New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja vs. Original

Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja was one of those games that never quite clicked with me, but there’s a story here, and that’s reason enough to revisit it.

The Amiga saw its fair share of caveman-themed games, and I’m sure many of you have fond memories of Prehistoric or Chuck Rock, arguably the most well-known of the bunch. That said, my personal favourite has always been BC Kid from Factor 5, without a doubt the most enjoyable of the lot in my book.

My most vivid memory involving Joe & Mac isn’t even tied to playing the game. It was when my brother returned from a trip to London. He caught me in the middle of a session with Bignose the Caveman and immediately lit up, telling me about this incredible arcade game he’d seen at the London Trocadero: Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja. The way he described it had me instantly hyped.

At the time, I had no idea an Amiga version was even in the works.

Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja, The Hype Is Real…

To my surprise, a preview of Joe & Mac for the Amiga appeared in a magazine just weeks after my brother had raved about the arcade version. Even better, the port was being handled by none other than ELITE, which instantly sent my hype train into full steam.

But as time dragged on and the game’s release was delayed, my excitement gradually faded. By the time it finally launched in early 1993, the magic was gone.

I remember contacting my brother (we’d both moved out of the family home by then) to tell him the game he’d been so excited about was finally out. At first, he thought I was referring to Street Fighter II, which he’d also discovered during that same London trip. But when I clarified, saying, “You know, that two-player caveman game—blah blah yada yadda,” he just replied, “Oh… wasn’t that kind of meh?”

Doomsday…The Epic Fail?

This release taught me a few valuable lessons; first and foremost, never let the hype get the better of you. And secondly, it confirmed what was becoming increasingly clear: by this point, Elite Systems just wasn’t delivering quality Amiga games anymore.

My initial impression of the Amiga version wasn’t great. Sure, the intro sequence looked promising, and the inclusion of joypad support and a secondary fire button was a nice touch that briefly rekindled my excitement.

Unfortunately, the illusion didn’t last. The sound was the first red flag; it was broken, badly out of sync, and jarring. And when the gameplay started, I quickly realised the framerate was just as rough.

To be honest, I think I gave up on the game not long after encountering the first boss. It simply didn’t feel worth pushing through.

The Big Box Version Of Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja…

As far as I know, Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja was only released in a single big box edition on the Amiga—no budget re-releases, no compilations. Judging by how rarely it turns up for sale on eBay or in retro shops, it likely didn’t sell very well.

The packaging itself is decent, though the front cover artwork isn’t exactly something I’d proudly display on a shelf. That said, the back of the box does a much better job of selling the game—it practically shouts, “buy me!”

In terms of features, the Amiga version actually gets a few things right (if you can understand the menu options). It supports joypads and joysticks with a second fire button, which was still fairly uncommon back then. You can also choose whether to jump with a dedicated button or by pressing up. Personally, I stick with the old-school method—pressing up to jump—though I’ll admit it can be a nightmare with a sloppy d-pad or poorly made joystick.

Three Decades Later, Time To Give It A New Chance…

I first tried the arcade version of Joe & Mac in an early version of MAME sometime in the early 2000s, and to be honest, it left no impression on me whatsoever. I wasn’t wowed then, and for years, I never felt the urge to give it a second chance.

Fast forward a few years, and suddenly there’s a remake, developed by Mr. Nutz Studio, for modern PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. My first reaction? Why this game, of all things? To be fair, I still kind of feel that way. There are so many other retro classics more deserving of a proper revival.

If you’ve been watching the embedded videos in this article, you may have noticed that the Amiga version is shown on the left, while the PS5 remake is on the right. Since this is an Amiga-centric blog, I chose not to showcase the original arcade version, even though it’s the original.

What really caught me off guard, though, was how the side-by-side comparisons put the Amiga port into a whole new light. Yes, it’s rough around the edges—and in some places downright broken—but it still manages to stay remarkably true to the original. I honestly expected far more differences, so in that sense, it’s a surprisingly faithful effort, all things considered.

The New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja…

This remake had been sitting in my backlog for years. I was never a fan of the original, so I mostly ignored it—until I picked it up during a PSN sale (of course). Fast forward to a day when I needed to clear space on my hard drive, and I started going through my digital pile of shame, deleting old games after just a few minutes of play.

But then I launched New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja, fully expecting to ditch it like the rest. Strangely, I didn’t. No, it wasn’t exactly fun, but something about it kept me playing.

The visuals feel a bit too polished, and the gameplay is far from perfect, yet it somehow manages to stay very close to the original’s feel (a realisation that hit me after revisiting the Amiga version).

At that point, I figured, “Might as well see it through—this can’t be that hard… right?”

Caveman Boss Fight Rush…

One thing I totally overlooked before finishing the game is just how little platforming it actually has. It’s almost like a boss rush game, which, surprisingly, made me enjoy it a lot more than I expected. The levels are short, with a somewhat loose “throwing mechanic,” a variety of weapons, and floaty jumping. The graphics also change up quite a bit, keeping things visually interesting and making me look forward to the next boss fight. The game also features a solid 2-player co-op mode, though I haven’t had the chance to try it yet in either version.

Another feature that was pretty uncommon back then (and is also present in the remake) is the inclusion of alternate routes. While there are only two—A and B—they still provide some variation. I’m sure I would have appreciated this feature more back in the day if I’d actually enjoyed the game, as it offered more levels and added variety.

Bones, My Booooooones…

The Amiga version has some odd mechanics that can be pretty frustrating, especially compared to the remake, where I played on an easier difficulty for my “quick playthrough.” One such mechanic is the energy/health system. You’re constantly having to collect fruit, cakes, and other items to stay alive. While it might sound like a good idea at first, the difficulty, poor framerate, and questionable hit detection make the game feel “unfinished.”

Visually, some parts of the Amiga version look great, while others don’t hold up as well. Surprisingly, the music stays true to the arcade version, but the way it shares channels with sound effects and seems to suffer from a potential CIA timing issue makes it rough to play. It’s impressive that this port was handled by a single person (Robert Mann / Motivetime), especially considering the time it was done.

I also discovered that the NTSC version plays better than the PAL one, offering a bigger screen and better framerate. Simply switching to NTSC in the boot menu (on the Amiga) was enough to notice the difference.

Jungle, Graveyard, Desert, Caverns…

It’s worth noting that the Amiga version struggles significantly with hit detection, especially when it comes to most of the bosses. They take forever to defeat because you can’t land hits unless you’re positioned just right with the weapons you have. To put it mildly, it’s incredibly frustrating. Some of the bosses are visually stunning, and it’s a shame that instead of enjoying them, you’re left feeling negative due to these issues.

In contrast, the remake is much more forgiving with the arsenal and power-ups. Activating them is much easier, which leads to you using them more often than in the Amiga version. That said, I played the remake on Easy difficulty.

Arcade Vs. Amiga Vs. Remake, The Verdict…

A brief rundown of the versions can be found below. Honestly, I can’t say that this game (in any form) is a must-play, but the remake at least encouraged me to give the Amiga version another shot. There are some positive aspects, but overall, it was a major disappointment back in the day and still doesn’t impress much today. How this Data East coin-op got a remake still baffles me, but I guess every game has its fans. The remake did give the game a second chance, thanks to its polished presentation, which, while a bit overdone, ultimately works. It’s something I’ll remember for years to come. Overall, though, the game remains fairly average across all three platforms.

Arcade Version:
✅ Fun for a quick session
❌ Becomes dull due to unlimited credits
💬 Playable, but lacks long-term engagement

Remake (New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja):
✅ Surprisingly enjoyable
✅ Quick Platinum trophy (easy to unlock)
🕒 ~1.5 hours to complete 100%
💬 Solid for a casual run

Amiga Version:
❌ Technically rough
❌ Washed-out graphics
❌ Missing some endgame content
⚠️ Brutally difficult with clunky boss fights & frustrating gameplay
💬 Could have been great with better QA and balancing

Overall:
None of the versions are stand-out classics, but the remake is the most enjoyable out of the three. The Amiga version had potential but was likely rushed to market without enough polish.

Source Material: Some screenshots from Hall Of Light, some Amiga footage from various YouTube videos (big thanks to everyone), and the rest from me.

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