Kung-Fu Master
Kung-Fu Master is a Single-player and Two-player Fighting video game developed by Irem and published by Data East. The game is played from a non-scrolling side-view, and it offers the mix of beat ‘em up and action gameplay elements. In the game, the player takes on the role of the protagonist named Thomas, who is a Kung Fu master, and the story revolves around his struggle as he battle against rival masters his way through five challenging levels of the Devil’s Temple to save his girlfriend named Sylvia. The game starts with the antagonist named Mr. X who kidnaps the protagonist’s girlfriend. During the gameplay, the player needs to use his punch and kick to defeat rivals. Unlike other side-scrolling games, the player uses the joystick isn’t to crouch, but also to jump. Kicks and punches can be performed from a crouching, standing, or even jumping position. The player receives more points for punch than kicks and does more damage. With cool graphics, simple controls, and good mechanics, Kung-Fu Master is an excellent fighting game to play.
#1 Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior is an Action, Fighting, Single-player and Two-player video game developed and published by Capcom. The game includes multiple playable characters, and each has its unique fighting style and features command-based special moves. It revolves around the already established conventions and rules by its original title released in 1987. However, the player engages competitors in one-on-one fighting matches based on close-quarter combat in a set of best out of three matches. The task of the player in each round is to deplete the vitality of the opponent before the time runs out. If both characters knock each other out simultaneously or the time ends with both fighters having an equal amount of health bar, then a Double KO appears, or draw game is offered an additional round to make the final decision. There are several playable characters such as Chun-Li, E. Honda, Ken, Vega, etc. The player can select his favorite one before starting the game to advance through it. With a good fighting mechanics, superb graphics, and smooth controls, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior is an excellent game to play.
#2 Fighting Road
Fighting Road offers the one-on-one fighting game, in which the player takes on the role of the protagonist, nameless martial arts. The game supports both Single-player and Two-player modes, and it comes with a perfect mixture of Arcade, Martial Arts and Fighting gameplay elements. It is played from a side view, and the player controls his character to advance through the game with an aim to take down opponents one by one. During the gameplay, he can move around the screen, avoiding the opponent’s attacks and then reveal his own with blends of his super attack buttons and arrows. Furthermore, the game introduces special moves as the specific combinations of directional moves that execute new, but different attacks. However, these moves deplete the player’s stamina bar which can leave him defenseless against the opponent. Both characters have their health bar, and the main objective is to struggle to deplete the health bar of each other until reaches to zero to declare as the winner. Fighting Road offers 2D World, Fighting mechanics, martial arts gameplay, and more. Try it out, if you want to experience the classic fighting game.
#3 Big Challenge! Judo Senshuken
Big Challenge! Judo Senshuken brings the blend of Sports and Fighting game elements to players, developed and published by Jaleco, Ltd. The game takes place in the fantastic environment and provides the player with Judo-themed competitive gameplay, where the ultimate task is to take down the opponent using the Judo moves. During the gameplay, the player can perform a grapple, throws, and pins to beat the opponent. Taking down one opponent enables the player to work his way up the tournament ranks to tough enemies. The game is played from a side view, and the player can move in right or left to attack enemies. He can also create combos by mixing several moves using the buttons. Within a limited time, the player has to defeat the opponent by depleting his health bar. Big Challenge! Judo Senshuken offers prominent features such as Sports Gameplay, Fighting Mechanics, Two Modes, and more. Check it out, if you want to learn Judo.
#4 Hiryu no Ken II: Dragon no Tsubasa
Hiryu no Ken II: Dragon no Tsubasa is a 2D Fighting, Single-player and Two-player video game with Role-playing aspects, developed and published by Culture Brain, Inc. In the game, players will experience a unique blend of Martial Arts, Brawler, and RPG game elements. It takes place in the fantasy-themed world, and the game serves as the sequel to the original title, Hiryu no Ken. It has several modes, and each offers unique gameplay. The Normal mode of the game deals with brawler genre where the player needs to battle against past legions of enemies using his Martial Arts skills while looking for the end of each stage. The RPG mode introduces the one-on-one fights that need some strategy, using the weak-point fighting system that the premise of the series. Each round has its unique theme, and the player has to face off an opponent with a task of taking down it to advance to the next one. Hiryu no Ken II: Dragon no Tsubasa includes simple graphics, smooth controls, and 2D characters.
#5 Boot Camp
Boot Camp is a 2D Side-scrolling, Arcade, and Single-player Action video game developed by Konami. The game is a slight twist on the sports genre, and the player starts his journey from a military boot camp with an objective to pass a set of training exercises. Before starting the game to complete the challenging missions, the player has to visit the training camp first to boost up his abilities. In the game, some of the courses are full of obstacles, firing range, arm wrestling, iron man race, and a battle with the instructor. The gameplay is almost similar to that of the Epyx video game series, with several unique events that must be accomplished to move forward. Two players can play this game simultaneously using the Multiplayer mode. There are many challenging levels available to test the skills of the player as the soldier. The game increases the difficulty level as the player advances through it. With excellent gameplay, smooth controls, and good visuals, Boot Camp takes the player in the golden age of classic games.
#6 Galactic Warriors
Galactic Warriors is a Fighting, Single-player and Two-player video game developed by Konami for Arcade. The game serves as the 2nd fighting title of Konami, released after the 1985’s Yie Ar Kung Fu video game. It is the first entry with several playable characters, and each character appears with different move sets. The game starts with the player choosing his playable character from available and jumping into the game to battle against opponents from a side view. It takes place in the 2D world, where the player can mix several moves to create a devastating attack using buttons and then release at an opponent to kill him. There are six different stages available, and each comes with different themes and environment effects based on gravity. Three mechs are also featured in the game from which the player can define his favorite one to partake in mecha-based fighting matches. Unlike the Single-player modes of other games, Galactic Warriors lacks continues and provides the player with some limited lives, similar to the platform and beat ‘em up games.
#7 Karate Champ
Karate Champ is a Fighting, Single-player and Two-player video game published by Data East and developed by Technos Japan. The game is famous for its one-on-one fighting matches, and it offers a set of moves that the player can perform using the joystick controls. A new feature is also introduced as the training bonus stages that will let players boost up their performance. However, in each round, the game pits two players against each other, and the player who remains alive until the end will win the match. Each character can make combos by mixing several moves using the combination of buttons to take down an opponent. In the game, the player takes on the role of a Karate competitor with a task with battling against another player or the computer. The gameplay contains 2D fight between two characters wearing a red and white gi, followed by different rounds for the successful character. With 2D characters, simple controls, and old-school graphics, Karate Champ is a good game to play.
#8 Bushido
Bushido is an Action, Side-scroll, and Single-player video game, offering the perfect blend of Martial Arts and Fighting elements, developed by Ebenel Enterprises and published by Advanced Computer Products. The game lets the player experience the old classic fighting gameplay with 2D characters. There are several fighters available, and the player needs to choose his favorite one and jump into the game to face off opponents in one-on-one matches. During the gameplay, several actions take the player through a set of themed locations, including the dojo, the courtyard, and the cellar, commanded by Samurai hostile. Each character has its unique fighting style, weapon, etc. they can be used during the battle. The player has limited lives, receiving one attack means one life is gone. With 2D graphics, slow gameplay, classic sounds, and fine controls, Bushido is a good game of the 80s.
#9 Yie Ar Kung-Fu
Yie Ar Kung-Fu is a Fighting, Single-player and Two-player video game takes place in the 2D world, developed and published by Konami. The game offers the karate-mixed gameplay, in which the player starts the game by choosing his character and then jump to face off an opponent from a side-scroll view. It features a protagonist, a Bruce Lee-based Kung Fu Master named Oolong. According to the storyline, the player needs to battle against all the martial offered by the game and take down them for the title of Grand Master. While fighting, the player uses a variety of punch and kick blows by mixing several moves and then attack the opponent to take down them. In the game, the player faces many opponents, and each opponent has its unique appearance and fighting style. He can perform up to sixteen different moves, using the combination of buttons. Up to 11 martial arts masters are featured in the game for players to select from, to show off their awesome moves in the classic era. Yie Ar Kung-Fu offered addictive gameplay of that time when it was released, but now lots of gamers have also enjoyed this game using emulators.
#10 Fuuun Shaolin Kyo: Ankoku no Maou
Fuuun Shaolin Kyo: Ankoku no Maou is a 1988 Fighting, Single-player and Two-player video game developed and published by Jaleco Ltd. The game mixes the Action and Fighting gameplay elements and applies the Martial Arts theme. In the game, the player assumes the role of the fighter, a Kung-Fu master, who is capable of taking down enemies within no time. However, the game mainly revolves around one-on-one fighting matches, and it acts as the sequel to Fuuun Shaolin Kyo video game. The main objective is to take down an array of opponents using the Shaolin Martial Arts. One of the best features included in this sequel is the cut-scenes, which plays like a visual novel. During the gameplay, the player witnesses’ events unfold after each fight and can choose between multiple opponent fighters for the next round. Lots of stages are available, and like the previous title, each stage comes with a unique them. While fighting, the player can run, jump, and attack opponent using the combination of attacks to take down them. Both characters have their health bars, displayed at the bottom of the screen. The player will lose the match whose health reaches to zero.
#11 Fuuun Shourinken
Fuuun Shourinken is a Fighting, Martial Arts, Single-player and Two-player video game developed and published by Jaleco Ltd. The game takes place in the classic era and provides the player with 2D fighting gameplay with several characters. Each has its unique fighting moves and play style. The game starts with the player choosing his fighter and then battling against opponents in one-on-one matches. During the gameplay, the player has to take down a variety of increasingly difficult masters with their moves. Similar to professional martial arts bouts, the player is rewarded with points based on the number of hits. There are several stages available, and each stage offers a unique theme. During the game, the player can run, jump and attack enemies his way through numerous stages to win and become the master. As the player advances, the difficulty level will be increased. With good graphics, fighting mechanics, and smooth controls, Fuuun Shourinken is a good game to play.
#12 Shao-Lin’s Road
Shao-Lin’s Road is an Action, Side-scroll Perspective, Beat ‘em up, and Single-player video game by Konami. The game offers engaging gameplay, and it puts the player in the role of the protagonist named Wanpyou, who has mastered the secret of Chin-style Material Arts. After that, the player encounters a triad, who is also responsible for the assassination of is master named Raochuu. He is trapped within the Jaken Temple. Now, the player needs to struggle to escape and then enact revenge with his newly discovered skills. The ultimate objective of each step is to take down enemies with different kicks, without being killed. During the gameplay, if the enemy touches the player four fours, he loses a life. The character of the player flashes and the speed of the music will speed up if the player has one hit left. The step is split into two parts such as cleaning each part rewards the player with a bonus based on the number of hits. During the gameplay, the player can move left or right, or jump between platforms by hitting the up and down buttons. Check it out, if you love playing old classic games.
#13 Pocket Rumble
Pocket Rumble is a 2D Fighting, Action, Pixel Graphics, Single-player and Online Multiplayer video game developed by Cardboard Robot Games and published by Chucklefish Games for Multiple Platforms. The game offers beginner-friendly fighting gameplay heavily inspired by classic fighter titles of Neo Geo. However, it retains all the gameplay aspects that make traditional Street Fighter video game great but also decreases the level of execution and memorization. That way the player will learn the game fast and be able to concentrate on more profound aspects of strategy and mind-games, newcomers can learn the special moves of the fighting game without being overwhelmed. It introduces two-button controls and comes with easy to pick-up, but tough to master gameplay. During the fight, the player can perform short combos with a straightforward and easy timing system. The game features offline modes such as Career, Training, Versus, Arcade, etc. Pocket Rumble offers core features such as Quick Swap Characters, Multiplayer Modes, Unique Meter and Mechanics, Local Matches, Competitive Gameplay, and more. Try it out, and you’ll like it.
#14 Fatal Fury
Fatal Fury is a series of Fighting video games developed and published by SNK for Nintendo console. Fatal Fury: King of Fighters is the first installment in the series, released in 1991. Like other fighting games, there are playable fighters available, and each has its unique playing style, skills, and abilities. The first title of the game enables players to choose one of three fighters such as Joe Higashi, Andy Bogard, and Terry Bogard. After choosing the character, the player needs to face off eight different opponents in the format of one-on-one matches and then take down them to win. The game is famous for the 2D system, enabling players to fight from two different planes. By jumping between these planes, attacks can be dodged easily. The later game has removed the two-plane system, replacing it with a complex system of dodging element, including the three-plane system. During the gameplay, the player can perform several unique attacks according to his character and can make combos by mixing several attacks to deplete more health of the opponent.