninja series'. Computer gaming has The Last Ninja. I read it was the best selling game on the Commodore 64 and it was ported to several other computers. The game itself was nothing like the console ninja games of the '80s. It was an action/adventure game. It was about exploration and puzzles as much as it was about fighting. The game was truly unique and one of the best of its time. The soundtrack kicked ass too.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninjac64.jpg
IK+(1987)
IK+ AKA Chop 'n Drop was a refinement of the fighting in the first game. Fights consisted of three on-screen players instead of two and the background had nifty little animations in it. Unlike the first International Karate, this one had 16-bit computer versions as well as 8-bit ones. I think the characters look kind of squished and weird in the Amiga/ST versions but the detail is a big improvement.
C64 version
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/IKc64.gif
Atari ST version
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ikst.png
Bangkok Knights(1987)
Amstrad CPC version
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/bangkokcpc.gif
The Last Ninja 2(1988)
Aside from the computer versions, LN2 was also released on the NES as The Last Ninja. Beam did the port and Jaleco published it. I recommend avoiding it as it doesn't do justice to the original. Here's the C64 version.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninja2c64.gif
Tusker(1989)
This was a beat 'em up of sorts. It wasn't very good from what I remember. This is the C64 version. The Spectrum and CPC ones don't look as nice.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/tusker.gif
Dominator(1989)
A vertical shooter for 8-bit and 16-bit computers.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/dominator.jpg
Vendetta(1989)
Nope, it's not a port of the Konami arcade game. I think it's some multi-genre game but I never put much time into it.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/vendettac64.gif
Myth: History in the Making(1989)
Not to be confused with the Magnetic Scrolls' text adventure or Bungie's RTS game, System 3's Myth was an impressive platform/adventure somewhat similar to Prince of Persia.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/mythc64.gif
It was first released on C64 and remade in 1992 for Amiga. There was also a CD32 version and Mindscape released it on the NES as a Conan game.
Amiga version of Myth
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/mythamiga.gif
Last Ninja Remix(1990)
What's confusing is that Ninja Remix on ST and Amiga is a remake of the first game and on C64 it's a variation of part 2.
Flimbo's Quest(1991)
Commodore bundled this game with some of their C64 machines in Europe. It wasn't exclusive though as it had other computer versions.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Flimbos_Questc64.gif
Turbo Charge(C64, 1991)
This driving/shooting was very impressive for the hardware, good arcade-ish action.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/turbo_charge.gif
The Last Ninja 3(1991)
The third LN game was released for C64, Amiga and CD32. While it was good it didn't have the same charm or originality as its predecessors.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninja3cd32.gif
Fuzzball(Amiga, 1991)
While it wasn't done by System 3, the 1992 version of The Last Ninja on the Archimedes computer had some nice graphics and a much different look. I don't think it had joystick support though which kind of ruins it.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninjaarchimedes.gif
Super Putty(Amiga/SNES, 1992)
A platform game similar to Jerry Boy. It later got a CD32 version. The SNES version is shown here.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Super_Putty_SNES.gif
Desert Fighter(SNES, 1993)
System 3 published this Desert Strike-like Seta game in Europe.
Putty Squad(Amiga/SNES, 1994)
Ocean published this game in Europe. I played the SNES version and I liked it. The animation was very smooth.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/puttysquadsnes.gif
After Putty Squad, System 3 changed their name to Studio 3. They also began publishing some Japanese Playstation games in Europe.
Constructor(PC, 1997)
A strategy game where you run a construction company.
Mob Rule/Street Wars(PC, 1999)
This was the second game in the Constructor series, a mix of RTS and City Simulation. The goal is to create your own mob empire.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/mobrule.jpg
International Karate(GBC, 2000)
IK was resurrected with this GBC remake/sequel.
International Karate Advanced(GBA, 2001)
I wasn't impressed with this. The new artwork and rendered graphics sucked. I liked how they stuck to the old-school gameplay instead of adding in fireballs but they still ended up butchering the gameplay as it didn't flow as well as the old games.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ikadv.png
IK+(GBA, 2003)
This portable version looks okay as it seems to be a direct port of the Amiga/ST version and not a remake. Studio 3 didn't do this version; Ignition Entertainment did the port.
Last Ninja: The Return was in development for some time. Pictures of it started surfacing in the 32-bit era and it was being developed as an isometric game with rendered graphics. Its development then shifted to the Xbox, GC and PS2 and was looking much different. It still had rendered backgrounds but the characters were to be polygonal. Who knows if a new one will ever come out.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninjareturn.jpg
Also, this is a great site devoted to the Last Ninja series - http://lastninja.lemon64.com/intro.htm
Retro Gamer also had a nice issue with an interview, some Last Ninja roms and some cool music remixes last year.
Your thoughts on Studio/System 3?
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/system3logo.gif
Death Star Interceptor(C64, 1984)
This was System 3's first game as far as I can tell. I haven't played it yet and it was likely only released in Europe.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/deathstarinterceptor.jpg
International Karate(1986)
I don't know how newcomers would react to playing this game but I still love it. I consider it the best fighting game of its time. It was also the game Data East sued over claiming infringement due to supposed similarities to Karate Champ. If anything, the game resembled Beam's Way of the Exploding Fist more than Karate Champ.
Epyx published the game in North America as World Karate Championship. According to Studio 3's website's history, IK was the first European-made game to make number one on the Billboard chart in the US. It was released on several computer formats. The Atari 8-bit version is shown here.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/world_karate_championshipatari.png
The Last Ninja(1987)
Console and arcade gaming have Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden as their classic ninja series'. Computer gaming has The Last Ninja. I read it was the best selling game on the Commodore 64 and it was ported to several other computers. The game itself was nothing like the console ninja games of the '80s. It was an action/adventure game. It was about exploration and puzzles as much as it was about fighting. The game was truly unique and one of the best of its time. The soundtrack kicked ass too.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninjac64.jpg
IK+(1987)
IK+ AKA Chop 'n Drop was a refinement of the fighting in the first game. Fights consisted of three on-screen players instead of two and the background had nifty little animations in it. Unlike the first International Karate, this one had 16-bit computer versions as well as 8-bit ones. I think the characters look kind of squished and weird in the Amiga/ST versions but the detail is a big improvement.
C64 version
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/IKc64.gif
Atari ST version
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ikst.png
Bangkok Knights(1987)
Amstrad CPC version
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/bangkokcpc.gif
The Last Ninja 2(1988)
Aside from the computer versions, LN2 was also released on the NES as The Last Ninja. Beam did the port and Jaleco published it. I recommend avoiding it as it doesn't do justice to the original. Here's the C64 version.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninja2c64.gif
Tusker(1989)
This was a beat 'em up of sorts. It wasn't very good from what I remember. This is the C64 version. The Spectrum and CPC ones don't look as nice.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/tusker.gif
Dominator(1989)
A vertical shooter for 8-bit and 16-bit computers.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/dominator.jpg
Vendetta(1989)
Nope, it's not a port of the Konami arcade game. I think it's some multi-genre game but I never put much time into it.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/vendettac64.gif
Myth: History in the Making(1989)
Not to be confused with the Magnetic Scrolls' text adventure or Bungie's RTS game, System 3's Myth was an impressive platform/adventure somewhat similar to Prince of Persia.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/mythc64.gif
It was first released on C64 and remade in 1992 for Amiga. There was also a CD32 version and Mindscape released it on the NES as a Conan game.
Amiga version of Myth
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/mythamiga.gif
Last Ninja Remix(1990)
What's confusing is that Ninja Remix on ST and Amiga is a remake of the first game and on C64 it's a variation of part 2.
Flimbo's Quest(1991)
Commodore bundled this game with some of their C64 machines in Europe. It wasn't exclusive though as it had other computer versions.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Flimbos_Questc64.gif
Turbo Charge(C64, 1991)
This driving/shooting was very impressive for the hardware, good arcade-ish action.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/turbo_charge.gif
The Last Ninja 3(1991)
The third LN game was released for C64, Amiga and CD32. While it was good it didn't have the same charm or originality as its predecessors.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninja3cd32.gif
Fuzzball(Amiga, 1991)
While it wasn't done by System 3, the 1992 version of The Last Ninja on the Archimedes computer had some nice graphics and a much different look. I don't think it had joystick support though which kind of ruins it.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninjaarchimedes.gif
Super Putty(Amiga/SNES, 1992)
A platform game similar to Jerry Boy. It later got a CD32 version. The SNES version is shown here.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/Super_Putty_SNES.gif
Desert Fighter(SNES, 1993)
System 3 published this Desert Strike-like Seta game in Europe.
Putty Squad(Amiga/SNES, 1994)
Ocean published this game in Europe. I played the SNES version and I liked it. The animation was very smooth.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/puttysquadsnes.gif
After Putty Squad, System 3 changed their name to Studio 3. They also began publishing some Japanese Playstation games in Europe.
Constructor(PC, 1997)
A strategy game where you run a construction company.
Mob Rule/Street Wars(PC, 1999)
This was the second game in the Constructor series, a mix of RTS and City Simulation. The goal is to create your own mob empire.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/mobrule.jpg
International Karate(GBC, 2000)
IK was resurrected with this GBC remake/sequel.
International Karate Advanced(GBA, 2001)
I wasn't impressed with this. The new artwork and rendered graphics sucked. I liked how they stuck to the old-school gameplay instead of adding in fireballs but they still ended up butchering the gameplay as it didn't flow as well as the old games.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/ikadv.png
IK+(GBA, 2003)
This portable version looks okay as it seems to be a direct port of the Amiga/ST version and not a remake. Studio 3 didn't do this version; Ignition Entertainment did the port.
Last Ninja: The Return was in development for some time. Pictures of it started surfacing in the 32-bit era and it was being developed as an isometric game with rendered graphics. Its development then shifted to the Xbox, GC and PS2 and was looking much different. It still had rendered backgrounds but the characters were to be polygonal. Who knows if a new one will ever come out.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b223/NeoZeedeater/lastninjareturn.jpg
Also, this is a great site devoted to the Last Ninja series - http://lastninja.lemon64.com/intro.htm
Retro Gamer also had a nice issue with an interview, some Last Ninja roms and some cool music remixes last year.
Your thoughts on Studio/System 3?