Karateka (video game)
| Karateka | |
|---|---|
Commodore 64 cover art for Karateka
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| Developer(s) |
Jordan Mechner Liquid Entertainment (HD Remake) |
| Publisher(s) |
Brøderbund (original) D3Publisher (HD Remake) |
| Designer(s) | Jordan Mechner |
| Platform(s) | Apple II, Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit, Atari 7800, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Famicom, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Game Boy HD remake: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox 360, iOS |
| Release date(s) |
Apple II
|
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
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 2013 remake, spearheaded by Mechner, was released in 2013 as a downloadable title for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and iOS.
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. 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.
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