International Karate
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| International Karate | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot of the Atari ST version |
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| Developer(s) | System 3 |
| Publisher(s) | System 3 (Europe), Epyx (USA) |
| Designer(s) | Archer MacLean |
| Release date(s) | 1986 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Two player |
| Platform(s) | Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, MSX, ZX Spectrum |
| Input | Joystick |
International Karate is a 1986 karate computer game for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and Atari 8-bit family of computers. It was first published by System 3 in Europe, and then in the United States of America by Epyx as World Karate Championship. A version of this game was later released for the Atari ST and the PC (utilizing 4-color CGA graphics). In 2004 it would be "re-released" as a title on the C64 Direct-to-TV. The game was programmed by Archer MacLean, and the music was by Rob Hubbard.
International Karate and World Karate Championship are identical except for the difference in game speed - the latter is tuned for the American NTSC television system.
A sequel to this game called International Karate + was released a year later.
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[edit] Gameplay
The core game is a two-dimensional, one-on-one, versus fighting game. Players take on the roles of martial artists competing in a kumite tournament. Rather than wearing down an opponent's health, the goal is instead to score single solid hits. After each hit, combat stops and both combatants are returned to their starting positions. Depending on how well players hit their opponent, they score either a half-point or a full point. Matches can be quite brief, as only two full points are required to win, and a point can be quickly scored just seconds after a round begins.
In single player mode, successive opponents increase in difficulty from novice white belts to master black belts. Play continues as long as the player continues to win matches. Between fights, bonus mini-games focusing on rhythm and timing appear, including one in which the player must break a number of stacked boards using only his or her head.
As in newer games in the genre, specifically Street Fighter, the fights take place against a variety of backdrops (8 in total) representing different locations in the world.
[edit] Controls
The title utilizes the standard one-button joystick, allowing players to execute a variety of karate techniques. Each of the non-movement maneuvers has a different score value awarded if it connects. The scores listed below are for half-point hits; these are doubled for full point hits. Thus, the maximum in a round would be 2,500 points (one full point, one half-point, second full point). The available techniques are as follows:
[edit] Without pressing the button
- Up: Short hop (0--does not hit).
- Up-Forward: Face punch (400).
- Forward: Walk (0).
- Down-Forward: High kick (400).
- Down: Sweep (200).
- Down-Back: Gut punch (200).
- Back: Walk (0).
- Up-Back: Turn-around face punch (400, turns player around).
[edit] While pressing the button
- Up: Jump Kick (500).
- Up-Forward: Forward flip (0--does not hit, jumps higher than the hop).
- Forward: Side kick (100).
- Down-Forward: Shin kick (100).
- Down: Turn-around gut punch (200, turns player around).
- Down-Back: Turn-around shin kick (100, turns player around).
- Back: Roundhouse kick (500).
- Up-Back: Backward flip (0--does not hit, jumps higher than the hop).
Unlike many modern fighting games, players do not turn around if the opponent gets behind them. Instead, only the three turn-around maneuvers allow one to change direction, with differing associated strike ranges (short for the shin kick, medium for the punch, and long for the gut punch).
[edit] Lawsuit
Video game publisher Data East sued System 3 and Epyx for publishing a game that was pretty much identical to its arcade game, Karate Champ. International Karate used the same coloured fighters, and had the same points system. Initially Data East won the lawsuit, so the game was pulled from retailers shelves, but the decision was appealed to a higher court, who reversed the decision, stating that while the game was similar, it was not identical, and that one game company can not monopolize one entire sport. As a result, Melbourne House did not sue System 3, as the game The Way of the Exploding Fist is also very similar to both of these games.
[edit] Trivia
- Music from International Karate was performed live by a full orchestra at the third Symphonic Game Music Concert in 2005. The event took place in Leipzig, Germany.
