Ninja Hero

Last updated
Ninja Hero, role-playing game supplement.jpg

Ninja Hero is a supplement for Hero System, published by Hero Games.

Contents

Publication history

In 1989, Hero Game released Ninja Hero, a 176-page softcover book designed by Aaron Allston, with cover art by Jackson Guice, as a supplement for the 4th edition of Hero System. [1]

In 2003, the revised book, written by Mike Surbrook, was released as a supplement to the 5th edition of the Hero System.

Contents

Ninja Hero introduces rules for martial arts. In the 4th edition two dozen styles of martial arts are described, as well as 15 substyles of kung fu. This allows a player to create a character that specialized in one or more forms. Other subjects covered include:

The 5th edition book consists entirely of genre material, further subdivided by campaign style in addition to power level.

Reception

In the October 1990 edition (Issue 162) of Dragon , Allen Varney called the 4th edition book "an exhaustive treatise on martial arts as they exist both in reality and in free-wheeling kung fu movies." He thought the included scenarios were "among the best Hero Games has published." He concluded "If the topic interests you, see this one for yourself. The quality shines through." [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>TWERPS</i> Role playing game

TWERPS is a minimalist role-playing game (RPG) originally created by Reindeer Games in 1987 and distributed by Gamescience. Presented as a parody of the complicated RPG systems which were prevalent at the time while still being a playable game in its own right, its simple structure and humorous nature gave it unexpected popularity.

<i>Champions</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop superhero role-playing game

Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games designed to simulate a superhero comic book world. It was originally created by George MacDonald and Steve Peterson in collaboration with Rob Bell, Bruce Harlick and Ray Greer. The latest edition of the game uses the sixth edition of the Hero System, as revised by Steve Long, and was written by Aaron Allston. It was released in early 2010.

<i>Fantasy Hero</i>

Fantasy Hero is a role-playing game book originally published by Hero Games in 1985 that allows gamemasters to plan and present fantasy role-playing games using the Hero System rules. Several revised editions of the book have subsequently been published.

<i>Kung-Fu Master</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Kung-Fu Master, known as Spartan X in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat 'em up game developed by Irem as an arcade game in 1984, and distributed by Data East in North America. Designed by Takashi Nishiyama, the game was based on Hong Kong martial arts films. It is a loose adaptation of the Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao film Wheels on Meals (1984), called Spartan X in Japan, with the protagonist Thomas named after Jackie Chan's character in the film. The game is also heavily inspired by the Bruce Lee film Game of Death (1972), which was the basis for the game's concept. Nishiyama, who had previously designed the side-scrolling shooter Moon Patrol (1982), combined fighting elements with a shoot 'em up gameplay rhythm. Irem and Data East exported the game to the West without the Spartan X license.

<i>Oriental Adventures</i> 1985 fantasy role-playing game

Oriental Adventures is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy roleplaying game. Each version of Oriental Adventures provides rules for adapting its respective version of D&D for use in campaign settings based on the Far East, rather than the medieval European setting assumed by most D&D books. Both versions of Oriental Adventures include example campaign settings.

Hacker is a dedicated deck card game for 3–6 players published by Steve Jackson Games (SJG) in 1992.

Bruceploitation is an exploitation film subgenre that emerged after the death of martial arts film star Bruce Lee in 1973, during which time filmmakers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea cast Bruce Lee look-alike actors ("Lee-alikes") to star in imitation martial arts films, in order to exploit Lee's sudden international popularity. Bruce Lee look-alike characters also commonly appear in other media, including anime, comic books, manga, and video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ninjas & Superspies</span> Tabletop role-playing game

Ninjas & Superspies is a modern-day espionage role-playing game published in 1988 by Palladium Books that delves into martial arts as a form of combat.

<i>Flying Dragon</i> 1997 video game

Flying Dragon, known in Japan as Hiryū no Ken Twin, is a fighting game with role-playing elements that was developed by Culture Brain and released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998. Part of the Hiryū no Ken series, it was published in Japan by Culture Brain, and by Natsume Inc. in North America and Europe.

<i>The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu</i> American black-and-white martial arts comics magazine

The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu was an American black-and-white martial arts comics magazine published by Magazine Management, a corporate sibling of Marvel Comics. A total of 33 issues were published from 1974 to 1977, plus one special edition. Additionally, a color Marvel comic titled simply Deadly Hands of Kung Fu was published as a 2014 miniseries.

<i>Heroes of the East</i> 1978 Hong Kong film

Heroes of the East, also known as Challenge of the Ninja, Shaolin vs. Ninja and Shaolin Challenges Ninja is a martial arts film produced in 1978. It starred Gordon Liu and was directed by Lau Kar-Leung. Lau Kar-Leung has a cameo role as So Chan, a master of Zui Quan. It's notable for portraying Japanese martial arts alongside the more typical kung fu used in most Hong Kong martial arts films.

<i>Adventurers Club</i> (magazine)

Adventurers Club was a quarterly magazine published by Hero Games and edited at various times by Steve Peterson, Bill Robinson and Bruce Harlick. It was started in 1983 and ceased publication in 1995. In total 27 issues were published.

<i>The Hero System Bestiary</i> Fantasy role-playing game supplement

The Hero System Bestiary is a supplement published by Hero Games in 1986 to provide a variety of creatures for superhero, espionage and fantasy role-playing games that use the Hero System rules. As new editions of the Hero System rules were published, new editions of the Bestiary were also published.

<i>Batman Sourcebook</i> Role-playing game supplement about Batman

Batman Sourcebook is a supplement about Batman published by Mayfair Games in 1986 and again in 1989 for the superhero role-playing game DC Heroes.

<i>Champions Universe</i>

Champions Universe is a supplement published by Hero Games/Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.) in 1992 for the superhero role-playing game Champions.

Classic Enemies is a supplement published by Hero Games/Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.) in 1989 for the 4th edition of the superhero role-playing game Champions.

<i>Hero System Rulesbook</i>

Hero System Rulesbook is a supplement published by Hero Games/Iron Crown Enterprises in 1990 for role-playing games using the Hero System rules.

<i>High Tech Enemies</i>

High Tech Enemies is a supplement published by Hero Games/I.C.E. in 1992 for the 4th edition of the superhero role-playing game Champions.

<i>Kingdom of Champions</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Kingdom of Champions is a supplement published by Hero Games/Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.) in 1990 for the superhero role-playing game Champions.

<i>Invasions: Target Earth</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Invasions: Target Earth is a supplement published by the Hero Games subsidiary of Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.) in 1990 for the super-hero role-playing game Champions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Varney, Allen (October 1990). "Role-playing Reviews". Dragon . TSR, Inc. (162): 89–92.