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You don't need to play Last Ninja long to realise that it is pretty special and whilst you can hope that it won't be the last game of its type, it is going to take a long time to be improved upon.

So what is it exactly? Well, it's not a pure beat-'em-up in the style of International Karate or Barbarian, although Last Ninja has plenty of that. It is the game elements in addition to the scraps that make it special. An arcade adventure in the mould of Fist II and Way Of The Tiger - but much, much better.

The storyline is impressive and well researched. The Ninjutsu (Mystic Shadow Warriors) flourished in Japan after a 200-year clan war. They lived a tough life in the mountains - perfecting their weapons, mind control and physical fitness.

Once every ten years, the Ninjutsu have to make a sacred pilgrimage to the Island of Lin Fen where they pay homage to the shrine of the White Ninja.

The enemies of the Ninjutsu seize on their absence as an opportunity to destroy their bases and learn their secrets.

Enter one joystick-holding last Ninja (that's you) called Armakuni. You are the last hope of the Ninjutsu. The only way for you to stop Kuniroki is to successfully complete the six levels of the game and get inside the Inner Sanctum of the Palace where your final goal is revealed.

The game begins in the Wilderness - maze of paths, swamps and rivers. Several palace guards have to be fought in the Wilderness. It is your first taste of combat and you need take the opportunity to become as sharp as possible if you are to have any hope of completing the other levels.

The characters are not very large on screen so you have to look closely at the screen when memorising the moves. This is particularly important when you are in close contact - you have to learn where to stand to give your warrior the best advantage.

Once you have mastered the basic moves the next thing to do is to get your weapons as soon as possible. The sword is essential - as are the shurikens and nunchakus.

Many of the palace guards are armed with swords and will make mincemeat of you if you're not equally well-armed.

When you have collected the items you need, you may proceed to the Wastelands. More guards are dispatched to fight you and you also have to conquer the Lin Fen Mountain Range. The beauty of the graphics will become apparent as you get stuck into Level II - excellent backdrops. You can see the time and care that went into the game.

To make it beyond here, you'll have to improve no end since the guards are tougher and there are still more of them. Your combat skills need to increase at a similar rate if you are to get much further.

The final three levels are the Dungeons - a maze-like affair with some nasty surprises, the Lower Palace which is fiercely defended and finally the sumptuous private rooms of the Shogun in the Inner Sanctum.

Apart from the essential weapons that you will need to defend yourself there are also several items that you will need to collect in order to complete the quest.

You soon realise that jumping is as important a skill to master as the weaponry. Take getting through the swamp for instance - unless you get your footing pixel you are going to get that sinking feeling.

Last Ninja is a stunning piece of software. Stand up and take a bow, Messrs Cale, Best, Twiddy, Riley, Dalgleish, Lees and Snowball. Right from the moment it starts to load it impresses with a nice laidback oriental theme.

Get into the game and it gets better with every new screen you discover. The attention to detail is exquisite. It's going to take a long time to solve - but no way is this work. Last Ninja? I hope not if beat-'em-ups improve upon this.