Kiwi Madness – The New Zealand Story

Over the past few months, I’ve been diving deep into retro Amiga content—and that’s largely thanks to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from readers like you. With the 30th Anniversary of the Amiga on the horizon, it’s safe to say my focus has been more Amiga-centric than ever.

One game I’ve been meaning to cover for a long time is The NewZealand Story (TNZS). For some reason, it kept slipping down the priority list, but today, that changes!

Taito And Ocean Were Kings Of the ’80s…

For many gamers, Ocean and arcade/coin-op titles were a match made in heaven. This was especially true during the golden era of the Imagine label, when we saw a wave of high-quality ports like Gryzor (C64), Robocop, Combat School (C64), Chase HQ, Cabal, Rainbow Islands and many more.

Taito was a powerhouse in the arcades and on home systems alike, so it’s no surprise that Ocean jumped at the chance to secure the license and bring The NewZealand Story to the Amiga.

This is one of those unforgettable games that sticks with you for years. The catchy, cheerful theme song is burned into the memory of anyone who played it, and the gameplay holds up incredibly well even today. It’s the kind of game where, after all this time, you might still remember exactly where the secrets are hidden—that’s how good it is.

Lovely Game with lots of Cool Bosses and Locations…

The NewZealand Story may seem a bit too simple at first glance, but give it more than a few minutes, and it really starts to shine. The Amiga version features charming graphics and catchy music—nothing groundbreaking, perhaps, but certainly solid and enjoyable.

What really stands out is how well the game plays. The controls are responsive, there’s no noticeable slowdown, and it feels like a complete and faithful port. Everything just works the way it should, which isn’t always a given with arcade conversions.

I’ll admit, I haven’t revisited any other versions of the game since the mid-2000s. Back then, I played it on the PSP and PS2 via the Taito Legends compilations. So, it’s possible the Amiga version might be missing a few things—levels or features—but from what I can tell, it holds up remarkably well.

Ocean Had Some Awesome boxes Back Then…

I recently fired up the WHDLoad version of The NewZealand Story on my SX-1 CD32 setup, and the first thing I did was head straight for the first shortcut—exactly where I remembered it from decades ago. The last time I played the Amiga version was in the late ’80s, yet somehow, those little details stuck with me.

Normally, I’m not someone who’s great at remembering secrets or cheat codes, but this game is an exception. I still recall many of the keyboard/text cheats and a surprising number of the warp zones and hidden areas. Even if I don’t remember all of them, I remember enough to feel like I’d played it just yesterday.

Some might argue whether that kind of memorability is a sign of good or bad game design, but for me, if I can still remember a secret 20+ years later, that’s a clear sign of excellent design.

Cheat Codes Hidden Away In The Box…

**Haha! Look what I found tucked away in the box—**the cheat code for infinite lives!

Going through my old game boxes always feels like a trip down memory lane. There’s so much forgotten history hidden in them. That said, I’m not entirely sure who actually wrote this note—it definitely wasn’t me. Maybe a friend? Or a family member? Either way, it’s a fun little discovery from the past!

The Jewel Case Edition Looks More Or Less Identical To The Big Box…

It took me around two hours to complete the game this time—surprisingly quick, considering it took me weeks to finish it back in the day. I might be older (and definitely rustier at games), but somehow, I managed to beat this one in a single evening. And no, I didn’t use the infinite lives cheat either!

One of the standout features of The NewZealand Story is its creative design. For example, during one boss fight, you’re actually eaten by the boss and have to defeat it from the inside—pure genius! While the core gameplay stays consistent throughout, the graphics and themes change from level to level, keeping things fresh and making you eager to see what the next stage looks like.

Gotta Love The Floppies…

Yes, I actually own three different versions of The NewZealand Story—two boxed editions, and floppies from three separate releases. One of those was handed to me by a friend who gave me his Hitsquad edition when he left the Amiga scene back in the late ’90s. It’s funny how those little moments stick with you.

So, after spending an evening with this quirky platformer about a chicken err Kiwi named after a country on the other side of the world… what did I think?

• That theme song was still ringing in my head the next day. Seriously, close your eyes and there it is!

• The gameplay still holds up—tight and responsive.

• Visually, it still looks good, even today.

• Boss fights are fun and feel genuinely rewarding.

• All this packed onto just one floppy disk? Incredible.

• Why don’t we get games like this anymore?

• And seriously… WHY is there only ONE song in the whole game? No wonder it’s etched into my memory from the ’80s all the way to today!

One of the most amusing things about the game is how packed it is with secrets. If you know where to look, you can warp to the end boss within minutes. It really makes me wonder if these shortcuts were originally included for beta testers to speed through the game and check all the levels during development.

In short, The NewZealand Story is a true classic. If you’re into old-school platformers or love that “cute but challenging” vibe, this one’s a must-play.

Special thanks to Hall of Light for the screenshots!