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Website
design &
programming
(c) 2000 James Burrows
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The first thing that really struck me about this
brilliant version of Karate
Champ was the
excellent attention to detail and the quality
of the animation of such impressively large characters.
Melbourne House inform me that over 600 sprite
images are used in the animation and on seeing
the players move, you can well believe it! Due
to the sensibly thought out controls, it only
took a few games to get used to manoeuvring proficiently
and I soon found myself performing some complex
fighting moves with joy and ease.
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The computer opponent proves intelligent and tough
to beat, especially at later levels where there
it becomes one hell of a challenge! The two-player
option is great fun to play and gives you a chance
to legally and satisfyingly cream a friend or
two. The whole game, in fact, provides plenty
of enjoyment and an outlet for some pent up aggression.
The music played during the demo has an effective
oriental flavour about it, as do the other pieces.
The screams emitted on performing a move are a
little crude but the frighteningly realistic bone
crunching noises and moans of pain make delightfully
up for that!
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I don't think Exploding
Fist lacks in
lasting interest as it's one of those games that
you can get out time and time again to relieve
the day's tension.
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As a Karate Champ
fanatic, I've been waiting for a decent 64 version
for a long time. It has arrived with fantastic
sound effects, state-of-the-art animation and
brilliant gameplay. Although the wealth of kicks
and punches might confuse a novice, they are easily
learnt and once mastered you'll be able to battle
away with a friend or a very UNfriendly computer
opponent. I'd recommend this game to anyone who
likes a challenge.
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| Welcome
to Game of the Week! Each week there will be a
new featured game on this page. The game may be good,
average or diabolically bad, it really doesn't matter!
Just look at the pics, read the text and enjoy the nostalgia!
:-) Game of the Week! is open to contributions so if you
would like to contribute
a game article for this page you're more than welcome
to! Every article we receive will be considered! |
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The
Way of the Exploding Fist
1985 Melbourne
House/Beam Software
Programmed
by ?
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| Most
text of the present article comes from the review published
in the fourth issue of the British C64 magazine ZZAP!64
(August 1985). |
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WAY
OF THE EXPLODING FIST
Melbourne
House, £9.95 cass,
joystick
or keys
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The
popular arcade game Karate Champ explodes onto
your screen in the form of this excellent new release
from Melbourne House.
True
to its arcade counterpart, Exploding Fist puts
you in control of a budding martial arts expert, complete
with all (well most) of his skills. By exploiting these
skills to their full, you must fight your way up through
several levels, to the exalted ranks of the Shaolin
Monk (slightly more aggressive than your average church-goer)!
The
game takes place over four scenic backdrops against
either a computer-, or human-controlled opponent. To
get closer towards your goal, you need to show that
you are worthy (by knocking the living excrement out
of the other player) over a series of 'bouts'. To win
a bout you need to knock down the other player enough
times. Depending on how well you do this, you are given
'points' in the form of Yin Yangs and a score depending
on the choice of manoeuvre, which are displayed at the
top of the screen. For example, a poorly executed, but
effective, kick, punch etc will earn you a measly half
point and will add a hundred points to your overall
score, whereas a good kick will earn you a full point
and a couple of hundred points to the overall score.
Should
you prove the better man after two full bouts, you will
move up a level to a new backdrop and a tougher adversary.
Each of these levels is known as a Dan (as in Karate)
and is an indication, along with your score, as to how
well you're doing. After every fourth screen (or multiple
thereof) there is a surprise in store, in the form of
a small task to earn a bonus. What are those surprises?
Sorry we'll leave it up to you to find out!
The
demo plays constantly (unless you are actually playing
a game of course) and a hi-score table for the top five
scores. An oriental tune is played throughout the demo
and a different one on the one-player option, the two-player
option and the hi-score table. Other sound is in the
form of digitised AAARGH!s, OOOF!s, C-RACK!s and THUD!s
when fighting, and should they annoy or physically upset
you, they can be turned off.
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THE
EXPLODING ACTIONS AVAILABLE
Joystick
control is quite sophisticated, allowing 15 actions
to be executed in addition to straightforward left/right
movement. There are 8 kicks, 3 punches, 2 somersaults,
a crouch/leap and a basic blocking movement. All the
kicks are controlled by fire and a direction.
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THE BLOCK
This occurs automatically if you back off while
your opponent is making an aggressive move. Moving
the joystick to neutral releases the blocking
stance.
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JUMP
KICK
The classic karate flying kick, most suitable
against a standing opponent who is not blocking.
Best defense is a crouch or a return jump kick,
but you've got to be fast!
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HIGH KICK & MID KICK
Aggressive, hard kicks best defended by a block,
back somersault, or, if quick enough, by running
away!
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SHORT JAB KICK
Useful is close combat because it is very fast
to do and doesn't leave you so open to a counter
attack.
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SWEEP
There are 2 -- forward and backward. This is an
aggressive crouch where the leg sweeps round.
The backward sweep is useful when your opponent
is behind you, and both moves combine offence
with defense and are effective against any aggressive
move by your opponent.
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ROUNDHOUSE
Another classic karate move, the violent swivel
kick which combines a hard kick with an about-face
move. It can be a bit slow to execute, but has
the advantage of putting off many aggressive moves
by your opponent.
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HIGH & LOW PUNCH
These two are effectively the same, except that
the low punch is executed while in the crouch
position. They are useful in medium close fighting.
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JAB PUNCH
Most effective in very close fighting and the
fastest move available. Beware your opponent using
it because you may not even see it coming.
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SOMERSAULTS
There are two of these -- forward and backward.
Apart from the fact that these look attractive
in play (!), they are useful for getting out of
tight situations in a hurry.
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It will be some time before you can class yourself as
a master at this game, but that must be one of its great
strengths. As a Grasshopper you should be able to make
meat of the other guy with only a couple of good moves.
I found the best was simply to sidle quietly up to the
novice (ignoring his AAAAAAAHS EEEEEHS and HAAAETHA!)
and bash him in the boat race, he invariably fell with
a resounding and satisfying thud. Following opponents
were never so gullible and it was me that got minced,
until I learnt a few more tricks. That's what appeals
to me about this game, it's immediately playable even
while you are a beginner but the opponents get meaner
as you get better.
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Playing
against the computer is pretty good preparation
for a real fight against another player, that's
when the game comes into its own. I would have
preferred it if each successive opponent could
have the decency to have dressed up in different
togs, I kept underestimating them until a neat
view of his dirty sole scrunching into my face
reminded me that this guy was hot. The graphics
and sound are terrific, the only thing that stops
this game short of total realism is blood.
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Presentation 89%
Excellent
instructions and options, especially use of the
joystick.
Graphics
95%
Outstanding backdrops, great use
of colour and fluid and lifelike animation.
Sound
92%
Superb oriental tunes and bone-crunching
sound effects.
Hookability
93%
Immediate addiction.
Lastability
91%
Great to play and hard to master.
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Value
For Money 91%
Not over-priced for what it offers.
Overall
93%
A slick, polished package, fun
to play and requiring skill.
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Htmlized by Dimitris
Kiminas (7 April 2002)
Other
"Games of the Week!"
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