Reviews

One of the first martial arts titles for the Spectrum, this took a rather different line from most of the beat 'em ups that followed.

The graphics are pretty good with some nice backgrounds and very well animated characters, although they do look a bit flat. There's also the essential two player mode that is the making of any good fighting game.

However, the game plays in slow motion next to later beat 'em ups, there are a limited selection of just four attacking moves and you still need to use six keys.

This proved an interesting diversion for a while until totally eclipsed by Way of the Exploding Fist and later games.

Sweet memories from the golden years of the old Speccy.

One of the first martial arts videogames I ever played ... it stayed in my memories for years and years and years ... that must mean something. ;D

1984 Bug Byte Software (UK)
by Duke, Muraja and Dragoljub

I think Kung-Fu has the best vector graphics I have ever seen. Not only they look good, apart from the strange noses, they also move very accurately and are very well animated and without slowing down the game too much.
It's true this technique is not the best to use in this sort of games, but the authors did a great job with it.
The presentation is also very nice, the backgrounds are pretty and depict fairly well the traditional Japan.
About the action itself, its highly playable, but you only get 4 types of attack and no combos. And that cools down the game a bit. Progression in the game comes in the form of belts, you start at the bottom with the white belt and your goal is to became master. That was the incentive and it worked fine. Also you get the 2 player mode. You play in a different background with a different set of colors (to break down the monotony). Here you had the chance to discover the "achilles heel" of all beat 'em ups: using continuously the same type of attack to rapidly defeat your opponent. Remember this was one of the first Martial Arts game. Later games like 'Way of the Exploding Fist' would explore newer and better territories (although the "achilles heel" would never cured) but 'Kung-Fu' stands as the a pioneer and surely deserves a place in the Hall of Fame.

3,5 stars

The animation is among the best I've seen on a Spectrum game and while the gameplay was slow it was very enjoyable and good fun. I couldn't decide whether to give it a 3 or a 4 but I eventually felt that for the fun I had with it and the pretty animation I had to give it a 4.