|
The Karate Kid has always been
one of my favorite guilty-pleasure movies. Yes, it’s pretty cheesy and yes, Daniel
is very wimpy but the feel-good story just warms my heart every
time. Of course the less said
about its three sequels the better…
The NES version of The Karate Kid is the only video game
translation that this classic movie has ever received and it is about the
equivalent of the many sequels – forgettable but enjoyable for die-hards
of the  original film.
This game actually incorporates
the plots of the first two movies in this series (the only two that had
been released up to 1987). In the
first level you compete in the tournament that ended the original movie. After you win the tournament you go to Okinawa where you must spend the final three levels
on a side-scrolling quest to save your girlfriend, Kumiko,
from the evil Chozen.
There are also three mini-games
found throughout levels 2-4. You
can enter into houses and caves where you will be allowed to train in
order to gain bonus points. You
must catch flies with chopsticks, break ice blocks with your hand, and
(the most difficult) dodge a swinging hammer on a ledge. All three are fun and actually take a
little time to master.
In addition to the one-player
mode, you can do a one-on-one battle against a friend where one of you
controls Daniel, while one has to control the evil Chozen. This mode is kind of lame, though,
since both fighters have the exact same moves. Unfortunately, the game is
way too easy and will be mastered in only a handful of tries.
Positives:
 The game does a decent job in its attempt
to capture the feel of the Karate Kid series, succeeding mostly with
Karate Kid, Part II since the majority of the game focuses on this
movie. All of the bonus games are
decently fun and the game is very beatable (which is also a
negative). It is unique how it
combines two movies in one game, changing modes in the process. Level one is a karate tournament and
the rest of the game is a side scrolling beat ‘em up.
Glaring
Negatives:
There are a few problems with
this game but the main one is that it is very easy to beat. I doubt it will take you more than ten
tries before you will be done with it.
There are only four levels and the first two are almost impossible
to lose. Level three has an
annoying hurricane that causes wind to blow you backwards. We all know how fun the wind feature is
on the NES, but you will master that problem quickly. The final level is the toughest because
you have to go up and down mountains, which will make you an easy target
for the swarming bad guys. The
graphics are super-bland, which is typical of LJN. This game will be of no interest to
anyone who isn’t a fan of The Karate Kid or ninja games in general.
 Graphics and Sound:
Weak
The graphics for this game are
very bland. All of the bad guys
look identical and the backgrounds are plain and boring. The sound is a bit abrasive and nothing
like the score featured in the classic film.
Gameplay
and Controls: OK
The controls are a little clunky
since up is your jump button. You
can pick up special crane kicks and drum punches, which you almost always
just end up using like regular kicks and punches. The gameplay is basic but nothing
special either way.
Features:
A couple
The game has a very basic
2-player fighter mode. The
mini-games found within the regular game are pretty fun.
Fun?: A
bit
While this game is by no means a
must-play; it is decently fun until you beat after around 30 minutes.
Challenge:
No
You will beat this game very
quickly. The last two stages
provide a brief moment of challenge but you will overcome these
challenges within a couple tries.
Replay:
No
You will put this one back on
your shelf as soon as you beat it.
2
Player: Yes
There is a 2-player alternating
mode and a fighting mode.
Online
Manual?: Yes
http://www.nintendoage.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=NES.Manual&Game_ID=865
Bottom
Line: For Karate Kid fans only
Fans of the movie should enjoy
playing this game pak as it isn’t a total
disaster. Casual gamers will be
instantly turned off by it. It is
a good game for beginning gamers, though, since it is short and easy to
beat.
|
