Karate Champ
Encyclopedia
Karate Champ, known in Japan
as is a arcade game
developed by Technos Japan Corporation
for Data East
. It is one of the first fighting game
s, and has been believed to be the first to use today's common side-perspective. However, Heavyweight Champ
, released in Japan by Sega
, used the same perspective and predates Karate Champ by eight years.
The player assumes the role of a Karate
competitor and fights against another player or the computer. Using two joystick
s, players can execute a number of moves.
Gameplay consists of a two dimensional fight between Karate characters wearing white and red gi
, followed by various bonus rounds for the successful player. This pattern repeats itself in the next, more challenging round set against a new background. Unlike most later fighter-type games, there are no health bar or hit points. A hit successfully landed ends the round and earns the player or his opponent either one point or half point (along with a numeric score for the top ten but this has no effect on winning a match per se). The first to score two points is the winner. The game also featured some early speech synthesis
, in which the judge would call out such phrases as "Fight!" or "Winner!" It's also spoken in Japanese
in the Japanese version.
The sequel is very similar to the original in the sense that they use the same hardware, have the same sprites and title screen, and the play mechanics are essentially the same although the computer AI is greatly improved along with control and hit detection. Whereas the original game started with the first level taking place at a dojo and all the following levels taking place at a tournament stadium, Player vs Player has the characters fighting it out over girls at locations around the world.
and the Commodore 64
by Berkeley Softworks. Data East began publishing the home versions in the US on October 12th 1985.
The NES
version was developed in-house by Data East USA and released in North America
on November 1986. This version was inspired by the Player VS. Player edition of the arcade game. The port was later released in Japan
for the Disk System on July 22, 1988, but never made it to the cartridge-based Family Computer. Data East published this version of the game, both in North America and Japan.
The arcade version was shown briefly in the movie Bloodsport
starring Jean Claude Van Damme.
An emulation of the arcade version was released by Hamster for the PlayStation 2
as part of their Ore-tachi Gesen Zoku lineup.
On May 7, 2010 it was announced for release on the iPhone OS
platform by developer Revolutionary Concepts.
, Jack Gale, of North Miami Beach, Florida
, USA, scored a world record 259,800 points on Karate Champ, on June 28, 1987, during the 1987 Video Game Masters Tournament
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as is a arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed by Technos Japan Corporation
Technos Japan Corporation
is a defunct Japanese video game developer, best known for the Kunio-kun and Double Dragon franchises...
for Data East
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
. It is one of the first fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
s, and has been believed to be the first to use today's common side-perspective. However, Heavyweight Champ
Heavyweight Champ
Heavyweight Champ is a boxing sports arcade game, released by Sega in 1976. The game featured black-and-white graphics with the controls inside a set of plastic boxing gloves attached to the arcade cabinet...
, released in Japan by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, used the same perspective and predates Karate Champ by eight years.
Overview
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
competitor and fights against another player or the computer. Using two joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
s, players can execute a number of moves.
Gameplay consists of a two dimensional fight between Karate characters wearing white and red gi
Karategi
Karategi is the Japanese name for the karate training uniform.A karategi is somewhat similar to a judogi as it shares a common origin, however the material and cut of the uniform is generally much lighter and looser fitting. The heaviest of Karategi are only 16 oz compared to some judogi at...
, followed by various bonus rounds for the successful player. This pattern repeats itself in the next, more challenging round set against a new background. Unlike most later fighter-type games, there are no health bar or hit points. A hit successfully landed ends the round and earns the player or his opponent either one point or half point (along with a numeric score for the top ten but this has no effect on winning a match per se). The first to score two points is the winner. The game also featured some early speech synthesis
Speech synthesis
Speech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. A computer system used for this purpose is called a speech synthesizer, and can be implemented in software or hardware...
, in which the judge would call out such phrases as "Fight!" or "Winner!" It's also spoken in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
in the Japanese version.
Player vs. Player edition
is a sequel to Karate Champ that was released for the arcades shortly after the original during the same year. Like its predecessor, it was published by Data East, but it is unclear if it was developed by Technos or by Data East.The sequel is very similar to the original in the sense that they use the same hardware, have the same sprites and title screen, and the play mechanics are essentially the same although the computer AI is greatly improved along with control and hit detection. Whereas the original game started with the first level taking place at a dojo and all the following levels taking place at a tournament stadium, Player vs Player has the characters fighting it out over girls at locations around the world.
Ports and related releases
Karate Champ was ported to the Apple IIApple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
and the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
by Berkeley Softworks. Data East began publishing the home versions in the US on October 12th 1985.
The NES
Nes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
version was developed in-house by Data East USA and released in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on November 1986. This version was inspired by the Player VS. Player edition of the arcade game. The port was later released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for the Disk System on July 22, 1988, but never made it to the cartridge-based Family Computer. Data East published this version of the game, both in North America and Japan.
The arcade version was shown briefly in the movie Bloodsport
Bloodsport (film)
Bloodsport is a 1988 American martial arts film directed by Newt Arnold and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb and Leah Ayres. The film is based on the claimed adventures of Frank Dux, and was followed by three sequels Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite , Bloodsport III and Bloodsport 4: The...
starring Jean Claude Van Damme.
An emulation of the arcade version was released by Hamster for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
as part of their Ore-tachi Gesen Zoku lineup.
On May 7, 2010 it was announced for release on the iPhone OS
IPhone OS
iOS is Apple's mobile operating system. Originally developed for the iPhone, it has since been extended to support other Apple, Inc. devices such as the iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple TV. Apple, Inc. does not license iOS for installation on third-party hardware...
platform by developer Revolutionary Concepts.
High score
According to Twin GalaxiesTwin Galaxies
Twin Galaxies is an American organization that tracks video game world records and conducts a program of electronic-gaming promotions. It operates the Twin Galaxies website and publishes the Twin Galaxies' Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records, with the Arcade Volume released on June...
, Jack Gale, of North Miami Beach, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA, scored a world record 259,800 points on Karate Champ, on June 28, 1987, during the 1987 Video Game Masters Tournament
Video Game Masters Tournament
The Video Game Masters Tournament was an event that was created in 1983 by Twin Galaxies to generate world record high scores for the 1984 U.S. Edition of the Guinness Book of World Records . It was the most prestigious contest of that era and the only one that the Guinness book looked to for...
.
See also
- List of fighting games
- International KarateInternational KarateInternational Karate is a karate fighting game created and published by System 3 for various home computers. Of these versions the 1986 releases for Commodore 64 and Atari 8-bit computers, created by Archer MacLean with music by Rob Hubbard, stand out for their good playability and overall high...
- A Home Computer conversion which Data East took to court for Copyright Infringement in a case known as Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc.Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc.Data East USA, Inc. v. Epyx, Inc. 862 F.2d 204, 9 U.S.P.Q.2d 1322 is a court case in which Data East, a video game manufacturer, contended that Epyx, a competing video game manufacturer, licensed and distributed a video game, International Karate, that infringed on the copyright of a video game...