- Ninja Hamster
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Ninja Hamster 
Cover artDeveloper(s) CRL Publisher(s) CRL Designer(s) Gary Thomlinson Composer(s) Jay Derlett Platform(s) Commodore 64 Release date(s) INT 1988 Genre(s) Fighting Mode(s) Single-player
Two-playerMedia/distribution Cassette, Disc Ninja Hamster is a 2D fighting game published by CRL for the Commodore 64.
Overview
The player controls a small, but perfectly trained rodent as he battles against his mortal enemies, the Sinister Rat and his band of villains.
The action is portrayed in the familiar beat'em up style, with two beastly opponents facing each other across a static screen. Each animal has an energy meter, which is depleted every time a hit is sustained. When this reaches zero, the combatant is knocked down, and a bit is taken out of his life-giving "Great Apple".
Once the seventh segment of the opposition's apple disappears, the hamster advances to the next opponent, if the hamster's apple is removed, the game ends.
The hamster has a repertoire of moves accessed by combinations of joystick positions and button presses. The moves available include a flying kick, mid-kick, ground sweep, punch, high kick, jump and duck. Energy is slowly regained all the time, so to successfully knock down an opponent, blows must be struck fairly regularly.
A two player option is provided, where the second player takes control of the villainous animals.
Reaction
Zzap 64! gave Ninja Hamster the following reviews and scores:
- "CRL have tried to inject a little novelty into the fighting genre, but failed to disguise what is basically a tired old beat'em up." - Julian Rignall ZZap!64 February 1988.
- "This mediocre effort simply disappears into the swirling morass without trace. The two characters are transparent hi-res monochrome sprites which clash badly when in close combat." - S.J. Zzap!64 February 1988.
- Presentation 80%. One or two players plus optional keyboard control.
- Graphics 39%. Poorly defined sprites battle it out across an incredibly bland backdrop
- Sound 72%. A totally cliched, but enjoyable boppy soundtrack.
- Hookability 48%. Simple to play, but the action fails to grab from the out set.
- Lastability 25%. Each character takes ages to defeat, and the action severely lacks variety.
- Overall 39%. A poor beat'em up which falls far short of its potential
External links
CRL Group Video games 1982Rescue19833D Desert Patrol • Alien Maze • Bomber • Caveman • Crawler • Derby Day • Draughts • Galactic Patrol • Grand National • Jackpot • Lunar Rescue • One Day Cricket • Pandemonia • Test Match • The Omega Run • The Orb • Zaraks1984£.s.d. • Ahhh!! • Cricket 64 • Glug Glug • Handicap Golf • Handy Andy • Incredible Adventure • Olympics • Orpheus in the Underworld • Show Jumping • Terrahawks • The Magic Roundabout • Tritz • Whirlybird • The War of the Worlds • The Warlock's Treasure • The Woods of Winter1985Blade Runner • Bored of the Rings • Endurance • Formula One • Juggernaut • Space Doubt • Tau Ceti • The Causes of Chaos • The Rocky Horror Show1986Bugsy • Doctor What! • Dracula • Hercules1 • Pilgrim • Robin of Sherlock2 • Room Ten • Samurai • The Boggit • The Very Big Cave Adventure1987Academy • Ball Breaker • Book of the Dead • Cyborg • Death or Glory • Federation3 • Frankenstein • From Darkness into Light • I-Alien • IQ • Jack the Ripper • Jet-Boys • Last Mohican • Lifeforce • Loads of Midnight • Mandroid • Murder off Miami • Ninja Hamster • Oink! • Outcast • Plasmatron • Sun Star • They Call Me Trooper • Traxxion • Vengeance1988Ball Breaker II • CounterForce • Cyberknights • Discovery • International Soccer4 • Kellogg's Tour 1988 • NATO Assault Course • Purple Heart • Road Warrior • Sophistry • Thundercross • Time Fighter • To Hell and Back • Trigger Happy • Wolfman1989Inner Space • Lancaster • Professional Soccer • Search for the Titanic1990HellholeUnknown yearThe Great DetectiveUnreleasedEnchantress • Spearhead • The Blues Brothers • The Malinsay MassacreSoftware Fifth (1983) • Stargazer Secrets (1983) • Highway Code (1984) • 3D Game Maker (1987) • 2D Game Maker (1988) • Hi-Rise Scaffold Construction Set (Unreleased)Platforms Acorn Electron • Amiga • Amstrad CPC • Amstrad PCW • Atari ST • BBC Micro • Commodore 64 • Commodore Plus/4 • MS-DOS • ZX SpectrumKey people Clem Chambers • Ian Ellery • Michael Hodges • Jared Derrett • Jay Derrett1 Hercules was a re-release of a 1984 video game by Interdisc
2 Robin of Sherlock was a re-release of a 1985 video game by Delta 4 Software
3 Federation was a re-release of a 1985 video game called Quann Tulla
4 International Soccer was a re-release of a 1983 video game called Cup FinalCategories:- 1988 video games
- Commodore 64 games
- Commodore 64-only games
- Fighting games
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