Yie Ar Kung-Fu

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Konami

Karate Champ is one of the games that established the foundation of the modern fighting genre. Less than a year later, Yie Ar Kung-Fu was released and further laid that foundation down. Where Karate Champ was more of a realistic fighting game, Yie Ar Kung-Fu introduced faster-paced action along with over-the-top gameplay, like being able to jump about three times your own height. The game also featured various characters, all with their own unique look and moves. The player controls Oolong, who is modeled after Bruce Lee and the goal Is to defeat all eleven martial arts masters in the game. Oolong has several different attacks that he can perform as you try to guide him to victory, so once you begin learning what button combinations to what move, a game that would probably feel repetitive otherwise, suddenly begins getting fun as you strategically try to execute the proper moves when the opportunity arises. Another change from the formula of Karate Champ was that instead of using a point-scoring system for the fight, Yie Ar Kung-Fu uses the health bars seen in most fighters today. Ultimately, like playing a fighting game today, the goal is to deplete the health bar of your opponent, which will lead to a knock out victory. While a bit crude by today's standards, Yie Ar Kung-Fu is still worth playing, if only for the fact that it seems to be the most influential fighting game until Street Fighter II comes out - especially since some of Yie Ar Kung-Fu's innovations are still in use on fighting games today. If you're a fan of the fighting genre, then I recommend checking this game out so you can see for yourself.

Review added: 11/20/2025