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Yes, you guessed it, another fighting game made in 1985. But what's this, some new features? Well, yes actually, because this conversion of Konami's arcade original is in fact quite an important game within the genre. It was the first to introduce the idea of different characters to the beat 'em up, a concept taken to new heights in the Street Fighter games and Tekken series. Although the actual fighting format differs little from other beat 'em ups, this remains one of the best fighters ever made for the Spectrum.

Yieaaarrriiiieeeeumph! That's better - there's nothing like a spot of Kung Fu clobberin' to unclog the tonsils. Yes, we're back on those well-trodden ways of the exploding fists with this conversion from the arcades.
You play Oolong as he hops, skips and punches his way to a grandmastership by defeating a string of nine deadly opponents. Each adversary is different in style and approach and each has a weakness that you must discover and use to your advantage. Take Buchu, the first fighter to face you - a fat devil who nevertheless flies through the air with the greatest of ease. But a series of straight punches to the paunch will lay his flabbiness flat out. Similarly, the rest of 'em come tumbling down as soon as you've mastered the sixteen different possible moves, each of which scores you a variety of points.
Yie Ar has the edge over its opponents if you're looking for variety but still want a fairly faithful martial arts simulation. Like Kung Fu, it junks realism for spectacular effects but it still captures the spirit of the sport that lies somewhere between circus acrobatics and a Glasgow brawl. By comparison, Fist looks about as dangerous as a Japanese tea ceremony but it's still the one for the karate purists.
The only problem I found with Yie Ar is that it's just too easy. It only took half an hour to reach the final opponent, the Kung Fu master himself, and I was within one blow of toppling him. Unless you're into notching up the points you may just find that your interest starts to wane once you've faced all the foes. Or perhaps I've just played too many similar games.
Nevertheless, a good introduction to painless punching if you're into Bruce Lee but bruise easily.

Verdict: 8/10
Review by Alison Hujl
£7.95

Yie Ar Kung Fu was a famous arcade game that featured martial arts. Imagine Software were given the task of converting it to the ZX Spectrum, and they released this conversion early in 1986.

The original arcade game was by Japanese gaming giants Konami, and Imagine managed to re-create the same opponents and controls on the ZX Spectrum version as well as two of the backdrops from the coin-op version. Not bad going.

ZX Spectrum Yie Ar Kung Fu
The scenario of the game was, as usual, pretty simple. You took control of our hero, a master of Kung Fu called Oolong. To fulfill his destiny he had to follow in the his fathers footsteps and honour his family name by becoming a Kung Fu Grand Master. The only way to do this was to defeat the opponents who confronted him on this noble quest. Let the fighting commence!

One cool aspect of Yie Ar Kung Fu was the fact that some of your adversaries were a little bizzare. From huge giant fighters (who could defy the laws of gravity and fly across the screen at you) to cute female warriers who had a laugh trying to kill with razor sharp and very deadly fans.

Our fighter Oolong had plenty of Kung Fu moves at his disposal, sixteen in all. All moves were accessed via the joystick or nine keys, in a similar fashion to International Karate and Way of the Exploding Fist.

The usual moves were available to you, such as a roundhouse kick, leg sweep, body punch and so on. The moves were executed in a style of Kung Fu (rather than Karate which had featured in other fighting games) - and the slight fantasy element of the game allowed for more exotic moves. Aside from the 'usual' moves you could also perform huge bounding jumps, leaping punches and so on. As was usual for martial arts games, points were awared for landing blows and if you racked up 20,000 points then the game would give you an extra life. Nice.

ZX Spectrum Games Yie Ar Kung Fu Game ScreenWhen fighting you had the three different modes to choose from:

* Walking mode - so you could erm, walk from left to right

* Punching mode - so you could punch your opponent

* Kicking mode - I'll let you work out the last mode yourself

You began each level in walking mode and when you moved into fighting range of your opponent you had the option of being able to either kick or use your fists.

In true beat em up fashion both you and your opponent were given a certain amount of energy at the start of each bout. The energy bar was shown on-screen which diminished slightly with each hit. Defeating your opponent was a matter of reducing his or her energy bar to zero before yours did.

If you managed to knock the crap out your opponent then you were moved to the next level to face a more skilled fighter - with your energy level restored to maximum. If you were defeated then one of your five lives was lost and you had to face the same opponent again.

Each combatant had a different style of fighting - and the whole 'philosophy' of tha game was that you needed to modify your fighting strategy in order to win each different bout. Some of the opponents (rather unfairly!) carried weapons such as throwing stars, shields, poles, sticks, and the aforementioned deadly fans.

If you managed to defeat the final opponent Oolong became a Grand Master. Rather than putting your feet up an sipping cold beers to celebrate, Oolong had to challenge the same set of opponents all over again - and as usual for these games they were a little more skilled and a little quicker.

On Release:
Yie Ar Kung Fu was a very popular arcade game at the time (although I always preferred Karate Champ) and a home conversion was always on the cards. Martial Arts games were very popular in the mid 1980's (and still are) and this was a decent one for the ZX Spectrum. Whilst never as good as the classic Exploding Fist, Yie Ar Kung Fu was a pretty good conversion by Imagine software. All of the opponents were in there complete with their respective weapons, and a decent version of the famous waterfall background from the original was there also. Plenty of gamers lapped it up and enjoyed the variety of opponents who all had a different set of moves.

The test of time:
Here in the land of Spectrum Games we reckon that Yie Ar Kung Fu has not aged at all well. It cannot stand against Melbourne House's classic arcade Karate sim (Exploding Fist), the simple animation of the fighting characters is the main drawback. At risk of revealing a spoiler here, you soon realise after a few goes that you can pretty much defeat each fighter with the same couple of moves. Yie Ar is worth a go for nostalgia - and it still side slaps Rise of the Robots into the gutter.

I would say give it a go for a laugh. After all, you can get medieval on each opponents asses with ease.

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting.... Those kids were as fast as lightning... etc etc

We recommend getting hold of the real Sinclair hardware - but if not then download a ZX Spectrum emulator and download Yie Ar Kung. Alternatively you could try and play it online.

GENRE: Arcade Game (Beat em up)
RELEASE DATE: Early 1986
RELEASED BY: Imagine Software
DEVELOPER(S): Imagine
PRICE: £7.95 - UK

Brian Beuken (ex-Ocean programmer) wrote:

"Yie ar Kung fu 128K, (I assume you mean the Spectrum version) didn't get publshed as far as I know.
It was intended to be sold in the box with the new Speccy 128's. but just as I was coming to the end of the project Amstrad bought Sinclair and decided on a totally new machine (the +2 later the +3) pushign back the release schedules quite a bit.
So the 128K version fell off the radar. I did finish it, but dunno if they ever did anything with it.
Gary might know more? I don't think I've got the code or a tape of it anymore though, sorry."

Gary Bracey then added:
"Well, to the best of my recollection (which isn't saying much as I don't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning), I'm pretty sure Yie Ar Kung Fu 128 didn't get a formal release. If it was ever completed, then there is a possibility it existed on a SPeccy 128 compilation, but I really don't think so."

Brian (having played it in .Z80 format on an emulator):
"OH MY GAWD, there it is, 20 years on..never thought I'd see that again :)
Yeah I did finish it Gary, and soon after ran into the Bwana incident so that was me out, I never saw the game after that. I knew it never got a formal box release but figured it went out on a compilation"

Gary:
"Y'know, mentioning that 'Bwana' incident does bring back a memory. In fact, I'm pretty sure I had just started at Ocean (maybe for a week) when that happened, as I distinctly recall your best mate, Colin Stokes, actually recounting the episode to me shortly after it had happened.

So we did overlap by about a week, then."

Brian:
"Yeah, you'd only just started when I got the boot, you were actually in Colin's office when he "let me go". The old man showing you his power I dare say.
I also vaugely remember your first dev staff meeting too, a day or so before that, though it was a more of a,
"Hi I'm Gary, I'll be your oppressor for the next 100 years kind of thing" :)
Since everyone was quite used to working on their own individually, the idea of being managed was quite odd and the subject of a few grumbles at the 'cromby that night. "

The current fad for martial arts games continues with Imagine's latest arcade conversion Yie Ar Kung Fu. The game has its roots firmly imbedded in the original Japanese Konami arcade game and contains the same opponents and controls, as well as two of the backdrops from the coin-op version.

The game scenario is quite simple and typically Japanese. You take the role of humble Oolong who, for reasons best known to himself, has to follow in the footsteps of his father and honour his family by becoming a Kung Fu Grand Master. To do this he has to defeat the opponents who confront him on his quest. These rather odd-looking adversaries vary from huge jelly like giants who have the ability to fly across the screen at you, to petite females who enjoy trying to kill you by flinging their fans at you.

Oolong, being a dab hand at the Kung Fu routine has sixteen special moves to confound, confuse and generally kill off his opponents with. All these are accessed via the joystick or nine keys, in similar fashion to International Karate. Some of the moves, such as the roundhouse, flying kick and leg sweep, will be familiar to those who already have a martial arts program gracing their software collection. Others, like flying and leaping punches, the stride punch and ground kick are totally new. Points are awarded for well executed moves and a bonus life is given if you manage to reach 20,000 points.

When fighting you have the choice of three different modes: walking mode, punching mode, and kicking mode. You start the game in walking mode and when you're near enough to your opponent you have the option of being able to either kick or use your fists.

At the start of the game, both you and your opponent are given a certain amount of energy which is shown on-screen in the form of a bar. If you get hit, your bar diminishes slightly. To defeat your opponent you have to make his or her energy bar reach zero before yours does. If you manage to do that then you are promoted to the next, more difficult opponent with your energy level restored to maximum; if you don't win, then you lose one of your five lives and have to tackle the same opponent again.

Each combatant has a unique way of fighting and you need to modify your fighting strategy in order to win. Some of the opponents carry weapons - poles, throwing stars, shields, swords, sticks and fans which have to be jumped over or ducked under, while avoiding the usual melee of punches and kicks. If you manage to beat the final opponent Oolong becomes a Grand Master, and has to challenge the same set of opponents all over again - only this time they're meaner and faster.

Producer: Imagine
Price: £7.95
Language: machine code



CRITICISM
'I found this to be a better game than Way of the Exploding Fist because of its variety. There are nine different opponents and each one is portrayed with very good graphics indeed. The only real disappointment for me is that the level of difficulty is a little low to start with, and it is easy to see all the opponents in the first few goes. To be fair though, the second round proves to be far more difficult and things start to get really hectic. If you didn't get Fist, and you want a good mince em up, get this. Even if you did, this is well worth considering because of its different approach and the variety of opponents it offers.'

'Yie Ar Kung Fu is an excellent game and really shows that Imagine are swiftly becoming one of the best software development houses in Britain. It's easily the best of the Spectrum martial arts programs because of the variety of characters and excellent arcade style playability. The graphics are cleverly designed and avoid attribute problems - something Spectrum owners have had to live with for too long. The only real flaw in the program is that a player can dispose of the first set of opponents very easily: once you've beaten them you know what will come next. When compared with Fist at least there is variety. I hope Imagine can continue their high standards - if they do then Ping Pong and Comic Bakery should be programs to await with anticipation.'

'A great game! The backgrounds are very colourful - it's just a shame that there are only two of them. The game as a whole is quite a good conversion of the arcade classic, but of course lacks the solid colourful sprites of the arcade machines. The inter-fight jingles are very jolly even if they do seem to get longer when you want to get on with the smashing and bashing. The animation is very good and far more relative to the action than Exploding Fist. The energy bar idea is a great one, and makes the game really nailbiting, especially when you get in a fast and furious scrap with both bars diminishing rapidly. My only complaint is that the game tends to be a bit too easy - even easier than Exploding Fist. I beat everyone on my second go! When you finish, you just go back to fight Buchu, which is a bit of a let down, even if he is a better opponent second time around.'



COMMENTS
Control keys: definable
Joystick: Kempston, Interface 2
Keyboard play: responsive, but gets tangled
Use of colour: excellent, and avoids attributes
Graphics: large, well animated characters on pretty backdrops
Sound: jolly jingles
Skill levels: difficulty increases as you go through the screens
Screens: nine different opponents
General rating: another excellent Imagine conversion


Use of computer 86%
Graphics 93%
Playability 89%
Getting started 85%
Addictive qualities 93%
Value for money 88%
Overall 92%