I’ve decided to start another giveaway, this time for:
„Mark of the Ninja (Special Edition)”!

(Suggested background music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ehR4p8JCb8 ) :)

The rules are simple:
1. Just state that „I’m in” if you’re interested.
2. You must want the game for yourself, cannot gift it further.
3. The winner will be chosen randomly on next Thursday.
4. No minimum rep required, but having high (100+) rep or making an interesting comment about the forum topic (see below) will get you a higher chance.

As a conversational topic, I think it would be cool to share some sentimental comments with each other about our childhood ninja movie/game experiences.

The first ninja movie I’ve seen (with horrible, home-made Hungarian dubbing and inferior video quality) was „American Ninja 2” with Michael Dudikoff. When at the beginning of the movie MD was attacked on the beach by a group of ninjas in broad daylight (typical ninja tactic, I guess), I honestly thought that after barely 10 minutes I already have to bid farewell to the main character. I mean, those are NINJAS, nobody can defeat them, right? I was shocked when Dudikoff quickly dispatched all of them without breaking a sweat; that really made me question the (so far) undisputed superiority of ninja power. (But it was all settled when I later realized that MD is a ninja, too.) I loved that movie to pieces and watched it some 50 times.

However, the Sho Kosugi ninja movies were my favorites, mostly because Michael Dudikoff always won too easily, it was interesting to watch but not too exciting. The Sho Kosugi movies contained awesome final battles. Nowadays, almost every Hollywood movie contains disappointing final fights which either end as soon as they start (Expendables 3) or the good guy clearly dominate them from the start (Fast and Furious 7). Those ninja flicks, on the other hand, had long and bloody one-on-one battles in which the main character only won by the skin of the teeth.

The end fight of „Ninja III - The Domination” was OK, the one in „Pray for Death” was cool, but the 10-minutes long (!!!) showdown in „Revenge of the Ninja” simply couldn’t be beaten. (I’m not sure if I’m allowed to post it here but googling „revenge of the ninja final fight” will fetch it for you in no time). Yeah, I know, it’s just a B-movie from the 80s, it has no CGI, it requires a complete suspension of belief… but I feel that this desperate, drawn-out duel to the death between the good ninja (who has lost everything) and the evil silver-masked ninja (who has taken that everything from him) - despite (or because of) all those crazy WTF moments - still contains some aura of honor, justice, unpredictability and epicness that most AAA action movies only craving for. (And let me mention, that - boldly going against all stereotypes - the Eastern guy got the the role of the hero and the white American guy played the villain, which I think was cool and ahead of its time.)

I won’t start rambling about ninja-themed games, though I could - I assume that many of you played the „The Last Ninja” series, but I’d be interested that how many of you are familiar with Saboteur 1-2 (ZX Spectrum) or Ninja (C64)?

Feel free to make a post about your experiences! :)

I'm in!

The coolest ninja related movie i can think of even if it's technically not a ninja movie is Kill Bill. I think that movie is flawless and only surpassed by Tarantino's masterpiece Reservoir Dogs. (On the other hand I really hate Kill bill 2 and think that is by far his worst movie)

I'm in. Thanks for the giveaway and +1.

I have two movie recommendations for you: If you want to see a good modern ninja movie that was done in the style of old ninja movies then watch the movie from 2009. If you are in the mood for lots of cool (though unrealistic) ninja-style executions with lots of (CGI) blood then have a look at [url=http://akas.imdb.com/title/tt1186367/]Ninja Assassin which also happens to be from 2009.

I am afraid though that most ninja fans will have seen them already...

not in...

Classic Shintaro:-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IevRS3hDdpg

I'm not in, for I already have and have played through Mark of the Ninja. :)

Adding my two cents about the subject:

I remember watching some American Ninja movies when I was a child, I just don't remember anything about them, except Michael Dudikoff. After reading a bit about it, I wish I had seen some Sho Kosugi movies back them too.

On recent movies, I can recomend Ninja with Scott Adkins. Very B, very fun. Way better than Ninja Assassin, that one produced by the Wachowskis. I'm yet to watch Ninja 2, though.

If you don't mind watching some anime, I suggest you watch Ninja Scroll. It's incredibly awesome, bloddy and fun. Just keep in mind it is not child friendly. Though not a ninja movie/anime, but from the same guys, you should watch Highlander: The Search for Vengeance, which is the best Highlander movie since the original one.

+1 for the awesome game choice for giveaway!

I'm in and about first sentimental ninja related memories I can remember the TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) was on TV and me and my cousin liked to role play the turtles and he (being older) always wanted to be the coolest ninja of them all - Leonardo which left the rest 3 for me :)

Ninja's everywhere. Not in, but I'll share my first experience with those darn ninjas.

I'm really young so I didn't get to experience the American Ninja series, or those turtles who sits in the sewers and eat pizzas, but I do know about it ( thanks to the internet)
My first time seeing a ninja movie was 4 years ago( I was 11) and that movie was Beverly Hills Ninja with the funny actor who left too soon, Chris Farley. I know that the movie isn't a good reference for the ninja term, but it was my first time watching a ninja on the screen and I've enjoyed it.

Not in, but nice game for a giveaway! +1

I'm in.

Ninja (C64) is a fun short game, still worth a play with an emulator.

The first ninja movie I watched was also a movie with Dudikoff, don't remember exactly which part. Ninjas were introduced to me as cannon fodder for the hero so never got very scared when seeing them in movies. :-P

"American Ninja"... *Sigh*
The only game with ninjas which comes to my mind is Shogun Total War. It has many mini-movies where ninja either kills or dies. I especially like the scene when the ninja is killed by the diplomat. So classy.

I’m in

Shogun Total War was the first game that came to my mind too, its assassination clips were well put together and quite entertaining. Hitman Silent Assassin also featured ninjas on one mission, and I recall them jumping down from the rafters and attacking me with katanas, until I learnt to check carefully before walking under a rafter at which point they found out why you do not bring a sword to a gun fight.

Thanks for all the great stories and suggestions, just keep them coming! :)

By the way, I'm a little puzzled by the relative lack of interest. Though I haven't played it yet, but Mark of the Ninja looks like a funny game to me... and it's the Special Edition, too. Perhaps it was/is featured as a free game somewhere?

Back to the topic: the C64 game Bruce Lee also featured a ninja as a somewhat comical enemy; he constantly followed, poked and harassed the player but didn't do any actual damage (though it COULD kill the player by shoving it into a pit or deathtrap).

Nice Giveaway! Im in!

Im going to throw out an anime. Ninja Scroll. One of the first anime movies I ever watched (Akira was first of course). Just great action all around. It was what made me a fan of anime.

There's still one day for new submissions!

The giveaway will end on tomorrow afternoon (CET).

NOT IN, this is a pretty awesome game though and it certainly does deserve more entries!

As for ninja movies nothing jumps out from when I was young, but I do enjoy the martial arts movies as I've gotten older (and I prefer them in the original voices and sub titled in english) although not many involve ninjas that I prefer. One I really enjoyed was Ip Man, good movie to watch :)