|
|
|
WAY OF THE EXPLODING FIST
(Melbourne House - 1985)
Here is the game that popularised the genre on the Spectrum. On its release in 1985 (and following an extensive advertising campaign), it became a best seller and the most fondly remembered of all beat 'em ups. It follows the standard best-of-three format, making use of excellent graphics and a changing series of backdrops. Your task is to progress through the various Dan grades, using 18 possible moves to defeat your adversaries. Top limb-crunching fun.
BRUCE LEE (US Gold - 1985)
Not just a common garden fighting game, but also a platformer. You must jump, duck and, of course, kick and punch your way through a large, maze-like playing area to locate and defeat an evil wizard. Pursuing Bruce throughout the game are Green Yamo and Ninja who will appear to impede Bruce. Points are scored by the number of laterns picked up and the laying out of opponents. There is also a useful two player mode which puts one player in control of Bruce and another in the role of Yamo.
KUNG FU
(Bug Byte - 1984)
This is the game that brought the beat 'em up to the home computer. Compared to later titles it appears somewhat limited, especially in regard to your number of attacking moves (four). Nonetheless, it manages to combine humour with attractive line graphics and the traditional best-of-three system. There is also an action replay so you can watch your opponent having his teeth kicked in just one more time.
INTERNATIONAL KARATE
(System 3 - 1985)
This type of game suffered at the hands of the self-copying trend more than most and this, frankly, was one of the more inferior beat 'em ups to appear. However, it clearly left an impression on many people, because here it is at number four. There's very little new to be found in Internation Karate that you won't find being done better elsewhere. Crash magazine gave it an overall rating of 68% which probably says it all.
YIE AR KUNG FU
(Imagine - 1985)
Yes, you guessed it, another fighting game made in 1985. But what's this, some new features? Well, yes actually, because this conversion of Konami's arcade original is in fact quite an important game within the genre. It was the first to introduce the idea of different characters to the beat 'em up, a concept taken to new heights in the Street Fighter games and Tekken series. Although the actual fighting format differs little from other beat 'em ups, this remains one of the best fighters ever made for the Spectrum.
|
 Beat 'em ups
Of all arcade genres, the beat 'em up is one of the youngest. The first example of its kind appeared in the arcades in 1984 in the form of Data East's Karate Champ. Later that year the home computer received its first taste with Bug Byte's Kung Fu for the Spectrum. These games defined the now accepted format of one-on-one fighting in a best-of-three environment. The beat 'em up was slower to develop than other types of game and it was not until Melbourne House's Way of the Exploding Fist in 1985 that things really took off. It started a bandwagon rolling that every major software house jumped onto, achieving some minor milestones along the way. For instance, Imagine's Yie Ar Kung Fu was the first game to introduce the concept of different fighting characters, while US Gold's Bruce Lee managed to combine violent mayhem with a platform game.
Like scrolling shooters, beat 'em ups became the focus of some of the most frantic self-copying in the industry during the mid-1980s. In later years, fighting games also came in the form of arcade-adventures built around the basic idea of thrashing various opponents to a pulp. In its purest one-on-one form though, the genre is classic, timeless computer entertainment.
The real attraction of the beat 'em up will always be that it offers you the chance to play against another person. Although the challenge that the computer can offer is sometimes greater, the competitive nature of the games player is never provoked more than when another human being is involved. From Pong right up to the Tekken series, computers have always provided the perfect platform on which to humiliate a friend in a head-to-head contest.
|
If you liked those, try these.
Here some more of the same that might appeal to you.
Fighting Warrior (Melbourne House – 1985)
Another fighting game from the producers of Exploding Fist. This time you are an Egyptian warrior who must cross a desert landscape to rescue a princess nabbed by a wicked Pharoah. In your way are a whole manner of nasties who must be dispatched with your trusty sword. Quite an odd game in that rather than transport you from screen to screen in the usual manner, you wander across a scrolling landscape and find your opponents strolling the other way.
Way of the Tiger (Gremlin – 1986)
One of the best of all the genre. Your task is to achieve the lofty status of Ninja by competing in a number of different combat events: unarmed combat, pole fighting, and Samurai sword fighting. The graphics are superb, but you are warned - it is very difficult. There was a sequel called Avenger released the same year, but it was more of a top-down Gauntlet-style game than a traditional beat 'em up.
Way of the Exploding Fist 2 (Melbourne House – 1986)
Err...that's right, a sequel. Well what did you expect? Not much to say here except that it is another highly competent beat 'em up from Melbourne House. Recommended.
Kung Fu Master (US Gold – 1986)
An arcade conversion and not a very good one at that. Your mission is to battle through the five floors of a temple to rescue the inevitable damsel. The graphics are dodgy to say the least. For real enthusiasts only. By this stage the brief interest in the beat 'em up was beginning to wane and it is demonstrated very well in this mediocre effort.
Shao Lin's Road (The Edge – 1986)
More high kicking action from the Edge.
Samurai (CRL – 1986)
One more - just for luck.
|
|
|
Copyright R.Tayler |
