Karate Champ
White gi, red gi, one referee with a flag. The granddaddy of every fighting game.
Coming soon to UsuArcade
Votes to bring it to the arcade: 0
In the meantime, head into the arcade and play the cabinets that are already there
- Year
- 1984
- Manufacturer
- Technos Japan
- Players
- 2 players at once
- Genres
- Fighting games, Vintage classics
- Decade
- '80s arcade games
Before fireballs and combos, there was a cabinet with two karate fighters, a mat, and a referee who raised his hand every time somebody landed a clean shot. That was Karate Champ: no-nonsense, technical, and surprisingly tough.
There were no buttons, just two joysticks per player, and figuring out how to work them together felt a little like learning actual karate. Whoever could pull off a flying kick at the perfect moment owned the arcade, at least until the next guy stepped up with a quarter.
History
Karate Champ was developed by Technos Japan and released by Data East in 1984. It's considered one of the first one-on-one fighting games and laid down a lot of the genre's groundwork: rounds, points, and a move list you had to master.
Not long after the original, which pitted you against the computer, a version came out built for two people to fight each other. Technos Japan went on to make brawler classics like Renegade and Double Dragon.
How to play
Each player uses two joysticks and no buttons: the combination of directions on both sticks determines your move, from low kicks and punches to jumps, sweeps, and spinning kicks. It's awkward at first, but once you memorize a few moves it all clicks.
Matches follow tournament rules: a clean strike earns a full point, a less clean one earns half a point. First to two points wins the match. Between matches there are bonus rounds, like breaking boards or dodging flying objects, for extra points.
Fun facts
- There are no buttons. Everything runs on two joysticks per player.
- It was made by Technos Japan, which later created Renegade and Double Dragon.
- A dedicated version let two players fight each other head to head.
In the arcade
Karate Champ isn't in the arcade yet. It's on the wish list, and you can hit “I Want to Play It” on this page to bump it up. Coming soon to UsuArcade if the votes roll in.
Meanwhile, you can go one-on-one in Street Fighter II, kick your way up the tower in Kung-Fu Master, or see what Technos did next with Double Dragon, all on the arcade floor.
Once Karate Champ lands in the arcade, you'll be able to play it online two-player, each on your own phone or PC, in the same game.
FAQ
When did Karate Champ come out?
1984, developed by Technos Japan and released by Data East.
How many players is Karate Champ?
Up to two players at the same time, head to head, in the two-player version.
How do you play Karate Champ?
With two joysticks per player and no buttons: the combination of both sticks picks your move. First to two points with clean hits wins.
Can I play Karate Champ on UsuArcade?
Not yet. Vote for it with “I Want to Play It,” and meanwhile try Street Fighter II or Kung-Fu Master in the arcade.
