The ZX Spectrum port of Konami‘s classic arcade shooter, Salamander, was programmed by Andrew Glaister, with graphics by Stuart Ruecroft, and was first published by Imagine Software in 1988. While aspects of the game are very good, it is unfortunately a good example of an unfinished and cut-down game being rushed to market…
Tag Archives: weapons
The Cyber Shinobi, Sega Master System
Released exclusively for the Sega Master System in 1990, The Cyber Shinobi is a sequel to the first Shinobi, but it’s not really a sequel many will remember. Mostly because it isn’t very good…
Shinobi, ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum version of Sega‘s classic Shinobi was developed by Binary Design for The Sales Curve and published by Virgin Games in 1989. It is a relatively loose approximation of the arcade game, but is nonetheless playable and enjoyable.
Shinobi, NES
The 1989 NES version of Sega‘s Shinobi was converted and published by Tengen, in North America only. Why the game wasn’t released in Japan, I don’t know. Maybe because Sega didn’t think it was good enough?
Shinobi, Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 version of Sega‘s classic Shinobi was developed by The Sales Curve and first published by Virgin Games in 1989. And – while it is a decent conversion in terms of presentation and playability – it is arguably even harder than the arcade original, which can make it extremely frustrating to play at times.
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, Game Boy
Developed by Nintendo and TOSE Co., Ltd., Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters is the sequel to Kid Icarus – a much-loved game released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986. Of Myths and Monsters was published by Nintendo, exclusively for the original Game Boy, in 1991 in North America, and 1992 in Europe. For some reason, it wasn’t released in Japan, where it was made.
Continue reading Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, Game Boy
Salamander, Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 version of Konami‘s arcade hit, Salamander, was programmed by Peter Baron, with graphics by Bob Stevenson and music by Mark Cooksey. It was first published by Imagine Software in Europe in 1988, and Konami themselves in North America in 1989. It is considered by many to be the best 8-bit home computer version of Salamander, and it’s not difficult to see why…
Shinobi, PC Engine
The PC Engine version of Sega‘s Shinobi was developed and published by Asmik Corporation in 1989, and it features some interesting changes to the arcade version.
Shadow Dancer, Arcade
Sega‘s arcade game, Shadow Dancer, is the sequel to 1987’s arcade hit, Shinobi. It is the second (and final) arcade game in the Shinobi series, and was first distributed into arcades in 1989.
Salamander, PC Engine
The PC Engine version of Salamander was first released by Konami in 1991, and it demonstrates why NEC‘s small-form console was so ahead of everything else at the time. It has great graphics and sound, smooth scrolling, large objects moving around the screen, very little sprite tearing, responsive controls, and a simultaneous two-player gameplay mode.