Karateka

Released1984

Atari 7800
Atari 8-bit
PC-9800 Series
Commodore C64/128/MAX
ZX Spectrum
Android
Atari ST/STE
iOS
DOS
Apple II
Family Computer
Amstrad CPC
MSX

About

Karateka is a 1984 beat'em up video game by Jordan Mechner, and was his first game created while attending Yale University. It was originally programmed for the Apple II, and was later ported to several other home computers and early gaming consoles. The game was published in North America by Brøderbund, and in Europe by Ariolasoft. The player controls an unnamed protagonist who is attempting to rescue his love interest, the Princess Mariko, from Akuma's castle fortress. The game exhibits a combination of a side-scrolling platform and fighting game elements. The player uses punches and kicks to defeat Akuma and his guards and make his way deeper into the fortress. The game, as with most at the time of development, lacked checkpoints or the ability to save the game, making it a challenge to complete in a single sitting. Karateka has been well-received, particularly for its realistic animations used for the game's characters. The game was considered a breakthrough success for Mechner, and would eventually result in his development of the Prince of Persia franchise. A high-definition remake, spearheaded by Mechner, was released as a downloadable title for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, with planned ports for the iOS and Wii U systems.

Developer: Jordan Mechner
Publisher: Brøderbund Software, Dro Soft, Soft Pro International, Atari Corporation, DotEmu
Genres: Fighting, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up
Themes: Action
Modes: Single player
Perspective: Side view
Age ratings: CLASSIND L
IGDB rating: 68 / 100 (35 ratings)
Also known as: Каратека, Каратист, Karateka Classic

Release dates

Release dates by platform
Platform	Release
Amstrad CPC	1990
Android	May 16, 2013
Apple II	1984
Atari 7800	1987
Atari 8-bit	1985
Atari ST/STE	1988
Commodore C64/128/MAX	1985
DOS	1986
Family Computer	Dec 5, 1985
iOS	May 3, 2013
MSX	1990
PC-9800 Series	Nov 1, 1988
ZX Spectrum	1990