The Last Ninja Collection is out. It includes every The Last Ninja title, with versions for the Commodore 64, Amiga, and ZX Spectrum. It also bundles International Karate and Bangkok Nights. This was one of the defining video game franchises of the 1980s. The Last Ninja sold over 1 million copies on the Commodore 64 alone. At release, it was a technical flex, pushing advanced isometric graphics well beyond what most machines of the era were expected to handle. The collection is released by System 3, the original developer and publisher. The presentation closely mirrors the modern docu-retro treatment Atari has been using lately: archival, reverent, and clearly aimed at preservation rather than reinvention.
Acclaim is back as a publisher again. Once the biggest publisher in the video game industry, Acclaim put out Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and Turok. They later branched into comics by acquiring Valiant Comics. But it all ended badly. In the early 2000s, Acclaim collapsed into bankruptcy after years of aggressive spending and declining returns. The revival is smaller and more cautious. No AAA ambitions. The new Acclaim is focused entirely on retro-styled indie games. One unexpected detail. The company is advised by Jeff Jarrett* co-founder of TNA Wrestling and now a business development executive with All Elite Wrestling.