A few years before he would go on to make the game that would make him famous, Jordan
Mechner created Karateka while he was still in college.
Now I can remember doing some things in college, and I can�t remember doing a lot of other
things, but I can guarantee that the things I did at university will not be seeing an
HD remake few years later.
Jordan would develop one of my favorite games, Prince of Persia, after this and you can see
many similarities between the two games.
Both games feature a nameless, nobody who must step up when his love is taken away.
A no-one who would become a hero, but instead of ancient Persia and sword fights, now you
do you best Neo impress and say you know kung-fu.
The gameplay is just like the original, with this just updating and not really changing
things.
It is totally one on one, honorable karate combat.
You move your character down a very narrow path, and make your way to the next combat
section.
There, your opponent challenges you and like a true man, you accept that challenge.
The combat may take some time to get use to because it is not your standard beat �em
up.
In those, you are the aggressor, throwing punches and taking names.
This is much more interested in strategy and tactics.
You will want to block and counter most of the time.
That will open opportunities for attacks and you can get your combos in and deplete your
opponent's health.
Don�t think this is a mindless button masher, or you will get taken down, like if you approached
the princess in an attacking stance in the original.
Young viewers might not understand.
But while the core gameplay remains intact, the art style is years apart.
Instead of the two or three colored pixelated figures of the original, this now has full
on 3D characters and backgrounds.
Everything has a very stylized look, with cell-shading and fitting animations.
It may not be the best looking game out there, but the style surprisingly fits, even though
the original was realistic, well for the time it was.
But the biggest complaint is the length of the game.
The game can be completed in under an hour, easily.
Once you get a feel for the combat, you can move through the game quickly.
The game wants you to try multiple times, and to practice and get better each time you
play.
The combat becomes very rewarding, but the length of the game leaves you wanting more.
The game is an updated relic from the past that still holds its place, but not with the
same awe the original inspired.