Ninja
Release Date  1987
Original Publisher  Entertainment USA (UK)
Min. Hardware  ZX-Spectrum 48K
Language  English
Genre  Arcade Game: Beat-em-up/Solo
Max. Players  1
Original Price according to SPOT/SPEX  2.99
*** Data provided by SPOT/SPEX is unconfirmed. Please help us validate this information!
Controls  Cursor, Interface 2 (right), Kempston Joystick, Redefineable keys
Themes  Martial Arts, Ninja
Tie-in Licences  Ninja (Software) from Sculptured Software
Other Platforms  Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, PC/DOS
Average mag. score  50.00% (2 reviews)
Martijn's WoS score  66.2% (16 votes)

Re-releases
     #1 - Dro Soft (Spain)(1987)
     * Release price: 699.00 Ptas
     #2 - EDOS (UK)

Authors/Contributors
     Icon Design Ltd (UK) - ?

Review Awards
     "C+VG Hit"at C&VG (Computer & Video Games)issue #65 - 1987/Marpage 17

Known Errors
     Bugfix provided by Bandit:
  • Certain memory areas are overwritten due to interrupts activated at the wrong time. Because of this, the location of an idol is always lost (thus making the game unfinishable) and the game may also crash randomly. The following patch fixes this problem:
    org $e2ca
    call $ff99      ; POKE 58059,153: POKE 58060,255

    org $f908
    call $ff99      ; POKE 63753,153: POKE 63754,255

    org $ff99
    ld iy,$5c3a     ; POKE 65433,253: POKE 65434,33: POKE 65435,58: POKE 65436,92
    call $03b5      ; POKE 65437,205: POKE 65438,181: POKE 65439,3
    di              ; POKE 65440,243
    ret             ; POKE 65441,201
  • Enemies on screen are stored in a data table starting at address $e470, using 15 bytes per enemy, for a maximum of 5 enemies. However the current room number is stored at address $e4ba, which corresponds to the last byte of this table. If there are 5 enemies on screen (which is more likely to happen at the last room), the current room number is replaced with data about the 5th enemy. When it happens, the screen gets corrupted and the player reappears at another room. This problem is solved storing the current room number at address $e4bb instead. The following patch fixes this problem:
    org $eabd
    defb $bb        ; POKE 60093,187
    org $eae7
    defb $bb        ; POKE 60135,187
    org $eafc
    defb $bb        ; POKE 60156,187
    org $eb3a
    defb $bb        ; POKE 60218,187
    org $ed08
    defb $bb        ; POKE 60680,187
    org $ed69
    defb $bb        ; POKE 60777,187
    org $ed71
    defb $bb        ; POKE 60785,187
    org $f108
    defb $bb        ; POKE 61704,187
    org $f59b
    defb $bb        ; POKE 62875,187
    org $f76f
    defb $bb        ; POKE 63343,187
    org $f806
    defb $bb        ; POKE 63494,187
    org $f818
    defb $bb        ; POKE 63512,187
    org $fa28
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64040,187
    org $fa40
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64064,187
    org $faf4
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64244,187
    org $fb2c
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64300,187
    org $fb3e
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64318,187
    org $fb44
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64324,187
    org $fb5a
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64346,187
    org $fd78
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64888,187
    org $fdcd
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64973,187
    org $fddd
    defb $bb        ; POKE 64989,187

Modified "BUGFIX" file provided by Einar Saukas.

Compilations
     Full version inSinclair Game Compilation(1988)by Sinclair Research Ltd (UK)

Main File Downloads
     FilenameReleaseMachineSchemeLanguageComments
Ninja.tap.zipOriginalZX-Spectrum 48K(???)English
Ninja.tzx.zipOriginalZX-Spectrum 48K(None)English
Ninja(BUGFIX).tzx.zipOriginalZX-Spectrum 48K(None)English

Additional File Downloads
     FilenameSizeReleaseTypeLanguageComments
     Ninja.scr6,912OriginalLoading screen
     Ninja.gif2,980OriginalRunning screen
     Ninja.jpg376,530OriginalInlay - Front
     Ninja.txt1,842OriginalInstructionsEnglish
     Ninja.jpg103,076OriginalGame map
     Ninja.png209,117OriginalGame map
     Ninja_2.png37,659OriginalGame map
     ninja.rzx0OriginalRZX playback file - Recorded by deVandemar
     Ninja-BUGFIX-Patch_SourceCode.txt3,425OriginalBUGFIX source code - Patch source code

Magazine Reviews
     C&VG (Computer & Video Games)issue #65-1987/Marpage 17- Review
     Computer Gamerissue #24-1987/Marpage 52- Review
     Crashissue v.1 #37-1987/Febpage 120- Review: 50%
     Crashissue v.1 #45-1987/Octpage 40- Review - Crash - Run It Again
     MicroHobbyissue #127-1987/Maypage 16- Review - Nuevo
     Your Sinclairissue #15-1987/Marpage 75- Review: 5/10

Magazine References
     BiTissue #11-1992/Augpage 13- Solution
     BiTissue #11-1992/Augpage 22- Map
     Popular Computing Weeklyissue v.6 #2-1987/Jan/8 special "week#2"page 37- News/Note
     Popular Computing Weeklyissue v.6 #5-1987/Jan/29 special "week#5"page 45- News/Note
     YS Smash Tipsissue 1988/Augpage 33- Tips
     Your Sinclairissue #19-1987/Julpage 46- Map
     Your Sinclairissue #21-1987/Seppage 48- Tips

Links
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