Let's Compare - Karateka

[TrekMD]

Karateka is a 1984 martial arts action game by Jordan Mechner, and was his first published game, created while attending Yale University. It was originally programmed for the Apple II, then widely ported. The game was published in North America by Brøderbund, and in Europe by Ariolasoft. Along with Karate Champ (1984) and Yie-Ar Kung Fu (1985), Karateka established the basis of the modern fighting game.

The player controls an unnamed protagonist who is attempting to rescue his love interest, the Princess Mariko, from Akuma's castle fortress. The game exhibits a combination of a side-scrolling platform and fighting game elements similar to a beat 'em up. The player uses punches and kicks to defeat Akuma and his guards and make his way deeper into the fortress.

A modern remake, spearheaded by Mechner, was released in 2013 as a downloadable title for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, iOS and Wii U.

Gameplay

Karateka uses gameplay elements found in both side-scrolling 2D platformers and fighting games.

The player is introduced to the unnamed hero as he ascends a mountain into Akuma's fortress to rescue Princess Mariko.[9] As the player directs the hero into the fortress, various foes appear and attempt to stop him. Once in a fighting stance, the player delivers blows, punches, and kicks at the enemy while dodging the enemy's attacks. The player's health, shown by a bar on the bottom of the screen, diminishes with every hit he takes, though health is recovered slowly by not engaging in combat. Should the player lose all his health, the game is over, requiring the player to start again. The enemy's health bar is shown on the screen as well; once this is drained, the player has defeated him and can progress forward.

In addition to human enemies, Akuma occasionally sends his trained hawk to attack the player, which can be deflected with well-timed punches. There are some environmental hazards that the player can come upon, such as a falling portcullis or an open cliffside, which end the game immediately if not avoided. Throughout the game, cut scenes are shown, displaying such scenes as Akuma ordering his men to attack the player and Mariko nervously awaiting her fate.

Eventually, the player will reach and face Akuma in a final conflict. Once Akuma is defeated, the player is able to rescue Mariko, though the player must assure that he is out of a fighting stance, or else the princess will assume he is an enemy and kill him in one blow. Once Mariko is freed, she and the player leave the fortress together.

Source:  Wikipedia

[align=center:315r74xg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkQJqmoZTpc[/align:315r74xg]

[zapiy]

My honest opinion on this is they all look pretty good lol..

[Greyfox]

That is very true, the game is superb to begin with, but for me the Atari 8-bit with forever hold my heart as the number one, I remember getting this on disk and think this was like have a Martial arts movie in your home and showed what could be done with these computers back then, technically brilliant and highly difficult made Karateka a classic title of excellence and execution.

P.S. The Atari ST version lift the antics a notch especially the graphics and the only 16-bit home computer version I believe, a little dated but a topper none the less.