Sports / Sports - Boxing / Martial Arts · 1986

International Karate

Published by System 3 Software · Developed by System 3 Software

atarimania.com — atari-400-800-xl-xe-games-international-karate-2592

Information

Genre: Sports - Boxing / Martial Arts
Language: Machine Language
Controls: Joystick
Players: 1, 1 vs. 2, Demo
Programmer(s): Maclean, Archer
Graphic Artist(s): Maclean, Archer
Sound: Hubbard, Rob
Cover Artist(s): [unknown]
Year: 1986
Publisher: System 3 Software
Developer: System 3 Software
Country: United Kingdom
License: Commercial
Medium: Tape, Disk
Rarity: 6 (Tape), 7 (Disk)
Serial: -

Votes / Statistics

Rating: 8.7/10 · Votes: 1,418 · Downloads: 26,087 · Hits: 118,337

Additional Comments

Released as World Karate Championship by Epyx in the US.

A beta version of the game is available here.

Missing original disk image!

Screenshots (8)

Cover Art (3)

Instructions (2)

Trivia (1)

Excerpts from an interview with Archer Maclean by James Hague...

JH: "What was the inspiration for International Karate?"

AM: "The first karate game happened because I was asked to help out with improving the graphics in the early development game being handled by a team. I ended up taking the whole project over and redoing most of it from scratch."

JH: "Was there ever any thought to reviving either of the International Karate games?"

AM: "I understand that there is something happening along those lines by the original development house but I have no part in any of it whatsoever, despite any publicity you might read. I would quite like to do my own new karate-themed game but unlike any of the normal design ideas. Sure, it will use state of the art technology and motion capture but a whole lot more gameplay and ideas than currently seems to be the norm."

Comments (14)

dtm-artist — 16 Mar 2024
I and my friends played this game endlessly in the 1980s, and it remains the gold standard for fighting games to this day, even after Street Fighter 2 revolutionized the genre. Controls are impressively simple, sound effects are very satisfying, and the Rob Hubbard music is amazing. This is easily in my Atari 8-bit top ten list.
Andreas Koch — 12 Jun 2018
The tape version of IK from System 3 that I once had in my collection had six backdrops, three on side A of the tape and another three on side B. Do not remember which backdrop was missing, since the disk version had seven backdrops. There is also a newer version of IK with eight backdrops, they added London and created a fileversion for 128k Ataris.
AbbotKinneyDude — 12 Jun 2018
Does the tape version only have 2 backdrops (Sydney & Mt. Fuji) and nothing more?
ChrisTOS — 16 Oct 2017
What an amazing beat em up. I had this and my friend had IK+ on his CPC464. His looked a little bit better and I was jealous of that. IK played a little bit better on my Atari (or his crappy joystick was too crappy) and I think I enjoyed this more. My copy was a bit iffy and it didn't show Poseidon't temple well. I didn't like that :P
peter — 25 Aug 2016
very addictive game, i remember the arcade machine which had the "double-stick" controles, the ref was hilarious saying "full point" or "half point" all the time! great classic
AbbotKinneyDude — 9 Jul 2016
An AMAZING feat of programming and one of my favorites while growing up. The new 2014 Enhanced version is a MUST HAVE: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/233064-enhanced-ik/
Shannon — 26 Jan 2012
So is the IK+ conversion complete? Or is it still a WIP. If it is a WIP just how playable is it?
Steve — 6 Nov 2010
Technically put together well, beautiful on the eye and great gameplay also.
lotek style — 1 Apr 2010
I was just listening to the music for hours :)
rdefabri — 9 May 2008
That IK+ link posted by Andy Bernstein is awesome - real nice version of a classic A8 game!
m4rtin — 31 Jan 2008
das war voll der Hammer
Jonny EOL — 10 Dec 2007
Remember taking on my brother at this game. No better outlet for sibling rivalry at the time. This was the only worthy 2-player martial arts game we ever found at the time.
Pengwin — 5 Oct 2007
This has to be my favourite beat-em-up of all time. I cannot fault this game in any way. Elements of this game can be seen in just about every fighting game since.
Andy Bernstein — 26 Feb 2004
A bunch of East European programmers are doing their best to port the sequel, INTERNATIONAL KARATE + (a/k/a IK+), on the Atari 8-bit platform. Look at http://www.uce.pl/ikplus/info.html for more info.