DESCRIPTION

You are a Karateka who has spent years away from your village perfecting your skills. You were to be married to Princess Mariko upon your return but, unfortunately, the evil warlord Akuma has kidnapped her. She's now imprisoned in his castle, high up in the mountains.

You have scaled the cliffs leading to the castle in an attempt to rescue the princess. Now, you must pit your karate skills against Akuma's minions and finally the warlord himself.

Karateka is a 2D fighting game. As you make your way through the three levels leading to a showdown with Akuma, you must use your karate skills to overcome his underlings. In the default standing or running poses, your enemies can dispose of you with one strike. Therefore, for survival, assuming a fighting stance upon seeing an opponent ahead is mandatory.

When in a stance, you can continue to fight until your health (shown by a red triangle at the bottom left of the screen) is totally depleted from taking hits. To defeat your opponents, you must strike them enough times to completely drain their health (blue triangles at the bottom right of the screen).

In addition to Akuma's minions, you must also deal with terrain traps like spiked gates and cliffs. Additionally, Akuma sends his pet bird after you; it attacks from high, middle or low perspectives and can be fought off with a well-timed attack. ~ Kyle Knight, All Game Guide