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TheInternetArchiveSoftwareCollection>HistoricalSoftwareCollection>Karateka(1984)(Broderbund)

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Karateka(1984)(Broderbund)(1984)
Karatekaisa1984beat'emupvideogamebyJordan Mechner,andwashisfirstgamecreatedwhileattendingYale University.ItwasoriginallyprogrammedfortheAppleII,and waslaterportedtoseveralotherhomecomputersandearly gamingconsoles.ThegamewaspublishedinNorthAmerica byBrderbund,andinEuropebyAriolasoft. Theplayercontrolsanunnamedprotagonistwhois attemptingtorescuehisloveinterest,thePrincessMariko, fromAkuma'scastlefortress.Thegameexhibitsa combinationofasidescrollingplatformandfightinggame elements.Theplayerusespunchesandkickstodefeat Akumaandhisguardsandmakehiswaydeeperintothe fortress.Thegame,aswithmostatthetimeofdevelopment, lackedcheckpointsortheabilitytosavethegame,makingit achallengetocompleteinasinglesitting.

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Karatekahasbeenwellreceived,particularlyforitsrealisticanimationsusedforthegame'scharacters.Thegamewas consideredabreakthroughsuccessforMechner,andwouldeventuallyresultinhisdevelopmentofthePrinceofPersia franchise.Ahighdefinitionremake,spearheadedbyMechner,wasreleasedasadownloadabletitlefortheXbox360, MicrosoftWindows,andPlayStation3,withplannedportsfortheiOSandWiiUsystems. Karatekausesgameplayelementsfoundinbothsidescrolling2Dplatformersandfightinggames. TheplayerisintroducedtotheunnamedheroasheascendsamountainintoAkuma'sfortresstorescuePrincessMariko. [1]Astheplayerdirectstheherointothefortress,variousfoesappearandattempttostophim.Onceinafightingstance, theplayerdeliversblows,punches,andkicksattheenemywhiledodgingtheenemy'sattacks.Theplayer'shealth, shownbyabaronthebottomofthescreen,diminisheswitheveryhithetakes,thoughhealthisrecoveredslowlybynot engagingincombat.Shouldtheplayerloseallhishealth,thegameisover,requiringtheplayertostartagain.The enemy'shealthbarisshownonthescreenaswelloncethisisdrained,theplayerhasdefeatedhimandcanprogress forward. Inadditiontohumanenemies,Akumaoccasionallysendshistrainedhawktoattacktheplayer,whichcanbedeflected withwelltimedpunches.Therearesomeenvironmentalhazardsthattheplayercancomeupon,suchasafalling portcullisoranopencliffside,whichendthegameimmediatelyifnotavoided.Throughoutthegame,cutscenesare shown,displayingsuchscenesasAkumaorderinghismentoattacktheplayerandMarikonervouslyawaitingherfate. Eventually,theplayerwillreachandfaceAkumainafinalconflict.OnceAkumaisdefeated,theplayerisabletorescue Mariko.OnceMarikoisfreed,sheandtheplayerleavethefortresstogether. Thisitemispartofthecollection:HistoricalSoftwareCollection Identifier:Karateka_1984_Broderbund Date:1984 Mediatype:software Year:1984 Publicdate:2013102003:27:29 Addeddate:2013102003:27:29 Language:English

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Reviewer:FiendishDisputant December28,2013 Subject:Feardoesnotexistinthisdojo Ah...thehalcyondaysoftheAppleIIecamerushingbacktome.Goodquality2Dgameplaywithsmoothmotion. Watchoutforthedamneagle! Reviewer:realisticusernameNovember1,2013 Subject:Good IfirstplayedtheshitoutofKaratekaonanAppleII+inthemid2000s.Seeingitfeaturedatarchive.orgwithanin browseremulatormakesmefeelathome. Reviewer:Tyler October28,2013 Subject:greattoseethishere! I(likemostkidsofthe80s)playedKaratekaonmyAppleIIebackinthemid80's.itwasaclassic.revisitingiton archive.orgisagreattripbackintime.TheMESS/JSMESSemulatorworkedgreatinmyFirefoxbrowser(v24). However,itwouldhavebeengreattohaveashortinstructionsonhowtoplay.Trialanderrorgaveme: qHighPunch aMidPunch zLowPunch wHighKick

sMidKick xLowKick Direction(LeftandRight)aretheonlymovements.No'jump'or'duck'.LandRonthedirectionalkeysaswellas'4'and '6'onthenumberpadworked,howeverInoticedattimesthekeyboardinputswouldnotdoanything(JSMESS emulatorglitch?). "Dying"causesyouto'climbbackupthecliff'soyouwouldn'thavetositthroughthe(painfullyslow)fullscrollstory andintroduction.FuntoplayagainbutIthinktheboredomfactoristooeasytohitnowthatitis2013andgaminghas comesofar.Afuntripdownmemorylanethough!

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