If you remember the 1980's game of 'Karate Champ; An Arcade fighting game that was released in the Arcades and later the Apple II, C64, NES, Virtual Console, iOS via Data East, then you might like this latest news story we've come across via the EAB forums. As Jotd is working on bringing the Arcade version of that classic game over to the Amiga as a new game called Karate Champ VS Amiga. To coincide with this latest update, Jotd has teased some early footage which can be viewed below.
Here is what the Wikipedia says about the game linked (here). Karate Champ is a 1984 arcade fighting game developed by TechnÅs Japan and released by Data East. A variety of moves can be performed using the dual-joystick controls using a best-of-three matches format like later fighting games. The game was a commercial blockbuster where it was the highest-grossing arcade game of 1985 and the best-selling home computer game up until 1989. An updated version that allows two players the option to compete against each other was released in 1984 under the title Karate Champ — Player vs Player. It featured a multiplayer mode and more varied gameplay. It was released for the arcades shortly after the original during the same year, also published by Data East.
Awesome! Really happy to see this particular game with sounds and graphics you would expect from Amiga.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this arcade game for the first time at a local gas station in the 80’s. A 2 player fighting game was a new idea. The graphics and sound presentation was better than many at the time.
We went from Pac-Man and Frogger, to Donkey Kong and Mappy, to Q-Bert and Zaxxon, to finally 2 player games like Mario Bros. which we had a blast with on arcades and on Home Computers at the time in our living rooms.
Karate Champ was a ground breaking experience. I was an astonished 10 year old seeing the beginning of what would only improve and become something that would dominate arcades just a few years later.
Many younger people who see this game won’t understand anything before the N64 but I was there. Yes I am old and was fortunate to experience the Atari 2600 and arcade classics like Space Invaders, Asteroids, Galaxia, and the golden age of gaming.
I’m really excited about this project and can’t wait to see it finished. The homebrew community is exploding and especially happy to see it happening to Commodore.
I am old enough to say that nobody was expecting a game this poor on the Amiga in the eighties, really, nobody was hoping that they'd make a game this poor. Exploding Fist and Int. Karate on the 64 look and sound much better.
DeleteKarate Champ was already converted on the Amiga in 87 and was better as this but still very poor:
https://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=3982
For '87 Karate Kid was a much better game:
https://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=1625
Agreed. I played the 87 version which is actually in the public domain. It’s not even playable. An abomination. In fact it was that version that gives me some hope for this new one. IK and Exploding Fists haven’t aged well but fighting games just were not so great on computers for a long time. Yie Ar Kung Fu for C64 seems much worse than we remember. I remember how terrible Street Fighter II was and Mortal Kombat was the best port in its day. Fighting games are not even a problem most the time they are ported anymore because they feel the exact same as the system they came from.
DeleteOne of my most favorite arcade games back then. The coolest part were controls which unfortunately home ports couldn't deliver due to lack of second joystick. I've tried it some time ago with MAME and Sega Saturn PC pad but it's still nowhere as fun / playable. Sorry, but I can't imagine it with Amiga joystick.
ReplyDeleteThe game can use 2 joysticks + keyboard. Or CD32 pads, where the buttons act as the second joystick. This is a 2 joystick 4 way (no diagonals) and it works very well.
ReplyDelete